Fitting in

Chapter 9

   “Okay. Take off the bandage!” Brett’s mother said. The family was gathered around in a small circle waiting for the unveiling of Brett’s surgery. She had made sure to redo the makeup on the nose this morning, and yet again couldn’t tell the creation was fake. Sighing Brett wondered how to unveil the thing. Rip it off fast like a band aide and get the pain over with quick, or take it off slowly and watch everyone’s face turn sour.

   She decided to take it off slowly so the nose wouldn’t fall. Brett scrunched her eyes shut and pulled of the light tissue, her mother comforted her thinking it hurt to take of the bandage. When the entire gauze wrap was removed, and everyone had seen the nose for a few seconds, Brett finally opened her eyes.

   Her father had one hand crossed over his chest and the other holding his chin. He turned his head slightly and shrugged, then walked away patting Brett on the back. Blake cocked an eyebrow, opened her mouth, then closed it, “It looks good Baby sis.” She said hugging Brett then disappearing to work on her wedding plans. It was only Brett’s mother that hugged her and kissed her on the head with a genuine liking for the nose , “It looks great, like a real Witte nose my dear.” Brett wanted to cry. Although the nose wasn’t real, it was to everyone else, this stupid piece of plastic would become her identity in the following months till graduation and Brett wasn’t happy about it.

    After all the half-hazard complements on Brett’s nose were thrown out, she was rushed out of the house and sent on her way to school. Brett wanted to steer her car off the rode and into shrub the whole ride there. When she pulled into the school’s parking lot, there was already a crowd of her friends waiting for her where she normally parked, and Chloe was in the front of the crowd.

   Brett pulled into the parking space and reached for her book bag in the passenger seat. Through the window, she saw Jesse throw her hands over her mouth and scream a little. Jesse then proceeded to throw open Brett's car door, and yank her best friend out of the vehicle.

“I thought you weren’t getting the nose!” she fumed dragging Brett past the gawking faces and into the building.

“I didn’t!”

“It’s clearly sitting there on your face!”

“It’s fake!” Brett hissed. Jesse stopped in the middle of the lecture she was preparing for Brett, and cocked an eyebrow at her best friend.

“It’s what?”

“Fake! I would show you, but everyone has to think it’s real until my dad wins the election, okay? Can you keep that a secret Jesse?”

“Um of course. Although I must say, I underestimated your craftiness Brett.”

“Never underestimate a Witte.”

“I’ll remember that."

   Jesse took her arm and the two walked out to the rest of their friends. Jason was the first to catch her eye, and his bright blue irises automatically looked down at her nose. His mouth opened and he excused himself from the conversation with his friends. Grabbing both of Brett’s hands, Jason bent down and asked why she got the nose done. Brett didn’t know whether she could trust Jason enough to keep the truth a secret, after all they weren’t official, and if he moved on to someone else this could be potential dirt on her.

            “I just wanted a little change.” Brett decided was her best answer.

            “Do you like it?”

            “Yup.”

   Jason scrunched up his nose and shoulders then exhaled in a sigh of agreement. “Then I like it too.” He smiled and pulled Brett into a tight hug. She had to hold on to the nose to make sure it wouldn’t fall, but the hug felt nice. Jason was a sweet boyfriend, and Brett was perfect for him. If he loved the disgusting piece of plastic on her nose, just because she did, he was probably the ultimate boyfriend.