Bryn enters an old-fashioned boutique with flickering lights and a woman with braces behind the counter. Bryn moves through the Women section of clothes absentmindedly and turns to hear a taunting voice from behind her. "Hey, hon," the clerk says with a crude smirk. "the girls section is on the other side."

Joan-esque hair pulled in an old baseball cap, Bryn turns to the clerk before back to the racks, a sign on the bar read men. She raised an eyebrow and walked through the section anyway. Maybe she could find something for Harper.

Another irritable comeback. "You gonna buy something or you just gonna keep lookin' around?" she asks as Bryn eventually approaches. The woman's red hair highlighted light brown, mouth and eyelids painted black. She looked like a bad actress auditioning for a role in Twilight.

Bryn moves to face the man beside her. He looked like the perfect Elvis, complete with gel-slicked hair and a studded leather jacket. She also took notice to his bony hips. Bryn stares at him in awe as he spoke to the clerk affectionately. The Elvis-look was a whole getter to her.

She turns to the clerk and unhooks her wallet from her belt, smacks it on the counter, and speaks with the seriousness of a parole officer.

"I want what he's wearing."

Minutes later, Bryn is outside, wearing the same leather the man had, studded belt and all. She threw her hat into a public garbage can (she could always buy a new one) and ran between the passing residents. Hair strewn madly and eyes wild, she smiles. Chains the wallet back to her belt and lights a cigarette before coming to stop near a punk she never met before.

Bryn laughs, shoving her shoulders roughly. "Who am I?" she asks, gesturing to her leather proudly.

The brunette steals her cigarette and puts it to her lips. Her teeth are yellow and damaged. "Suzi Quatro? Debbie Harry?"

Bryn shoves her again, waving her arms overhead. "No, man! Joan Jett, the fucking Rock Queen!"

Throwing her arms to the sky, the girl laughs. "Yeaaaaah!"

X

Harper rakes his fingers through his hair and unbuttons his blazer to expose a nice shirt and tie. He goes to his room and slings his schoolbag onto his shoulder, shutting the door behind him. He descends the stairs and shoots his house keys into a schoolbag pocket.

Again, Bryn hadn't called him and when he called Mary-Ann to ask about her earlier, she told him Bryn had left before she'd woken which he believed since that was something she'd do.

She could at least have the courtesy to call him, he worried. She was his sister and he cared. When their parents weren't around, all they had were the maids. You don't write checks to family. But they were useful for other things like washing dishes and ordering pizza and paying the monthly Netflix bill. Even though he pissed his sister off and she did the same, they were still family.

Leaving worry to the wind, he pulls opens the door and immediately someone crashes into him. He caught the perpetrator's wrist and froze when he realized who it was. His grip tightens reflexively. "Bryn?" he asks disbelievingly, clutching her forearms as she cocks both eyebrows. "What're you doing here?"

She smirks. "What're you doing here?"

Harper smiles and his grip loosens. "My house."

Bryn adjusts herself and shook the hair from her eyes, a relieved smile overtook her devious smirk. "Mine, too. Or did you forget that while you were with your … friend?" she demands, flinging off his hand. "By the way, how was Rodney's yesterday? Floria texted me and said they rocked the house."

Harper blinks before stepping back and leaning against the door. Wow, she really didn't go yesterday. That was surprising but he hates to not believe her. Her and that Lila Thorn had such similarities. "Tinsley and I had a good time. Your band chose a good replacement."

Bryn nods and almost felt bad that he actually brought that corset-clad alter ego of hers.

It was quite sad. Come on, H, couldn't you tell that was your baby sis up on that smoky stage?

"I guess." Bryn claims with a shrug. "She'll never be as good as me."

Harper rumples her hair and chuckles, watching as she shut her eyes in mock-pain. "That's so true," he jokes and blocks the door when she attempts to sidestep past him. "Why are you going in? You already have your uniform on."

Bryn in her uniform was shocking to her usual style. Instead of a ripped tee was a plain blouse, leather pants exchanged for a tasteless polyester skirt, studded boots for battered high-tops. She also had on lace tights with holes in the knees and red-checkered bracelets.

She smiles. "I was gonna grab some cigarettes."

