Being Pretty

Chapter 2

  I walked up to the door of my house and unlocked it, stepping in cautiously.

  My mom is going to freak out when she sees me.

  My mom doesn't like me.

  Plain and simple.

  She's one of those moms who wants a perfect family and she acts like there's nothing wrong with her life in the slightest.

  Even though she's in a marriage which is going down the drain, and her daughter is-was the ugliest creature to walk the earth, and the fact that we're in so much debt but she insists we stay in this huge house in order to flaunt what money we don't have.

  I've always wanted a sibling.

  Somebody I can talk to who will love me unconditionally when my mother always pities me and my father's always gone and working.

  But Shane has been that person for me, he's always there when I need him and he's my best friend in the world, I love him so much and without him, I don't know where I'd be.

  Ever since I became ugly, my mother distanced herself and we don't ever talk much.

  Every time I try to talk or get close to her, she pushes me away because I don't look like those girls in all the magazine covers. She's basically disowned me and I don't know her anymore.

  I don't consider myself a mean person, but to her, my heart is hardened and I can't find it in me to love her anymore after the many years of sadness she's caused.

  But still, every day I say hi, just to check.

  And every day, she ignores me.

  I walked into the kitchen where my mom was baking with her back turned to me.

  "Hey mom." I muttered.

  She looked slightly to the side, but she didn't respond.

  "Right. Like always."

  I walked into the kitchen to get a small snack and I opened the cupboard, getting out some of the cookies my mom made yesterday.

  I got two in my hand and put the container back, picking up my backpack to leave, then I heard my mom's rolling pin drop.

  I looked up to see her staring at me with wide eyes full of disbelief and...admiration?

  This isn’t happening.

  Just because I'm pretty does not mean she gets to act all lovey-dovey. I'm not taking it.

  She wasn't a mother before and she can't just become one.

  "Who are you?" She asked, I could see the confusion written clear on her face.

  I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

  "Rose? Is that really you?" She asked.

  I rolled my eyes. "Who else would I be?"

  I turned to walk out of the kitchen.

  "Wait!" She called.

  I whirled around and looked at her boredly. "What?" I snapped.

  "How did you- what the- who just-"

  Wow.

  Really mom?

  "Mom. It's a long story that I really don't want to explain, so can I go now?" I asked.

  She walked forward until she was right in front of me and she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.

  My mother hasn't even touched me in almost six years.

  "What are you doing?" I asked, pushing her off of me.

  She stepped back and stared at my face. "I knew this day would come." She beamed.

  What day?

  "I knew you'd finally blossom!"

  I narrowed my eyes at her. "No you didn't. You don't know anything about me."

  "Oh don't be silly Rose. Oh! The ball! You can go to the ball! Oh my, I have to call Linda!" She exclaimed.

  Linda was the mother of a rich snobby guy named Preston Taylor who I can't stand at all.

  I mean, just listen to it!

  Preston Taylor.

  What kind of a name is Preston Taylor?

  I'd almost feel sorry for that kid if he wasn't a complete ass.

  Every year my town holds this ball where girls get escorts and we have to sell the couple and we raise money for the town, but my mom has never let me go. Not even to watch, she was embarrassed that me being there might ruin her reputation which she so highly adores.

  "I'm not going." I told her.

  She ended her phone call and then put her hand on her hip and gave me that motherly look that says I have no choice.

  She hasn't been a mother to me in years, to hell with this.

  "I'm. Not. Going."

  "Now Rose, you will do as I say, I am your mother." She said sternly.

  I shrugged. "That's news to me."

  "Rose Elina Smithson, if you don't go, you are grounded."

  I scoffed. "You're going to ground me? Does it look like I go anywhere on the weekends?"

  She clenched her jaw. "You are my daughter and you will do as I say." She turned and walked back into the kitchen.

  "Oh, now I'm your daughter, what about the past six years when I needed you so much!" I shouted at her.

  "This discussion is over." She snapped.

  I felt my eyes blurring up with tears as I picked up my bag and started walking to the door. "I'm leaving." I shouted.

  "Where are you going?" She called, and I saw her run out of the kitchen, after me.

  "Not like you ever cared." I muttered.

  "Rose, where are you going, I called Linda and she's coming over with Preston in an hour!"

  "Tell them I said hi." I shouted, closing the door on her shocked face.

  I walked three blocks down until I came to a familiar house and I walked up the porch and ran the doorbell.

  Two minutes later, the door opened and I saw Shane standing there looking at me shocked, unlike my mom, I could tell that he recognized me right away.

  "Can I come in?" I asked after a few minutes.

  He just nodded and opened the door more for me to pass.

  "Rosebud, what happened to you?" He asked, closing the door.

  "Late bloomer?" I tried.

  He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, the truth now."

  I sighed. "You'll think I'm crazy."

