Page 1 of Between Dusk and Dawn

Prologue

Iwas a horrible person.

"Why did you invite her? She is a fucking bitch." I cringed, withdrawing into myself. While I’d rather get out of this filthy bathroom stall, I was stuck lifting my feet so they didn’t know I was in here.

As the week drew to a close, Cagen's invitation to join her and some of the girls from the cheer squad for a celebratory night out felt more like a formality than genuine camaraderie. From the beginning of our time as roommates and cheerleaders, it was evident there was no love lost between us even though Cagen was my captain.

Her animosity toward me was palpable from the moment I stepped into cheer tryouts last year. Her disdainful glances and passive-aggressive comments made it clear she harbored deep-seated resentment toward me. I had no idea why, but I didn’t fit in. Yet, I played along, feigning ignorance to her true feelings while quietly observing her every move.

Perched on the toilet seat, I strained to catch every word of Cagen's conversation with her friends. Their laughter and whispered exchanges only fueled my suspicion that there was more to their gathering than just a simple celebration. It was asif they were conspiring against me, plotting my downfall behind my back.

Despite my efforts to appear indifferent, the hatred simmering between Cagen and me was undeniable. But I refused to back down or show any signs of weakness in front of her. If anything, her animosity made me determined to uncover her secrets and protect myself from whatever schemes she might be concocting.

“I don’t understand why you’re still her roommate this year?”

“Ew, right?”

I shuddered. I tried so fucking hard to be liked, to fit in despite the hatred brewing inside my veins.

"She told me this shade of green wasn’t right for me. I needed to stick with something neutral," Cagen said.

That wasn't what I’d said. I had told her that it was pretty. It was important how others perceived her, and she was planning on hooking up with her new boyfriend later, so I wanted to make sure she looked her best. I wasn’t trying to be a bitch about it.

Survival had taught me to blend in and climb to the top, no matter the cost. My entire life had been a constant struggle to escape, to endure, to overcome.

"She’s such a bitch," another one of her friends chimed in.

"The biggest," Cagen responded.

Despite belonging to a group of friends who despised me, I craved being part of their circle. I yearned to experience the sensation of being at the top of the social hierarchy. Throughout my life, I'd been desperately seeking some form of salvation, yet there was never anyone there to shield me. My scarred hands were a testament to the pain I’d gone through both physically and psychologically. All I wanted was to find that sense of security, and being friends with Cagen—with the popular girls—was the only way I knew how.

I hopped down from the toilet and stood, then flushed. Preparing to confront them, I adjusted my black minidress. It was time to put on a front, something I excelled at.

I hid the scars of my past and turmoil from the world. I’d learned early on that vulnerability was a liability and to survive, I had to arm myself with a persona of indifference and detachment.

I turned the lock and pushed open the stall door. Cagen stood in front of the mirror in that hideous green dress that made her skin appear the same sickly shade. Beside her were her two brunette friends dressed in matching hot-pink minidresses.

"Hey," I stated as I strolled over to where they clustered around the sink. Turning on the faucet, I repeated to myself that I was playing the game, and I was doing a damn good job at that.

A swift glance in the mirror confirmed everything. Cagen’s lips were curled, and they all wore wide-eyed stares. They hadn’t expected me to come out of the stall.

"Hey," Cagen said as I shut off the sink and shook water off my hands. "If you overheard anything?—"

"I did." I reached for a towel from their side.

I’d become Cagen's roommate last year when she needed one. Given her status as a member of the cheer squad, I wanted to feel a part of a community like I’d been taught by my grandmother.

"It's not that?—"

I held up my hand. "It absolutely is that," I asserted, glancing back at the mirror and adjusting my expression. "You three only tolerate me because I'm on the cheer squad. I've done nothing to upset or hurt any of you, yet it's not the first time I've overheard conversations where you belittle me."

Cagen's jaw dropped, and the two other girls slipped behind her, retreating into the corner. "But what you three fail to understand is that I've been despised by everyone my whole life,including my own parents. I know how to handle people who can't stand me."

"And how's that?" one of the brunettes squeaked, poking her head out from behind Cagen's shoulder.

"Kindness," I stated.

"What?" the other one queried, peeking her head out from the opposite shoulder.

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