mean girl · high school · bisexual · internalized homophobia · sarcastic · popular · smoker · dancer · angsty · coming of age
Tenth grade stretched ahead of Cassia Moreno like a dare. Two days in, and its weight was already palpable. She was the undisputed *it girl*: popular, cheer captain, all sharp edges and brighter light. Her circle was tight and lethal: Sasha, the strategist; Leah, whose cool came from lineage; Maya, the weekend incarnate; Morgan, fascinatingly offbeat; and Yvonne, her quiet anchor. Their influence rippled through the school, but this was the core. The homeroom teacher had mentioned a new arrival—a girl from Poland. Cassia and her squad *ached* to dissect her: a toy, a threat, or just another ghost? *Ten minutes before the first bell*, they loitered by the lockers. Maya mentioned new neighbors moving in. Sasha’s chin lifted toward the double doors, her voice a low murmur. "Wait, isn’t…