Computer class was my second favorite time of the school day because it was another chance to talk to Baller929. Plus, I just got computers. Being at the keyboard, writing code, helped me escape the rest of my life.

I was usually the first one to finish my work for the day, and the teacher didn’t care what we did after that, as long as we didn’t get too rowdy.

Tapping out a few last lines of code, I hit submit on my daily assignment and glanced around the room. Most people were still working, and the same guy that sat in front of me in math class was sleeping in here once again.

Did that guy never get any sleep at home?

I shook my head to myself, submitted the day’s assignment, and checked my phone. Baller929 was already online. He usually was because he knew this was one time I could talk, and we made the most of it. Basketball practices or games filled his evenings, so we didn’t usually get to talk until late.

But for the next twelve minutes, it would just be me and him.

TheRealCinderella: How’s math?

Baller929: Boring. A mystery.

I grinned.

TheRealCinderella: No surprise there.

Baller929: Ha. Ha. -_-

Baller929: Seriously, though, I need your help. We’re going to have a quiz on this stuff tomorrow, and I get none of it.

TheRealCinderella: 8 tonight?

Before he replied, the intercom came on.

“Ms. Roberts?” It sounded like the counselor.

“Yes?” the teacher said, looking up from her computer.

My eyes traveled back to the screen, but Baller929 hadn’t replied yet.

“Can I see Daniela Reyes in my office, please? She should bring her things.”

“She’s on her way.” Ms. Roberts was already back to whatever she was doing.

“Thank you.” The intercom went silent.

I looked around. No one else had paid any attention.

Ms. Moreau wanted to see me?

I logged off and grabbed my stuff.

I slowly shut the classroom door behind me and walked to the counselor’s office. Muffled teacher voices reached my ears through the closed classroom doors.

Finally, I reached Ms. Moreau’s office and walked in. I was surprised to see a few other eleventh grade girls in there.

The four of them sat at a round conference table along with Ms. Moreau.

“Ah, Ella. Welcome. Come have a seat.” She patted the empty chair next to her.

I walked over, feeling everyone’s eyes on me.

As I set my stuff next to my chair and sat down, I looked around the table. Ms. Moreau smiled at me, and I noticed she had on football earrings. She always wore weird jewelry or dresses. She was the kind of person who dressed up as a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s Day or as Mrs. Claus for Christmas.

Beside her sat Tori, one of the most popular girls in school. Not to mention one of the top cheerleaders. She was busy staring at something on the wall and looking like she had better places to be.

Next to Tori, Reyna doodled in a journal. I talked to her a lot last year when we had three classes together, but this year, we only had chemistry after lunch, and she sat across the room from me. Assigned seats.

She offered a warm smile, which I returned. Dark purple eyeshadow made her hazel eyes pop. I hadn’t noticed because she was always scribbling in class, her face covered by her short hair, but I liked her new look. I counted her as one of the few truly nice people in this school.

A familiar girl tapped her foot impatiently beside Reyna. I didn’t know her name, but I was pretty sure she was in my math class. What I did know was that she was tall, athletic, and just as beautiful as Tori. But in a more exotic way, whereas Tori was your classic beauty. And Rey was more like me. Quiet. She was pretty in her own way but hid behind a journal most of the time.

The fourth girl I recognized from my government class. According to our teacher, she was new. Her full lips curved into a smile as our eyes met. She was blond like my stepsisters, but she definitely wasn’t a cheerleader.

“Now that we have everyone here, let’s get started, shall we?” Ms. Moreau said, excitement in her voice.

What exactly were we starting?

Were we in trouble or something? Were we all missing a class we needed to graduate next year?

“You must be wondering why you’re here,” Ms. Moreau said with a twinkle in her eye.

Nobody responded, and the silence quickly turned palpable.

Ms. Moreau didn’t seem to notice because she went on enthusiastically. “You’re all here because you’ve been chosen for a special project. A new student group.”

She looked around at that moment, and I’m not sure what she was expecting, but it sure wasn’t excitement. Tori had her arms crossed, everyone appeared bored, and Rey stifled a yawn.

I brainstormed ways to get out of this. I had a lot going on already with National Honor Society tutoring, getting ready for that tech competition, and my advanced classes.

Yeah, that’s what I would tell her after this meeting was over.

This couldn’t be any kind of requirement.

“This new student group will serve as a peer support group. You will meet on a weekly basis here in my office and communicate with each other throughout the week.”

The athletic girl next to Rey spoke up. “What does that mean exactly? And I’m not sure I’ll have time for this, Ms. Moreau. The soccer season is coming up, and team training has already started.”

“All meetings will take place during the day, in place of your study hall time. Not the whole period. You’ll still have time to get some schoolwork out of the way. But the purpose of this group, Selena, will be to give you a support network. Friends. Someone to talk to, give you a shoulder to lean on during your high school journey. This is one of the most important and yet difficult times of your lives. And I think everyone here could use a friend.”

Ms. Moreau looked at each of us slowly, and it felt like she was seeing inside me for a second. I shook off the feeling.

“One can always use a friend, correct?” she said.

No one said anything.

“It’s my job to make sure you girls have the support you need. Academically, emotionally, and otherwise. I’m always here if you need to talk, but what better support can you get than someone who is on the same path as you? Going through the same things?”

Rey looked down as she said that, and Tori exhaled. The blond girl just stared.

I was with them. Every girl at this table could not have any less in common with each other.

