On Monday, Emery came by to dress me up once again. She even managed to make me go shopping for a few things over the weekend. She let me wear jeans again, but forced a white, off-the-shoulder, long sleeve top on me. I didn't protest, objectively it was cute, and I had to keep my focus on the plan. Once my makeup was on, Emery braided a few strands at the front of my hair and pinned them behind my head.

"Braids, sure but bobby pins? They're so uncomfortable!" I whined. Old habits did die hard. What could I say?

"Trust me, when you look in the mirror, you won't be complaining!" Emery smirked. I sighed in response.

"I'm still wearing combat boots then," I replied. Those are my most comfortable boots, and look good with anything – especially black jeans.

"Fine!" Emery complied. "You can dress the girl up, but can't take the tomboy out of her," she muttered. I stuck my tongue out at her in response. She completed the finishing touches and then ushered me to a mirror. I gasped.

"Emery, you've done it again... wizardry!" I exclaimed wide-eyed.

"Shush! It's not difficult to put makeup on you, you're already stunning!" Emery replied, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, stop it! I'm blushing!" I teased in a posh voice, throwing my hair over my shoulder. It was easier to brush off the compliment that way.

Emery laughed and quickly did her makeup too, which surprisingly did not take her long at all. That was my sign to learn how to do my own makeup for when I actually wanted to go out and Emery wasn't around.

"Ready to go?" Emery asked. I nodded and laced up my boots. I hoped today would be a good day. I felt confident, and somewhat happier, and wanted nothing to change it.

***

Emery and I saw Mason and Adam chatting as we walked into the school. We headed over to greet our boyfriends with 'hellos' and hugs.

"Guys, we still haven't gone out on a double date!" Emery complained as she intertwined her hands with Adam's.

"Yeah!" Mason agreed. "We should do that soon."

I nodded with a smile. It was funny to think that a few months ago, we were talking about how she had a crush, and I didn't really pay attention to any of the guys at our school. Now we both had boyfriends and were making plans with them.

"I heard about Tristan's uncle's place – The Luna? We should go!" Adam suggested. Before anyone can respond, the bell rings, and we go our separate ways. Thank goodness too.

I wasn't sure I ever wanted to go back there.

***

At lunch, I looked around our table when I arrived. I saw Talia, Tristan, Brenna, Patrick, Adam, Emery, Mason and Lucas... but we seemed to be missing Phoebe. I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I sat down.

"Anyone seen Phoebe? Is she sick?" I asked curiously. She'd been sitting with us everyday, so it was odd she wasn't here.

"Nope, though I saw her talking to Tiffany today, maybe she's sitting with her?" Lucas said off-handedly. Emery and I exchanged glances immediately.

"What would she be doing with Tiffany?" Talia asked. Everyone shrugged, at a loss for a reason.We all avoided Tiffany like the plague.

"Who knows. Maybe Tiffany's actually nice to someone outside of her group," Tristan suggested. We shrugged once again, then moved on from the topic.

"So, there's a new movie coming out called Speed Bump..." Patrick started.

"Oh, is that the one with that super hot guy?" Brenna asked, as if most movies didn't have good looking men as the main character. We all looked at her questioningly.

"That narrows it down," Emery teased.

"It's the one about three friends on an insane road trip before their senior year of college, right?" Mason replied with a laugh. A chorus of recognition broke out, and everyone began discussing that movie and the main characters.

I leaned my head on Mason's shoulder feeling relaxed, as if finally, everything was settling into place. I took a bite of my sandwich as Mason's arm wrapped around my waist. Emery smiled at me, and I knew she was glad to see me happy.

Just like the calm before the storm, that feeling vanished in an instant.

The lights in the cafeteria went off and the screen came down. The storm was a video that featured Tiffany's irritating voice.

"Charlotte Ross, also known as Charlie, is known for her quiet demeanour, and tomboyish ways." There were pictures of me projected onto the screen that I didn't know were taken. "You might see her occasionally being sarcastic, or walking the hallways with her friend, Emery." A picture of Emery and I flashed across the screen. "Now, while Charlie looks all gloom and doom, she really dresses emo, to fly under the radar... so that she can be a two-timing slut." 

Suddenly, a picture of Mason and I appeared, next to a picture of Dallas and I studying in the library.

I glanced around my table and saw the worried looks thrown between the screen and me. I was in shock, not even sure how to react to this. While Tiffany had used her screen shenanigans before, I still feel extremely blindsided.

"While she is dating Mason, she seems to be seeing Dallas on the side." Another photo of Mason and I popped up, and then a picture of Dallas and I standing at the coffee shop he ambushed me at. He wasn't kidding when he told me to watch my back. How pathetic. "On top of that, she has had a complete wardrobe change, in order to talk about nothing but her itty bitty titties with guys at lunch." There was a picture of me from yesterday after school. "Now, you can't even listen to her denials, as she's the reason her father is dead, and she's been lying to you all about it."

The screen went black and everyone in the cafeteria's gaze turned to me. My eyes were wide and I was frozen to the spot.

What had Tiffany done?

________

Author's Note: Tiffany, Tiffany Tiffany... what are we going to do with you?

What do you think Charlie's going to do? How do you think her friends will react? Let me know in the comments! Find out what happens next week! xoxo