Pretty Ruthless

Pretty Ruthless by Em Torrey Brighton HS Reunion ©Copyright 2023 Em Torrey Names, Characters, and events are fictitious, unless otherwise stated. Any resemblance to real person, living, dead, or actual event is purely coincidental. All rights reserved, no part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by means without the prior permission of the author. This book is dedicated to my high school English teacher, Mrs. Hunt, who told me that no one would ever read my stories. Chapter One Claire “I told you if we were going to do the rose shaped bottle, that it needed to have a handle. This mock-up looks like a vagina.” I sigh into the intercom on my desk, “maybe have the stem wrap around with leaves and thorns so it doesn’t look like we’re marketing pussy perfume.” How could someone even think that this was a good idea, how do you market a perfume for all if it looks like an X rated bottle. “So no hole in the center of the bottle, got it.” Reed, my marketing executive, laughs into the phone. I lift the mock-up of the bottle in my hand and imagine a hole right in the middle of the petals, I can’t stop the laugh that escapes my lips. “No, no hole in the center. That’s even worse!” I cackle, shaking my head at the insanity coming out of Chapter 2 Claire I haven’t been home in years, I’m not exaggerating either, it’s been close to five years since I’ve been back to the place I grew up. After my grandpa passed away I didn’t see a need to go back, after all he was the only tie I had left to that town. Especially after how I left things, I’ve sunk myself into my job to keep busy. Miranda Lambert’s voice croons through my stereo system speakers about not going home again and it’s like Pandora knew what I was thinking as my tires ate up the road. I’m over half way back to my hometown and as soon as I left the city it felt like a massive weight had lifted off of my shoulders. I don’t like it though. The weight keeps me grounded, like a helium balloon with those small weights they use to keep them from