Chapter 1 · Revenge Is My New Medication

Mental illness ran in my family.

I'd learned to hide it pretty well. All through high school, nobody knew what was really going on with me—except for a few people who transferred out.

But college was different. At my first orientation, bullies found me before I even finished unpacking.

They threw my luggage around, stole my bed, and tossed out my meds.

Joke was on them, though. Those pills weren't just tranquilizers.

They were about to regret messing with me.

*****

Mental problems ran in my family.

I'd started treatment early, and as long as I took my meds and kept my emotions in check, I was fine. No episodes.

I was doing so well that I even performed at the freshman welcome party.

When I got back to my dorm that night, I found paint splattered all over my bedding and my stuff dumped in the trash.

I stared at the mess, face blank, feeling the anger rise.

"Well, if it isn't our little star from the party. Not so shiny now, are you?"

A girl with long hair walked in, two friends behind her, looking pleased with herself.

She glanced at my ruined bed with satisfaction.

"Oops, paint all over your blanket. Looks like you're gonna have a rough night."

One friend strutted up with a grin and yanked back the blanket. "Just sleep without it."

As soon as she spoke, a dead rat fell out from under the blanket.

The girl gasped dramatically and covered her mouth. "Ew! What kind of psycho hides a dead rat in their own bed?"

They all laughed, staring at me. When I didn't react, they got annoyed and started pushing me around.

"Hey, little vixen, what's with the death stare? Trying to scare us?"

One of them tapped my cheek. "Don't think your pretty face gives you carte blanche, you hear me?"

The rage I'd been holding back flared up.

"So you are the ones who did this to my bed?" I asked, my voice cold.

I always made sure to ask first, so I wouldn't target the wrong person.

The ringleader suddenly kicked me, her tone even more provocative than before. "Yeah, so what? What are you gonna do about it?"

With that, she swung at me, ready to kick again.

She snapped, "Consider this a lesson. If you try to steal the spotlight again, you better watch that pretty face of yours—"

I stared at her icily. If I kept taking this crap, what was the point of having madness in my blood?

Before she could finish, I grabbed her raised foot and yanked. She crashed down in a split, screaming.

I didn't give her time to recover. I stepped on her thigh, right near her hip. She screamed louder.

I brushed my hair back and walked over to her friend. The girl stared at me, shocked and furious. I grabbed her hair and slammed her head into the doorframe. Once. Twice. Again and again.

Each sickening thud echoed, and blood pooled on the floor.

Such a vivid red. Almost beautiful.

I licked the blood off my fingers, tasting metal, and walked toward the last girl. She was shaking.

"Have you ever tasted blood?" I asked calmly.

She glared at me, pale with fear but still talking tough.

"Bitch, you have no idea who my dad is. Touch me and he'll destroy you!"

I laughed until tears came to my eyes. I grabbed her jaw and stared at her. "Yeah? What's Dad gonna do?"

After a stunned moment, she snapped. She started pounding my arm, struggling against my grip while slurring, "Bitch! That's all you are!"

Finally done laughing, I dragged her by the hair and threw her onto the freshly painted bed.

While she struggled, I picked up the dead rat by its tail and waved it in her face.

"How could you hurt such a cute little mouse? You're heartless," I said with a cruel smile.

Suddenly, I pressed the rat against her body. She screamed, clutching her head.

Her terrified screams—I loved it.

"Are you scared of a dead rat?" I asked innocently.

When I didn't move, she tried to sound brave, but fear was written all over her face. "I know who you are—Lily Jones, the freshman. Just let me go and we'll call it even. Okay?"

I smirked, swinging the rat by its tail. As disgust spread across her face, I yanked hard—tearing the rat in two.

Her terror made me grin wider. I ripped off a leg with a snap.

"Have you ever eaten rat?" I asked, almost playful.

Her eyes filled with despair. "Lily, it was my fault—I'm sorry! Please... don't do this..."

"You're smart to back off... but—" I sneered.

I forced her jaw open and shoved the rat leg in her mouth. "Too late!"

