All I see are shadows. Trees. The world swimming around me. All the while, I call out for Maeve. But she never comes. I can't find her. Why can't I find her?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since homecoming night senior year, Aisling Turner has lived in a hell of he...
My eyes were wide as we walked into the gym, and Rihanna's "We Found Love" went from muffled to a roar. Even though it was hard to cover up the fact that we were in a grungy gym with better days behind it, the decorating committee did a pretty good job.
Better than past years, anyway. Sure, if you focused hard enough, you could see the water-stained ceiling through the crepe paper streamers, fairy lights, and flowers of various shapes and sizes. Somehow, it looked more like an enchanted garden than I had believed possible when I sat in on decorating committee meetings with Maeve and helped put them up. I hadn't been at the last session, so hadn't seen the final product.
"This is so good."
"I know. I led the committee, after all."
I looked over, watching as Maeve drank in the finished decorations, a small, smug smile on her face. Already, a large group of our classmates was on the dance floor, the DJ in full swing on the stage. Parents manned the refreshment tables. Teachers mingled along the outskirts, only half watching the students while chatting.
My eyes scanned over the crowd, searching Brett out. I wasn't quite sure about talking to him at the dance like Maeve wanted me to, but I was eager to see him at least.
"He's by the stage, Juliet."
I glanced over at Maeve and then looked at the stage, seeing Brett standing in front of it with Leo and some of the other football boys, his hands tucked into his pockets. Already, a small group of girls had descended upon him. While Brett looked amazing in his suit, his expression was uncomfortable as he edged away from the closest girl, his eyes switching from watching them to searching the crowd.
Who was he looking for? Was he dating someone, and I hadn't heard? Or maybe... No. Absolutely not. There was no way that Brett could possibly be looking for me.
At that moment, his eyes lifted over the crowd and met mine. A zing went through me as the corners of his lips turned up. For a split second, I drowned in the delirium of thinking he had been looking for me.
"Mind gettin' out of my way?"
The bubble popped, and fear fell over me like ice water, driving away all giddiness. My eyes dropped to the floor as I quickly shuffled to the side to let Stephanie by.
"God, where'd ya get that dress, Ass-ling?"
I winced as I played with the hem. I thought it was beautiful. Thought I was actually kind of pretty tonight. Of course, only Stephanie Walker could reduce me to silence within minutes of arriving at the dance.
A deep burning started in my gut, telling me I needed to stop taking it. I lifted my eyes, taking a deep breath, though I wasn't 100% sure just what I was going to say. I just knew I had to say something.
"Get over yourself, Stephanie. That dress probably cost more than yours."
My lips snapped shut as Maeve squared off with Stephanie. She was a good few inches taller, and her hands were planted on her hips. Stephanie's lips pursed together. She looked Maeve's dress up and done.
"Better than this Homecomin' Barbie look yer mama threw together," she said, the corner of her lips sliding up into a smirk.
Maeve lifted an eyebrow, the only indication that Stephanie's words stung.
"Yea, but I'm still going to win homecoming queen in this Barbie dress." Her smile was just as cold, just as cruel as Stephanie's.
"We'll see."
Stephanie tilted her chin up and stomped off, Vanessa shooting a scowl as she followed her. Maggie, for her part, looked almost apologetic and definitely like she didn't want to be there. I sighed, watching as the three made their way over to their crowd.
"Than-"
"One of these days, you need to fuckin' stand up to her, Ash."
I hopped back, startled by the intensity behind Maeve's words and the glare on her face.
"I'm not always going to be around to babysit you, you know."
"But I-"
Maeve strode off, now smiling and waving to people as she entered the dance properly. It felt like lead slowly coated my stomach, pulling everything down. She was right, of course. But I had been about to say something that time. I was sure of it.
And I couldn't help but think that for as much as Maeve would tell me to stand up for myself... she didn't even let me try...
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