Which was Bryn's biggest quirk: smoking. She was an addict with rehab-potential. When girls flitted to their shined black limos to be drove to five-star restaurants and brunches. She sat on a park bench, smoking Camels, and listening to Thin Lizzy.

Harper pretends to check a watch he didn't have. "Oh, look at the time," he teases. "We're gonna be late." He ducks and swiftly took her in his arms. Their eyebrows cocked simultaneously. "You'll thank me later, trust me."

Instead of punching his stomach and beginning to scream, she broke into furious laughter, leaning back casually. "Jeez, Harper, you never give up, do you?" she inquires between laughs. "You're so persistent."

"I'm glad you think that." he answers as he walks them to their car. "Whether you like it or not, you're getting to school." Their chauffeur opens the door as he releases her on the seat across from his. The door slams behind them.

Bryn shifts until she was lying back against her seat. "You know, Harper, you're actually an occasionally cool brother."

Harper opens the window and gazes out. "And you're an occasionally wonderful sister."

Aw. Cute.

X

Javier adjusts his tie as he left his penthouse, hitting the elevator button and waiting patiently for it to arrive on his floor. That Lila – (or Bryn?) was interesting because she could care less about him. She only recognized him because of his parents. How could she not know who he was? He was always on Gossip Bee's page and constantly featured on the best-dressed columns of weekly gossip magazines.

She was daring and he liked that and especially liked how she brushed his hand off as if he were an insect. That simple thing would make all girls swoon.

The doors opened before him and he slid in, pressing the button for the lobby. The doors close as he shut his eyes in a sigh. He would win her over, make her believe in his love to her, and dump her like daily garbage because that's all she'd be.

She was just another pawn. They all were.

The doors open once on the lobby floor. He passes an elderly woman in a weather-appropriate cardigan, who politely wishes him a good day in Spanish. He returns the greeting with a charming smile which he could've sworn made the old woman blush.

He lived close to St. Jude's like everyone and went through the doors toward French. Despite his French being excellent, he decided to take a second year to get an easy hundred.

He saunters into class without a sound. The bilingual instructor, Ms. Meyer, scribbled across the board in girlish cursive. She turns as Javier enters, smiling like a parent, and withdrew her chalk. He would've had an easy hookup if it wasn't for her large engagement ring. "Bonjour, Javier." she greets. "Good morning, how are you?" But it instead came out like: Good mo-ning, 'ow ah yu?

Javier places his bag down. "Bien, et vous?"

The woman smiles, returning to the blackboard. "Bien, merci."

The door swung open before Javier could sit. Harper enters, holding his chest as if he just ran a marathon. He wipes his brow, panting. "Sorry, miss. I was … dropping my sister off … then the doors locked and then –" He was rambling but the teacher cut him off with a nonchalant wave.

"No worries. I understand ya sister 'right. She was quite the wild child last year. Bryn Blackwell. You two ah opposites." she recalls before writing "les salutations." "So sh-weet."

Javier sits and looks to Harper with an arched brow. "Bryn Blackwell?" he repeats as Harper takes the seat across from him, looking at him questionably. "Wasn't she at Rodney's show?"

Harper withdrew his French book and thumped it on his desk. "No …?" he answers, staring at Javier confusingly. "My sister was at a friend's." His brows knit in suspicion, dents forming. "Why?"

Javier felt the urge to laugh in his face. How could he not know where his own sister was? That was sad. Just to create a wall, he waves it off and shook his head. "Forget it."

Harper blinks and glares when Javier turns away. He flips through his book furiously and desired to swear the kid off for trying to throw everything in a riddle but couldn't.

Why?

His backbone wasn't that strong.

X

Tinsley swerves through the emptying halls. Where was Guitar Instruction? Constance was so huge she barely knew where anything was anymore. They were always renovating and changing and adding new rooms.

She reaches Room 224, the door partly open and heavy rock screaming from inside. Tinsley swept her hair over her shoulders and entered in uneasy silence. Other students held vintage guitars and basses, cords from microphones and loudspeakers strewn like silvery snakes across the carpet.

The man, who she assumed was the teacher, turns to meet her. His hair was long and he wore a leather vest over a Led Zeppelin tee, a spiked collar, and two silver rods on his unibrow. He grins and motions her over. "Tinsley Hastings. Am I right?"

