Chapter 1I just got to my car after class. Back window rolled down.
School's hottest girl arm around her boyfriend. Looked at the driver like it's nothing.
"Hey Marcus, Ashton's coming over for dinner tonight. Don't pick her up."
Then she glanced at me. "She's some charity case my family took in. Can't have her bumming rides every single day, right?"
Kids around us snickered.
Ashton Blake turned to me. Looked at me like I was dirt.
"Sage, when you're living off someone's charity, you act grateful. Don't make things hard for Piper."
So I just stood there.
Watching MY car. MY driver. Taking some fake rich girl and her new trophy boyfriend.
I almost laughed. This was insane.
Played nice too long.
Now someone really thought they could just STEAL MY LIFE.
---
Some girls walk real slow.
"She thought she could get in Piper's car?"
"Doesn't she like... live off Piper's family? So cringe."
"Piper's too nice. I would've told her to fuck off already."
I turn and look at them.
They act like they're just talking. Laugh louder.
I pull out my phone. Call home.
"Marcus left me at school. Get him back here."
Silence for a second.
"Miss Hartley? I'll get him now."
Ten minutes later, the black car comes back.
Piper Laurent gets out first. Eyes all red.
"Sage, seriously? It was a joke. You snitched?"
Ashton gets out too. Looks pissed.
"Why do you always take Piper's shit? It's just a ride. She told you to wait. What's your problem?"
Marcus just stands there. Looks like he wants to die.
I glance at him.
He looks down. "Miss Hartley, I'm sorry. Diane said Miss Laurent needed the car, so I—"
I cut him off. "Who's Miss Laurent?"
He shuts up.
Piper's face changes. She grabs my hand.
"Sage, stop. Everyone's watching."
Her eyes beg me. But she's warning me too.
"My mom worked for you guys like forever. You really gonna make a scene over this?"
I yank my hand back.
Don't call her out. Not with everyone around.
Diane's Piper's mom. She worked for us thirteen years. Since I was like eight.
Her husband died when Piper was small. Single mom shit's hard.
I get back in the car.
Piper doesn't talk the whole ride. Just texts.
We get home. Diane's at the door.
She goes straight to Piper. Looks her over.
"You okay, honey? What happened?"
Then she looks at me. Her voice sounds off.
"Sage, look, I'm not trying to be mean. But Piper had something important today. Can't you just share?"
"You have everything. She uses the car once and you freak out."
I look at her.
I've known this woman my whole life. Now she feels like a stranger.
"Diane, it's MY family's car."
Her face freezes. Then she sighs.
"Why you gotta say it like that? Your dad's last name is Laurent. Piper's last name is Laurent. People already think we're family."
Piper tugs her sleeve.
"Mom, stop."
I ignore them. Go upstairs and text my mom.
"Mom, Diane and Piper are being weird. When you coming back?"
She texts back fast.
"Next week. Don't worry. I got it."
But Piper didn't wait till next week.
She already made herself into someone else.
And me? Just some annoying bitch in her fake story.
Chapter 2
Piper pretending to be me? Been going on forever.
She'd take my car to school.
Someone asks, she goes, "Oh, my driver picks up Sage too."
She'd use my old bag.
Someone says it's nice, she's like, "My mom grabbed it from my closet. I got way too many."
She'd take pics in our garden.
Caption: "Home sweet home."
She'd snap my dad's back when he leaves for work.
Posts it: "Europe again. Business guys are so boring."
When I started school, my parents wanted privacy.
Only the principal and some board people know who I am.
That was supposed to protect me.
But Piper's last name? Laurent too.
She lives at our house. Gets picked up in our cars. Wears my old clothes. Her feed's full of my house.
She never said she's Nathaniel Laurent's daughter.
But people just assumed.
First time I heard it was sophomore year.
Girls in the bathroom doing makeup. Talking loud.
"Wait, Piper's dad is Nathaniel Laurent? That's crazy."
"No wonder she gets that car."
"What about Sage?"
"Her? Like some relative they help out. Doesn't matter if she's smart. Still living off them."
I walk out. Bathroom goes quiet.
Piper sees me. Panics for a second.
I walk up to her.
"Piper, I don't care what you say about me. But my dad's not your dad. That's pathetic."