Chapter 1

Mental illness ran in my family.

I'd learned to hide it pretty well. All through high school, nobody knew what was really going on with me—except for a few people who transferred out.

But college was different. At my first orientation, bullies found me before I even finished unpacking.

They threw my luggage around, stole my bed, and tossed out my meds.

Joke was on them, though. Those pills weren't just tranquilizers.

They were about to regret messing with me.

*****

Mental problems ran in my family.

I'd started treatment early, and as long as I took my meds and kept my emotions in check, I was fine. No episodes.

I was doing so well that I even performed at the freshman welcome party.

When I got back to my dorm that night, I found paint splattered all over my bedding and my stuff dumped in the trash.

I stared at the mess, face blank, feeling the anger rise.

"Well, if it isn't our little star from the party. Not so shiny now, are you?"

A girl with long hair walked in, two friends behind her, looking pleased with herself.

She glanced at my ruined bed with satisfaction.

"Oops, paint all over your blanket. Looks like you're gonna have a rough night."

One friend strutted up with a grin and yanked back the blanket. "Just sleep without it."

As soon as she spoke, a dead rat fell out from under the blanket.

The girl gasped dramatically and covered her mouth. "Ew! What kind of psycho hides a dead rat in their own bed?"

They all laughed, staring at me. When I didn't react, they got annoyed and started pushing me around.

"Hey, little vixen, what's with the death stare? Trying to scare us?"

One of them tapped my cheek. "Don't think your pretty face gives you carte blanche, you hear me?"

The rage I'd been holding back flared up.

"So you are the ones who did this to my bed?" I asked, my voice cold.

I always made sure to ask first, so I wouldn't target the wrong person.

The ringleader suddenly kicked me, her tone even more provocative than before. "Yeah, so what? What are you gonna do about it?"

With that, she swung at me, ready to kick again.

She snapped, "Consider this a lesson. If you try to steal the spotlight again, you better watch that pretty face of yours—"

I stared at her icily. If I kept taking this crap, what was the point of having madness in my blood?

Before she could finish, I grabbed her raised foot and yanked. She crashed down in a split, screaming.

I didn't give her time to recover. I stepped on her thigh, right near her hip. She screamed louder.

I brushed my hair back and walked over to her friend. The girl stared at me, shocked and furious. I grabbed her hair and slammed her head into the doorframe. Once. Twice. Again and again.

Each sickening thud echoed, and blood pooled on the floor.

Such a vivid red. Almost beautiful.

I licked the blood off my fingers, tasting metal, and walked toward the last girl. She was shaking.

"Have you ever tasted blood?" I asked calmly.

She glared at me, pale with fear but still talking tough.

"Bitch, you have no idea who my dad is. Touch me and he'll destroy you!"

I laughed until tears came to my eyes. I grabbed her jaw and stared at her. "Yeah? What's Dad gonna do?"

After a stunned moment, she snapped. She started pounding my arm, struggling against my grip while slurring, "Bitch! That's all you are!"

Finally done laughing, I dragged her by the hair and threw her onto the freshly painted bed.

While she struggled, I picked up the dead rat by its tail and waved it in her face.

"How could you hurt such a cute little mouse? You're heartless," I said with a cruel smile.

Suddenly, I pressed the rat against her body. She screamed, clutching her head.

Her terrified screams—I loved it.

"Are you scared of a dead rat?" I asked innocently.

When I didn't move, she tried to sound brave, but fear was written all over her face. "I know who you are—Lily Jones, the freshman. Just let me go and we'll call it even. Okay?"

I smirked, swinging the rat by its tail. As disgust spread across her face, I yanked hard—tearing the rat in two.

Her terror made me grin wider. I ripped off a leg with a snap.

"Have you ever eaten rat?" I asked, almost playful.

Her eyes filled with despair. "Lily, it was my fault—I'm sorry! Please... don't do this..."

"You're smart to back off... but—" I sneered.

I forced her jaw open and shoved the rat leg in her mouth. "Too late!"