She was comfortable with the school by now anyway. She had come to accept the fact that, yes, there were assholes that she had to deal with, and people that were basically out to make her twisted life a living hell, but for the most part, she ignored them. They didn't bother her anymore. She knew what they thought of her, however. She knew they thought she was crazy, because she had been institutionalized more than once and had tried to kill herself twice in the past year. But because of her new-found friends and boyfriend, she didn't care anymore what a group of shallow bitches thought of her off-beat style or dark personality anyway. Atleast some people appreciated her for who she was.

Passing the eleventh grade had been a huge achievement for Stephanie. She had barely passed with average grades, even though the work had been scarily easy for her. Well, it would have been, if she had cared enough to apply herself to her classes. Now she was a senior, a year older and wiser than she had been before, and no longer feared the school and its students. She guessed months in the hospital could do that to a person.

The summer had been fabulous... until the anniversary of Devon's death came rolling around. She had grown close to Adora, closer than she ever had been to any other girl friend, but she had the feeling that maybe Adora didn't feel the same way. She got the feeling that there was something here friend had been keeping for her, but that was cool with her, and she didn't pressure her to tell her anything. She knew what it was like to have secrets.

Stephanie still had fun with Adora, though, calling her every chance she got, hanging out with her after school. She had fun with Adora's brother too, oh, yes... fucking him every chance she got, chaining him to her bed and whipping him until his flesh turned bright red with searing welts, letting him eat food off of her naked body. Ah, yes, having her own personal sexslave had its advantages, but that wasn't the only thing she saw him as. She feared that maybe she was starting to love him, him and his sensitive and caring ways yet moody personality, and that scared her. She didn't want to be in love again... look where it had gotten her last time. But Trent was different, something wise inside her told her. He thought she was beautiful, worshipped her, sang to her, and she loved it. Stephanie noticed that Adora seemed incredibly happy over the relationship between her brother and her friend. She pressumed that that was because Trent disapproved of Adora's sexual relationship with her boyfriend Jeff, and the fact that he bought her a vibrator for her birthday and winked bawdily while saying, "this is for you when I'm not around, baby." Maybe she thought that he would lighten up if he had a fuck buddy of his own. Whatever the reason, it worked, so whenever Trent felt pissed off about Adora and Jeff, he came to Stephanie to... release some steam... in liquid form. Which was just fine with her. He called her his "little nympho." That angered her and made her whip him harder.

"Hey, freaks and freakettes," a voice suddenly sang. Stephanie looked up from her notepad and saw Adora strolling toward the small group. Trent had been laying his head on her shoulder up until now, looking dead to the world, but he looked up at the sound of Adora's voice. He smiled a tight smile at his sister and looked toward Jeff, who beamed with pleasure and jumped to his feet, kissing his girlfriend passionately. Trent's jaw dropped and he began to protest, but Stephanie jabbed him in a place that should be left in the bedroom and he groaned in pain. That shut him up.

"Hey, Dor," Stephanie greeted brightly after she sat down beside Jeff. There was a slight breeze that whipped Adora's pale blonde hair around her head, and Jeff had one hell of a time trying to brush it out of her eyes. Stephanie glanced at her watch. Five minutes until their first classes.

"Five minutes until we enter hell again," she groaned loudly, try to ignore Trent's small cries of pain. "Shut up, you," she snapped, poking him in the shoulder. He did as he was told. Adora smirked.

"I'm not going to say anything about what I just saw. Anyway, did you see all the new kids this year? They're all preppy. I'm telling you..."

"Your urge to kill was rising, too?" Steph interrupted.

"How'd you know?"

"I had a feeling. Maybe I'll try out for the cheerleading squad this year. Like, that would be so cool!" Steph exclaimed with false cheerfullness. Jeff burst out laughing, but Adora shot him a look of reprimand.

"Don't even joke," she wailed. "Do you want to be like Britney? How long did she cry for after she wasn't elected homecoming queen?"

"Three weeks straight."

"Three weeks? Wow, she really needs to get laid," Trent piped up. Jeff laughed again.

"Shut up, Trent. She's... saving herself for marriage," Stephanie smirked. "Good thing I'm not though," she whispered to him, kissing him so hard she forced him to the ground. She crawled on top of him, sitting on his chest and straddling him with her scantily clad legs, kissing him again.

"Hey, we're in public here! Can't you guys keep it in the bedroom?" Jeff cried. Many people stared at Trent and Stephanie, but neither of them seemed to care. The nympho strikes again.

"Looks fun," Adora commented, grinning at Jeff lustfully. She leaned over to kiss him, but the bell rang. He groaned in frustration and climbed to his feet, and Adora threaded her arm through his.

"Hello! We're going to be late!" she cried at Stephanie, who reluctantly rolled off of Trent. He had a dazed yet happy look of his face, which was smeared with brown lipstick.

"I think I'm going to like school," he declared seedily, and Adora kicked him in the side.

"Get up, you idiot! We're late!"

"Leave him alone, Dor," Jeff said, pulling Stephanie and Adora toward the school, "let him have detention on the first day if he wants."

"Hey! Wait! I'm coming!" Trent called, scrambling to his feet. He rushed over to Jeff and dragged Stephanie away from him, then scooped her into his arms so he carried her into the school.

"Unhand my woman, Yankee," he commanded jokingly.

"Yankee? What're you talking about, Trent? He's a..."

"Hey! Most women find my southern-ness charming!"

"Especially me," Adora inserted, taking Jeff by the hand and leading him into the school. "This place is confusing, so... you'll have to stick with me for the day."

"I do? Darn. I guess I will if I have to..." Jeff sighed teasingly.

"Hey," Stephanie cut in, "are we going to meet at lunch? We can go to McDonald's or something."

"That's disgusting!" Adora shrieked, turning to face Stephanie wide-eyed, who burst out laughing.

"I'm kidding! Although, I wanted you all to see where I'm going to start work in a few weeks..."

"You're working at McDonald's?" Jeff asked incredulously.

"Sure, why not? I could have fun scaring customers."

"That's disgusting," Adora repeated firmly.

"You mean you won't come visit me at work?" Stephanie asked innocently as they strolled down the halls of Anderson. Stephanie and Adora had math for their home room, just as they had the year before. Jeff and Trent were long gone by now to get to their respective classes.

"NO!"

"I'm kidding!" she cried defensively as they entered the math class. The teacher slammed the door behind them, glaring at them for being late. Stephanie smiled sweetly at him, as did Adora, and they took their seats, the day officially beginning.