Prom Queen to Nothing

Chapter One The Girl Who Had Everything Waking up after eighteen hours of sleep and still feeling drained is a reminder of how pathetic life is. Sorry… How pathetic my life is. I had everything once. The perfect family. The perfect friends. The purr-fect boyfriend. Sounds cliché, right? Being Lockwood High’s cheer captain and dating the stereotypical football quarterback definitely had its perks. People knew my name before I even walked into a room. Girls wanted to be me. Guys wanted to date me. Teachers adored me because my grades were almost as perfect as my social life. Almost. But good things always come to an end. I learned that the hard way. My name is Crystal Rodriguez, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: Every person—rich or poor—has a story. And mine started falling apart on prom night. “Beep! Beep! Beep!” I groaned and slapped my alarm clock so hard it nearly fell off the nightstand. “Oh, s**t…” Sunlight poured through the cream curtains of my room, attacking my already pounding head. My body felt heavy, like I’d been hit by a truck instead of tequila shots. Remind me never to drink on a weekday again. I rolled over and buried my face into the silk pillow. Maybe I should skip school. Honestly, forcing myself out of bed took a solid fifteen minutes. My mattress was too comfortable and my body hated me right now. But if Mom found out I skipped first period again, she’d roast me alive. Dragging myself into the bathroom, I turned on the shower and stepped under the freezing water with a sharp gasp. Goosebumps erupted across my skin instantly. Okay… maybe cold showers weren’t that bad. By the time I got out, I felt more human. I sprayed my brunette curls with my favorite lavender mist, slipped into black cargo pants and a blue cropped top, then threw my hair into a messy bun. Simple but cute. Good enough. I grabbed my backpack, phone, and car keys before heading downstairs. The house was empty. No surprise there. My mom was one of California’s top pediatricians. She practically lived at the hospital. Some days I barely saw her for more than five minutes. As for my dad? I didn’t even know if I had one. Mom never talked about him. Ever. Being an only child sucked. Sometimes the silence in our giant mansion felt louder than people screaming. I shoved the thought away and headed for my car. Lockwood High. The most prestigious private school in California. A paradise for rich kids and scholarship students smart enough to survive the pressure. The second I parked in my designated spot, I spotted Bryan Carter leaning against his black Jeep with his football friends surrounding him. And there he was. The king of Lockwood High. Tall. Athletic. Golden skin. Perfect smile. My boyfriend. The moment his eyes met mine, he grinned. Butterflies instantly exploded in my stomach. God, I was down bad. I blew him a kiss dramatically, earning whistles from his teammates. Bryan pretended to catch it before pressing it against his chest. I laughed softly. Three years together and he still made me blush like an i***t. “Damn, Rodriguez!” one of the football players yelled. “You’re making our captain soft!” Bryan rolled his eyes but wrapped an arm around my waist the moment I reached him. “Jealous?” he smirked. “Very,” the guy muttered. I rested my head briefly against Bryan’s shoulder as cameras flashed around us. Typical Lockwood behavior. People here treated popularity like oxygen. And together? Bryan and I were basically royalty. The power couple. The untouchables. At least… that’s what everyone thought. The cafeteria buzzed with noise during lunchtime. Cheerleaders occupied one side. Football players dominated the center table. Scholarship students usually kept to themselves near the windows. Lockwood had invisible social lines everyone followed. Everyone except me. “Crystal!” Trish squealed before sliding into the seat beside me. “Are you still coming to Ashley’s party Friday night?” “Obviously,” I laughed. “You and Bryan better not disappear upstairs again,” another cheerleader teased. “Oh my God,” I groaned dramatically while everyone burst into laughter. Bryan leaned over and kissed my cheek casually. “Can’t make promises, babe.” The girls screamed. I rolled my eyes, pretending to hate the attention even though part of me loved it. Maybe that made me shallow. But after growing up lonely, being wanted was addictive. My gaze drifted across the cafeteria absentmindedly. And landed on a pair of dark eyes watching me. A boy sat alone near the back corner. Nicholas Pitcher. Nick. I recognized him vaguely. Scholarship student. Quiet. Smart. Invisible. The type of person Lockwood ignored unless grades were involved. The second our eyes met, he looked away quickly. Weird. “Earth to Crystal!” Trish snapped her fingers. “You zoning out on us?” “Sorry,” I muttered with a small laugh. But for some reason, I found myself glancing back toward the corner again. Nick was gone. By the end of the day, I was exhausted. Cheer practice had nearly killed me, and Bryan had football training afterward, so I headed home alone. The California sunset painted the roads gold as music blasted softly through my speakers. For a moment, life felt peaceful again. Normal. Perfect. Until my phone buzzed. Unknown Number My brows furrowed. I answered through Bluetooth. “Hello?” Silence. “Hello?” Then finally— A girl’s voice. Soft. Mocking. “You really think Bryan loves you?” My stomach tightened instantly. “What?” A laugh echoed through the speaker. Cold. Cruel. “You should ask him where he was last Friday night.” The call disconnected. Just like that. My hands tightened around the steering wheel as my heartbeat suddenly pounded against my chest. And for the first time in three years… Doubt crept in.