Becoming Beautiful (Wattys2014)

| Chapter 16 |

Chapter 16

I woke up at five in the morning, and I rarely wake up and get up, but today I did. The moment my eyes opened, I remembered that today is the day that I’m studying with Noah. For some reason, I woke up and immediately sat up.

After showering, I ran a comb through my hair, allowing it to slowly dry. I put on a pair of black pants. To match them, I put on a thin blue sweater. On it were the words, “Running Sucks.” I pulled on a blue hoodie, which I zipped up so the words were covered.  I slipped on my socks and my black Converse. Deciding to put my hair in a ponytail, I put a bow above the ponytail, letting it sit on top of the elastic that’s holding my hair together.

“Not that you don’t look absolutely adorable, but why are you so dressed up?” my mother asked as I galloped down the steps with my bag in my hand.

“I just felt like dressing up today,” I shrugged. “Why are you up so early?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she muttered.

“Mom, can I go to Marissa’s after school?” I questioned, internally pleading that she’d say yes.

“Yeah, why?” she asked.

“Noah agreed to tutor me in math,” I told her, leaving out the part about my failed math test.

My mother grinned, nodding as she snorted. “That’s why.”

I had a feeling that there was a deeper meaning to her words. “What?”

“Oh, nothing, I just think that’s why you dressed up,” she told me with a smile.

I glared at her, shaking my head. “No, it’s actually not.”

My mother just nodded, looking towards the Christmas tree, where our wrapped gifts were. The gift that I bought my mother was down there, too. “Whatever you say, do you want me to make you breakfast?”

I nodded, watching as she giggled and got up, walking towards the kitchen.

<<>><<>> 

“Whoa, Kenna, is that you?” Marissa asked in shock.

I looked at her, my eyebrows raised. “What do you mean?”

“You’re wearing pants that aren't loose and bright colors!” she exclaimed. “And is that a bow in your hair?”

I suddenly felt self-conscious. “Yeah.”

“You look so pretty!” she squealed as she sat down across from me. “So why are you dressed up?”

The words my mother said earlier replayed in my head. “Oh, no reason, I got up a bit early this morning and I couldn’t fall back asleep, so I just got up and got ready.”

“Are you sure this has nothing to do with your study session with my brother?” she asked, smirking.

I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling my cheeks warm up. “No, it has absolutely nothing to do with that.”

“You’re blushing, Kenna,” Marissa sang, earning a glare from me.

“Can I ask you a question?” I piped, changing the subject.

Marissa nodded, stuffing a piece of fruit into her mouth, her mind somewhere else. “Sure.”

“Where does Noah go on Thursdays?” I asked.

“Therapy,” she stated absentmindedly. My eyes widened and she quickly realized what she had said. “Don’t say anything! Kenna, really, you can’t say anything!”