Beautiful Claws by: Tauriel Rogers

6) The Next Day

"Thank you," I sniffled when Candice's jeep stopped in my drive way. 

"I'm sorry," she apologized. I tried to hold back the tears, but couldn't. Candice unbuckled her seat belt and pulled me in for a hug, letting me cry on her shoulder. 

"C-Candice?" I asked through sobs. 

"Yes?"

"I d-don't want to go b-back home."

"You can stay at my house and borrow some of my clothes for school tomorrow," she offered. I smiled and pulled away to wipe my tears. 

"Okay," I nodded, more to reassure myself than to let her know that I agreed. 

Candice led me into her house and up the stairs to her room. It was painted a soft light green and brown with white accents. She opened a door to her giant walk in closet and grabbed a purple sleeping bag from the top shelf. She laid it out in the floor in front of her dresser and handed me an extra pillow from off of her big bed. I took my shoes off and placed them out of the way while Candice opened one of her drawers and pulled out a pair of pj's. She held them out to me with a small, friendly smiled. 

"You can change in my closet." 

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked once I was changed. 

"I know what it's like to be the one that's bullied and made fun of. I also know what it's like to have your boyfriend cheat on you and turn out to be a jerk," she answered. 

"Skylar's not my boyfriend," I said more harshly than I intended. 

"Maybe so, but from what I heard, he really likes you."

"Sure, when he's with Melissa," I mumbled. Candice looked at me sadly. "I thought he was one of the good guys."

"Sometimes, people get caught up in the moment and don't think before they do things."

"You got that right," I agreed. 

"Since when were Lily and Chris a thing?" she asked. I shrugged my shoulders. 

"I don't know, I knew they were close friends, but I didn't know they were that close." 

"Are you mad at them?" 

"No, but they weren't there for me when I needed them most. Isn't that what friends are for?" I explained. 

"Yeah. I'm sorry again for everything that happened tonight and you can always buy a new dress," Candice pointed out. 

"No, that's ok. It's not like it was expensive or anything."

"Why don't we get some sleep and hopefully you'll feel better in the morning," Candice suggested. 

I woke up and Candice helped me find a pair of jeans that fit and a black T-shirt that had a blue dolphin on it. I brushed my tangled hair out and decided to wear the flats from the party to school today. My new friend and I went out to Starbucks to get breakfast and rushed off to school. Candice braided my hair for me and we ate in the hallway on the second floor. We were there early enough that I had plenty of time to finish my breakfast and get my stuff from my locker. "Thanks again Candice for everything," I hugged her. 

"No worries, I can't just leave a girl in need to drown in her own misery," she said. "I have to warn you though, the whole school is going to know what happened and who knows what kind of twisted stories they've come up with. That goes for you're friends Lily and Chris to," Candice warned. 

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good luck and if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask," Candice handed me a sticky note with her phone number on it. When I looked back up to thank her, she was already half way down the hall. I stuffed the number in my pocket and grabbed the stuff I'd need for my morning classes.