Saint-Rock High Book 2: So Different But So Right

“Are you ready to share why you’re here?” he asks, his voice steady and calm. “You wouldn’t be here if she didn’t believe it was for your own good. Your silence won’t speed up your healing process. This is a safe space. Whatever you share with me stays here. Nothing you say will leave this office.”

Is he serious right now? I’m not exactly thrilled with his approach. He just keeps talking. Does he think that if he keeps pushing, I’ll spill my secrets? I can’t believe my sister thinks he’s the best choice for me.

I don’t want to talk about what happened six months ago. That’s my business. Only mine. Great, now just thinking about it brings back the memories of that day. As if I needed a reminder.

“Mr. and Mrs. Parker, thank you for coming on such short notice,” Mrs. Miles, the school principal, addresses my parents.

“What has she done this time?” my mother asks, disappointment lacing her voice.

Fantastic. Another night of lectures from my parents. I sigh, cross my arms, and lean back in my chair.

“She’s been caught bullying Miss Hallway again. I’m sorry, but since this isn’t the first time, I have to suspend her for a week.”

While my mother continues to talk with Mrs. Miles, my father remains silent. His face is expressionless. This isn’t good for me. Just great!

I know my actions weren’t the best, but in my defense, I have to do whatever it takes to survive in this hellhole. I’m at the top of the food chain here. I’m the captain of the Vixen, the cheerleading squad. I’m the most popular girl in school.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, will stop me from keeping my crown. I’ll do whatever it takes to survive in this jungle.

After our meeting with Mrs. Miles, we climb into my parents’ van. The tension is palpable. Hashtag, I’m in deep trouble!

“You guys don’t understand how things work here. You don’t know what it’s like,” I say, trying to break the ice.

Damn! The way my dad is looking at me, I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

“And you think that justifies your behavior?” It’s not a question, but a statement.

“Ugh. Whatever, you guys don’t know anything!” I regret my words as soon as they leave my mouth.

“Watch your language, young lady,” my mother warns.

“Hanna, watch your tone. I’m not one of your friends. You need to learn respect. You’re grounded. No cell phone for a week. Hand it over to your mother. Now!” my father demands.

“I won’t do that.” I stand my ground.

“Keep this up, and you won’t have it for a month,” he warns, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

“I hate you guys—DADDY, LOOK OUT!” I scream as a truck comes barreling toward us.

After that, everything goes black…

When I wake up, I’m in a hospital bed. My sister Tess is sitting beside me, holding my hand. Her dark blue eyes are filled with sadness, her wavy brown hair falling softly around her face.

“Tess? Where am I? Why are you here?” My head spins as I try to make sense of everything.

Tess jumps up at the sound of my voice. She hugs me tightly, which is unusual for her. We’ve never been close.

“Thank God you’re awake,” she says. She doesn’t let go.

“Ouch! Not so tight, it hurts,” I wince.

“Oh, sorry.” She releases me, sitting back down in her chair.

“Where are Mom and Dad? Why aren’t they here?” I look around the room, half expecting them to appear.

That’s the question. Why is she here and not them?

Tess starts to cry. She wipes her tears away, taking deep breaths to compose herself.

“I have something to tell you,” her voice wavers. “You, Mom, and Dad were in an accident…”

“No! No! No! Please don’t say it! Please don’t say that!” I cover my ears, not wanting to hear what she’s about to say.

“Mom and Dad didn’t make it.” She can’t hold back her tears any longer. Tess pulls me into a hug.

Every part of me hurts, but I welcome the pain.

I’d rather feel the pain than nothing at all.

After the accident, I’m left with a gnarly scar on my left calf that looks like a leafless tree. I limp slightly with every step I take.

The person I used to be is gone. I don’t care about the crown, cheerleading, makeup, or any of the things I used to do.

I want to be someone my parents would be proud of. Now, my sister is my legal guardian. Weird, right?

I have to move to a town called Saint-Rock.

Before we leave, there’s one last thing I need to do. Even though Tess and I have never seen eye to eye, I’m glad she’s here with me for this.

I want to make my parents proud.

My palms are sweaty, my fingers trembling as I ring the doorbell. Each second feels like an eternity.

“You’ve got some nerve showing up here.” Tracy Hallway’s mom glares at me as she opens the door.

“Ms. Hallway,” Tess Parker, my sister, begins, “I know you don’t want her here, but she’s here to apologize to your daughter.”

“Mom, it’s okay,” Tracy surprisingly comes to my defense.

Before her mother can say anything else, Tracy whispers something to her. I catch the words “it’s her,” and Mrs. Hallway looks at me with sympathy.

I hate when people do that.

“Of course, come in.” Tracy’s mom steps aside to let us in.

So I do what I came here to do. I apologize to Tracy for everything I’ve done to her, especially for bullying her in front of everyone at school.

A hint of relief washes over me as I step away from Tracy’s house.

We have given my parents a proper send-off, burying them in the town they called home.

Now, here I am. I’m perched on this couch, facing a therapist my sister insists I need, a man I can’t stand.

My gaze is fixed on the clock hanging above the door, watching the minutes tick by, yet I haven’t uttered a single word to him.

Why would I?