Hiding Behind A Mask | ✔

C H A P T E R S I X T E E N (part 2)

"Hey, Annie! What a surprise to see you here because I didn't see you last time at our 8th-grade dance... so I guessed you wouldn't make it this year, but here you are!" Sandra says to me in a fake tone and I internally scowl at her in great disgust. She's wearing a long, off the shoulder, red dress that has a split at the side. She's also wearing black heels, and to add more to her outfit, she's wearing a tiara that - I'm not going to lie - looks amazing.

"Oh, hi, Sandra! It's such a surprise to see you, too!" I say with sarcasm dripping from my tone. I can see the plain scowl on her face, and I want to scowl back, but I keep my expression as neutral as possible. "Yes, I'm here!"

Before replying to me, she looks at Lindsey, who doesn't look at her and walks away from next to her and somewhere behind me. I don't look back, I keep staring at Sandra. "Well, it's really nice seeing you here. I actually wanted to apologize..." she says to me with a small pout on her face.

I smirk. "Oh, really? Let me hear it!" I say fakely, totally not buying it.

"I'm sorry for being so mean to you back in middle school and now, in high school. I was just so... jealous of you and all that stuff. And now, seeing you here, I just want us to be friends again. Please accept my apology!" she says to me and I can see her pleading with her eyes.

Okay, first of all, the "jealous" part sounds just about right. Second of all, she sounded way too needy. She never sounds needy. And third of all, when she exclaimed for me to accept her apology, right then, I know she's lying and is up to something.

"Nope," I tell her, popping the p. I can feel a looming figure appearing behind me and quickly, I step out of the way.

The looming figure turns out to be Lindsey as she spills the bowl of punch onto the spot I was standing at. Sandra screams as some of the punch splashes onto her. There's juice soaking into her dress and there's also some of it on her arms, feet, and face-- ruining her make-up.

"Oh... my gosh..." Sandra says, looking down at herself in terror. She looks up at Lindsey who backs away, then she looks at everyone, including the DJ who has stopped the music.

I smile, happy that I've stepped out of the way just in time, knowing that something like this would happen.

Sandra's eyes stop scanning the crowd of freshmen as her eyes land on me. "I hate you," she tells me and I just shrug my shoulders, walking away from the scene.

~ ~ ~

"Annie," Chance says, walking over to me.

"Hey," I say, holding a vanilla cupcake that I've bitten into in my hand.

"Sorry, it took me so long to come back. I just had a long talk with my best bro. I missed talking to him," he tells me and I smile at him, happy that he's talking to Chad again.

"It's okay, but you totally missed something very exciting and I know you would've loved to see it," I tell him with a bit of humor and sarcasm in my tone and one of his eyebrows arch upward, telling me that he'd like to hear all about it. I go over everything that has happened with Sandra and her girls during his absence and I watch as his eyes widen in surprise.

"How did you know Lindsey was right behind you?" he asks me.

"I guess I had my suspicions by the way Sandra was looking at her before she left, and also when she walked behind me, I kind of came to my senses, knowing what's up," I answer his question with a small smirk on my face.

"Well..." he reaches out to hold my hand, pulling me from my spot and towards the crowd. I frown when I notice that my unfinished cupcake has fallen to the floor. "I would like to dance with you, Annie."