“Well, you can’t, Sadie! You were the one screaming that all day. What was I supposed to say?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe something that doesn’t make me sound like a freak!” I didn’t want to tell her that he was in Camouflage with me and we’d had our own little conversation. One that portrayed me as the exact freak I was so scared of looking like.
“Honey, I think that ship has sailed. The whole school knows your name now and it ain’t because of your flawless appearance.”
“What the hell, Molly? I know you tell it like it is, but damn. That hurt.” My fingers were tight on the phone as I tried to keep from crying.
She sighed. “I’m sorry, Sadie. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just saying that trying to recreate yourself at this point may be a little… difficult.”
I didn’t reply. For the first time in our friendship, I heard a silent layer of judgment in her words, and it made me sad. Silence stretched out between us.
Molly spoke first. “Look, I gotta go get ready. I’ll see you at school?”
“Yeah, um, I’ll see you there.”
I stared at the phone in my hand and tried to squash the feeling of betrayal welling up inside me. Molly had always spoken her mind. It was one of the things I found refreshing about her. But this time, it wasn’t so much refreshing as it was sharp and cutting. Had she always thought this about me? Was she ashamed of being seen with me at school?
I took a hot shower, shampooing and deep conditioning my hair while letting the water pound my sore muscles until they started to loosen. When the water ran cold, I stepped out, wrapped a towel around myself, and stared at the reflection in the mirror. I wanted to prove Molly wrong, that I could recreate myself. Determined to show her and the rest of the kids in my class what I could do, I got down to business.
In her attempts to make me more ladylike, my mom had given me a full makeup kit for my birthday. At the time, I’d rolled my eyes and shoved it into a deep corner of my walk-in closet. I rooted around until I found it. It was buried under a mountain of clothes, shoes, and purses she’d also bought me over the years. Silently thanking her, I took it all out and dumped it on the bed so I could see what I was working with.
Rifling through the pile of clothing, I tried several things on. I examined myself in the mirror in each outfit, spinning around to get the full effect. I finally decided on a slim, knee-length black skirt and a black-and-gray cashmere sweater. A pair of patent leather black sandals with kitten heels finished off the look. Satisfied with my clothes, I turned my attention to what I could do with my hair and makeup.
I’d never spent time learning to apply anything more than lip gloss and a quick coat of mascara. Staring into the makeup bag, I became overwhelmed with the various pots, palettes, tubes, and brushes. I thought again about what Molly had said, and my spine stiffened. With false confidence, I started applying this and that, trying to emulate what I’d seen on models in magazines.
Thirty minutes later I stepped back from the mirror and took a long look. It wasn’t perfect, but for being my first time, I’d done a decent job. I brushed out my hair and ran a straightening iron over the natural waves. I was surprised to see how long it was after being smoothed out and I twisted and turned so I could get a look at it from all angles. Not bad.
Once I slipped into my chosen outfit, I was finally ready. A glance at the clock told me the whole process had taken over an hour. Molly does this every day? I shook my head and grabbed a sleek black bag off the pile on the bed to take in place of my ratty old one. Hurrying, I dumped everything I could reach from my old bag into the new one and slung it up on my shoulder, testing the weight. It was smaller than I was used to, but it definitely complemented my new look. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and headed downstairs to show the world the new me.
Chapter 7 - Nimble Be Quick
Since I still wasn’t talking to Nathan and had no desire to rehash yesterday’s events with my parents, I skipped breakfast and sneaked out of the house to walk to school alone. I hadn’t gone more than about a half mile before blisters erupted all over my feet. Cursing the shiny black shoes that had looked so innocent at home, I limped my way down the road, stopping every now and then to rest. When Nathan pulled up next to me and swung open the passenger door in silent invitation, I didn’t think twice. I crawled in, nearly whimpering in relief.
“Sadie, I…” he trailed off, looking unsure of what to say.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, forget it.” I was too tired and in too much pain to keep up the argument. The look of relief on his face was enough for me to realize he was sorry.