Tinsley nods, fingering a feathery earring. "Nice to meet you." she greets and lowers her sequined Gucci bag into an empty chair. "Sorry, I'm late."

The man chuckles before slumping in a chair. "No worries, Tinsley. Most of my students don't come for a few more minutes. Everyone takes their time."

Most?

"Mr. Man! We're here!" Hayden shouts from the doorpost, her arm slung over Bryn's shoulders as they sidle in. Tinsley waves at Bryn, who allows her the blankest of acknowledgments. Hayden's hair pulled in a knot, her eyes bedecked in cobalt liner and mascara, and her skirt barely brushing her thighs. Her grin was wide and real. "Bryn kinda made me leave to get smokes. What an addict, right?"

Bryn threw a cigarette into the trash. "These are bootleg because I got a stash at home and these taste like sh –"

Mr. Man shakes his head. "Language, Bryn."

Bryn sighs, placing her bag down and with that, her phone buzzed. Bryn raises a brow and checks the caller ID. She took Hayden by the arm, excusing them.

Tinsley shrunk down as Mr. Man grins. "Tins, grab a Gibson. I'll get Bryn to teach you the basics."

Great.

X

"Hello, baby doll." Rodney exclaims cheerfully. He always seemed happy. Maybe because of all the money he made. Every time Rodney did call, he seemed to want something. "I have a request, my little beauty."

The infamous line: "I have a request."

No matter the request, Bryn would never oblige. She nods and held out a hand to Hayden for another counterfeit cigarette. Hayden hands her one and Bryn stuck it in her mouth. "Anything."

Rodney chuckles, sounding intoxicated. How could someone get drunk this early in the morning? "Me and the owner of the shack down the road are havin' a party at his place. It ain't too far from my club. I'll send you directions so can you be there tonight?"

Tonight? Usually, he gave the band a show every weekend but tonight? Plus, she had school and was supposed to be meeting up with the girls for practice at Tammy's. God, she couldn't say no. And she didn't even have anything to wear beside the corset. Only fake blood capsules she could sneak in a shirt. Would that work with the corset? Too messy. Guess she really didn't have a choice now, did she?

"Hey, baby," Rodney calls, words slurred and wheezy. Definitely drunk. "still there?"

"Just text directions."

"Kay!"

"We got a show tonight." Bryn said, the dent on her brow thickening. "One of Rodney's many friends, apparently."

Hayden lit Bryn's cigarette before returning her lighter to her jacket. "You really hafta learn to say no. He gives us shows at random. Remember … you dimmed on stage before an audience once."

They all remember. Bryn was practicing a stunt where harnesses lifted her to soar above the audience, the cord twisted and she went spiraling to the stage and swearing while still trying to sing with a budding concussion.

She never chose to do those stunts again. Mainly because Harper wouldn't allow it.

Hayden snags Bryn's cigarette. "Bryn, come on. We just had that wild show. And we never play on school days. You gotta tell Rodney somethin' because I ain't performing."

Her own drummer was trying to threaten her? Bryn Blackwell would never let that happen.

"Don't threaten me." Bryn sneers. "This is my band and if you don't wanna play you can just leave. I don't need ya, trust me. So buh-bye, bitch."

Hayden huffs under her breath. "Gladly." She heads back in the music room and Bryn watches Hayden throw the cigarette at her. It falls at her feet and Bryn glares at Hayden's back. She didn't need her. She could always find a replacement drummer.

Bryn notices Tinsley sitting alone in the corner of the room. Mr. Man motions her close. "Hey, Bryn, you mind teaching Hastings an instrument? Just a quick lesson or two."

"Might as well." Bryn turns to Tinsley to see her sitting, staring at her, smiling.

Smiling. She swore the bitch hated her.

Bryn inwardly sighs and waves Tinsley over, directs to the shelf of guitars and instructs Tinsley to pick one. Hayden and another drummer sat at the far end of the room, practicing Deep Purple's 'Smoke on the Water.'

Bryn went to the stands and chose a coal-and-eggshell Stigma and slung the strap over her shoulder, slumping backward. She shifts the guitar into her lap as Tinsley chose a maroon acoustic, grabbing the seat across from Bryn. "Is that guitar okay? Sometimes, those strings cut fingers."

Tinsley shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she assures. "It'll be fine."

