Girl Underwater

Another Day In Paradise

Sierras POV

I was already running late to class when I ran through the schools front doors to find my step siblings and their posse standing there as if waiting for me. Dillon and Felicity always seemed to know when I was having a bad day and made it their mission to make it worse. Dillon was a two years older than me and in his senior year of high school while Felicity was the same age as me and in most of the same classes as juniors.

"Oh look who the cat dragged in," Dillon started shoving me to the ground.

Felicity giggled and shoved my books that had fallen out of my arms further from me so I'd have to crawl to get them. "Looks like a rat to me," Felicity said making the rest of the posse giggle.

Dillon and Felicity were like royalty in our private school here in Daytona, Florida. Perfectly straight blonde hair, blue eyes, and a bronze tan you could tell was natural and not from a can. Both played sports and were loved by all. Meanwhile I was the outcast my green dyed hair, brown eyes, and pale skin made me the odd ball of the town. Especially in a town full of kids who came from money.

The sad thing is the posse of three girls and three boys had all once been my friends before my dad married Lisa, Dillon and Felicitys mom. I had moved here when I was three with my mom and dad. So me and all the kids around here had grown up together. Once the "steps", as I called them, came into my life they took over everything my dad's money, my room, my friends I mean everything.

If only mom hadn't run off five years ago none of this would be happening but it couldn't be helped this was the way things were now. Dad was always busy with work, and the "steps" would be running me over till he'd come home. Which by the sounds of it he'd be dropping in for Dillons graduation. Then he wouldn't be for a back for a month or so this time.

"My dad hasn't been gone ten minutes and you guys are already showing your true nature how sad it must be to be so rotten inside that you'd need to pick on me," I angrily said as I grabbed up my last book before getting to my feet.

I turned around to see Josh my old crush mocking me. Josh was the quarter back before Dillon moved to town two years ago, but didn't seem to mind that he was no longer the star of the show. Girls still loved him and it was hard not to curly black hair, green eyes, and the perfect caramel color of his skin were to die for. Like all of Dillon and Felicitys posse they were all on sports teams all popular all "perfect".

Before I could make a smart come back a door opened to the closest classroom Ms.Smith angry scanned all of us, "does anyone care to explain why you are all not in class?"

"Sorry Ms.Smith we just got in our dad just left for one of his trips I do have a note for us we were just headed to the office," ever so sweetly Felicity replied.

Ms. Smith nodded and said go on without bothering to look at the note. Seeing as the fun was over everyone made their way to the office with their notes. I swear sometimes my dad was to nice he gave even all of Dillon and Felicitys friends a note even though I was the only one to see him off. At least it explains why they were all waiting for me would have seemed odd if they didn't come in with me when seeing my dad off.

The rest of the day flew by and I came out mostly unscathed. A few rude comments here and there and was shoved in the hallway but I didn't get knocked over and Felicity and Dillon seemed to be done with me. It wasn't till after lunch that I had angered the Queen B apparently she had planned something to happen during lunch but I skipped. I went to the library and read about mermaids instead of going to eat.

It was the last period of the day and we were in our history class the rude remarks coming from Felicitys friend told me she wasn't over my skipping of lunch. Strangely Mr.Seymour hadn't made it to the class yet. We were supposed to be going over what was going to be on the final exam next week as summer was finally right around the corner and I could not wait to be out of here.

As if Mr.Seymour had read my thoughts he came bursting through the classroom door. His face was completely red but he looked like he was about to burst with excitement. The classroom fell silent quickly looking up at our teacher who was now smiling ear to ear.

"Before I start our lesson I have some very exciting news. The beach trip that was mentioned at the beginning of the year to hold our graduation as well as give the rest of the students a relaxing day after exams has been approved as of today the last parent signed on," Mr.Seymour said in a rush.

The whole class burst into celebration everyone excited and talking over each other. Everyone but me of course I couldn't swim and was terrified of the ocean. Despite my love for mermaids and the sea world itself I only enjoyed it from the safety of the land, reading about it instead of experiencing it. I quickly realized that we were never going to get to our lesson. Which really didn't matter it was Friday and exams started Monday if you hadn't already studied you were probably gonna fail regardless.

Pulling out the book about mermaids I had been reading at lunch I quickly glanced around the classroom. Figuring no one would be paying attention to me I was about to read till I seen Felicity staring at me. She had the look she had everytime she was brewing up one of her devious plans and I knew then whatever she was planning wasn't going to be good.

After a small stare down with Felicity I started reading all about mermaids. I loved them I loved the idea of them anyways. The ocean actually terrified me the idea of not knowing what was really swimming under me gave me the chills. But if I was a mermaid I wouldn't need to have that fear I'd be the thing swimming under everything else and that idea was satisfying. If only.

