Revealed

99. Solane

There's only an hour left before graduation. I had already sorted out my dilemma with the principal. He's giving me an extra week to take my finals and decided that after all I've been through, he would still let me walk.

The girls are excited for me, even Jeremy.

Melissa and I are finishing up our makeup as Sharon sprays fragrance mist over herself and Stella slips into a gorgeous maroon high low dress.

"Stella!? I burned that! How do you have it?!" Melissa yells.

"You can't really burn something that's not yours. Especially if you haven't paid for it. Which I did."

"You know what, whatever. I'll let it slide this time. But only because when we go to the after party, I don't know you and you don't know me."

"Okay...?"

"Wait... after party?", Sharon asks in concern.

Melissa's head shoots to Sharon. "Of course! There are gonna be soooo many hot guys and dancing and underage drinking!" She rests her head on her shoulder while smiling softly and daydreaming about her magical night.

"Which we will not be participating in." I caution her before looking over at Sharon and confirming. "We are not gonna be drinking."

She had complete shock across her face, like she had not expected this.

"Speak for yourself, princess. I'm trying to get druunnnk!" Melissa mocks the physical effects of drinking while pretending her contour brush is a shot glass.

"I was actually just thinking of spending the night with... Faine.... If that's okay...?" Sharon mumbles in a medium tone.
"Hey, don't rip off his clothes so vigorously now." Mel laughs in a fake british accent.

I nudge her elbow. "Okay, seriously, you need to stop."

She straightens herself up with an angry frown on her face before continuing to blend her makeup quietly.

All my attention is back on Sharon. I lift an eyebrow to tell her to say whatever she said again because I didn't hear what she muttered.

She opens her mouth to speak but then shakes her head down and quickly places the mist she used on the closest surface. "I just have to use the bathroom. I'll be right back." She wastes no time leaving the room as fast as she can.

I watch as she speeds out of the room. Melissa continues to blend her makeup with no care. I roll my eyes.

"Soooo... how's everything with with Jeremy going?", Stella asks me while taking the fragrance Sharon had put down and showering herself in it.

"Really great actually." I bite my lip at the thought of him. "I really love him, guys. He makes me feel like a better me. I can never stop smiling around him." My cheeks are very noticeably stained with red, which rarely ever happens due to my warm brown skin.

"Gross." Melissa whispers while rolling her eyes, completely shattering my mood.

I throw the beauty blender on the dresser table. It bounces off of multiple surfaces until it comes to a halt on the floor. I shoot up out of the stool I'm sitting on.

"Melissa, what the hell is wrong with you? What is your problem? Why are you acting out right now?"

Melissa mimics my actions with her blending brush, which doesn't fall on the floor but instead onto her seat.

"I'm just trying to enjoy the first day of the rest of my life."

"By being a bitch to me and my sister?"

Melissa's hands make a tight fist as she grits her teeth. It seems as if she's holding herself back from saying something she would deeply regret.

It takes her a minute, but she eventually takes a deep breath, releasing her grip, and slowly picks up her brush sits back down to look up at me.

"I'm sorry, okay? It just seems like everything always is in your favor. And honestly," She pauses. Stella makes her way next to me and we both listen. "I get jealous..."

"Mel.."

"No. You have everything I want. You have the excitement. You have the opportunities. You even got the guy. It's like you're living in this.. Fantasy world.. Where there's always a happy ending. Next year, you're going to be up in an IVY League college making new friends and being successful in life, while I'm gonna just be here. With nothing..."

Stella bends down to give Melissa a tight hug.

"Girl, are you serious? I wish I had YOUR life. You're so adventurous and bold. I can't do that. My confidence level is trash."

I join in on the hug. "Guys, I wish I had qualities from you both. Stella, you're so smart and beautiful and humble. And Melissa, like she said, you have the confidence to just up off a cliff without thinking twice about it." I link my hands in hers.

"I don't want you to feel like that. You are not inferior to me."

"What happened to Jayden though? We never even asked about how it went when you guys met up," Stella points out.

"Actually, she told me about how it went the day I went missing. I thought you said he really liked you."

Melissa wipes a tear from her face. "He and his friends made a bet on me. It was never real. Thank God I found out about it before we got down and dirty and he won the bet."

I trap her in a tight hug and Stella adds onto the pressure with another one.

"Aw babe, why didn't you tell us?"

"Everyone was too busy looking for you. I didn't want to be that selfish bitch who was thinking about her love life as her best friend got kidnapped and could have been dead for all I knew."

Stella picks up a sharpened eyebrow pencil from the dresser and grits her teeth. "I am going to KILL him."

Just as Sharon walks back into the room, Stella storms out yelling about how convenient is is that we're going to see him today because of graduation.

I hold Melissa's hands in mine. "I don't want you to feel any type of jealousy or envy, okay? We are going to walk down that stage together and slay everyone's life. And after that, we're going to a party and we're gonna stay up all night and enjoy the first day of the rest of our lives the RIGHT way."

Melissa sniffs and gives me hug which I return with all sincerity.

"You're my best friend and I love you."

"I love you too, Sol."

"And trust me, your perfect dream guy is out there feeling the same way you are because he's also so frustrated that he can't find you. But don't stress, the universe always brings true love together."

"You're so cheesy, I love you."

"Aww that's adorable. I may even forget that rude comment you said to me like 5 minutes ago." Sharon looks like she's trying hard to keep her laugh in her mouth.

Melissa lets go of me and rubs the back of her neck nervously.

"Yeah... about that..."

"It's okay. I forgive you."

We all laugh. Then, something crosses my mind.

"Guys. I just thought of something. I never went to any graduation practices. How am I gonna know what to do?" My breathing becomes more heavy.

"Solie, all you have to do is walk down the stage, shake the Chancellor's hand, grab your certificate, look pretty and leave. I'm sure you'll be fine." Melissa laughs.

I take a deep breath and we all finish getting ready.