Third Time's the Charm

Chapter 2: New friends……new outfits!

Isabella had almost a celebrity status among the students of St Lawrence, the one thing she had hoped would stifle down after a few weeks, but it refused to budge. Everyone was curious about her, starting with what she had worn that day to knowing the deets about her family. Everyone including me was surprised that she had made friends with the likes of me, while shunning the queen bee of St Lawrence, my darling cousin, Mia Langdon.

She really surprised me. I had pegged her down as spoilt and very girly but she does have her moments. She was extremely fun to be around with.

Right now she was laid back comfortably on my bed, while passing a keen eye through the outfits I have been showing her.

I had felt really embarrassed when she barged into my humble house, because I have been to hers…..and she literally lives in a grand mansion. But she had settled in to my house the very first few seconds, and I had found myself relaxing. Maybe not all the rich kids were assholes….some could also be kind of sweet.

"So your parents are separated?", she asked me softly, biting her under lip anxiously.

"Kind of, but not exactly. They haven't really got a legal divorce yet, they are just living apart now but they are definitely in that stage. My mom is fed up with my dad just sleeping around and stealing from her. The first two affairs she had forgiven, but she is adamant this time that this will be the end."

She raised an eyebrow at me nd muttered as a matter of fact, "You are not very fond of your dad, are you?"

I shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "Why would I be? He had never been there for us. He only remembers he has a family when he needs money. And he just keeps drinking and beating up my mom after living on her hard earned money. He is a male chauvinistic pig who thrives on beating up his own wife and daughter to ensure himself of his masculinity."

She let out a disgusted sound and muttered out loud, while shaking her shoulders vividly, "Men are pigs"

"Men are pigs", I agreed wholeheartedly.

Dad was trying to get me to his side so that he can weasel some money out of mom while threatening the custody battle but the fact of the matter is he doesn't even have any idea which grade I am in.

Mom had lost it and drew the final line when he started beating me too. That was another one of the reasons I always used to wear hoodie's, to cover my bruises.

I think that I would probably be the only kid in the world who wished ardently for their parent's divorce. But some part of me already knew, that I can't fully get rid of him. My childhood, the supposed happiest part of a person's life had been completely scarred by the asshole of a father. There wasn't even one single memory I could recall where I just deliriously happy and content. For the past few months he had been living with this Australian model and as long as their relationship soared, he wouldn't bother me and my mom as he could live shamelessly on his new girlfriend's money. So, my bruises had almost vanished and I don't need to hide under a hoodie anymore, though for how long, I had no clue.

Isabella suddenly let out a shriek excitedly, scaring the crap out of me and I dropped the outfit I was holding, completed startled.

She took a cute, little nude pink, off shoulders top and paired it with a pair of blue denims and raised an eyebrow at me expectantly.

I took a step back, hesitating and eyed the outfit dubiously. I shook my head frantically at her.

“That’s so not me”, I grunted bitterly to which she let out a squeal of laughter and murmured back, “How would you know? I have never seen you wear anything other than your horrible, oversized hoodie’s”

I rolled my eyes at her.

She clicked her tongue at me, then murmured, “In fact, I was really surprised when I saw these in your wardrobe”

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly and replied, “My aunt gifted me that top”

She formed her mouth into an “Ah” as if now everything made perfect sense.

She then clapped her hands elatedly and said, “Tomorrow, you have got to wear these to school, please?”

She then waited for my reply, with those big, round, puppy eyes and I let out a sigh.

Isabella is a force of nature to be reckoned with. When she sets her mind into something, she makes sure that the things go her way just as she wanted it to be. It still bewildered me a little....how she always manage to get exactly what she wants?

A little part of me was envious of her confidence. I had spent almost the whole of my high school trying not to get noticed and I wasn’t even confident to wear anything else other than a hoodie in that terrible place where people were always grilling you, body shamming you.

I had almost always hidden my face and I felt nervous even thinking about wearing these to school. These weren’t the most spectacular of outfits that would immediately draw everyone’s attention……No! it was just a simple, normal outfit, but it is appalling to me because all I had never worn was hoodie’s and id didn’t have the confidence to pull this off and I hated being in the public eye anymore that I already am as Isabella Evan's friend. I was already uncomfortable with the attention that I had been getting because of Isabella the last few days.

Upon seeing my hesitation, she pressed again, “Come on! Just imagine Mia’s face when she sees you in this.”

I bit my lip uncertainly then laughed out loud. She was right. It would indeed be fun to watch Mia’s reaction. She had bullied me throughout my childhood and ensured that I never rise to the level of Her Highness and she was one of the reasons I preferred staying invisible, with my face safely covered in my hoodie. We let out a giggle together as both of us simultaneously imagined Mia's face.

I nodded at her reluctantly and she let out a loud squeal in delight and hugged me tightly, almost choking me ,clearly pleased with my decision. 

Hours and hours after Isabella had left, I lied on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to even catch a wink of sleep. I was excited as well as nervous for tomorrow. Would they accept this new version of me with open arms or would they roast and make fun of me?

 It would be an understatement to say that I couldn’t sleep a wink last night. All through the night I was tossing and turning restlessly, while the various scenario’s of Mia making fun of me in front of the entire school played in my head.

I jumped up from the bed as soon as the alarm buzzed furiously.

But Isabella was right! Since when am I going to live like this? Out of fear of what everyone is going to think about me? There are always going to be satirical, judgmental people wherever you go. I just shouldn't let myself be affected by their vile and nasty comments.

After washing up, I doubtfully eyed the outfit that Isabella had picked for me yesterday while biting my lips anxiously. Oh come on! Ava….grow a spine……it is not like you are wearing short skirts to school. Ugh! What the hell!

I quickly put it on and looked in the mirror. I can’t believe my eyes. I look pretty and hot. My slender, hour glass figure were always hidden well in oversized hoodies…….I then proceeded to do my makeup exactly as Isabella had instructed me, then eyed the mirror taking in the result of my handiwork and I found myself grinning to the mirror. For the first time in my entire life, I allowed my long, wavy black hair to be free. I resisted the urge to pull it up on to a bun and let it go free, brushing it till it shone.

As I went down to have my cereal, mom raised an eyebrow at me, taking in my new outfit but didn’t comment on anything.

Just as I was about to go, she said stoically from behind me, “Honey! Be careful of being friends with the rich kids. They tend to find us amusing and love to play with normal folks like us…….like playing dollhouse.”

I tilted my head at her confused. From yesterday onwards, I had been getting this feeling that she wasn’t overly fond of Isabella. She had disapproval written all over her face when I had brought in Isabella. My mom was usually spot on about things and I had grown to respect her opinions and advice but not this time. I was sure that Isabella wasn’t one of them…

“Mom! Isabella isn’t like the rest of them……And we are really close mom, so I would really appreciate it if you could maybe tone down the skepticism and disapproval on your face the next time she comes to visit”, I retorted back annoyed at her all-knowing tone.

Mom let out a sigh and shrugged as she went back to her newspaper.

Really? How can she treat Isabella like that? She was the only one who wanted to be friends with me in that godforsaken place.