Trace

Chapter 8

~~~Ellie~~~

"Shit, you look like a girl."

"Get out."

My sister snickers and saunters back out into the hall. Bitch much. I turn back to my mirror and try to recognize the person staring back. Her boobs are hoisted up towards her chin, her waist is cinched by some hybrid material of spandex and cloth, and her thighs have never made such an appearance. She turns and lo and behold, she has an ass. Her hair is poofed and curled every which way, but more importantly, her face has become a mask. It's this magic called contouring. So this is why Kim Kardashian isn't human.

"Ellie, Jude is here!"

"Shit," I secure a final bobby pin and take a step back. This is as good as it's gonna get.

I slip on my swing-from-a-pole heels, take a deep breath, and arrive downstairs where Jude is small-talking with my mother and dad is fiddling with the camera. They turn in unison and immediately my dad snaps a photo.

"Christ!" I cringe from the flash and cover my eyes.

"Take it outside! The lighting!" Mom slaps him on the hand.

Jude comes over, an awkward smile with shocked eyes as he scans my appearance.

"You look-"

"I can sort of breathe," I exhale.

"-stunning," Jude grins and wraps a hand around my waist.

I flush slightly, I don't really know why. We wait until my parents have satisfied their photo quota - I even took a picture in front of the hedges to satisfy them. They shoo us outside as the rest of our friends show up and the photo ritual continues until finally, we've been carted off and in one way or another, we end up on a boat. It's dank on deck but it's luxury and if you don't mind the humidity, the view of Manhattan is worth it.

I stand against the railing and watch the lights of the city gleam against the milky night sky. There's music and coconut shrimp on the lower deck, but I'm not willing to risk my digestive track. I'm beginning to see a trend in me being alone to ponder profound crap. My friends stayed below to dance with their boyfriends and Jude has disappeared. I asked him to stay with me, but somewhere between Cupid Shuffle and the french fries, he vanished.

"Shh, don't be too loud!"

"Fuck, I don't care, bruh-"

"Mrs. Doley is gonna come up here!"

"Let the fat cow catch me, pass it to me."

I edge away from the railing to the corner of the wall, peering around the side to where a group of boys stand. They're far from the staircase, all huddled in suits and ties with flushed cheeks. I squint as one of them passes a crumby, metallic flask from hand to hand, and suddenly Jude's face flashes from the bunch. I step out as he grabs hold of the flask, glances rather nervously around himself, and takes a quick swig before scrunching his nose in disgust.

"Doley never saw me come in with it!" Some asshole named Nick chuckles.

Jude laughs with the rest of them and licks his lips, his hands fidgeting at his sides. The group disperses as suddenly another teacher comes out to the top deck. Nick swipes the flask and all too quickly shoves it into the inner breast pocket of Jude's jacket. Jude smacks away the controlling hands and the boys adjust themselves as Mr. Conkling marches over.

"What are you all doing up here?"

"Enjoying the view," Nick states - even his hair is slimy.

"How long have you been up here," Mr. Conkling's gaze zeroes in on every anxious head. They have to be pissing themselves.