“Sooo, this is a new look for you.” His tone was neutral and I wondered if I looked that bad.
“Yeah, I’m trying something different. You know, change is good and all that crap.” I kept my tone indifferent, but my insides were churning. What if everyone laughs?
He just nodded and concentrated on the road. When we pulled into the parking lot, I immediately saw Molly’s red Fiat parked in a spot under the trees. Nathan pulled in a few spaces down and turned off the engine.
“Hey, can you pop the trunk? I need to see if I’ve left any shoes back there. I can’t make it all day in these.”
“Sure,” he said.
I gingerly stepped out and dug around in the trunk. Letting out a whoop of excitement when I found a pair of my old sneakers hidden underneath some tennis rackets, I quickly switched them out with the devil shoes. They looked ridiculous with my skirt and sweater, but my feet hurt too much for me to care.
Molly was waiting for me by her car. As I walked up, she gave me a once-over and raised an eyebrow in question.
“What? I thought I’d try a change.” I couldn’t keep the defensiveness out of my voice.
“No, that’s great, Sadie. But, um, the shoes…”
“It’s a long story.”
“Mmmm,” she said, still looking me over.
“Look, if you’re just gonna tell me how wrong I got it, I don’t want to hear it.”
“Sadie! What’s with the hostility? I didn’t say anything.”
The confusion in her voice made me pause. She was right. Aside from the shoes, which, in all honesty, did warrant questioning, she hadn’t said anything negative. I took a deep breath and tried to relax.
“I’m sorry. I’m just a little on edge.”
“Really. I hadn’t noticed,” she said wryly.
“Okay, let’s just start over. Cool?”
“Sure, starting over. Hey, Sadie! How are you today?”
I had to chuckle at her bright cheerfulness. Deciding to fill her in, I replayed the drama from yesterday, still withholding the Kade part, and told her about my trip to school this morning. Her brows knitted together as she listened, and I immediately felt better.
“He left you and your mom didn’t even notice? What the hell?” Her concern was quickly changing to outrage. “Why didn’t you tell me this on the phone this morning?”
“We were kind of dealing with something else. Besides, I’m used to it. Nathan’s the golden child and I’m just…”
“You’re not ‘just’ anything. You’re you and that’s something special.” She looked like she was going to cry. Molly never cried. Unnerved by her unusual reaction, I tried to explain.
“Hey, it’s not that bad, M. Honestly. I know they love me and everything. They just don’t quite know what to do with me since I’m so different. But, it’s okay. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be the center of attention every once in a while, but too much of it would drive me nuts.” I smiled at her, trying my best to send calming vibes her way. “It’s cool. Okay?”
She looked like she was considering my argument for a minute before she finally smiled back. The tears that had been swimming in her eyes spilled over and she hastily wiped them away.
“Okay, cool.” Then, in typical Molly fashion, she asked, “Did I smudge my makeup?”
Laughing, I shoved at her. “You look as g
ood as always. I’m the one who should be asking about my makeup.”
“You look pretty good, all things considered. I didn’t know you even owned any.”
“Yeah, well, my mom happened.”
She nodded in understanding, and a gleam came into her eye. “Soooo, think you can figure out which is the right locker room today?”
I rolled my eyes. “I know which one to stay out of, at least.” I didn’t voice the rest of my thoughts. What was I going to do when I saw Kade? What if I ran into Jill? My stomach twisted as I tried to imagine what she would do if we did see each other.
Molly glanced at her watch. “First period starts in ten minutes. I gotta run. Jacob Wells is in Persuasion with me, and I’m going to see what I can do with that.” She wiggled her hips and giggled before gliding off, giving me a wave as she left.
I watched her leave and looked down at my sneakers. I’d hoped to make a totally different impression with my makeover. Something that would erase the embarrassment from yesterday, but I had a feeling I was giving quite the opposite effect. I scuffed my toe across the pavement in disgust. Oh, whatever, who cares? It’s not like I expected anything different this year.