“I’ve spoken to all of your parents, and they agree this will be good for you.”

I gawked at Ms. Moreau. Sophia had approved? She probably didn’t care as long as it didn’t require anything from her.

“I’ve set up a private chat for you all on the student forum app. You’ll see a request to join in your inbox. For this week, your assignment is to get to know each other. Ask each other questions. Find out what you have in common. Then report to me next week during study hall. Same day.” Ms. Moreau smiled at each of us. “Okay?”

When no one replied, she said, “Alrighty, let’s start by introducing ourselves.”

By the time I got home, caught up on chores, and made dinner, all I could do was crash into bed. Literally. It was only eight o’clock, but I still had homework to do.

I let myself drift off for a few minutes until my phone buzzed. Eyes still closed, I dug it out of my pocket.

I opened one eye and looked at the too bright screen. It was him.

Yawning, I rolled over and read his text, wondering what he was up to.

Baller929: Hey, you. You never messaged me back. Everything okay?

TheRealCinderella: Sorry. Got called to the counselor’s office.

Baller929: You in trouble or something? ;)

TheRealCinderella: No! She wants me to join a peer support group, whatever that is. It’s a handful of girls I don’t really talk to, except one. I think she wants us to become friends, but I’m not sure how that’ll work out...

I lay my head on my pillow and started drifting off again, knowing I should get my homework out. But after cleaning this morning’s mess in the kitchen, making dinner, mopping the entire first floor, and then doing laundry, I hardly had any energy left for school stuff.

Sophia had made it clear after my dad had died that he hadn’t left much money. Supposedly, she’d used whatever he had left for the funeral and paying the bills during the time she wasn’t working.

It had been six months before she went back to work after he died. She’d sent me back to school the next week.

If I wanted her to pay for my college education, I was expected to earn my keep—do the chores around the house and be a volunteer for the events she organized from time to time. According to her, she’d have a hard enough time sending Courtney and Lindsay as it was.

So that was why I tolerated the indifference all three of them usually had toward me. I didn’t have any other choice but rely on Sophia for college. And leave. Even then, I was sure she’d find a way to control me, no matter how far I went.

My phone buzzed again, and this time, I did get up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

I set up my books at my desk and grabbed my phone from my bed.

Baller929: Support group? That sounds awkward.

Baller929: So did you think about what I said?

Baller929: You still there?

Baller929: P.S. I need math help

Then there was a horrified emoji. Followed by a crying one.

TheRealCinderella: Yeah, totally awkward. You could tell no one wanted to do it. But we might not have a choice. The counselor talked to our parents and everything.

TheRealCinderella: So math help? Send me a pic.

A minute later, he sent me a photo with several trig problems. This was like what we had been learning this week in math class. But I was missing notes.

I jumped up from bed and headed downstairs to Courtney’s room. There was music blaring from inside. I stared at her door for a moment. This used to be my dad’s office. I reminisced, my knuckles inches from knocking as I remembered when I used to walk in here and interrupt his work. His door was always open, and he was always happy to give me a hug.

Lindsay was in what used to be my room.

Not long after my dad died, they had begged for their own rooms, and to supposedly keep things fair between them, Sophia had me move up to the attic. It was smaller than Lindsay and Courtney’s rooms now, not to mention old and used for storage.

Just one more way everything had changed.

The music coming from Courtney’s room stopped, and the door flew open.

“Can I help you?” she asked in a tone that was the opposite of helpful.

“Hey, do you mind if I borrow your math notes from today?”

I didn’t mention that I missed class thanks to her and Lindsay.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

She disappeared for a second and handed over a basket of dirty laundry. “But do you mind throwing this in the wash on your way? I have the worst headache.”

Then she walked over to her desk, flipped through her binder, and took out the notes from class.

She put them on top of the dirty laundry and gave me a fake smile before closing the door again. The music resumed, louder this time.

I stood there for a few seconds before rolling my eyes and walking off with the laundry basket. The laundry room was across the house, but whatever. With Lindsay and Courtney, there was always a price to pay.

I was counting down the days until graduation. I couldn’t wait until I moved away to college. It was bad enough that Sophia, Lindsay, and Courtney had barged into my life, but they insisted on acting like the world revolved around them and like I was their maid.

A few minutes later, I was finally back in my room.

TheRealCinderella: Sorry. Had to borrow math notes from one of the evil stepsisters. They totally ditched me this morning so I missed math.

Baller929: I thought you guys shared the car?

TheRealCinderella: Not really. They’re supposed to let me ride with them, but they acted like total divas this morning. More than usual, anyway.

Baller929: I don’t know how you put up with them. If I was a girl and I was in your place, I probably would have slapped one of them by now. Probably both.

Baller929: And if either of my brothers did that to me, they’d be toast.

That made me laugh, and then I stopped. No, I wouldn’t sink down to their level.

They were the horrible human beings. Not me. If my dad had taught me something before he passed away, that was it. Always be the bigger person. Always.

TheRealCinderella: Maybe. But I have to be grateful for them. If it wasn’t for my stepmom, I probably would have ended up in foster care. Life could be a lot worse.

Baller929: True…I still don’t like them. But true.

After that, we talked math.

TheRealCinderella: Okay, so here’s a picture of the steps for the first problem.

I didn’t want to talk about my stepsisters anymore. Or my stepmom. They were all just reminders of the fact that my dad was gone. And that my life would never go back to what it was.