Destined... | Anthony 'Ant' Vaugn

009 Rubbish

Bin Chicken 
Part 1 

It had been an entire weekend since the kiss, and Ant had been stuck at home, grounded. His mum had found out about him sneaking out to the Slay Ball, leaving him with no choice but to stay in and deal with the fallout. But now it was Monday, and I was finally getting ready for school.

The night before, I'd done my hair in heatless curls again, remembering how well they'd turned out the first time. This morning, I carefully unwrapped them, one section at a time, letting the silky waves fall down my back. I smiled at my reflection, pleased with the results yet again. Leaving my hair loose, I decided to keep it natural and flowing. A touch of light makeup followed—just enough to enhance, not overwhelm.

Next, I turned my attention to my outfit. I went for something simple yet put-together: a pair of long black pants with crisp white stripes running up the sides, paired with a plain white tank. For shoes, I chose my black-and-white New Balance 550s, finishing off the look with white Nike socks that peeked above the tops of the sneakers.

As I stood in front of the mirror, a last-minute thought struck me. I decided to switch up my jewelry—a rare move since I usually stuck to my everyday staples. I left on my silver necklace with the small "A" charm, but layered two more necklaces with it. The first was a delicate silver chain adorned with tiny scattered diamonds, while the second was a bold, thick snake chain in matching silver.

I kept my silver tennis bracelet on—it was practically a second skin by now—but added a few more pieces to the mix. Sliding on a slim silver cuff, I also clasped my Tiffany & Co. bracelet, the one Ant had given me. The bracelet's design, with its silver beads and a dainty heart charm engraved with the word Angel, made it one of my most cherished pieces. My Pandora bracelet, filled with charms that each held a personal meaning, stayed firmly on my wrist.

Rings came next. I adjusted the chunky silver one with the tiny red heart in the center on my index finger, stacking it with a plain, thin silver band. On another finger, I wore the Pandora ring Ant had gifted me—it had a jewel in the center flanked by tiny wings. I added my delicate Dior ring, which sparkled subtly with scattered jewels spelling out Dior, and finished with a few other minimalist silver bands to balance the look.

Finally, I lined my lips with a neutral colour that had a slight red undertone then grabbed my lip gloss, swiping it across my lips with a practiced hand. The subtle shine caught the light just right as I smacked my lips together. Satisfied, I tucked the gloss and liner into my pocket, grabbed my keys, and headed out to my car. Sliding into the driver's seat, I turned the ignition, the engine humming to life. Before pulling out, I leaned on the horn, sending a sharp beep into the quiet morning.

"Spider!" I called, spotting him as he ambled out the front door, his expression a mix of amusement and annoyance. He climbed into the passenger seat, shutting the door with a thud.

"Shut up. I literally just watched you get into your car, so don't even," he shot back, rolling his eyes.

I laughed, shaking my head as I steered the car away from the curb and into the street. The start of another day—and something about it felt like it might hold more than just the usual routine.

~~  

Walking into school, the usual buzz of chatter fills the hallways, but something feels off. Ant catches my eye and immediately pulls out his phone, holding it up to show me a video. It's an edit someone made of Malakai's incident—the one from the other night. The clip plays on repeat, showing him falling over and over again, set to some ridiculous sound effect.