WAKE (Wattpad edition)

14. Make-over.

Soundtrack: 'Tightrope' - Janelle Monae

{Kadee}

Kadee changed a dozen times getting ready for school. She wanted something that looked normal, like nothing was different about her today—a look that denied the existence of the sultry girl in stockings and a corset all over her social medias right now. She finally settled on lime-green jeans, a blouse that covered all the relevant parts, and flats. Still fun, like nothing had happened and she didn't care. Her stomach was squeezing and she was clammy with sweat.

Neither of her girlfriends were on their phones that morning, which was weird, so she pulled up to the school parking lot alone. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and took long strides in her lime-green skinny jeans like she was six feet tall instead of 5'3." Someone wolf-whistled, but she ignored it—too far away to be about her.

It was registration day, and the school administration had set up the cafeteria to run 800 students through the process like cattle. Most of the Grade 11 class was in the long hallway. Voices bounced off the metal lockers as people called and greeted each other after a summer apart. Kadee propped her shoulder against an empty locker and scrolled through her phone. There was nothing on there she hadn't already checked, but she definitely didn't want to catch anyone looking at her.

She startled when a touch ran over her back. "Hey girl, what you doing later?" The guy was close enough for her to smell his morning breath as he smiled, his eyes narrowing. She didn't even recognize him—he was too poorly groomed to have registered before now. She curled her lip. "Nothing with you."

The guys flanking him hooted.

She flicked her fingers to brush him away, turning her back and returning to her phone. Her back was rigid, waiting for him to leave. Finally he made an annoyed huffing noise and swaggered off. One of his friends turned back, holding two fingers in a 'V' to his lips, waggling his tongue suggestively between them.

Ew. Kadee's face heated, and she glanced around the hallway for the security of someone she knew. A wave of relief washed over her when she caught sight of Madison's blond curls, and she wove through the crowd to reach her side.

"Hey, oh my god, it's chaos in here," she said, laying her hand on Madison's arm.

Madison glanced at her, and then around at the other girls with her. She didn't say anything. "

"Cute skirt, by the way—is that one you bought yesterday?" Kadee asked.

"Before you ditched me," Madison said acidly.

Right. She'd conveniently forgot about that part. She sighed. "I'm super sorry. I was a little stressed out, and you weren't exactly being the most understanding friend."

"What part, exactly, do you think I don't understand, Kadee? You didn't leave a lot to the imagination."

Kadee brushed her hair back from her face, glancing around at the other girls to see how they were taking this conversation. They were mostly from their wealthy neighbourhood—not necessarily girls who came to youth group, but some of their families went to the church. Their expressions ranged from pity to outright disgust.

"I made a mistake," Kadee said. "All right? We all make them. We don't all have to live with them splashed all over our social media feeds like we're slut of the week, but it'll blow over." She lowered her eyes, willing to eat humble pie if it kept her safely in the middle of this group of friends. She was sweating and her stomach was squeezing. "I'm totally sorry to drag you all into this. I hope you know that girl isn't me anymore. I'm done with guys. I was done before and I'm definitely done now."