Insincere Veneer

|Chapter 5|

Up there is Aaron Taylor Johnson as the guy mentioned in this chapter!

I cannot thank any of you enough for everything. The reads, comments, and votes I'm getting keep me motivated to go on and write this story, so thank you all! You're the ultimate best. ;)

Dedicated to @likealunatic for the beautiful cover! Thank you, it's gorgeous!

Happy Reading! =)

~HG xx

                          |Chapter 5|

"Liz, wake up!" Mom's voice boomed from downstairs.

"I'm awake!" I replied before falling back on my bed in a 'thud'. My eyes fluttered close after I got cozy beneath my warm blankets.

I will wake up when I am done with counting thirty cupcakes, I thought.

One cupcake, two cupcakes, three cupcakes... and I fell back asleep.

"Elizabeth Martina Ryder, if you don't wake up this minute, you'll be grounded for a month!" Mom burst into my room.

"Okay, okay! I'm up!" I jumped off my bed before tripping on my blankets and falling- oh so gracefully- on the wooden floor.

"Be dressed in twenty minutes, you cannot be late for school!" Mom scolded me angrily before going out the door.

It is my first day of school.

I groaned loudly before going into the bathroom and doing my morning routine: taking a shower, brushing my teeth, and drying my hair. After that, I decided on what my outfit is going to be, which consisted of black jeggings, a black tank top, a black leather jacket, and black leather boots.

What? I want people's first impression of me to be dark, mysterious, and very intimidating. That way, no one will ever think of trying to talk to me.

At least I hope so.

I went over to my mirror to apply my make up. The past few days, I have been watching YouTube make up tutorial videos and trying the techniques out. Surprisingly, my attempts were not that bad. In fact, I was very proud of them.

Today, I applied dark, red lipstick and black eyeliner. I also curled my hair for a change. When I was satisfied with my overall look, I headed downstairs for a quick breakfast.

Judging by the heavenly smell, it will not be all that quick.

I entered the kitchen only to find pancakes, scrambled eggs, and fried beef bacon strips served on the table and ready to be eaten.

"Morning," I greeted. I hugged Mom and Dad and kissed Sophia's cheek earning a winning smile from her.

"Slept well?" Dad asked me.

"Sure," I replied with no enthusiasm at all.

I did not sleep.

I stayed up all night, tossing and turning, thinking about and dreading what was to come today, until I finally slept when the sun began to rise upon the horizon.

I ate my food quietly while pretending to listen to my family talking about everything and anything. My head was playing all sorts of scenarios of me bumping into someone, accidentally and having to apologize, me answering questions in class, determined to stay a straight A student, or worse, me doing something embarrassing that will set the whole school in hysterical laughs, resulting in me being the school's joke yet again.