From Geek to Beast

Part 7

The drive to the high school was filled with a quiet tension. Allison sat in the passenger seat, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She had tried to shake off the unease that had settled deep in her chest, but it was hard to ignore. Leah hadn't seen her since the transformation, and Allison wasn't sure how she was going to react.

Her mom, in the driver's seat, hummed softly to the radio, oblivious to the storm of nerves brewing in Allison's stomach. It wasn't that Allison was afraid of what Leah would think; it was more the fact that she didn't know how her sister would see her now. Would Leah even recognize her? Would she notice the changes that had reshaped Allison into someone completely new?

Allison had spent most of her life trying to blend into the background, a shadow to her outgoing, popular sister. Leah had always been the one who drew attention, the one everyone noticed—she was beautiful, confident, and effortlessly popular. Allison had been the awkward, overlooked one, the girl who hid behind baggy clothes and a shy smile. Now, it was like the scales had tipped completely, and she wasn't sure how Leah would handle the change.

As they pulled up to the school, Allison's nerves only grew. She glanced over at her mom. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Her mom smiled reassuringly. "It's fine, honey. Leah won't bite."

Allison couldn't help but let out a small laugh, though it didn't ease the knot in her stomach. She waited as her mom parked the car, her thoughts swirling with possibilities. Maybe Leah would be excited for her. Maybe she would be jealous. Maybe she wouldn't even care.

The school bell rang, and students began streaming out of the main doors. Allison's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for her sister's familiar blonde hair. After a few moments, she spotted her—Leah was chatting with her friends, her laughter ringing out over the other voices. She looked the same as always—flawless, confident, the girl who seemed to have it all.

When Leah finally spotted the car, she broke away from her friends and started walking toward them, a smile lighting up her face. But when she reached the window and looked inside, her smile faltered. She blinked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Mom? Allison?" Her voice was uncertain, as if she hadn't quite processed what she was seeing. "What the heck happened to you?"

Allison opened the door and stepped out, her heart pounding. She felt like she was standing before a mirror, waiting for her reflection to acknowledge that this new version of her was real. Leah's eyes swept over her from head to toe, and for a long moment, there was complete silence.

Allison shifted awkwardly, tugging at her sleeves. She hadn't expected Leah to react like this. She had prepared herself for everything—the confusion, the surprise—but seeing her sister so speechless left her feeling exposed, like she was standing in the middle of the school parking lot with no defense.

Leah blinked again, her expression flickering between surprise and disbelief. "Are you... Are you serious?" she finally asked, her voice rising in pitch.

Allison nodded, unsure what to say. "Yeah... this is me now."

Leah's eyes raked over her again, and for a second, Allison felt self-conscious under the scrutiny. She had spent so many years trying to hide herself, to blend into the background, but now Leah was seeing her in a completely new light. It was like she wasn't even the same person anymore.

"Well..." Leah let out a low whistle, stepping back as if to get a better view. "This is... something." She eyed Allison's outfit—a simple fitted shirt and jeans that hugged her new frame in ways that made her feel exposed, but at the same time, confident.

"Do you like it?" Allison asked cautiously, her voice small.

Leah seemed to snap out of her daze and smiled, though there was something strange about the smile, like she wasn't sure if she should be happy for her or jealous. "It's... weird. You look different, that's for sure. I mean, look at you! You've got, like, a whole new body. But it's... kind of nice. You look more, uh, put together." She seemed to pause before adding, "And I guess it's not a bad thing. You're just not... the Allison I remember."

Allison wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult. She looked over at her mom, who was smiling encouragingly, her hand resting on the steering wheel.

"It's fine, sweetheart," her mom said. "Leah's just shocked. She didn't expect you to change so much. But you look great."

Leah raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I didn't know she had it in her," she muttered, though it wasn't entirely unkind.

Allison bit her lip, trying to decide if she was hurt or relieved. She wanted Leah to be excited for her, but she wasn't sure if that was realistic. For years, Leah had been the pretty, popular one, and Allison had always been the sidekick. Could they both be different now?

"Well, let's not stand here all day." Her mom smiled, putting the car in drive. "We've got a shopping trip to finish. You girls need some new clothes."

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. As they made their way through the mall, Leah's attitude slowly warmed up. She seemed less surprised by Allison's transformation, and more intrigued. She didn't say much at first, but she did start picking out clothes for her sister, offering suggestions on what would look good on her now. It was as if a switch had flipped, and now Leah was eager to share her knowledge of fashion with Allison.

"So, you know, you should definitely try a leather jacket," Leah said as they passed a store. "It'll make you look edgy."

Allison laughed nervously. "I don't think that's really me."

Leah gave her a sideways glance. "You'd be surprised. You're different now, Ally. You should try new things."

It was the first time Leah had really addressed the change with any sense of excitement, and Allison found herself warming up to the idea. Maybe this new version of herself didn't need to be so scary. Maybe it could be fun.

They spent the rest of the afternoon trying on clothes, chatting and laughing together more than they had in a long time. Allison still didn't fully understand her transformation, but she began to realize that maybe it didn't matter. She was different now—and perhaps it was time to embrace it.