"Cool." She brings her hand to the neck of the guitar. "Now, position your hands like this."

Aw, friendship.

X

"Why are you even wearing that hat, Steven?" Matt asks, preparing his Physics paper on the teacher's desk. "Mr. Pierceton is gonna kill you for that."

Steven went through a desk drawer and pulls out two cigars while their teacher was in the Teacher's Lounge. He couldn't believe Matt and he shared a nerdy teacher, who smoked Honeysuckles, dressed like a hippie, and has an addiction to bourbon-spiked tea. But he was sure one hell of a mellow dude.

"Well, Matthew, it's not my fault you can't wear your aviators here." Steven replies, closing the drawer and slumping down in the teacher's chair, spitting his gum out into a workbook page. "I could still smoke while Pierceton's gone."

Matt sighs and snatches his Zippo back. "I hope you realize he's coming back eventually and will eventually smell the smoke when or if he does. He's not that dense."

Steven twists his Mets baseball cap and clucks his tongue. "Yeah." he agrees, smirking. "Pierceton is just too slow to realize I'm smoking in front. Two dudes were doin' acid yesterday and were all high and crazy by the window." Matt smiles, somehow managing to not laugh. "Told ya."

Matt only checks his watch. "We leave in two minutes so you learned nothing today."

Steven shrugs, flicking the cherry off his cigarette. "Hey, no homework. We should meet up with Bryn for lunch."

Matt yawns before sliding on his Ray Bans and smoothing his slacks. The bell rang and everyone ran for the door. "It's better than doing nothing, Blondie."

"Coffee. Not lunch." Steven corrects and swings for the door.

X

Bryn plucks the strings and meets Tinsley's warm gaze with a smile. "Try." she instructs, leading a pick along the top strings. "The beginning strings are always the lightest so you gotta play them weak so they won't pop." She cradles the guitar and strums a swelling rock symphony. "I popped dozens over the years."

Tinsley giggles and tunes her own kind. "Really?" she asks. "Did it hurt? Did you cut your fingers?"

Bryn laughs and held the guitar's neck, gentle on the frets. "All the time. I busted my fingers a couple of times but it wasn't that bad. Like popping a balloon, just surprising … when you start doing it more, you just curse. My friends have come to just swear or scream when they break strings."

Tinsley nods, propping the guitar onto a stand, continuing to smile. It was good to try and get on her better side so next time she wouldn't do something like throw a fire extinguisher at her or shove her through glass doors or even push her into a busy road.

Bryn slams her guitar down and grins, crossing her legs, one over the other. "I was supposed to go for lunch with Floria but she's going with her boyfriend today. Wanna grab a bite?"

"Sure." Tinsley stands and folds her fingers. "That sounds great."

And as on cue, the bell rang and Bryn says goodbye to their teacher as she and Tinsley went out. Hayden shoves past them violently and disappears off through the opposite corridor.

Bryn took Tinsley by the arm. "Come on, we gotta be quick." she shares. "Maybe before we leave, we could see Flor."

Tinsley smiles. "Is she your best friend?" she asks as she and Bryn merge into the crowd. "You seem to talk about her a lot."

Bryn's face falls momentarily but she eventually smiles. "Yeah, I've known her for a few years. She's cool, dated Harper once but … yeah, it didn't work." She notices Tinsley frown and couldn't help but feel guilty. At least they weren't together anymore. "But she got a new guy and he's such an asshole and … I just hate them together. I'm just suspicious."

Tinsley shook her head. "That's not a problem." she admits as they eventually make it into the courtyard. Flowerpots of greenery surround them beside a tiny manicured garden. A well-paid gardener came every morning to nurse the tree saplings. A couple roams across the pavement and Bryn stops to grab a cigarette. "Everyone gets cautious once in a while, you know."

"I guess." She lights the cigarette, then offers one to Tinsley, who quickly declines. "If you met him, you'd understand."

Tinsley stood quiet as she watched the couple. A tall, dark-haired guy from St. Jude's yanks a girl's elbow. She swore under her breath and cursed him courageously. He appeared to be screaming, and shoved her to the cobblestones. It panged Bryn's heart familiarly.

And she saw red and abruptly stormed over. Tinsley went to catch her arm but Bryn evades her and she bit down on her lip. "Bryn!" she cries, outstretching her fingers. "Come back!"

