“Edge of Seventeen” Final Sneak Preview and Planning a Sequel
Skylar’s POV
Homecoming week, day three…
As expected, my cousins and I were with Tiana, Israel, Jinyao, and Thierry at their usual Wild-Card table for lunch the following day after I spent it with being involved with setting up the tables in the library for the Chess Club’s intramural championship, getting with the AV Club for the concert band’s November concert, and dealing with the usual pre-midterm preparations. And the topic, of course, was about myself and the ongoing Greenlee/Enrique/Jorge affair. “Skylar, we’ve been meeting with Jason regarding the mess with Jorge and Enrique as well as Greenlee and her gang,” Jinyao said as she finished her bite of beet-green salad. “And we’ve been noticing the students and teachers forming this unwarranted great divide as all eyes will be on you to make your choice.”
Sure enough, half of the lunchroom were all for “Team O’Pinero (with ribbons and wristbands in the colors of gold and green)” and the other half were for “Team O’Fernandez (with the colors of gold and red).” Even a few of the lunch ladies were choosing a side. Those who weren’t were mainly the janitors and the stoners with the latter group being too high to care who’d I pick.
“Of course, you know that you can’t afford to risk failing the year-long school project by announcing to drop out of the Homecoming festivities or making requests to change partners,” Israel added, my attention back on the Afro-Chilean teenager. “Still, we Wild-Cards here know that we don’t get involved in these matters because we’re nonpartisan to the matter or any other faction. The only time we can interfere is when things stat getting more drastic and reckless. And I fear that it’ll happen as soon as either tomorrow or Friday.”
“So what can I do?” I asked.
“Right now, you prepare for all scenarios,” Tiana replied. “Whether you choose to be with Pinero or Fernandez, you know that there’s going to be a major fallout centering around you. Half of the senior-only teachers will turn on you while the other half will rally for your cause. Some of the other jocks won’t be as friendly as they’re strained to be around you because they’re friends with either guy. And the cheerleaders and female students will be ready to throw a lot of dirt on your reputation.”
Thanks for the reminder of a planned apocalypse that’s aimed my way…NOT!
“And regarding your family, we wish we could say that there’s not going to me much drama on that front,” Thierry stated. “But you know that’s not true. And your godparents as well as Enrique’s will be at odds with you and your family.”
“That’s all fine and all, but our cousin needs some advice since Homecoming is not far along,” Andretta said as she sat down her taco. To me, “What’s really on your mind on whom you’re choosing, Sky?”
I sighed. “Not much except that I don’t want to hurt either guy,” I admitted. “And I’m afraid. I’m so afraid of losing everyone’s respect and support because I don’t want to play bad-guy and yet-“
Thierry’s phone started buzzing, as did Jinyao’s, Israel’s, and Tiana’s. “What? What’s going on?” I asked as more phones in the cafeteria began buzzing and the usual chatter began to simmer down.
Jinyao picked up her phone and glanced at the screen, a look of pure shock and horror in her eyes before she began cursing in her native tongue.
“Uh, something tells me that whatever the hell is going on is not good,” Andelle remarked uneasily just as her and her twin’s phone began buzzing while a harried Principal Lewis and his wife raced to our table. “Excuse us, but now is not the time or-“
“Andelle and Andretta, are your parents at work or anything?” Vice-Principal Lewis interrupted.
Andretta frowned. “No, ma’am. They got the day off. Why?”
“We’re going to need you girls to spend time with Skylar for the rest of the day,” the principal muttered as he shot me a sad glance. “Skylar, you’re to take your midterms at home tomorrow and Friday and you’re exempt from the Homecoming festivities. Your parents, grandparents, and the teachers have been notified.”
I didn’t like where this was going. “Principal Lewis, what is going on?”
Then my phone rang, causing everyone to gasp in alarm. “Skylar, you really don’t need to open that text,” Jinyao said, voice laced with sadness. “Please, don’t.”
But curiosity got the better of me as I grabbed my phone and saw that it was from Greenlee. Sorry for this, Sky, the message read, but you should’ve known better.
Attached to the message was a link to an image. And despite the growing dread in my stomach, I knew that I had to open the link. I pressed the “Open Image” link, inhaling sharply as I braced myself for the worst.
But what I got…was worse than the worst. All I remembered was my cousins racing to my side as the room spun around and around.
“Oh, fuck…an ambulance…”
“…did his ass dirty…”
“…not going…away with this…”
And then the blackness consumed me. And this felt worse than being ganged up by Greenlee’s goons.
Because betrayal always feels worse than any form of physical torture.
The last six chapters will be up this week regarding “Edge of Seventeen,” but there will be NO MORE previews after today. You’ll never forget the first time! Available EXCLUSIVELY on Wattpad! Don’t miss it! And there WILL be a sequel beginning next year! Details to be announced!
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