I'm expected to be welcomed with frosty looks, but when I enter the locker room instead, I'm greeted with a guilty stare. I evade them and head to my locker. I'm motionless when I open the locker to see brand-new swimmer's goggles and a black rectangular box inside. The goggles are the same brand as the one that was broken. I open the box. The box holds the broken pieces of the goggles my sister bought for me.I turn to see Lucas, along with everyone else, staring at me sorrily.I nod to thank him, and he returns my nod."Everyone, get outside, and let's start training," Coach Brimworth says as he enters the locker room.I take my new goggles from the locker and shut it."Are you okay?" Coach Brimworth asks when we're alone.I nod."Good," he says."Change quickly into your swim gear and let's start training," he says and walks away.*****At the end of practice, as I'm leaving the pool, Lucas extends a hand to help me. I glance at him. He gives me a welcome smile, and as I grasp his
"You've sure been in a bad mood the entire practice session," Amber says as she approaches me as I'm closing my bag.Unable to hold it in any longer, I ask, "Were you the one who told Samantha that we're unable to be friends anymore?"Amber folds her hand, then straightens her body."No, I didn't," she says soberly.I examine her for any signs that she's lying, but I see none."How long did you think your lies would backfire on you?" Amber goes on to ask.Tears engulf my eyes."She figures it out on her own when she approaches me yesterday, asking if the cheerleading meeting is over and needs to speak with you." "And I wasn't going to lie for you?" Amber says."You caused it on yourself," Amber says, walking away.Hot tears pour down.I called Samantha when I went home, but the phone call went straight to voice mail. I sent a few text messages apologizing over and over again, but it seemed she had blocked me.***At lunch break, I'm staring at Samantha as she sits with her chess team.
I sigh in frustration as I hang the clothes back on the rack in the mall. It's been almost an hour since I've been searching for hot clothes, and all of them are a big flop."This store needs better clothes," I grumble."I know, right." I overheard someone from behind.I turn to see a dyed, red-headed woman wearing skimpy jeans and the company's blouse, which she ties to advertise her belly ring. She has a badge displaying her name, Debbie."What type of clothes are you looking for?" she asks, chewing her gum."Something hot that no one else has worn yet?" I say.She jokes that it has not yet been created.I roll my eyes."Come with me," she then instructs.I follow her."What type of event are you planning on going to?" she asks."A high school party to win over a hot guy before my teammate does," I say, and I freeze in disbelief that I just blurted my business to a stranger."Well, you're not going to find it in this area," she says."Where then?" I ask."The area where the stripper
"Leave me, right here." I stopped the taxicab a few minutes away from home.As the taxicab goes off, I survey the surroundings to see if anyone is watching, and I hide my new outfit between shrubs.As I walk away, I reach for my phone, calling my aunt.She answers."My mom's going to call you in the next few minutes; please make sure to answer your phone," I say quickly."Okay," she responded."Also, remember to play along with my plan that I'll be staying at your house tonight.""No problem."The phone call ends, and I'm already at home.I stand at the door for a while before going inside to get myself in a bad mood so my plan can go smoothly.Mom's coming from the kitchen; she has a cup of her favorite tea, chamomile, as I enter.Right after giving her an angry look, I slammed the door.By the aching noise, her hand goes to the temple."I'm having a terrible headache, and I cannot deal with you right now," Mom says."I don't care. And I'm going to stay at Aunt's house tonight, since
When aunt comes into the spare room, I'm styling my hair in a sleek ponytail with a tendril. I'm already wearing the pink dress I faked I'd be wearing, as well as pink lip gloss. I planned to wear the silver eyeshadow as soon as I was away from her. "You look amazing," she says. Barefooted, I get up from the mirror. "Thanks." "Aunt, can you lend me the white heels, I love?" As if I'm going to wear them, I ask. She goes off and returns with them, and while I'm putting them on, she gives me a long lecture about not consuming alcoholic beverages at the party and not having premarital sex. I side-eyed her on premarital sex, and she giggled, ashamed. Mom lost her virginity when she married my dad, and my aunt lost her before getting married. "Just don't have sex until you're old enough," she warns. "I'm not going there to have sex," I say. "Anyway, if a guy is interested in me and I want to, we could easily do it in the bathroom stall at school or at the back of the school, just
The bag I'd carry was at the back of the shrub. When the party is over, I will collect it."What's your name?" A security guard asks as I arrive at the gate."Jaylee," I say.He checks the list, and soon he's going to open the gate. As I'm walking behind him, I see him eyeing me. I smirk that the outfit's working.My mouth falls open at the sight of Amber's white mansion. It's beautiful, and an outdoor water fountain is right in front of it. I halt for a while, admiring its beauty, and soon I'm making my way to the door.Nervously, I take a deep breath and exhale before knocking on the door. The door opens, and I'm greeted with blaring music along with a maid attired in a black and white uniform.She allows me to enter, knowing that I'm here for the party. As I did, I noticed the huge hallway.There's a huge portrait of Amber and her parents. She looked happy as they both stood by her side. I've never seen Amber smile that way before. It looks genuine instead of bogus."Please follow
I'm watching Lucas and Amber talk, dying to know what they're discussing. If Amber gets Nate and Sophia together, dressing in these stripper clothes would be all for nothing. Eager to have Nate, Sophia asks, "Why is Amber talking to Lucas instead of Nate?" "Relax," says Sookie to Sophia. "Don't you trust in Amber's abilities to get you both together?" I look at Sophia, and gradually, I see her becoming unworried. Amber is not only an excellent cheerleader; she's also clever and knows how to get whatever she wants by manipulating anyone. Behind her back, they didn't call her the devil blond for nothing. She's as trickier as the devil. "They're walking away now. Why are they walking away? To leave some desperate girl to steal my man and, at worst, someone who doesn't suit him. I should be his girlfriend at Effney High." In one squeeze, Sophia crushes the cup in her hand. She's now huffing and puffing. "Oh my gosh, she's having a meltdown. "Help me get her to a seat," Sookie says,
"Everyone, get back to what you were doing, or leave my party if you're going to stand there and stare at my squad member like a complete idiot!" Amber grabs the DJ microphone and starts yelling into it. Everyone immediately obeys, turning their attention away from me. "And if I ever see a video of Jaylee circulating, remember that I'm filthy rich and have the best lawyer out there." "I promise I'll track that person down and sue him or her so badly that they wish they were never born." Amber puts down the DJ microphone and walks off the stage. "Thank you for protecting her, Nate. You're a true gentleman," Amber tells Nate. "No problem," says Nate. Amber then takes my hand, pulling me away from him. "Thank you," I quickly say to Nate before I get away from him. He nods. Amber let go of my hand when we were inside and went to the elevator. "Where are we going?" in a tearful voice, I ask. "To sort out this issue between you and Sophia." "I don't want to." I'm going from the e