| W H E N  C A N D A C E  M E T  J U D E |
• • •
| Candace |
T/W - BULIMIA MENTIONED

     Candace was in utter shock. What were the odds that the girl from her spontaneous make out session was suddenly the new girl at school? She was sure this would bite her in the ass sooner or later. She should've known that doing something so irresponsible like that would inevitably find her again.

How could she have been so stupid? Everyone saw. Everyone saw their lips latch onto one another and move continuously at the rhythm of whatever song had been booming through the speaks. Jude's hands lingering on her waist, and reaching over for her thigh . . .

She shook away the intrusive thoughts, swinging her racket to harshly make contact with the incoming tennis ball. A point for her. Her lips settled into a lopsided smile, shrugging her shoulders at Serena who didn't seem too happy at her younger sister beating her.

Candace walked over to the bench where her duffel bag resided, reaching inside of it for her cellphone and hand towel. She patted down her sweaty forehead and chest, unlocking her cell.

While responding to whatever messages she had, she smiled triumphantly at Serena, who reached over for her own bag. "Once again—I am champion," Serena scoffed harshly. "So tell me, Serena, how does it feel to be bested by your younger sister?"

"Oh, shut up, Candace. You got lucky." Serena spat, already irritated. The two of them slung their bags over their shoulders, beginning a walk into the restrooms.

Candace disagreed, "really? Just like I got lucky last time, too?"

"Okay, enough." Serena pushed her shoulder, almost knocking the younger girl onto her feet. Candace regained her balance, falling several feet behind her older sister. Serena had always been a sore loser. And it didn't help that Candace had always been a sore winner.

The two girls made their way into the women's restroom of the country club and swiftly began changing out of their tennis attire which consisted of a white skirt and simple top. Along with a pair of plain white trainers.

After a quick shower, with her trying not to wet her hair, Candace changed into a summer dress that hugged her figure kindly, pulling her hair out of its hold at the top of her head, letting it fall down her shoulders.

Just as she spritzed perfume onto her neck and collarbones, Serena came from around the corner with a similar outfit, although her hair was pulled into a tight ponytail with small pieces falling onto her forehead.

After quietly agreeing to head into the main lounge, the girls put on their brightest faces, smiling at everyone who passed. Candace ignored the way her stomach grumbled.

She could feel all eyes on her from every direction of the country club. She knew that since she was going to school with most of their children, everyone knew she was away during the summer. Although, nobody knew why.

She knew that her father and mother had given a bullshit excuse about their grandmother in Florida, but she also knew that not everyone would be stupid enough to believe it.

How could they? It was no secret that Candace had dropped a tremendous amount of weight since her days leading up to rehab, considering she only ate about one meal a day—if any at all.

But now she was doing better. Some days were still tough, but she was glad to say that she was beginning to have more good days than bad. That was the road to recovery, wasn't it? Finally climbing out of that pit of addiction and self-harm.

She just wondered if she would always be this hungry.

Once she and Serena stood in front of their father, the tall and broad man scooped his daughters into his arms, landing a kiss on each of their foreheads.

"How are you girls doing?" He asked quietly, taking a seat back down on the chair where he previously resided.

"Good." Candace said, just as Serena spoke, "fine."

Terrell chuckled at this, eyes seriously connecting with Candace's. "Have you eaten lunch?"

"Yes," Serena spoke for her, knowing how fidgety her younger sister became when asked about food. "We both stopped for a salad and smoothie before coming here."

Candace nodded, remembering their actions from after school, before arriving at the country club. Their father nodded, seeming pleased with the quick answer. "Good. You should both be heading home now, I'm sure your mom has already started dinner."

Terrell stood from his chair again, leaning in for another three-person hug. Then, he walks away and over to where he and his closest friends and investors play pool.

The girls take this as a signal to go home.

On the way there, Serena drives at an agonizingly slow pace, side-eyeing her younger sister. Candace can feel the stare, suddenly becoming self conscious. "What?" She asks, rather impatiently.

"Nothing," Serena says innocently, a slow smirk making its way onto her full lips. "It's just, a little rumor is going around at school and I was just wondering if it's true . . ." She left her words hanging in the air.