Her eyes get all watery.
"Sage, I didn't."
"Didn't?"
I shove my phone in her face. Screenshots of her posts.
She bites her lip.
"I just... I'm jealous, okay? I don't have a dad. Seeing yours treat you good makes me sad."
"So you can steal?"
People hear us. Start coming over.
Piper cries harder.
"Sage, I know you hate me. But me and my mom help you too. Why you gotta be so mean?"
That night, the school forum blows up.
"Scholarship girl jealous of rich classmate, attacks her in public."
No names. But the comments? All about me.
Someone says I'm ungrateful.
Someone says I live in their house and try to steal their life.
Someone finds an old jacket I wore, says it's Piper's and I'm faking it.
I'm shaking. Go find Piper.
"You post that?"
Her head's down. Like she knew I'd show up.
Her tears just fall.
"It wasn't me. Sage, why do you always blame me? I never talked shit about you."
I laugh. Cold.
"Then post it right now. Tell everyone you're not Nathaniel's daughter."
Her face goes white.
Long pause. Then she whispers, "You really gonna push me like this?"
"Push you?"
She looks up.
"You know how people look at me. They think I'm a Laurent, they respect me."
"They find out my mom cleans houses? I can't show my face."
"So you step on me?"
She doesn't say anything.
That's her answer.
After that, she just stopped faking it.
Chapter 3
Ashton transferred in. Day one, Piper's already on him.
He's new. Honors track. Everyone wants him.
Girl who wants to marry up.
Guy who wants in with the Laurents.
Perfect match.
Club meeting. Ashton asks me where the file room is.
I point.
That's it.
Piper's eyes get red.
"Sage, you like Ashton? If you do, just say it. You don't gotta sneak around."
I'm gonna lose it.
Ashton gets in front of her.
"Piper's nice. Why you always mess with her?"
People start whispering.
"She's really trying to steal Piper's boyfriend?"
"Lives in their house and goes after their guy? Damn."
I walk over. Stare at Piper.
"Spread rumors about me again. I'll make you regret it."
Her eyes blink.
She grabs my sleeve. In front of everyone.
"Sage, don't."
"You lived with us for years. I never treated you bad. So why you think my stuff should be yours?"
Everyone freaks out.
I wanna hit her so bad.
Our teacher walks by. Calls us to the office.
Piper's crying.
Ashton stands next to her, staring at me.
"Ma'am, the school needs to do something. Sage keeps harassing Piper. It's messing with her grades."
The teacher looks at me. She heard the rumors.
"Sage, your situation's different. We get it. But you need boundaries. Piper helps you. Don't use her like that."
I sit there. My heart drops.
Ma'am, you know Piper's parents?"
She blinks.
Piper stops crying.
Ashton laughs. "What are you trying to do now?"
I look at them.
"Nothing. You'll see."
After that, Piper backs off for two days.
Friday afternoon, I take a cab home.
Car pulls into the neighborhood. Something feels wrong.
Two cars I don't know parked outside.
I walk in.
Couple on the couch. Never seen them before.
Guy's got expensive glasses. Woman's covered in jewelry.
Worse? Piper's wearing my mom's emerald green dress. The custom one.
And that necklace? My dad gave me that for my eighteenth.
She's by the fireplace. Acting all classy.
"This is our place. My parents work a lot, so Diane runs things."
Diane's there too.
Wearing my mom's shawl. Sitting on the couch like it's hers.
Ashton's next to Piper. Looks real pleased with himself.
Ashton's mom smiles big.
"Piper, you're so polite. Mr. Laurent and Mrs. Hartley must be proud. Everyone says your family's great."
Piper looks down. Smiles.
I'm by the door. My head hurts.
Take off my shoes. Everyone looks.
Piper's face goes white.
Ashton's mom frowns.
"Who's this?"
Before I say anything, Piper's up. Eyes red.
"That's Sage. I told you about her."
"My family pays for her school. She lives here. She probably doesn't want people over."
Ashton's mom's face changes. Looks at me like I'm trash.
"Oh. Her."
Ashton's dad puts his drink down.
"You live here for free. Learn some manners. We're guests. You can't walk in like that."
I almost laugh.
In MY house. And now I'M the outsider?