Suddenly conscious of the time, I worried I was cutting it too close. Jogging across the campus once again, I headed off to the gym, keeping a sharp lookout for Jill. A handful of students had to dodge out of my path, grumbling as they did so, but I was too worried about being late to pay much attention.
I’d almost made it and was congratulating myself on a clean start for Maneuvers when someone’s hand landed on my shoulder and a catty voice pierced the air. “Well, well, look who it is. Mudslide, in the flesh.”
Sharp nails dug into the skin through my sweater and everything seemed to go sideways as I was violently whirled around. I tried to keep my balance, and when I was sure I wasn’t going to topple over, I blinked to clear my vision. Immediately, I wished I hadn’t.
Standing in a little circle around me were four girls I didn’t recognize. All of them were strikingly beautiful with nearly identical vicious smiles. I felt their eyes travel slowly up and down my body, taking in my mismatched shoes and outfit and lingering on my amateur makeup job. One girl started snickering and the sound of it slid across my skin like sandpaper, leaving chill bumps in its wake.
“Wh… what do you want?” I tried to sound brave, but my voice betrayed the nerves jumping around inside me.
The girl who had been laughing stopped and scowled at my question.
“And just who do you think you are, questioning us?”
I stepped backward at the almost tangible malice oozing from the group—like an invisible slime was sliding over my skin—and shivered at the creepy sensation. I peeked behind me to see how close I was to the gym door and froze. Jill stood in my path, a wicked gleam in her blue eyes. Her paleness was mottled with vein shadows and I could see her fangs glinting in the fluorescent lighting from the outside of the building. I tensed, hoping someone would come by on their way to class and rescue me or at least provide a distraction so I could slip away. But the ringing of a bell from inside the doors doused my hope. Class was starting and I was late again.
“I don’t want any trouble. I was just on my way to class.”
Jill inched toward me until her sexy high-heeled boots brushed my sneakered feet. She looked down and sneered.
“Nice shoes, grandma.”
My face burned at the insult, but I kept my eyes on hers, refusing to back away again. My knees trembled slightly, and I hoped none of them noticed.
“Really, Jill. I’m not looking for a fight with you. I’m no threat, I promise.”
At this, she laughed, an unpleasant sound that sent more chills skittering down my spine.
“Oh, honey. You’re definitely not a threat to me.” She gave me a once-over again, as if to emphasize her point. “Even if I was a tiny bit worried, it’s painfully obvious… well… I can see now that Kade just felt sorry for a lost little girl.” She smirked, yet a fierce look spread across her face. “But don’t think you can do it again. If I find out you have any more rescues or anything else with him, I’ll squash you like the little bug you are. Are we clear?” Something I could only describe as madness flickered in her eyes like she was hoping I would defy her.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and stuttered out, “C… clear.”
“Good,” she purred. She crooked a finger at the rest of her posse. “Girls, come.”
They vanished so suddenly, I blinked, confused if they’d been there or if I’d just imagined the whole thing. But my knees were still trembling and tears threatened to spill down my cheeks. My worst nightmare was coming true and I had no idea how to handle it.
A second bell sounded from inside the gym, which I assumed indicated that locker-room time was over and class was beginning. Horrified that I’d be making an entrance all by myself, I thought about just leaving and going home. But, I was pretty sure that might cause the school to call my parents and I didn’t want them on my back, too. Resigned, I pulled open the doors and let the musty scent of years of sweat hit me in the face.
I glanced at the door on the left, the room I’d never live down barging into, and took a hard right into the girls’ locker room. The lockers had our names stenciled in black paint, and I found mine toward the back. There was a lock on it, but luckily it hadn’t been closed. I opened it to find my gym clothes hanging neatly on the hooks inside. Seeing no shoes, I was grateful once again that I’d switched the torture heels for my sneakers.
