5●7●9 was a bust, and Learners seemed to make clothes only for middle-aged, lonely women. They entered Wet Seal, a store where most of the girls at her school shopped for size-six mini-skirts. "Closing time" by Semisonic sprinkled into their ears as they thumbed through racks of tiny tops and too-tight bottoms.

"I don't think we're going to find a prom dress in here," Trechial mused, grabbing a jean skirt from the rack and holding it to her waist. Too short––her mom would never go for it. She put it back and moved toward the back of the store.

"Has anyone asked you to the prom, yet?" Maylee inquired, ignoring her previous complaint. Her eyes scanned a rack housed with different color bandanna tops in various sizes.

Date? As if. Although her mom resigned to allowing her to go on a date to the prom, the conditions were not worth it. She wanted to meet his parents, and Charlie was to drive them to and from the prom because his presence would scare the poor guy into keeping his teenage hormones in check.

Yeah, right. She'd rather fly solo. Once Trechial told her mom she was going by herself, she agreed to let her ride with Maylee, which meant no Charlie.

Trechial went from the racks of blouses to a rack of dresses, cringing at the sight of the multi-colored spaghetti strap dresses made for girls with little to no curves. If this were two years ago, she'd be able to work one of the dresses with no problem, but now, her figure had started to take form, and clothes just were not fitting the same anymore. They were fitting better.

"Hey." She nearly jumped out of her skin, scowling at Maylee. "Do not give me that look; you were the one day-dreaming. Probably about weird-eyes."

Trechial moved over, allowing Maylee to raid the rack. "So, date?"

Trechial feigned total concentration on dresses; dodging her question.

"Guess what?" A lopsided grin formed on Maylee's face.

"What?"

"I'm going with Dylan," Maylee said.

"What?" Trechial squawked, and Maylee pressed a finger on her lips. Her abrupt yell caused multiple heads to spin in their direction.

Talk about a shocker. Dylan was cute but also known for his friendly hands and halitosis breath.

Maylee's elated face morphed into pure angst. "I thought you would be happy for me."

"I am," she lied, her irritation flaring up as her eyes landed on two eyesores that just entered the store. She forced a smile, meeting her best friend's gaze. "That guy is touchy-feely is all, and I'd hate to have to make him disappear if he touches you."

Maylee rolled her neck. "Girl, I'll make sure he doesn't have kids if he blinks two times in a row in my direction."

They both snickered, knowing Maylee was true to her word if not anything else.

Strolling up to the rack next to theirs, Amelia covered her mouth and sniggered. "I thought I smelled something foul." She wore a Tommy Hilfiger tube top and pink jeans, and her blondish-brown waves were pulled into a ponytail, showing off her red eyeliner and burgundy lips. A gold locket hung around her tan skin. Her age was not evident in the skimpy outfit she had on.

"The same thing your gynecologist said about you," Maylee retorted back. Trechial bit back her laughter, shaking her head, pulling Maylee back by the arm before she could pounce on Amelia.

A tightness spread along Trechial's neck. Was it too much to ask to enjoy her day without bothersome folks like this goblin? Smacking her teeth, Trechial gave Maylee's arm a gentle squeeze and peered at her. She was already heated up and ready to go. "She's not worth it."

"Nah, she's worth every hour I'd spend in juvie," Maylee stated, jerking away from Trechial and taking off the back of her earrings.

"I'm not afraid of you!" Amelia balled up her fist and drew it back.

"Even better," Maylee said. "Get your tail beat like an honest hoe."

Trechial pinched the bridge of her nose, stepping in front of Maylee who was hopping up and down and loosening her limbs like a heavyweight boxer.

Just then, Candice appeared alongside Amelia, giving her a look that of a master to its servant to give her space. Amelia snarled at Maylee but stepped back, nonetheless. A self-satisfied grin formed on Candice's lips as she locked eyes with Trechial.

"The boy is mine" capitalized on the moment and commenced to play on the loudspeakers.

They stared at one another, hurling silent headshots with their gazes.

"C'mon, May, this store is a bust. Let's go."

Trechial rolled her eyes at Candice and dragged Maylee around to the other side of the rack, huffing and puffing.

Maylee fired off bullets of insults at Candice's head, gaining the attention of the redhead store clerk who pretended to look through clothes but had been following them since they arrived at the store. "What the hell are you looking at, creepy porcelain-faced haunted witch!"

Trechial continued to tug Maylee's resisting body, finally dragging her into the walkway to prevent a brawl.

"I don't know if you heard, but Devin and I are going out now." Candice's intonation was loud and cynical enough. She knew she'd hit a nerve and majestically waited for Trechial to react. And she did.

Trechial halted dead in her tracks, keeping a firm grip on Maylee's wrist. Her chest felt suddenly painful hearing the admission out loud, but she put on an I-don't-care facade and faced her, head held high.

"Do you want a cookie?" she asked.

Candice ran a hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face. She was clothed in denim capris and a pink halter top, showing off a chandelier belly ring. Her clear backpack purse was strapped tightly on her shoulders, sure to be an annoyance during a fight, Trechial thought. Candice was most definitely the type of girl that Devin belonged with. Stylish, pretty, confident, and rich. Feisty.

The news of her and Devin becoming a couple spread around the school like the black plague, eventually finding its way to Trechial, causing chills and a headache every day and night. They were the new it couple.

Candice folded her arms over her chest and burst into a mirthless chortle. "You cannot be serious, offering me a cookie. I'm on Jenny Craig. I have to keep my body in shape for my man."

Man? A smart remark burned Trechial's tongue like acid, but she held it in.

Maylee scoffed. "You look like you're on crack, looking like a damn pinstripe!"

Unaffected, Candice tipped her chin up to them, squashing them like bugs through her narrowed gaze. "I understand why you would be jealous; you're ghetto, and you're thighs jiggle more than loose change." She swung her hair to the other shoulder, appraising both of them.

Aww, yes, this was the true Candice––not the giddy, ditzy, sweet girl that she pretended to be around everyone else. Especially Tae.

"Did this b––" Maylee started, but Trechial knew it was best to leave this situation alone. Maylee was breathing like a snarling beast, her lips folded together tightly as she tried to break free of her grip.

"Let me snatch that heffa up, girl!" Her New Orleans accent soaked into every word. "Baby, that girl doesn't know me like that. I'll knock the Chin out of her ese!"

"She's Korean, Maylee," Trechial said.

They exited the store into a horde of teenagers, and Trechial pulled Maylee off to the side.

"I don't give a damn!" Maylee fired off. "And why did you let her disrespect you like that! She was plain as day warning you— "

"To stay away from Devin. I know." Trechial scratched her head and closed her eyes, a headache spreading through her brain.

Maylee's chest puffed with rage, her fist clenching and unclenching over and over. "Well, are you?"

It was not as if Trechial wanted to support this farce of a relationship, but she saw them around the school together, and the smile that Devin wore when he was with Candice made her heart smile. She had no right to interfere with his love life, especially after pushing him away. Things were awkward between them, and it was her fault. So to rectify her wrong, she decided to stay away. Devin showed no objections. As a matter of fact, they hadn't spoken since the mild argument they had in front of his house.

She put on her best smile. "I have to support him," Trechial said, defeated. "He's my best friend."

And nothing more.

_______