Shift

Chapter 8

Shift POV

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The next morning I wake up unnecessarily early to get ready. I brush my hair till it feels like silk, but put it up in its usual high ponytail. I wear a pair of colored contacts so both my eyes are brown. I put on eyeliner to make them look bigger and the eyelashes darker. Then I put on the school uniform that Venus dropped off last night. It's a dress. I hate dresses with a burning passion. I literally want to burn it.

The dress is gray with short sleeves and a pleated skirt. The edges are black and so is the ribbon that goes around the waist. The dress is form-fitting, and I am sad to see I still have no curves. Other than that it looks pretty good on me, but I feel ridiculous wearing it.

Ready, I leave, grabbing a granola bar on the way out. A few seconds after I get outside a black limo pulls up to the building. I get in, and Beth hands me a blue backpack. It's heavy with notebooks, binders, and anything else I might need.

"Is the limo really necessary?" I ask, smiling.

"I like it. So yes, it is necessary," she says.

The drive to the school is about ten minutes. During these ten minutes she shows me my schedule. She pulled a few strings to get me in all the same classes as her. The only class I won't have with her will be gym. She has an art class during that time. It's a relief I don't take the class because I can't draw, or paint, or do anything artsy. I can draw stick people and that's about it.

When we walk into school I am noticed quickly. I guess they don't get a lot of new students. I can't say I'm surprised. A group of girls walks over to us. One girl walks slightly in front of them, the leader of the group. She has strawberry blond hair in a braid, a fancy purse hanging on her shoulder, and tall black high heels. How do people even walk in those?

Beth glares at her, "That's Shelby. She's only half human. The other half is 20% plastic and 30% demon from hell."

I laugh at her description. "Who are the other girls?"

"I don't know their names," Beth says, taking papers out of her locker. "They're probably Shelby's clones."

"Hmm, clones. Maybe it's a superpower." I'm just joking, but it could be true. Who knows?

The group stops walking and looks at me. Shelby smiles sweetly. Sickeningly sweet, like the overpowering scent of perfume that suddenly hits me like a brick wall. I think I might be getting cavities. I force a small smile.

"What's your name?" She asks.

I start to panic. I didn't think of a name! I can't just tell her my name is Shift. Yeah, and I'm a wanted supervillain. Haha, no.

"I'm Mavis."

"Oh," she doesn't look at me while talking. Instead she's busy filing her nails. "So what do your parents do for a living?"

Fight supervillains. "They're actors."

I think the lie is fitting considering that the whole thing is an act. Wow this is so much fun. My smile is no longer forced. I have to stop myself from smiling too much so it doesn't seem suspicious.

Her eyebrows lift slightly and she looks at me for a moment. Then she takes some makeup from her purse and cakes her face. She finishes the look with bright pink lip gloss. I can smell the fake cherry scent from here.

"Are they in any movies?"

Usually on the news. "Sure."

"Cool," she puts her makeup away and waves with a manicured hand. "Bye."

I wait till she's out of sight to burst out laughing. Beth looks at me in awe. "Wow, you're great at this."

"Thanks."

We get our things and then walk to the next class. I can already feel the growing sense of dread. I'm hardly a good student. There's a reason I didn't go to college (other than my successful supervillain tirade). The rest of the day is going to be awful. Why did I agree to this? Curse you Beth! Both you and your adorable puppy eyes!