CHAPTER 3 ~ CHANGE

MEGAN’S POV

Caleb stared at me for several long seconds, and his arrogant smile slowly disappeared from his face. Because he was so used to everyone obeying his commands without question, he clearly did not know how to process my sudden rejection. 

He shifted his heavy hockey bag higher onto his shoulder, crossed his thick arms over his chest, and let out a harsh, mocking laugh that echoed across the empty concrete courtyard.

"Are you actually trying to break up with me right now, Megan?" Caleb asked, stepping closer to me so he could use his height to intimidate me. "We are not even officially dating yet, so you cannot break up with me. You are just having a bad morning, and you are taking your completely unjustified anger out on me."

"I am not having a bad morning at all, because I finally see exactly who you are," I replied smoothly, gripping the thick straps of my canvas backpack to keep my hands from shaking. "You are a cruel, manipulative person, and I will never allow you to do what you want with me ever again."

Caleb reached out and tried to grab my wrist, but I quickly stepped backward to avoid his touch.

"You are making a massive mistake," he growled, dropping all pretenses of his fake affection and revealing his true, nasty temper. 

"Nobody else on this entire campus will ever look at you or give you the time of day, because you are completely invisible without me."

"I would rather be completely invisible than spend another single second in your presence," I stated firmly.

After I delivered my final statement, I turned my back on him and walked away across the campus square. Even though I could hear him yelling my name loudly, I did not stop walking, nor did I turn around to look at him again. 

My heart was beating very fast inside my chest, yet I felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over my entire body. I left the college grounds completely and walked directly toward the main bus stop located on the corner of the busy street. 

I paid the small transit fare with coins from my pocket, found an empty seat near the back window, and watched the city buildings pass by while the large vehicle drove toward the shopping mall.

Once the bus finally stopped outside the massive commercial center, I stepped onto the pavement and walked through the sliding glass doors of the mall. 

The building was filled with bright lights and quiet background music, and I immediately felt very energized by the bustling atmosphere. Since my priority was fixing my vision and getting rid of my hideous frames, I walked straight into a brightly lit optical store and approached the front counter. A friendly female clerk greeted me with a warm smile.

"Good morning, how can I help you today?" the clerk asked politely.

"I need to purchase a new pair of prescription glasses, and I want something completely different from what I am wearing right now," I told her, pointing to my thick, oversized frames.

"We have a lot of new styles in stock," she said, leading me toward the display cases. "Take your time and try on as many as you want."

I spent the next thirty minutes trying on dozens of different frames, and I eventually selected a very sharp, stylish pair of half-rimmed glasses with delicate gold accents. Because my current optical prescription was still valid and the store had an on-site lab, the clerk was able to swap my lenses into the new frames in less than an hour. 

I paid for the expensive glasses using my debit card, placed my old frames into a plastic case, and put the new glasses on my face. 

When I looked into the small mirror on the counter, I was genuinely shocked by my own reflection, because the new frames highlighted my eyes perfectly and made my face look entirely different. I thanked the helpful clerk and walked back out into the main concourse of the mall.

Now that my face looked much better, I needed to completely replace my terrible wardrobe. I bypassed the discount stores I usually visited and confidently walked into a very expensive, trendy clothing boutique. 

A young sales associate approached me, but I politely told her I just wanted to browse by myself. I spent over an hour walking through the aisles, purposely ignoring any clothing that looked baggy or conservative. 

Instead, I grabbed several form-fitting dresses, tight tops, and short skirts that were designed to show off my figure. I carried the large pile of clothing into a private dressing room, locked the wooden door, and began trying on the different outfits.

When I put on a tight, black mini dress with a plunging neckline, I stood in front of the full-length mirror and stared at my body. For the past three years, I had actively hidden my curves under heavy sweaters, but this new dress hugged my hips and waist perfectly. 

I felt incredibly powerful and seductive, and I knew Caleb would be absolutely furious when he saw me looking this good. I took off the black dress, folded it carefully, and tried on a pair of tight denim jeans along with a cropped red top. 

Every single outfit I chose made me feel confident, so I decided to purchase all of them. I carried the clothes back to the register, handed the cashier my debit card, and spent almost four hundred dollars of my hard-earned diner tips. The cashier carefully folded my new wardrobe, placed the items into three large shopping bags, and handed them to me across the counter.

Because I had spent the entire morning shopping, my stomach began to growl loudly with hunger. I carried my heavy bags to the mall food court, purchased a large slice of pepperoni pizza and a cold soda, and sat down at a small plastic table. I ate my lunch slowly, enjoying the taste of the warm cheese and the crisp crust, while I watched the other shoppers walk past me. 

I decided I would keep my old jeans and baggy t-shirt on for the walk home, because I wanted to shower and style my hair properly in my own bathroom before I officially debuted my new clothes on campus tomorrow.

After I finished my meal, I threw my greasy paper plate and napkin into the nearby trash can, gathered my heavy shopping bags, and walked out of the mall through the main exit. The afternoon sun was shining brightly, and the temperature had warmed up significantly since the morning. 

I decided to walk the twenty minutes back to my apartment instead of waiting for the bus, because I wanted to enjoy the fresh air and clear my head. I carried the bags down the busy sidewalk, feeling very proud of the steps I had taken to reclaim my independence.

I was about two blocks away from my apartment building when a large, black SUV suddenly pulled over to the curb directly beside me. The engine shut off, the passenger door opened abruptly, and Caleb Mercer stepped out onto the sidewalk, completely blocking my path forward. 

He must have been driving around the local neighborhoods actively looking for me. He looked at my face, noticed my new half-rimmed glasses instantly, and then his eyes traveled downward to the three large shopping bags in my hands. 

His arrogant smirk returned, and he crossed his arms over his chest in a highly confident, condescending manner.

"Well, well, well, what exactly did you buy to appease me this time, Megan?" Caleb asked, tilting his head back and laughing cruelly.