Chapter 1

Hello, my name is Kimberly Thorpe – Kim for short. I am fourteen almost fifteen years old.

I have one sister, Chelsey, who is exactly nine months older than me, meaning we are both in the same year at school.
Our parents – our mum – makes no secret of the fact that I was an accident. She didn’t think she would be capable of getting pregnant so soon after having my sister. But none the less, she still loves me, I think. But she does have a tendency of favoring my sister and my dad just goes along with whatever my mum wants.

I don’t really have many friends, mainly because I am pretty boring – so my family tells me.

I’d rather spend my time reading a good book or cycling in the local woods than drinking cider on the street corner, getting drunk with boys. I am by no means a geek, for one I am not that clever, I am alright at English, Science and Maths, but no A* student. I am the quiet girl who no one notices, and I am happy with that. While my sister is the complete opposite in every way.

She has straight blonde – alright, so it is bleached and looks more yellow to me but oh well. She has grey eyes, but if anyone asks they are pale blue. A tiny size zero body and a five foot five height.

Whereas the only tiny thing about me is my five-foot height. I am size ten – which I know isn’t bad but next to her I am a whale. I have wavy dark brown hair, big, boring Hazel eyes. I wear glasses sometimes, but only really to read or watch television. I have never had a boyfriend or even had a guy show interest in me. Not that I mind too much, I am only young. I have plenty of time for boys when I’m older.

My mum always says I must have been swapped at the hospital because they are both tall and basically nothing like me too. But I know she is only joking.

Right now is my dinner break and I am in my usual spot under the old Oak tree on school grounds, eating my packed lunch. My mum used to give me money for school lunches or to go to the shop. But I honestly prefer packed lunch, sitting outside – other than bad weather – then going in all hall full of people who ignore me. Don’t get me wrong, I like solitude. But it doesn’t mean I don’t feel a fool sat a table alone when every other table is at least half full.

No thanks. I’ll sit to my sarnies and fresh air. Thankfully, the weather is pretty mild at the moment so all is good.

I am sat reading the latest novel in a long-running series I am completely addicted to on the Kindle app on my phone and eating my cheese, ham salad sandwich when I hear approaching chatter.

At first, I ignore it. It isn’t unusually for other students to walk around here, but they normally just ignore me and keep going.

I continued reading.
‘Hilly stared mouth agape. “W..What did you say?” She was sure she misheard him. Ryan walked closer, stopping only inches from her and cupped her face in his hands.
“I love you, Hilly. It has always been you.”
“B.But Emma…?” She had seen the pair in an embrace only hours ago, but her heart couldn’t help but hope.
“Emma?” He laughed. “She’s my cousin.”
She looked confused. “But she said…” She trailed off, unsure why Emma would lie about dating him.
“One thing you have to know about my cousin is she is a compulsive liar, everything she says must be taken with a pinch of salt.” Not giving her a chance to say anything else, he closed the distance between them and took her lips in a deep, hungry kiss.’

“Eee!” I couldn’t help but squeal in happiness. Hilly and Ryan had been dancing around their attraction for chapters and honestly, I was giving up on anything ever happening.
“Yes, yes, yes,” I chant quietly to myself engrossed by my book.

But all too soon the chatter of the other people grows louder, and I hear laughing.
“It’s not funny, it’s an embarrassment.” I internally groan. I recognize the voice instantly as belonging to my sister. The same sister who all but ignores me at school. I don’t think anyone even knows we’re related, despite the same last name.

She is popular, I am… Well, I am me.

“Nah, I think it’s cute,” A guy who’s voice I don’t recognize says and another hums in agreement.
Well, I am sure that will please the vain mare. She does love praise and telling how wonderful she is. I blame our mum.

I don’t bother to glance up, I know she won’t acknowledge me. I learned that many years ago.

The smell of cigarettes grows stronger and I knew instantly my sister is getting closer. She has been smoking for the last couple of years, and my parents do nothing to stop her.
Apparently, such a sweet, innocent, shy, smart girl needs something to relieve the stress of the day, our mum’s words.

I can’t stop myself from laughing out loud at the thought. I love my parents, but they are delusional.
Chelsey is none of them. She is outspoken – no where near good, the opposite of shy, would fail every subject if she didn’t copy off other people and she hasn’t been innocent since she was eleven.

“God, she is such a weirdo.” I feel eyes burning into me. I fight the urge to look up, but it’s hard.
“Like I said, it’s cute.”

“Eh, yes, sure. Let’s just go already.”

She is so whiney sometimes. I both love and hate my sister.

Instead of the sound of walking away, I hear footsteps approach until a shadow falls upon me.

I am forced myself to look up. Stood only feet away was one of the people I least expected to see acknowledging me.

David – one of the schools so-called bad boys. He is a tall, blonde, blue-eyed, pretty boy. He, along with his three friends – Ray, Clarkie, and Chris – are always in trouble for graffiti, ditching classes, stealing cars, getting into fights – you know the type. And all are players and most of the girls in school have a crush on them. Especially Chris, whose father, is apparently Greek. He is the leader, if they have one.

I am not going to deny, they are all handsome, but I wouldn’t say I have a crush on any of them.

I hear more steps approach and see both Chris and my sister is with him.

So, she finally got Chris to go out with her? She has had a not so secret crush on him for years. But I have never seen her with either of them before now.

“Hello, little girl. What are you doing here all alone?”
I look back to David. “You know, you sound like a pedo when you say that?” The words come out of my mouth without thinking. I cover my mouth the moment they do and feel a little afraid. I don’t want him to hit me.

“Kim!” Chelsey exclaims mortified. But much to my surprise both David and Chris burst out laughing.

Which is unusually in its self. The times I have seen Chris he is normally glaring at someone or frowning. David, though, was the flirty smiley one. Rarely with a frown.

“Kim? That’s a nice name,” David commented, and Chris turned his attention to my sister making her whole demeanor change instantly. She now wore a flirty smile which I think makes her look constipated.

“Why don’t you invite your little friend along, Chels?” It didn’t sound like a question.

“She’s not my friend.”
“Gee, thanks,” I mumble kind of annoyed. “I’m not little. I am in the same year as you.” I might be a little self-conscious about my height.

Chris smiled again. “Good to know.”

He was looking at me kind of strange. It makes me feel funny.

“Hang out with us.”

Why was he inviting me?

Anyway, I know my sister wouldn’t want me to come.

“I’m alright here, thank you anyway.”

Instead of taking the hint, Chris moves and sits down beside me.

I didn’t know what to do, and I always make more sandwiches than I eat, for snacks. I guess that’s why I’m much bigger than her…

“Would you like one?” I offer him and then David. Both seem surprised by the offer but take one none the less.

I didn’t bother offering my sister, knowing she wouldn’t eat it.
“David,” She whines, “You said you’d buy me dinner?”

I roll my eyes. “You act like you haven’t any money to buy you own?” I mumble again to myself but sadly they hear me.

“She never has money,” Chris says accusingly.

I furrow my brows. “That’s bull, mum gives her money for fags and dinner every day.”

Out of all my words, they only seem to hear one.

“Mum?” David asked looking as surprised as Chris.

“Thanks, Kim. Now everyone will know.” She walks off in a huff leaving us alone.

Wow, I love you too, Chelsey.

“Know what?” David asks me instead of either of them following her he sat on the ground too. “Are you two related?”

“I’m her sister,” I reluctantly admit.