How to be Visible

Chapter 20

I twisted and turned on my bed as I tried to sleep. Did I say tried? I meant tried.

I was trying but sleep was not coming!! I kept thinking about yesterday.

Why would I be framed? Why me? What did I do to deserve this?

I just couldn't lay still. Every single noise drew my attention. I finally decided to get up and call Jessica. She picked on the second call.

"Why in the world would you call someone when its this late in the night?" She croaked from the other end.

"Technically, its one in the morning, so I'm calling early." I shrugged, even though I knew that she wouldn't see it.

"What do you want Ri?" Jess asked me in a tired tone.

"I can't sleep. Having a killer headache. Every thing irritates me!" I gave her a brief description of my sleeplessness.

"Let me guess. It has something to do with you being framed yesterday?" She sighed heavily at the end of her question.

"Yeah. It does. Also I am bothered about how I'd come into school on Monday knowing fully well that everyone isn't going to look at me the same way anymore. There's this deep hurt inside my chest. I'm still wondering why Brittney would humiliate me and tarnish my image over something so trivial. I honestly don't think I can even come to school." I looked at my legs to find a drop of water on my pyjamas. That was when I realised I was already crying.

"You're not thinking of persuading your parents to relocate or to change your school are you? Don't even tell your mom about any of this. She doesn't need to know." She hissed on the phone and took a deep breath.

"Rita, you and I both know that you did not do it. You can't be scared to go back to school over something like this. Many people cheat, get caught, get punished and after a while it fades." She tried to explain.

"Well not all of them are left standing alone in the hallway when their 'friends' abandon them during that sensitive moment. You don't know how I feel Jess." I picked up my huge teddy bear and played with the ears.

"Those people are not your friends. You are making a big deal out of this. Your real friends showed up didn't they? Okay, this is what we're going to do. Since we already know that you'll be the center of attention, let's give them something to look at." She said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, cleaning my eyes with my left hand and sniffing

"Your birthday is next week Thursday isn't it?" She queried.

"Yeah but how does that relate to any of this." I scratched my head.

"Since your dad promised to get you a sweet ride for your birthday, there will be no harm in asking him to give it to you as an early birthday present. Today, Delphine and I are going to give you an epic makeover, no one would even recognize you because you're going to be so badass. Imagine this, driving into griddle high with a deep purple Lamborghini and strutting into the halls in a waist length black hair, you've always wanted to die your hair black, some dark makeup, killer boots and an awesome outfit. They'd be too busy trying to figure out who you are or how you transformed that they'd forget about yesterday." She explained.

What did she think my life was? A cheesy cliche highschool drama?

"Woah Woah Woah, slow down. Who told you my dad is ready to cough up some money to buy me a Lamborghini on such short notice?" I asked because the entire idea seemed bizarre and over the top. Scratch that. It was bizarre and over the top.

"You're parents are practically millionaires!" She exclaimed.

"Oh I didn't know that captain obvious. What makes you think that they'd buy me a Lamborghini when they own Toyota cars?" I dropped my teddy bear and sat straighter in my bed.