Sierra

We pulled up to the run-down house, and for once, I felt a spark of excitement cutting through my usual cloud of depression.

The place was far from fancy, but it beat my expectations by a mile.

We'd moved from Montana, where we'd been stuck in a two-bedroom apartment in the sketchy part of town. The daily walk to work had been like running a gauntlet. While I was glad to leave, I'd learned to keep my expectations low.

For the past three years, I'd been living with my mom and her husband - not exactly a dream setup. My grandmother, who was amazing and raised me most of my life, passed away a few years back. My mom was literally my last resort.

'Heather,' she makes me call her. Like I'm some random kid she picked up off the street.

Heather and I have what you'd call a non-relationship - she pretends I don't exist, and I stay out of her way. Her husband Derek is the real problem. He's a heavy drinker, and alcohol turns him into a total jerk. I make myself scarce whenever he's been hitting the bottle.

We'd just hauled ourselves to Vermont because Heather landed a job offer. Derek couldn't keep steady work if his life depended on it, so Heather handled most bills. I worked part-time to cover the basics Heather wouldn't spring for.

The new house was bigger than I'd imagined. It had that old-school charm with its peeling white paint and a crooked front porch jutting out from the facade.

The one silver lining to this cross-country move was finally getting my own bedroom. Back in Montana, my "room" was just the dining area sectioned off with a curtain. Derek had claimed the second bedroom as his "office."

I climbed out of the car and stretched, swinging my backpack over my shoulder as I headed for the front porch. Heather and Derek were already at it, arguing as usual, but I'd mastered the art of tuning them out.

The porch boards creaked under my feet, but I didn't mind. Derek only ever ventured outside for liquor store runs, so this spot would be my sanctuary.

Heather pushed past Derek through the front door, with me trailing behind. I made a beeline for the stairs to check out my room.

"Take the smallest room, Sierra. Don't forget it," Heather called after me, as if I needed reminding.

Upstairs, I did a quick scan and felt instant relief seeing a bathroom near my room. I couldn't help but smile when I peeked into Heather and Derek's room - they had their own en-suite, which meant Derek would have zero excuses to lurk around my bathroom.

Derek had a habit of pushing boundaries when he was drunk. He was smart about it, never trying anything when Heather was around. I'd learned to stay on high alert near him. He'd gotten handsy a few times, but his drunken state made him easy to dodge.

My new room was pretty basic, with paint peeling off the walls. Once I landed a job, I could spruce it up a bit.

I'd been saving every penny since I was old enough to work. Despite being a straight-A student, I needed a backup plan in case scholarships fell through. My eighteenth birthday couldn't come soon enough - it was my ticket out of here.

I dropped my backpack and surveyed my new space. Small, but it had actual walls and a door that locked - luxury compared to my curtained-off space in Montana. A wobbly queen-size bed and a dusty oak dresser completed the setup.

I hustled downstairs to grab my suitcase from Heather's trunk, struggling with its weight. Their arguing provided perfect cover as I muscled it upstairs.

Everything I owned fit in that one suitcase. My wardrobe was minimal, but I'd gotten used to making do.

I stuffed my clothes into the dresser, setting aside an outfit for tomorrow's school debut.

Heather had wasted no time enrolling me in the local high school. Anything to get me out of the house and away from Derek's thinning hairline.

I tucked my debit card into my back pocket and headed downstairs.

Heather was still laying into Derek as he fiddled with the TV setup in the living room.

"Where do you think you're going?" Heather snapped, spinning around as I reached for the door.

I fought back an eye roll. Since when did she care about my whereabouts?

"Getting some dinner," I shrugged.

I'd stopped joining their toxic dinner table ages ago. The court may have made Heather my legal guardian until eighteen, but that didn't mean I had to share my hard-earned cash with her. I'd learned to fend for myself.

"Grab me a six-pack while you're out," Derek barked, squinting at the fuzzy TV screen.

I clenched my jaw. "I'm seventeen, genius."

I bolted out the door before he could start mumbling again.

Standing on the main road, I took a moment to get my bearings. After a quick mental coin flip, I headed right.

All I needed was a convenience store. A bag of chips and water would tide me over till morning.

About fifteen minutes down the road, I spotted a corner store. One thing I'd miss about Montana - you couldn't walk five minutes without hitting a gas station or grocery store.

Inside the dimly lit store, I nodded hello to the cashier, a girl who looked fresh out of high school. I grabbed my dinner - chips, couple waters, and a granola bar - and headed to checkout.

"Hey, any chance you know where Shadowvale High is?" I asked as I swiped my card. She looked early twenties, with jet-black hair sporting a streak of green.

She nodded while punching buttons. "Sure do. Follow this road to the light, hang a left. Can't miss it."

"Thanks," I managed a small smile, taking my receipt.

She glanced up. "New in town?"

"That obvious?" I laughed. The town seemed pretty tiny from what I'd seen.

She smirked. "Small town vibes. Most folks live out in the woods though."

I frowned. "Why not stay in town?"

"People here are big on privacy, I guess," she shrugged like it was no big deal.

I left feeling uneasy. Her casual response didn't exactly boost my confidence about tomorrow. In a town this small, being the new kid would make me stick out like a sore thumb.

Junior year was already halfway done. Just this year and senior year to go. Then I could finally ditch Heather and Derek for good.