Therapy is long over and she is better than ever and not recognizable.
Therapy changes people, that's the sense of it all and it did the exact same thing to Clare Price, but what when something happens that makes her doubt any of it actually worked...
When I entered school this morning, people were staring at me. What? Okay, I didn't look the way I used to look, but is that really a reason to stare? I got rid of the bright blue-purple and replaced it with my natural brown color and some dark blue highlights. I also got rid of the black leather pants and replaced them with bright blue skinny jeans. I kept the black boots and the piercings as well as as my bangles I had since childhood.
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After classes, I met up with Max, who had a similar face expression. "What the hell is wrong with all those people?!" I asked as I walked towards Max. She was staring at me as well. "What?!" I asked her. "Have you seen yourself?!" She asked. "I had a makeover? Does it look that bad?" I asked her. "No! It looks different. Not like the girl I met at the beginning of the year. A lot more like the one I met as a kid" She said "With a few updates" "So it looks good?" I asked. "Beautiful" She replied and I smiled at her. "Let's meet up with Chloe" Max said and I agreed.
"Let's focus less about my appearance and more on find Nathan" I said and walked towards the dormitory followed, by Max. "Clare?" Chloe said when she saw me. "What? Did you swallow your tongue?" I asked, crossing my arms in front of my chest. "No, but you look like... you" She said. "Thanks, I'm gonna keep this look for a like. I'm diggin it" I said as we continued walking to the dormitory. "Although it was weird going to school today. The teachers marked me as absent because they couldn't recognize it was me" I said. "I can imagine. I had to look twice and double check the tattoos to know it was you" She said.
"Hey, Max. How you doing?" Jefferson asked as he suddenly appeared in front of us. "Yeah, pretend like I'm invisible" I snapped in my Ronnie voice. "Miss Bowers, Ronnie" He said surprised "I didn't recognize you" He said. "You and every other teacher" I said to him. "You look different" He said. "No, I look like myself" I said to him, before Max answer his question. "Oh, hi, Mr. Jefferson. I'm okay. Um, and this is my... friend Chloe" Max said. "Yo" Chloe said.
"And you, Chloe, why isn't someone as cool as you going to Blackwell?" He asked my sister. "I was way too cool for this school. It's a long story. In actual files here..." Chloe said. "Yeah no kidding" I commented, earning a look from my sister. "I can imagine. Max, are you sure that you're alright?" He asked her. "It's weird just being on campus, like everything's normal" Max said. "I know. Lame as it sounds, life has to go on" He said and hated when people say that. "I think there's too much going on in my life" Max said.
"On that note, Blackwell duty calls. Remember, I'm going to announce the winner of the "Everyday Heroes" contest tonight at the party, so I hope you'll be there to celebrate. Even though I'm sorry you didn't enter a photo, both of you, I understand your reasons. You can't force an artist to work" Jefferson said. "Definitely can't" I said and crossed my arms "I haven't taken a photo all week. Just not inspired" I said.
"I feel like a total loser, but it's been a hard week to focus. No pun intended" Max said. "I'm proud of you for caring so much about a troubled friend. And I take hope in the fact that you have plenty of time to find your way. Just...get in the habit of putting your work out there. You too, Ronnie" He said.
"Thanks, Mr. Jefferson. I'll definitely be there tonight" Max said. "Me too" I said. "And me too. I'll be Max and Clare's date. You better dance with us at least once" Chloe flirted with Jefferson. Gross. Extremely gross. "Nobody should have to see me dance. Plus, you don't want to watch the old hipster trying to keep up with the kids... I have some pride. Be seeing you" Jefferson said. "Yes, you will" Chloe said and Jefferson leaves."Seriously Chloe?" I asked "Any idea how gross that is?" I asked her.
"What? He's hot for a teacher" "Gross! You are out of control" Max said, while I just stood there, listening to their conversation. "Not yet. Just wait until the rager tonight...." Chloe said and I could tell she was still in flirting mode. "Ugh, shut up" Max said, playfully pushing her best friend. Yep, there was definitely something going between the two. Something more than friendship.
"Don't be jealous because Mark Jefferson thinks I'm cool..." Chloe said. "I am so ignoring you" Max said smiling. "Fine. Since I'm here, I'll see if I can get some dirt from Justin. I haven't talked to him in a while..." Chloe said and started to walked off. "Now, that is a great plan" Max said and left. "So, I'm going to talk to Brooke over there since I don't think she want to talk to you. She's jealous" I said. "Of what?" Max asked. "You and Warren" I said like it was obvious, which it was.
"There is nothing going on" Max said. "Have you told him that?" I asked while walking off. She wanted to say something else, but I ignored her. I wanted to find out what happened to Rachel and for that we need to find Nathan.
"Hey Brooke" I said. "Um, do I know you?" She asked. "Ronnie, Ronnie Bowers" I said. "Oh, the punk chick from Jefferson's class" She said. "That would be me or was me. It's Clare now" I said. "Okay Clare, what can I do for you?" She asked "By the way, thanks for helping Kate down. Are you okay?" She asked. "Yeah, I think so. Also, everybody would have done it" I said. "But nobody has. The fucked up world of teenagers and young adults revolve around the internet and video cameras, so no. No one would have put their phone's down to help Kate" She said. "You're probably right" I said. "Have you seen Nathan around?"
"I saw him earlier. He was walking off campus earlier and boy, he was pissed" She said. "Thanks Brooke, I'll see you around" I said. "Sure will" She replied and I walked off, joining Chloe and Max. "The coast is clear" I said. "Now let's get into Blackwell Ninja mode" Max said and we entered the dormitory.
"So lame they don't have co-ed dorms here" Chloe said. "Yes, because I want Nathan Prescott in the room next door" Max said. "Good point" Chloe said. "Wait here. Give us a signal if Nathan or anybody shows up" Max said. "I won't let you down, Bat-Max" "Now we just have to find Nathan's room..." She said and looked around. "Room 111" I said and walked towards it. "How do you know that?" Max asked. "I used to date him!" I said and walked to the right door.
I pressed the handle down, but it was locked. "Locked" I said. Max looked around, then grabbed a fire extinguisher and smashed the lock. "Now it's open" She said, put it down and entered the room. "You've been hanging out too much with Chloe" I said while I followed her in. "Holy shit..." I said, shocked by his room and how it changed in the two years. "You can say that again" She said "But let's focus on finding that phone" She said and I nod and started looking.
After a while I noticed something on the floor "Max, can you give me a hand?" I asked and together we pulled the couch away from the wall. "Yes, little phone, you are mine now" Max said and I pushed the couch back. She was holding Nathan's phone in her hand. "Let's get the hell out of here" She said and I agreed. Together we hurried back to Chloe.