  "I already do." He told me.

  I chuckled. "Right. So I met a fairy named Darren who said he would grant me a wish and a few minutes later, yada yada yada, then bam I'm beautiful."

  "First of all, you've always been beautiful Rose." He said seriously. "And secondly, if fairies exist then why haven't I ever got any wishes?"

  "He said I broke the sadness scale."

  Shane nodded slowly. "That makes about zero sense, but I can tell you're not lying."

  "If you had a wish, what would you wish for?" I asked Shane.

  He looked into my eyes. "There's this special girl who I'd want to open her eyes and see what's right in front of her."

  What?

  Shane has a special girl?

  "Why don't I know about her?" I asked.

  He shrugged. "I'm pretty sure you know her better than anyone else." He mumbled.

  "Please don't tell me it's Mandy." I cried.

  He shook his head.

  "Then who?" I pressed.

  "You'll find out eventually, but what are you doing here anyway?" He asked.

  "My mom. She talked to me."

  His eyes widened, he knew how weird that was after seeing our relationship for years.

  "Why?"

  "Because of how I look and she's forcing me to go to a stupid ball with stupid Preston Taylor and she's acting like my best friend." I told him.

  "That's something she might actually do though." He said

  "Yeah, I know right?" I agreed.

  "Wanna stay the night?" He asked.

  I nodded. "I'd love to. If I go back there tonight, she'll probably make us paint each other's nails and watch chick flicks together."

  Shane of all people knows how much I hate chick flicks.

  "Well if you want, we can watch Indiana Jones?" He offered.

  "Really?" I asked.

  Shane utterly hates Indiana Jones, he's more of a horror/mystery guy, but he knows I love them and the fact he's willing to sit through it is so sweet.

  He nodded.

  "You're the best, you know that?" I reached up and wr
apped my arms around his neck and I hear him chuckle as he wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me to his body.

  I woke up in Shane's arms and smiled.

  I'm so glad I'm not at home right now.

  "Wakey wakey sleepy head." I whispered.

  Shane didn't move.

  That guy goes out cold when he sleeps.

  Okay, time for the big guns.

  I slipped out of his arms and tiptoed into the bathroom and I filled a bucket with ice cold water before sneaking back into his room.

  "Sorry." I said, before I tipped the bucket upside down and I poured the ice cold water onto his head and body.

  His eyes snapped open and he jumped out of the bed.

  "What the hell Rose?" He exclaimed.

  I smiled cheekily. "Oops."

  He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

  "What are you doing!" I hit his back multiple times, but he didn't put me down.

  I was tempted to lift up his shirt and look at his tattoo, but before I could, I heard the shower turn on and my eyes widened.

  "Shane! Please!" I screamed, but it was too late as he dumped me in the shower and the cold water hit me like a ton of bricks and I scrambled out of there as fast as I could, my teeth chattering.

  "You're such a jerk.” I growled.

  He gave me a huge grin.

  I smacked his head before walking out of the bathroom to go find some clothes to wear.

  Luckily I spend enough time at his house that I have about ten pairs of emergency clothes in his closet just for times like this.

  I walked into school with Shane right next to me and I could hear all the whispers as soon as I stepped inside.

  "Who's the new hottie?"

  "Where did she come from?"

  "Is she with Shane?"

  Maybe being the prettiest girl on campus may not be so great.

  I hate being the center of attention.

  "So your house tonight?" Shane asked.

  I nodded. "I'm gonna go find Chase now, bye." I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking away for him to find Chase.

  I smiled confidently.

  Chase Baxter may actually like me now.

  I walked over to my locker which was conveniently located near the fountains where all the popular people hung out at.

  I looked over and saw Mandy flirting with Chase.

  Jackpot!

  I opened my locker and pretended to be getting things.

  "Well hello there beautiful."

  I turned around and was face to face with Chase freaking Baxter.

  I felt my heart swell up at hearing him call me beautiful.

  "I'm Chase." He held out his hand. "You are?"

  Wow!

  Does he really not recognize me?

  "I'm Rose." I said, shaking his hand.

  "Wow, that's a beautiful name." He winked. "Funny story actually, your name is Rose and you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, and I know another Rose that looks like Satan just took a crap on her face."

  My smile faded away as I stared at him in shock.

  That's pretty harsh.

  I pulled my hand away from his and turned around.

  "Is everything okay?" Chase asked.

  I nodded, not facing him. "Yeah. I'm fine."

  "And why are you using ugly Rosie's lock-oh. Crap." He muttered.

  I turned around to face him.

  "Rose? What happened to you?" He asked.

  "Late bloomer." I lied.

  I've been using that lie and people just eat it up.

  "Well I'm so sorry for what I said, you know I didn't mean it, right? Just breaking the ice." He told me.

  Phew!

  For a second I thought Chase was a complete douchebag.