She didn't know how Harper dealt with her. Not that she was trouble but … reckless. Enough to attack a man half her size? Confront a murderer? Who knows if he's done this before to Floria? It's mortifying.

So she swallows and dials a familiar number.

Bryn reaches the man, shoving him in the stomach. "The fuck is wrong with you, Thomas?"

Thomas scoffs and tosses his bag past Floria as she tries to nurse her scraped knees with her cardigan, she eyes Bryn and gestures for her to leave. "Absolutely nothing, bitch." he snarls, slams her shoulder and she imagined him doing worse. "Try me."

"Gladly." She shoves into him causing him to stumble and trip over his backpack. She wasn't strong enough to punch someone but her weight seemed to be reliable. Bryn wipes her hands off her skirt and places a hand on her hip. "That'll teach you."

Thomas heads in and wipes his nose, his shadow looms like a predator and she notices a crowd. Boys and girls gasp and ooh. He shoves her and causes her to sway backward, her ankle twists. She wouldn't let him get the win.

Bryn steadies herself and reaches for him. Tinsley, from afar, had tears sparkling in her eyes, appearing to talk into her silver Samsung cell, fear marking her features strongly.

Thomas caught her arm and brought her into him, hands met her face and she felt the graze of his ring above her chin. Before she could attack, someone caught her in their embrace, yanking her into a lean torso. Bryn begun to battle her supposed perpetrator, mouth suddenly sweltering.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" Bryn screams, kicking and shouting like a strained animal. She notices their hands, nails bitten and decked with two silver skull rings. "LET ME –"

"Bryn," someone says gently. She turns to see Steven knelt in front of her. "It's just me. Us. Matt and me." He suddenly smiles when Bryn's wild bucking ends. A largely muscular student pins a strangled Thomas down as girls led Floria to the infirmary. Bryn looks to see Matt, his grip grew weak in a smile.

"You okay, kid?" he asks like an older brother. "Aw, shit."

Bryn blinks at Steven. "What happened?" All normal color bled from his face as he led a fingertip along her bottom lip and pointed it over to her. The red smudged on his finger was definitely not her lipstick. "Oh, nice."

Matt releases Bryn as the bulky man releases Thomas. As that occurred, Matt stomps over and swings his knuckles to his face. Eventually climbing over Thomas and continuing to beat him bloody. His rings shined red in the sun. Their friends cheering and hollering until teachers came.

Bryn smirks, stanching the blood with her sleeve. "He is definitely my brother."

X

Tinsley sighs once she saw Bryn was safe. Despite Bryn not favoring her, she treated her like the younger sister she always wanted. She smiles when Bryn caught her gaze and was surprised to see her do the same. Matt high-fived Steven as they snuck out the back together.

"Hey, Tinsley!" Tinsley turns to see Harper running over, grinning. Hair rippling in the breeze. He was … wonderful. Tinsley waves and proceeds toward him until someone caught her wrist and she turns to see a girl. Not just any girl. It was someone too familiar in her eyes.

Her hair was short and freckles claimed the slope of her nose, her full lips were as red and sleek as ripe apples. When she smiled, a fake white smile, dimples around her mouth and her brow said she was obviously forcing it. She wore their uniform but added diamonds to her neck, blue gemstones on each finger grabbed the sunlight prettily. "Hello, Tinsley Hastings." she spoke, words a mix of honey and venom. "It's been so long."

Tinsley releases a breath and touches her gauzy green headband. She acknowledges Harper sadly as he approaches unknowingly. The girl uncoils her fingers as she finally finds her voice. "Vena," she murmurs and shrugs against her humiliation.

Another girl strolls through the courtyard. Brownish hair in a bun with curls alongside her oval face. She narrows her eyes and hooks her arm with another girl, then inspects her stockings and manicure. "Hmm, Vena appears to be back," she remarks to the redhead beside her. "that's too bad."

"She won't last, Claire." the redhead says.

Claire watches Tinsley stare at Vena fearfully before turning away with a smile. "No, no, she won't."

They saunter off, leaving behind new conflicts.

X

And that ends another chapter revealing the queen bee, Claire, and the new student, Vena. The next chapter shall be soon and more drama forms and two characters from the last chapter and two newbies will appear soon. :) I hope you all enjoy.