Dressing as fast as I could, I shoved my bag and clothing back into the locker and swirled the lock to close it. My heart pounded as I found the door leading into the gym and raced through it.
The first thing I noticed was about thirty kids all stretching in unison along with who I assumed was the teacher at the front of the group. He was a youngish man with dark hair and a lithe build. If I recalled correctly from my schedule, his name was Mr. Boulders. When the door slammed shut behind me, all movement stopped as everyone turned to stare at me.
“Ah, Sadie. I’m glad you decided to make it today. And I see you found the correct locker room.” Giggles erupted from most of the girls, while the guys just smirked at me. I tried hard to keep from looking for Kade, but my eyes involuntarily found him near the back of the group. He smiled at me warmly, his eyes conveying empathy and understanding. He looked at me so intimately, I was consumed with a mix of comfort and panic. There were so many reasons to stay away from him. He was an Anderson. That alone was cause enough. But then Jill complicated things even further. She’d made it perfectly clear I wasn’t to have anything to do with him, and I was smart enough to know I didn’t want any part of her drama. But, even with all that, I couldn’t deny the pull I felt toward him when he was around.
I shook my head to clear it and refocused my attention on the class. “Mr. Boulders, I’m sorry for being late. I was… involuntarily delayed. It won’t happen again.” I silently begged him to be lenient.
“Mr. Boulders is my father. Please, call me Jake. Nurse Edara filled me in on the circumstances of your absence. I’ll give you a pass for yesterday and this morning, but let’s try not to make this a habit. Find a place you can move around easily and let’s get back to stretching.”
Wait, Edara had told him about my reaction to blood? I thought our conversation had been in confidence, but apparently I was wrong. So much for the “you can trust me” act. Her betrayal sliced through my gut and my temper flared. My fangs bit into my lower lip and the urge to lash out took my breath away. Aware of everyone’s eyes still on me, I concentrated all my effort on not vamping out in front them.
I didn’t fully trust myself yet to maintain control over my temper, so I moved to the back of the group where nobody could watch me without turning around and being obvious about it. I watched the students in front of me and mimicked their movements. Ten more minutes passed as we loosened our muscles in preparation for Jake’s lesson. My body was s
till unhappy with the long walk home from yesterday and again this morning, and I grunted quietly in pain. When he’d decided we were all loose and limber enough, he had us line up against the padded wall on the far side of the room.
“I’m going to do an initial assessment for each one of you. This way I’ll know what you’ll need to work on throughout the year. When I call your name, I want you to cross the room toward me as quickly and skillfully as you can using any means you find available. The catch is you can’t touch the ground.” He looked up toward the ceiling. Following his gaze, I saw a hodgepodge of gymnastics rings, catwalks, varying heights of platforms suspended by cables, and some things I couldn’t even identify. Immediately, my palms grew sweaty. Speed, and by that I mean running on the ground, was the only thing I had going for me, and even then, I petered out quickly.
The kids around me were all chattering excitedly, no doubt anxious to show off their skills. I slithered down to the end of the line, hoping he’d call on us in that order. I nibbled on a thumbnail as Jake beckoned for the first person in line to start. I was so engrossed in watching the girl nimbly move across the ceiling, that I didn’t even notice anyone behind me until a familiar voice reverberated in my ear.
“You shouldn’t chew on your nails. It gives your emotions away.”
Surprised, I turned and was instantly transfixed by Kade’s smile. It grew wider as he watched the confusion flicker across my face.
“Are you feeling better today? Not going to run off on me again, are you?”
At first, his questions didn’t register because all I could think about was why he kept popping up when I least expected it. I didn’t want to be attracted to him, and I certainly didn’t want to do anything to make him interested in me. At that thought, my brain laughed at me. What makes you think he would be interested in you?
Fumbling for words, I finally blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “You’re Jill’s boyfriend.” Great. I hadn’t meant to go there.
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