  He moved closer to me so that I was pressed against the lockers and his face was inches away from mine.

  Holy cow!

  Is Chase Baxter about to kiss me?

  "I'm sorry for what I said to you yesterday. I didn't mean it, I think you're amazing. So I'll see you later?"

  I nodded, dazed.

  He winked at me before turning around and going to his friends.

  I saw Mandy glaring at me as she approached me.

  "Who the bloody hell are you?" She demanded.

  "It's me, Rose."

  Hey eyes grew wide. "How the hell did you get pretty?"

  "Oh my gosh, haven't you ever heard of late bloomers?"

  She narrowed her eyes at me. "Don't think that you're getting Chase without a fight." She informed me.

  I looked her over. "Yeah...even if there was a fight, which there's not. I'm pretty sure I already won."

  It felt good to finally talk back to Mandy but she still is the queen bee so that might not have been the smartest move on my part.

  "Don't ever talk back to me again or you'll regret it." She snarled, before turning on her heels and flipping her hair as she walked away.

  For some reason though, I wasn't intimidated.

  At lunch, I walked into the cafeteria, ready to take my food and leave like I usually do, but when I had my food, I saw Chase waving to me from his table.

  He wants me to sit with them?

  I walked over to their table and sat down next to Chase.

  "Whoa!"

  The table was right in the center of the cafeteria and people stared at me in awe as I walked over to it.

  I've wanted to sit here for ages.

  "So, you busy tonight?" Chase asked.

  Tonight?

  "It's a school night." I said slowly.

  "What are you, five?" Mandy asked, glaring at me.

  "It's fine, we go out on school nights all the time." Chase said, smiling his million dollar smile at me and I felt my insides jump at it.

  "Well what are you guys doing tonight?" I asked.

  "Nothing you need to know about." Mandy muttered.

  I turned to her. "I'm sorry was I talking to you?" I asked.

  "Excuse me?" She glared at me.

  I crossed my arms over my chest and faced her head on.

  "I can make your life hell. Watch it bimbo." She sneered.

  I just looked over at Chase who had an amused expression on his face.

  "I'm talking to you, are you even listening?" Mandy demanded.

  "Oh sorry, I'm not bilingual, I don't speak dog too."

  "Oh, damn!" Another football player at the table shouted, making more people look over at us.

  I felt something on my arm and I looked to see Chase's hand in a fist and I quickly fist bumped him then he winked at me.

  "Oh, I'm a dog?" Mandy asked. "Did you just call me a bitch?"

  She had raised her voice and now other people in the cafeteria were on looking the scene.

  "No, actually I think you just called yourself one.” I informed her.

  She gave me a fake smile. "Oh, you're being a smartass too now?"

  "Better than being just an ass." I retorted.

  "Ooooh!"

  I heard the low chant go throughout the cafeteria and I felt better.

  They're all on my side.

  Mandy looked around to see people looking at her expectantly.

  "You don't belong here, go back to being ugly." She snapped.

  "I'd tell you the same thing, but it seems like you've already done that." I smiled sweetly at her.

  "Holy cow." I heard Chase mutter under his breath and the cafeteria erupted into laughter.

  They're all laughing at Mandy.

  Their precious queen bee.

  She narrowed her eyes at me. "This isn't over."

  "Actually, I think it is." Chase said as he reached out and took my hand in his.

  Chase is holding my hand!

  Mandy saw our intertwined fingers and her lower lip trembled. "Let's go Eloise!"

  Eloise just looked from her to me. "I think I'm gonna stay."

  Mandy's head turned and she glared at Eloise. "If you don't come with me, this friendship is over."
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  Eloise shrugged. "See ya." She waved to Mandy.

  Oh damn!

  Mandy just looked to all of us, probably hoping someone would tell her it's a joke, but nobody did and she ran out of the cafeteria as fast as possible, and soon people resumed eating.

  "So Rose, there's a party tonight at my man Ryder's place, you in?" He asked.

  "What time?"

  "Starts at 9, but the real party starts at 11." Chase told me, then all the guys at the table cheered.

  "The real party?" I asked.

  "When the booze gets there." Eloise informed me.

  I gulped.

  I'd never had alcohol and I wasn't really planning on it.

  "I don't know about this..." I told Chase.

  "Come on Rose, I was hoping you'd be my date?" He asked.

  What?

  Did Chase Baxter just ask me on a date?

  I don't even care that it's to a high school party.

  I nodded quickly. "I guess I'm in."

  "Alright!" Chase said, nodding. "Guys, Rose is in!"

  When I looked over, I saw Shane at the corner of the cafeteria, looking over at me with an unreadable expression and pursed lips. I quickly turned away, embarrassed that I ditched him for lunch.

  Everyone at my table was talking about how tonight's party will be epic.

  I guess I'm about to get my party on.

  * * *