I Think My Bully Likes Me [GL]

A loud drip echoed through the tiny storage room. I was locked inside with my freaking nemesis. My bully. The girl I hated more than anyone else. And she was kissing me. My eyes stayed wide open in shock, refusing to blink. I could smell the alcohol on her breath as her lips pressed against mine. She was drunk. What the hell was happening? She kissed me harder. Wait. I'll start from the top. My name is Luna. I'm a regular senior in high school. Regular family. Regular life. Regular grades. Regular friends. Boring. At least, that's what I thought. "Luna!" my mum screamed from downstairs. "You're gonna be late!" "Coming!" I rushed downstairs into our tiny two-room apartment. It wasn't much: old walls, peeling paint, a tiny kitchen, and a living room that barely fit our worn-out couch. The bathroom tap leaked every other week. Still, it was home. "The cheaper, the better," my mum always said. "Morning, Mum." She didn't even look up. "What morning? It's eight thirty." "School starts at nine." "And?" "It only takes fifteen minutes to get there." "If the bus comes on time." "It usually does." She finally looked at me. "Usually isn't good enough." I sighed and pulled out a chair. She placed a plate of toast and eggs in front of me. "Eat." "I'm not really hungry." "I wasn't asking." "...Yes, Mum." I took a bite of my toast. Silence filled the room, the only sound the old ceiling fan spinning above us. I got up to wash my plate and turned the tap. Nothing. Not a single drop. "Mum?" "What?" "The water went off." She glanced toward the sink. "I'll get it fixed." "Mum, I can get a part—" "No." "But—" "Enough!" Her voice was sharp enough to stop me. "I said no." I looked down. "But I just want to help." "Just do well in school." She grabbed her handbag from the chair. "Leave the bills, broken pipes, and everything else to me." I opened my mouth again. She pointed a finger at me. "Not another word." "...Yes, Mum." "Good." She walked toward the front door before stopping. "And don't leave this house without your lunch." "I won't." "You forgot it yesterday." "...I won't today." She handed me the paper bag anyway. "Go." I slung my backpack over my shoulder. "Love you." "I know." That was her way of saying it back. I smiled to myself and stepped outside. The morning air was cool. Our apartment building looked just as tired as every other building on the street: cracked walls, rusty railings, laundry hung from almost every balcony. Mrs. Daniels from next door waved as she swept outside her door. "Morning, Luna." "Morning." I walked to the bus stop. The bus arrived a few minutes later, and I climbed on and immediately spotted my best friend, Rose. She waved me over. "Luna! Over here!" She had already saved me a seat. "Guess what?" I asked as I sat down. "What?" "Ariana released a new song." Her eyes widened. "Seriously?" "Yeah! It came out this morning." "No way. Let me hear it." I pulled out my phone, and we shared the same pair of earphones, each taking one side. "It's so good," Rose whispered as the bus pulled away. "I know, right?" We listened quietly, smiling whenever our favorite part came on. Rose wasn't exactly comfortable financially either. She was an only child, just like me, and her mum had been raising her alone for as long as I could remember. When we were eight, we even tried setting our mums up. We thought it was a brilliant idea. It wasn't. We got grounded for a week. The bus slowed to a stop at the next station. The doors folded open. And then she stepped onto the bus. Aria Hart. The girl who had somehow made it her life's mission to make my life a living hell. She climbed onto the bus with her expensive Lululemon backpack slung over one shoulder like she owned the place. Her perfectly pressed uniform, spotless shoes, and effortless confidence made her stand out immediately. Her eyes swept across the bus until they landed on me. She looked at me like I was the most disgusting thing she'd ever seen. Then she smirked. Great. Just great. She walked down the aisle. I silently prayed she'd keep going. She didn't. Crunch. She stepped right on my foot. "Ow!" Rose immediately stood up. "Hey! Watch where you're going." Aria slowly turned to look at her, a smug smile spreading across her face. "Aww." She tilted her head. "Look. Luna has her own little bodyguard."