The Ugly Bet

Chapter 23 - Change of Status

Lyz

This is just for now... not forever...

I looked at myself infront of the mirror and saw a different person.

This isn't me.

"Lyz, are you sure you're not going with me to the school yet?" I heard Ashley knocking before she said that. Well, I'm just too nervous to show myself in this dress to her and afraid that I wouldn't have the guts to go to school in this attire. Oh my God! I'm gonna kill Dustin for making me experience this!

"No...no, don't mind me, Pamy's picking me up!"

I thought she's gone when I heard her answer back. "Okay, I'll go now."

I'm sorry Ashley, I'm just too scared to even face you.

I remembered about yesterday. I don't know where Greg and Ashley went coz the whole day they were gone. When I went home after shopping with Pamy, Ashley's car is still not in the park.

When I heard footsteps coming towards the door, I thought it was already Pamy so I rushed to unlock the door. But when I opened it, it wasn't her.

"Ashley..."

"So, that's it... why you're not coming with me." I widened the door and let her in. She sat on the bed and looked at a few clothes scattered on my bed. "I checked you from Marietta yesterday that's what I knew that you went shopping with Pamy. Well," she scanned me head to foot then stared at my shoes. "I was the one who chose that heels you were wearing. I knew it would look good on you..." then she looked back at my eyes. "Seriously, Lyz, do you really have to do that to qualify as Dustin's girl?" My eyes widened at her. "I know it of course. Is this what he wanted? You to dress up and totally change your style?"Yes, it is. In fact he told me yesterday while we were in the classroom that he doesn't want a nerdy and unfashionable girlfriend, that's why Pamy who thought that was fun was so excited to drag me to the mall. I couldn't hold her stare that's why I looked away. I then heard her sigh. "Why do you want to be Dustin's girlfriend?" I looked back at her, and this is what I am afraid of, that she interrogates me just to catch me lying. I swallowed hard and raised my chin.

"I'm sorry Ashley, do you still like him?"

"No!" as I expected her to do, she denied fast. "I hate him actually." she looked away, like she was trying to compose herself, then faced me again. "Don't make a fool of yourself Lyz, Dustin's just using you."

"For what?" She didn't answer and looked away again. "I know I'm being ambitious. What am I compared to you and Tracy and all the girls who liked to be with Dustin--"

"It's not like that, Lyz. I just don't want you to be hurt."

"I knew what the consequences of this are and I've already accepted the fact that I maybe hurt because of him but I still want to be his girl, I really do..." I made myself convincing but she's still not buying my drama. "Please, I really like him."

"You do hate him." She said in a strong tone. She really doesn't believe in this. I think this conversation will take long. "So I don't believe you."

"I hated him, yes, because... because he hurt you," I gulped when I saw a sudden streak of pain in her eyes. "But don't you get it? I hated him not just because of that. I hated him coz he keeps ignoring me, he despised me, he looked down on me, but whenever I am with him, it feels different..." Yeah Lyz, time to use your convincing power with some dramatic skills. "He saved me more than once, he kissed me, he made me feel special," I acted like a lovesick puppy. "Why can't you understand that?"

"You know he likes me!" she finally said. When I looked at her, her face was red. I found myself speaking in a stronger voice than hers.

"He said he likes me too."