"Chance! Up, now!" A gruff voice barked up the stairs, my eyes fluttered open and i pushed myself into a sitting position, rubbing at my eyes. "CHANCE!" "I'm awake!" I growled back, sliding from the warm confines of my bed and going about getting ready. I left the bathroom and paused in the centre of the room, donning only boxers, trying to figure out what day it was. Ah, September 8th. First day of school. "Will you hurry the fuck up, boy?!" Came the voice again, i couldn't help the eye roll, but wouldn't risk the consequences of keeping my father waiting. I quickly changed into the customary Bolton uniform and brushed and styled my hair, padding downstairs and into the dining room of our mansion. Ah, the joys of being rich. My father was seated at the table, reading the morning paper as usual. I stood by my chair, waiting for him to grant permission for me to sit down. Pathetic, i know, but to that man i was the scum of the earth. If i put even a toe out of his definition of what was acceptable, there were very painful consequences. "Sit." He ordered, i nodded and quickly took my seat. "You're picking Hannah up this morning, don't forget again." "Ah, yes... Sorry, father." I bowed my head, should've guessed he wouldn't forget about the one time i'd lost track of time and left my fiancee standing outside an event for over two hours. Hollis rolled his eyes, seemed to ponder something. "Any news on that Howard girl?" "Cole? Not as far as i've heard-" SLAM. I looked up quickly and saw that my father was seething, uh oh. What did i do now? "Referring to those commoners on a first name basis? Despicable. You shouldn't even acknowledge those rats, you hear me?" "Yes, father..." No, father. You're an asshole, father. Burn in hell, father. "Good, now get out of my sight. You don't want to be late." I nodded and stood up, almost running from the room. I stopped by the kitchen and grabbed a cereal bar, piling all my equipment into my empty messenger bag and yanking on my shoes before fleeing from the hell hole. One day, i was going to murder my father. ~ I finally managed to shake Hannah off outside MFL, where she had a board meeting with her fellow 'girlfriends', and was honestly looking forward to a lunch without her. My father was the one who arranged the marriage, i -of course- had no say in it, and to be honest i didn't know if i loved her. She was sweet, yes, but i didn't think i loved her. As i was walking down the always empty Glass Corridor, i spotted a familiar face leaning against his locker on his phone. He was alone. "Hey, Blue!" He looked up at my voice, brown eyes widened when he recognised me. Then he scowled. "Fuck off, Claybourne." He hissed, moving to walk away. I grabbed his arm before he could leave, and he half turned to raise an eyebrow at me. "What do you want? It's hard to honour the 'don't talk to me' policy when you start shit like this." "I never said you shouldn't talk to me, stop being an asshole." He bristled at my words, but i ploughed on anyway. "I was just wondering if there was any news on Cole?" "Why would you care?!" Ben growled, yanking his arm from my grip. "What, going to run along and tell all your popular friends about how laughable it is, 'the island girl finally got what was coming to her'?!" He spun round, punched a locker. "That is all i've heard since we came back! People snickering about her, treating her like she *deserved* to be kidnapped! How sick are you people?!" I put my hands up to my chest, fingers splayed outwards in a surrender. "Ben, calm. I don't think she deserved it. And i wasn't asking for anyone else, either, i was asking because i genuinely worry for her well being. Despite how i may come across, i honestly do care." Ben seemed to deflate, falling heavily against the locker he'd just pounded. I watched his eyes glaze over, his mouth morph into a miserable line, and my gut knotted. That wasn't good. "They've called off the search," he muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face. "They don't think she's still alive, they've given up on her." Then he straightened up and walked back in the opposite direction, brushing past me with a heavy slump to his form. I let him go, wrapped in my own little circle of moping. I'd liked Cole, she was self-respecting in the way that most of the sluts in this school weren't. I'd even go so far as to call her my friend, albeit a secret one, if only to prevent a repeat of what happened the last time i was friends with a 'commoner'. And now she was missing, and as far as the police were concerned dead too. Brilliant. I continued walking down the deserted corridor, breaking into the main part of school and joining the flow of people heading towards the canteen. Then, joy to the fucking world, i heard him. Jason was stood at a locker, his back to me, laughing way too hard at a joke that probably wasn't even that funny. 'You stupid bastard, what are you doing?' I walked over to him, fixing a smile on my face and tapping his shoulder. He visibly jumped, and i rolled my eyes. "Oh, Chance! I was wondering when you'd turn up," he grinned at me and i smirked back, inwardly wanting to throw up. Even after all these years, i still hated the dick. "Who's this?" I looked at who he'd been talking to, surprised when i didn't recognise her. She looked up at me, pale green eyes widening, and instantly began fiddling with her long ginger hair. She looked exceptionally young for Jason to be flirting with her. "This is Tory Brennan, she's new here and moved up a year, you're 14 right?" The girl nodded, red dusting her nose. "Yeah, i just turned 14..." She would not meet my eyes, a normal reaction. Sigh. "Well, Tory, welcome to Bolton. I'm sure you'll enjoy it here," i smiled brightly at her, flashing teeth, and her whole face turned red. "Tory!" We looked up to see the two remaining Island kids run up, Shelton grabbed Tory's arm. His gaze flickered to mine, darted away nervously. "Come on, we're meeting Ben in the canteen," "Don't want to keep him waiting!" Hiram cried, throwing us a wave before dragging the little redhead away. I saw Jason deflate next to me. "Damn, she's one of *those* lot," he sighed, i rolled my eyes and gave his shoulder a 'friendly' punch, albeit with more force than probably necessary. "Get over yourself, you idiot. She's way too young for you anyway." And i stalked off down the hall, trying to get away from the douche i had the misfortune of calling my best friend.