I was so immersed in thought that I barely read any of my book. It wasn't until I seen everyone else packing their things that I realized it was time to leave. I didn't waste a minute throwing my things into my bag grabbing my keys. As soon as Mr.Seymour said we could leave I bolted out of the door like my life depended on it. There was no way I was gonna wait around to see what Felicity had in stored for me this time.

It was a short walk across the parking lot to get to my white Jeep liberty. Taking only seconds I put the keys into the ignition stuck her in drive and I was out of there. Not thinking twice I drove straight to the mall which was only about a fifteen minute drive from the school. As soon as I parked I went through the mall to what seemed like an abandoned hall. In the back corner of this hall stood the little reading cafe I discovered the first time my dad left after marrying Lisa.

It was a cozy little place with laptops readily available to the regulars. Several booths looped around the small cafe all dark wood and black leather. With just the right amount of lighting to read but not so much that it was uncomfortable.

I made my way to the back corner of the room ignoring the looks I got from some of the older people as I walked by. Sitting down in a booth I claimed as mine I grabbed my book I was only two thirds through and began reading. I didn't look up from my book until I had finished it. Only then did I notice my friends Emily and Ashton were sitting with me.

I loved these girls they never questioned why I'd get sucked into any book but instead would wait till I was done to start talking to me. Emily was a sweet and quiet girl. The kind that'd never push you but would always be there for you. She had rainbow colored hair that was down past her shoulder on one side but shaved on the other. Big chocolate eyes hid behind her purple glasses and an olive skin tone that made her even more unique and beautiful at the same time.

It was no wonder that Ashton had fallen for Emily despite the fact that they were the opposite. Ashton was loud and the most out spoken of the group. If you didn't know how to take her she'd come off as rude but she'd stand up for me and Emily in a heartbeat. Her short pixie cut black hair, blue eyes, and bronze tan made her the sort that many guys would go for. I almost felt bad for them when she'd flirt just to tell them it was to bad she played for the wrong team. Almost being the keyword some of the guys especially jocks could be annoyingly pushy.

"Was the book good," Ashton asked. I nodded and before I could explain what I was reading she quickly changed the subject. "So did you ask your dad before he left this morning." I nodded smiling. Ashton was whispering yes.

This caught Emily's attention looking up from her book she said, "really?" I nodded again and Emily unable to contain her excitement squealed "YES!" a little to loud. After getting a hard look from the barista and an older couple that had started at me when I came in Emily whispered, "sorry."

Before Ashton and I could stop ourselves we burst out laughing Ashton snorting only making me laugh harder. "Stop you guys you know I hate it when I interrupt others," Emily said back to her normal quiet voice. When Ashton snorted again Emily playfully smacked her hand saying I said stop.

"Sorry *snort* I'm sorry I can't help it Em your just to cute when your excited," Ashton said grabbing Emily's hand before she could whack her again. "I love you Em," Ashton told Emily while holding her hand finally calming her the rest of the way down.

It was times like these that I became envious of my two friends. Don't get me wrong I loved them but I was jealous of their relationship. There was a time when I though me and Josh would be together. I had invited him to my dad's wedding getting overly dressed up and was going to confess till he seen Felicity.

Josh had whispered wow under his breath and I knew then that he liked her. Luckily I hadn't embarrassed myself or gotten used to the idea of liking him but we were best friends before Felicity came into his life. Even if I no longer had a crush on Josh I did miss our friendship.

"Earth to Sie do you read me Sie?" Ashton said breaking me out of my self pitying thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry I'm here just lost in thought." I told them.

"It's okay we just wanted to know how you convinced your dad to let you transfer to our school next year," Emily said.

"Oh that was easy I made him promise last year that if I still didn't like being in private school this year that next year I could transfer to public school and luckily for me your school is a top rated public school that's also closer to home so he couldn't say no." I explained.

We kept talking for a while plans for summer and what classes we'd sign up for so we could be in the same classes together and such. I didn't think about how late it was till I looked at my phone and seem that I had missed calls from all of the "steps". Wondering why they called till I seen that it was already seven o'clock.

"Oh s**t," I said under my breath jumping up nearly spilling my coffee. "Sorry girls but I'm running late like really late." Emily and Ashton jumped up quickly saying goodbye. I didn't waste a minute running as quick as I could to my jeep.

I went straight to a Chinese place to order dinner. Maybe if I got Lisa's favorite dinner she wouldn't punish me to harshly. She liked to take my phones and break them. She knew she couldn't take my jeep or my credit card but also knew I hated disappointing my dad. After breaking ten phones this school year alone dad was starting to think I was a real klutz. As if that wasn't bad enough she'd make messes and force me to clean them or have Dillon and Felicity do it.

Felicity had probably already gone home and run her mouth I'm sure so I was already in trouble. Being late just meant I was in deep. Quickly ordering and hopping in my car to wait I didn't bother calling the "steps" back. I sent a quick text to my dad telling him I loved him and to be safe then turned my phone off. I was bracing myself for the worse and hoping for the best. That's all I had left was hope.....