Unedited

Eeeeeeee okay uhm I just wanted to add that I changed the cover, obviously, and I'm not a huge fan of it which is why I'm probably going to change it again as soon as I get the chance because I kind of didn't think if through anyways enjoy the chapter and I'll shut up now

The next morning, I wake up feeling unmotivated to do anything other than laying in my bed and staring at the ceiling. But of course, I'm never going to get away with that. Especially when I have an important photoshoot to attend.

"AVALINE!"

My door bangs open and I spring up, but it's just my mother. My mother who looks downright furious. Of course she does. After I told her the news last night, she stayed up for hours, scrolling through Instagram and replying to messages. I heard her wake up a while ago and she began yelling into the phone not more than ten minutes after. I suppose she has a right to be angry. After all, it's all my fault. If I hadn't told Hannah about what Skyler had accidentally done, she never would've spread my secret everywhere.

"Hi, Mom," I say wearily. I reach over and pick my phone up off of my nightstand, but I'm too scared to open it, so I just hold onto it instead, my knuckles turning white from my tight grip as I watch my mother.

"We're leaving in one hour," my mother snaps, scanning my room. Her eyes land on a framed picture of Skyler and me in the corner and her eyes narrow. At first, I think she's going to start venting about Skyler, but alas, that's not the case.

"You stupid girl!" my mother cries. "You had a connection that was truly beautiful, unlike you, and you broke it off for what? Pride?" She scoffs. "Idiot," I hear her mutter under her breath as she storms out of my room.

My mouth drops open. Was that really why I was friends with Skyler? Because she was a connection? And was I really that ugly?

Sighing, I force myself out of bed and make my way into my bathroom, where I step in front of the full-length mirror and look myself over. Maybe I am that ugly without my wig. My hair is frizzy. My lashes are short. My skin is dull. Could this be why Skyler decided to end our friendship? Not because she was mad, but because I'm too ugly?

I force the thought out of my head as I turn to the mirror and begin getting ready for the day. And here I thought I was pretty, even without my wig. I should've known better.

I quickly dress in jeans and a top, then pull on my slightly messy wig, pop in a pair of colored contacts--which takes forever, as my hands shake a ridiculous amount--and do my makeup. Once I'm finally ready, I pull out my phone and punch in '2' for Hannah, ignoring the overflow of notifications crowding my screen.

"Avaline? Are you ready?" Hannah's voice asks from the other side. I hear a little bit of a shake in her words, though, and wonder briefly if she's as nervous as me.

"I'm ready," I say, fighting to keep my voice steady. I haven't been out for a while now. After my secret slipped out, Hannah and my mom both agreed to keep me at home. Hannah, because she thought it would be better for me, and my mom, because she didn't want to allow me to "humiliate the family any more" than I already had.

"All right." Hannah takes a breath. "I'll meet you there in twenty minutes, then."

"See you."

I hang up, then sit down on my bed, my hand hovering over the "check notifications" button on my phone. Just get it over with, a voice in my head tells me. I suddenly feel like I'm about to hyperventilate. What if she...what if she said it directly? What if someone found out and posted it? What if I've been fired? Shakily, I reach out my index finger and click.