Candace's heart fell into her stomach. "What rumor?"

The older sister turned onto the street where their house was held. "That you hooked up with the new senior!" Her mouth was left ajar in an open smile, eyes hardly leaving Candace's to glance down at the road.

Candace groaned in embarrassment, hiding her face inside of the crook of her summer dress. "It isn't true!"

     The underlying smile stretching onto the embarrassed brunettes face let Serena know that she wasn't telling the whole truth. "Okay, so then what did happen? Because I also happened to hear that said senior is a she."

     "Gosh, you're so annoying," Candace groaned in frustration, "don't believe everything you hear."

     "I was just wondering, because the last time something like this happened, you said it would never happen again—"

     Candace didn't let Serena bombard her with questions and concerns any longer, leaving her car swiftly once they pulled into the large driveway of their home. Serena called out for her, but was only met with fast footsteps toward the front door.

     She pulled it open, met with their fresh-faced mother who seemed to be dressed for a night out, which was something she occasionally did whenever she knew their father wouldn't be coming home. Candace knew it was best not to ask further questions.

     Serena walked in behind her, her dark brows furrowing in worry. "Oh, come on, Candy," Candace wanted to ram her head into the nearest wall at the mention of her childhood nickname. The one used for her because of the correlation with her name and because, well—she was a fat child. Hence the beginning of her bulimia. "I was just asking!"

     The older sister yelled the rest of her sentence up their curved staircase, watching in defeat as Candace ignore her with ease.

     After locking herself in her bedroom and shutting off all of the lights, Candace collapsed onto her bedspread, shoving her face into a pillow. Tears began to flow faster than they had ever flown before.

     She didn't exactly know why she was so emotional about the topic, but she did know that whenever her liking for the same sex was mentioned, it felt like a blow into her stomach. A blow that kept happening over and over since her stupid, stupid kiss with the tall senior.

     Memories from Jude made their way into her head as she tried her best to shove them down. Sure, the new girl with pale skin and lips that felt like clouds was beautiful and kissed Candace like it was something they had done a thousand times—but it didn't mean that anything could come of it.

     Because nothing, absolutely nothing could come of it.

     She stood from her sheets, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear as the tears continued to fall. Her feet were fast on their way to her closet, pulling the door open and stepping inside. She reached up for the string hanging from the ceiling, switching on the timid lighting.

     She reached out for the stool that was pushed into the corner of the closet, and climbed to the top, careful not to fall backwards. She reached up toward the top shelf, hand making clear contact with a wooden box she kept hidden away in back of the highest shelf.

     She pulled the box into her chest, stepping down from the stool with caution.

     Once she was sat back down onto her sheets, she set down the box in front of her, removing the top of it and successfully pulling it open. She's met with photographs, souvenirs and memories she literally shoved into a box after her time spent in rehab.

     She reaches into the wooden box, hands clasping around a photo of her and the dyed blonde-haired girl from her past she buried so deeply it hurt to remember.

     Her fingers lightly traced the outline of the girls face, heart-wrenching so harshly that it physically pained Candace to take a deep breath in. In the photo, they're both smiling widely, outfits matching accordingly with a turtleneck so white it blinded her.

     The girl beside her in the photo carried a nonchalant sort of look, lips stretched out into a lopsided smirk as she held Candace closely into her chest. Candace is beaming wider than she's ever smiled at home. Which is as ironic, considering most of the people in Billards Rehabilitation Center were so depressed they could barely eat.

     But not Candace and Nadia.

     They spent the entire summer with one another, healing and recovering in each other's arms, always there when the other was close to falling.

     Serena had it all wrong. She seemed to be under the impression that Candace and Nadia were together or something—which was definitely not the case. Nadia was just a friend, but the best one the curly-haired brunette had ever had. She didn't know true friendship until she met Nadia Harding.

     With her and her dyed blonde hair, beanies, and the ability to make Candace laugh ever when she was at her lowest, was something Candace would never forget.

     And sure, the fact that Nadia also seemed to be the gayest person Candace had ever met helped, too. Especially when she was questioning her own sexuality.

     To put it simply, Nadia was someone Candace would always hold close her to heart. Even if the two never saw each other again.