Chapter 1

If there was one person in the entire school system Zoe would have picked as her diametric opposite, it would have been Trina MacCeallaich. Trina of the blond hair, the blue eyes, the brand new red Mustang convertible on her sixteenth birthday. Trina the cheerleader, dating one of the linebackers, on the honor roll. Trina of the designer clothes, the expensive jewelry, the 'Beautiful People' clique. 5'10", blonde hair, blue eyes, and stacked like a plate of hotcakes. She moved in a completely different world than the one Zoe did; she was in the honor classes that Zoe had missed too much school to be in, so they didn't even have classes in common. The last time Zoe was in a class with her was in sophomore PE, where she learned that Trina was also naturally athletic.

Which is why it was such a shock to see her coming around the corner of the band building. "Hi! Um, you are Zoe, right?"

Zoe blinked and exhaled lazily, the fragrant smoke drifting slowly above her head. "Mmm?" she asked cautiously.

"I know we don't really know each other," Trina said, "But ... you know that community service thing they want us to do?"

Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Mmm-hmm."

Trina gave her a winning smile. "Well, we've both signed up to volunteer at the youth home, and I thought we could maybe ride together? I mean, if you want to?"

Zoe's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why?"

Trina shrugged, though it seemed a little forced. "No real reason. I just thought it would be more fun if we worked together."

One side of Zoe's mouth quirked slightly in a semi-smile. "You ever been there?"

Trina shook her head. "No. That's why I picked it."

"You should probably see if you can change," Zoe said. "Maybe you could 'help' some of the boys paint the benches in the park, or something."

Trina's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Zoe shrugged one shoulder lazily and took a long drag on her cigarette. "More your style. You won't like the House. It's not nice, and it's not 'fun'. Period."

"Ah. I see." Trina's voice was light. "So I should find something else to do and not worry my little head about it?" Her eyes narrowed further. "I don't fucking think so. I never thought it was nice. I'm not some shallow airhead who's never seen something that upsets her, understand me? If you don't want to, fine, but don't blow me off just because you think I'm an idiot."

"What is it they say? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck..." Zoe snorted. "Sugar, you might impress the idiots around here, but I've seen hundreds like you. Ten years from now, you'll be squirting out kids, having your tits lifted, and hanging on the arm of whatever frat boy actually knocked you up all while talking about how big you could have been but you gave it all up because you just loooove your family so much."

"Oh, give me a fucking break." Trina rolled her eyes in disgust. "Like you've got such high prospects ahead of you? You've 'seen hundreds like me' in the ... remind me again how much older than me you are? Oh, that's right, you aren't. I swear, for someone who makes such a fuss about people judging you without actually knowing you, you're one hell of a fucking hypocrite."

Zoe pursed her lips in annoyance. How did Trina know what was in the paper she'd written last week? Zoe didn't really care what other people thought, but an assigned paper on 'labels' had proven to be be the perfect springboard to rant about some of the crap that really pissed her off about school. The notes on the paper had said she'd have gotten an 'A', but the profanity made it an automatic 'F'.

"You really think age has anything to do with it? Is it even possible for someone to be that naive? I know my prospects, believe me. But at least I understand reality. The little vision you and your kind keep in your fluffy little minds about how life'll turn out? It's total bullshit. That crap doesn't happen. And for the record, I don't give a damn what you or anyone else thinks about me, and the only way ... other than truly abject stupidity ... that I can see that you'd get the mis-impression that I did was if you were reading things that were none of your fucking business. You make a habit of reading other people's papers?"

Trina put her hands on her hips, glaring. "As a matter of fact, I do make a habit of reading other people's papers. I help Mrs. Arenson with her grading. I don't need to cheat. And for the fucking record, I know a hell of a lot more than you do about life not turning out the way you expect. But fine. You want to be a bitch, that's no skin off my nose. I just thought -- mistakenly, I can clearly see now -- that it would be nice to have someone I at least vaguely knew when I went down there next week. Excuse me for interrupting your obviously vital afternoon activities."

Zoe set the book down on her chest and shook her head. "You won't last a whole day. You'll be running off crying within an hour."

"And you'll be driving up to school in a chauffeured limo. Not. I'll expect an apology when you realize you're wrong."

Zoe raised a sardonic eyebrow. "I take it back. I could be wrong. Maybe you're cold enough that it won't bother you, and you can satisfy your oh-so-vital graduation credit and your egotistical need for people to think you're ever so sweet and caring all at once. But the kids there ... they'll see through you. Don't expect them to fall for the same act everyone else does. Keep that in mind, and don't expect slavering gratitude for your royal presence, and you might make it through after all."

Trina's eyes narrowed. "Get up."

Zoe tapped her cigarette out on the bottom of her boot, sliding the stub into a pocket of her backpack, and folded her arms behind her head. "Can't see any reason I should."

"We're going to go on a little ride," Trina said. "And when we're done, you're going to apologize to me."

Zoe shook her head. "I know it may come as rather a shock to you, but there really are people in this world who don't care what you want, and don't just automatically start kissing ass when you walk by."

"Get. Up." Trina said. "You need to learn that the assumptions you make about other people are about as true as the ones that people make about you. It isn't far, and it won't take long. I'll drop you off wherever you want when we're done."

Zoe looked at the watch on her left arm. "You need to learn that once you're out of this little playground of yours that people don't give a damn what you want, and they won't do what you say. But if you can get me across town by 4:45, I can give you part of the time in between to make whatever 'point' you think you have. No bus runs that'd get me there by then, or I'd be on it, so it's a worthwhile trade to me."