Insincere Veneer

|Chapter 12|

Why hello there, lovely people! I'm sending you a massive virtual hug for reading this far! Thank you! ❤️

This chapter is dedicated to every single one of you! =)

I welcome critics and feedback anytime! So, feel free to comment down below or message me. Enjoy reading this and take care! ;)

|Chapter 12|

While walking back home from school, I spent the time thinking about what could possibly be the revenge Justin prepared for me. Is he going to humiliate me in front of the whole school? Is he going to hurt me? Is he going to do what she did?

Oh, dear.

My eyes started tickling me, so I raised my hand and started rubbing them carefully. My eyebrows furrowed at the feeling of my wet fingertips. I looked at them, confused, then touched my cheeks to confirm the thought I had in my head.

I had been crying.

Wow. All these years, months, and days, all my life, I'd been crying nonstop that I've become numb to the feeling. I didn't even know I was crying until I felt the warm teardrops on my fingertips. I wiped the tears off my face with the back of my hands before I opened the front door of my house.

"I'm home!" I announced.

"Lizzy!" I heard Sophia's faint squeal before she emerged from the staircase.

"Hello, princess," I greeted her, bending down to her height in order to hug her. "How was school?" I asked her after a long, warm hug.

"School was bad. I had a fight with Cassandra and Jasmine," she frowned as she spoke.

"Oh, but why?" I stood up, cleaned the dust of my pants, held Sophia's hand, and made my way up the stairs.

"Because they said they hated Shailee. She is my friend, and they didn't like that. So they said I had to choose between Shailee and them." Sophia plopped on my bed and crossed her legs. I nodded and threw my bag on the bed before changing into grey sweatpants and a sports bra.

"I told them I can't choose because I wanted to be friends with all of them but they said they will never talk to me again," she concluded.

"Then don't talk to them either, Soph. If they don't understand that you want to be friends with all of them, then they aren't good friends. So unless they apologize to you, don't speak to them," I advised before I kissed her cheeks and stood up, making my way towards my desk and plugging my phone to my speakers.

"Okay, I will do that. I like Shailee more, anyways. She's nice and she doesn't say bad things about other people." Sophia started jumping on my bed, a grin plastered on her face. "Liz, are you going to do sports again?"

"Yes, Soph," I confirmed before opening my YouTube app and playing the Fat Burning Cardio Workout video I usually follow.

"Can I watch you?"she asked me, tilting her head to the right.

I nodded in agreement. "Sure."

Many pants, water sips, and exercises later, I fell on my bed in utter exhaustion, proud to have survived another exercising day.

"Good job!" Sophia clapped her hands in encouragement. I grinned at her cuteness and started tickling her.

"S-stop! L-liz! P-please!" she managed to scream between loud giggles.

"What's the magic word?" I asked, grinning evilly.

"C-cupcakes!" she screamed.

"Okay, you're free of my grasp, now," I announced playfully.

"Thank you, my queen," she bowed, giggling.

"How does a tea party sound?" I asked her. Her eyes widened as she clapped her hands excitedly.

"It sounds great!" Sophia jumped up and down.

"Okay, then. Go prepare everything while I go take a shower and get dressed." I patted her head once I stood up.

"Okay! Don't forget to dress as a fairy!" she chirped before skipping out of my room.

I smiled, thanking God for the blessing he gave me; my sister. Then, I entered my en-suite bathroom to take a quick, refreshing shower.

A couple of minutes later, I exited my bathroom and searched through my wardrobe for my fairy costume, the one I wear every time I'm "invited" to a tea party with Sophia. Once I found it, I took it out and unwillingly wore it. I took a glance at my reflection in the mirror. My shoulders shook as I laughed at how ridiculous I looked in a tight fairy costume. I then fetched the plastic wand from the accessory box I have and exited my room.

I entered Sophia's room, which has light pink painted walls, many Disney cartoons and quoted wallpapers plastered on them. Sophia's green eyes met my hazel brown ones. Her eyes sparkled as she beamed at my entrance.

"Elizabeth the Fairy! Thank you for coming, it's a pleasure seeing you here again!" she formally greeted me. I laughed so hard that my insides started to hurt and my eyes started to water.

She's like a forty-year-old in a four-year-old's body.

"Why, thank you, Princess Sophia. It's a pleasure seeing you, as well." I replied after I sobered up a bit.

"Well, take a seat!" Sophia pointed at the small chair in front of her. I internally groaned at how tiny and uncomfortable it looked, but I made my way towards it and sat, anyway.

"Elizabeth the Fairy, meet Princess Tiana and Prince Eric," she introduced me to a girl doll on my left and a guy doll on my right.

"Hello, Prince Eric and Princess Tiana," I greeted.

God, I sound so silly!

"Hello," Sophia mimicked a high-pitched girl's sound as if it's Princess Tiana and said, "Hey, beautiful Elizabeth the Fairy" in a deep voice as if it's Prince Eric's.

"So, who'd like some tea?" Sophia asked the dolls and me.

"I'd like some-" I got interrupted by Mom's voice.

"Elizabeth! Someone's here to see you!"

"I'll be right there!" I yelled loud enough for her to hear me.

Wait, what?

Who the actual hell is here to see me?

Suddenly, my heart started beating and beads of sweat started forming on my forehead. I whispered a quick 'be right back' to Sophia and cautiously stood up, as if one wrong step I take would break the ground beneath me.

Who could possibly come over to see me and why?

This can not be good.

Slowly, I made my way downstairs and focused on my breathing. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. My feet reached the bottom of the staircase and my eyes wandered around the house in search of the person who's here to see me. When our eyes met, my jaw dropped and my eyes widened in utter shock. I wanted the ground beneath me to crack open and swallow all of me. I wanted to disappear and be forgotten.

Here's why:

1) I do not know why this person is here to see me.

2) This is my house, my family, my privacy that the person is invading.

3) I'm wearing a freaking fairy costume for dear God's sake!

What can I say?

Screw me.