Picture Perfect

Chapter 4

Alessia POV

All weekend I had been confined to my room after the stunt I pulled Friday night. Not even because my mom told me to, but because I was avoiding her and my dad. It was bad enough that I had lost her trust, but to see her after that was something I dreaded even more. I hadn't talked to her until Monday night when she came into my room before dinner.

"Hey, Alessia." My mom walked through the door and sat on my bed facing me at my desk. "I got this for you. Your favorite." She handed me a paper bag. Inside was an apple pie that looked really really good.

"What is this for?" Why would she bring me a surprise after everything?

"A peace offering. A clean slate," she smiled sadly. "Think whatever you want of it. We are gonna start over, but on my terms this time. No more compromising."

"So what's gonna happen? I stay in the house all the time?"

"No. You'll have school too. And when I think it's fair you can hang out with friends, but only if I approve before hand. Also you'll get a tutor."

"A what?" Great now some dork is going to think I'm stupid and try and tell me what to do. I obviously didn't do too well when people tell me what to do.

"A tutor. Everyday after school except Mondays. Besides they seemed like a nice kid. Who knows maybe you'll become friends."

"Yeah I'm so sure of that."

"Well I'll let you get back to studying. Your teacher said he'd email in the morning your score on the test. Goodnight." With that she got up and headed out, closing the door beside her.

"Goodnight." I picked up the pie and took a bite, needing extra comfort for tomorrow.
————
"Hey Alessia. Coming to lunch?"

I looked up from my seat to notice the almost empty classroom. The bell must've already rang. Some of my school "friends" waited for me by the door. Brandon, Noah, Hillary, and Becca. They were better friends with each other since they were cheerleaders and football players, so they got to see each all the time outside of school. They were nice and all, but I only hung out with Cat and Damien anymore.

"Oh yeah, sorry." I got up from my seat and headed to the lunchroom with them.

We all sat in our normal places like always and they began to chat about the pep rally they had to organize for homecoming next month.

As you can tell, I didn't have much in common with them. The only reason I became friends with them and even became popular was because of Cat. Her family moved in the summer before our sophomore year and we became fast friends. Funny enough I didn't care that much for Damien until junior year. Cat and I hung out all the time and I ended up cutting out everyone at school that I had been friends with, even though it wasn't that many. We started going to parties last year where I started hanging out with Hillary and the other popular kids, but not as often and I didn't let it affect my grades. I had actually been an A-B student before. But then I started dating Damien and this summer we started partying more. So when we came back to school in August, I didn't give up my new lifestyle and well my grades went to shit.

Since I had no interest in whatever they were saying, I let my eyes wander around the lunchroom. All the tables were almost completely filled except for two. One table had two boys, a very tall Asian boy and, since the only times I had seen them at school were together, I assume his best friend. Maybe boyfriend? They weren't touchy feely so who knows. I remember having English with the curly one, he was beyond smart and so was his friend. I'm pretty sure they were the top two in our graduating class. Up there with them was the girl all alone at the other table. My ex best friend.