The bus pulled up to the school, and I was more than ready to escape the cramped space and the overly loud chatter of early morning gossip. I grabbed my bag and stepped off, inhaling the crisp air that smelled vaguely of freshly cut grass and exhaust fumes from the line of cars pulling into the lot.
And then I saw her—Tess. She was just parking her car, the bright red paint gleaming in the sunlight like some sort of showpiece. She spotted me almost immediately and waved, a wide grin splitting her face as she jogged over. Her blonde curls bounced with each step, and her oversized sunglasses looked ridiculously glamorous for someone in high school.
“Well, well, look who decided to show up bright and early,” Tess teased, adjusting her bag strap as she reached me.
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t act to
