In The Rain

Chapter 15

"Leigh-Anne! I thought you said you weren't coming." Perrie ran up to Leigh near the school's entrance in an angel costume. Jade was at her side dressed like a ladybug.

Leigh startled when they came right up to her. She was in front of the school gate. It was Friday the day of Halloween and the hour was four-thirty. She smiled. "Oh I'm not staying." She moved some of her flying hair from out of her face. Wind was blowing and she had her hair loose.

Jade smiled at Leigh's hair. "It looks nice that way. Why do you always have it tied down at school?" She wanted to touch it but she was too busy examining Leigh's body for bruises. The girl was wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Her arms were clear of injury but nothing else was revealed for examining.

Leigh-Anne smiled and brushed more hair away. "You can see why can't you?" She giggled with them. "You guys look so cute in your costumes. Aww. If I had a phone I would take a picture." She watched how Perrie's lip gloss sparkled like silver and matched with the bit of silver in her angel dress. The blonde's eyes reflected the colours and they looked gorgeous. Jade's red and black made her brown eyes pop and her little dress fit her well.

"Thank you." They both said before twirling. "What are you dressed as? A pretty girl?" Perrie asked. She eyed Leigh's T-shirt. It had a smiling, fluffy, cartoon puppy saying 'Hug Me' on it. She hugged Leigh and sniffed her. "You always smell so pretty and sweet."

"Thank you Perrie." Leigh giggled and then wiped some of the glitter that Perrie left off. The two of them looked so adorable that it was not even funny.

"Where's your costume for real though?" Throughout the week everyone had been trying to get Leigh's reason for not coming out of her but she refused to tell them. Lilly had come up with the final analysis that Leigh was afraid of dressing up in a way that would reveal any bruises as well as afraid of her mother. Everyone agreed. Seeing her now made Jade wonder what was going on. Why wasn't she dressed in costume?

Andre called to them from where he and his friends were entering and the girls waved. He then came running up to them. He was dressed as a football player. "You girls look nice." He said to Jade and Perrie. "You look nice too Leigh, even though you're not in costume." He liked how her necklace enhanced her beauty. It was shimmering gold and he noticed that she wore it all the time. To him, she shined brighter than it though. That was so cheesy.

"Thank you Andre." The girls said.

Jade was still waiting for a response.

"I'm going to put it on at a friend's house. I'm going to a different dance okay?" Leigh-Anne had a big bag over her shoulder which contained her and Jesy's costumes as well as the candy that she and Sairah had bought for Jesy and her siblings.

"What?" The three kids asked.

Andre did not like the way that sounded. "You're going to a dance with a different boy?" That stung.

"Your mum gave you permission right? If you disobey her then she might hit you Leigh." Perrie said with fear.

Leigh shook her head at them both. "Not a boy and I got permission Perrie. My mum was the one who dropped me over here."

Perrie started looking for the lady. "Where is she?" She held Jade's arm for she was afraid of what that lady could do.

Jade rubbed Perrie's arm. "Why didn't you just invite your friend to our dance?"

"She seemed really excited to go to hers." Leigh adjusted the heavy bag on her shoulder. "Have fun alright guys? I've got to run." She waved and started heading off. "Wait, if you guys are here at nine and my mum comes by and she doesn't see me, tell her that I'm in the washroom and I'll be a while. Let her know that I'm really busy okay?"