The Best Kind of Betrayal

Chapter 30

I wake up early for the photoshoot. It's mostly Kaia's fault, since she panics about what to wear.

"Something nice," I yawn in the phone, "A dress maybe." 

"Yeah, but what dress," Kaia deadpans, "I have this black formal one, which is down to my knees, then another one that is slightly longer but has a slit on the side, and my seventies dress with polka dots."

I yawn again and rub my eyes. "Knee length black dress. I'm hanging up."

My mum picked out a white, flouncy blouse for me, plus the only formal skirt I own. I'm pondering over my shoes, before I decide on simple Mary Janes with kitten heels. I don't want to stick out if we're going to stand for the pictures.

Kaia jumps into my car all excited, but forgets about it pretty soon when I hand her my phone.

"Oh my god," she exclaims and excitedly taps on the screen, "That's so cool. Wow, Matthew is so fit, you absolutely cannot break up with him."

I roll my eyes and stop my car on the nearly empty parking lot. Vivian's shiny white car is already there, next to what I assume is Liling's red Honda. Kaia starts jumping up and down on her seat, afraid we're going to be the last one and miss out on all of the fun.

It's right when a big black car stops in front of the school, and Agatha jumps out of it. She sends the driver one last smile, before spotting us and waving.

"Was this your boyfriend's car?" Kaia asks her in amazement, "Whew, it is huge! Is he rich?"

Agatha only smiles and shakes her head. "Let's go. I guess they're already waiting?"

When we walk through the main entrance, there's already loud music coming from the green & gold room, and something that sounds like the singing of Liling and Vivian. They're both in the green & gold room, prepping what looks like an endless supply of make-up and hair styling tools on the long tables they pushed back towards the walls. They also somehow organized three big mirrors, which looks suspiciously like the ones hanging in the girls' bathroom down the hallway.

Liling's happily singing along to what seems like a compilation of the latest boygroup hits, which I know she's a big fan of, but I never would've thought Vivian enjoys it, too. Thinking about it, I always imagined Vivian sitting all classy in her room listening to old recordings on an expensive vintage record player, or maybe dragging Logan to really niche indie bands no one has ever heard of, being extremely gatekeep-y about it, but here she is, smiling and singing to BTS' latest hit while rearranging eyeshadow palettes.

"You're here!" Liling jumps to hug us once she spots us standing in the doorway, "Come quick, we've already prepared everything!"

Which is how I find myself five minutes later in a chair in front of the mirrors, my hair pulled back into a ponytail while I try to apply foundation and simultaneously stop Kaia from going crazy with the blue eyeshadow. Kaia rarely wears makeup, but when she does she likes to go all out, which I'm not sure Johnny would appreciate on what's supposed to be our classy club pictures.

"We can go out next weekend," I tell her, "Watch a movie or something. I will do your makeup before and you can choose any color you like."

"Oh, please!" Kaia claps her hands, "I saw a TikTok where a girl did an amazing green and blue eyeshadow look, I've always wanted to recreate it!"

Liling leans over my shoulder to borrow my eyebrow pencil and critically eyes Kaia's face.

"You could do brown and golden today, this would look great with your hair. Also, Vivian and I decided to go for sleek buns, you in?"