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Nicole seemed like she hadn’t showered in a few days. I peeled off her shapeless jumper and shirt, and jumped out of her old sweatpants. Underneath, she had a nice figure, about the same height as me, and very slim. I stepped into the shower and sighed in pleasure as the hot water seeped through my hair, and onto my scalp. As the water made its way down my body, I suddenly felt my wrists stinging in pain. Looking down, I realised the red marks on her wrists were new, a day or two old.
What sort of person would cut herself, I murmured to myself as I frowned.
I lathered her hair thoroughly, and scrubbed at her body until I felt the dead skin cells rubbing off. Finally, when I stepped out of the shower, dried up and glanced in the mirror again, she looked much better and livelier. Draping the towel around me, I walked back towards the bedroom. The house seemed eerily quiet, and no one appeared to be home. I crinkled my nose in disgust as I rummaged my way through her wardrobe, unable to find a decent piece of clothing. Grabbing a dark blue fleece and some black jeans, I quickly slipped it on.
This girl is seriously deprived. She doesn’t even know where to shop! I scoffed as I rolled up the curtains in her room. Finally managing to take a good look around, I saw that her bed wasn’t made, her books were scattered on the floor and everything was a mess.
I grabbed her sling messenger bag off her small desk, dumped all the things she had in there on the floor, stuffed the phone Sched gave me into a pocket and swung it across her body. I stepped out of the house, and made my way towards the mall. I was half-way there when I realized I had no money.
“Shit,” I mumbled as I slipped my hand into her bag to check. There was nothing. Running a hand through her newly washed hair, I saw a familiar building. I was in my neighbourhood.
An idea struck me as a grin appeared on my face. I ran towards my house, and stopped at the front door. I reached for the key in the secret alcove, and my fingers fumbled around, finding nothing. Cursing, I remembered I had used it after sneaking back from a party the previous week. I crept to the back, hoping my parents were still at the hospital and I let myself in via the back door. The house was cool and everything was neat like usual. I climbed up to my room on the top floor and let myself in. My credit cards were with me when I crashed. I didn’t keep lots of cash with me because I mainly used my credit cards. Sliding a drawer open, I found a small amount of pocket money tucked in. Counting it quickly, it reached $500; just enough for a selection of make-up and maybe a few pieces of clothing.
I was about to leave my room when I heard the familiar click of the front door opening. I froze, with my hand on the door handle. I heard my parents’ muffled voices and a brief silence before there were heels clacking loudly up the stairs.
“I’ll get some of Zo’s clothes and things. Jim, you should fetch some of her favourite cookies for her!” my mother’s voice sounded odd, and it cracked in the middle of her sentence.
“Crap. Crap. Crap,” I muttered as I ran around nervously, trying to find a good spot to hide. I ducked behind the pink couch in the corner of my room, and just in time. The door was pushed open and I smelt the lavender perfume my mother adored. Quiet sobs reached my ears as she moved around, collecting my things. I wanted to leap out and suddenly hug her, and tell her I was still alive in a way, but Sched’s words rang in my ears. I peeked at her, and my heart lurched as I saw Nicole’s bag hanging of a chair. I prayed she wouldn’t notice or touch it. She walked towards the bag, but broke down in tears before she saw it, clutching a photo frame of my friends and I. She had taken a few plushies I kept in my room and some photos too. My heart broke as I saw my father stride in, and gather her into his arms once more, before leading her out of my room. He shut the door behind him with a firm click.
My heart was pounding and I could feel my head throbbing too. I slipped her bag back onto my shoulders and waited until I heard the front door close again. Making my way downstairs, I glanced around longingly at the house, before shaking my head and leaving quietly via the back door again.
I arrived at the mall in low spirits. The scent of coffee and leather didn’t cheer me up either. Walking towards my favourite make-up shop, I noticed the sale banner on the window.
Perfect, I thought as I entered. I browsed through the brightly lit shop, and picked up practically one of each on the shelves. The make-up used up about $200, and I had another $300 to use. I bought a few tight shirts, a jacket, a pair of shorts and a pair of black ankle boots.
Satisfied, I slowly made my way back to Nicole’s house. I dropped the things in the corner of her room, and sat down on her bed in a daze. I retrieved the make-up bag, and walked into the bathroom down the hall. I quickly applied a light layer of foundation before continuing to line her eyes expertly with liquid eyeliner and glossed up her dried lips. Dabbing the mascara onto her eyelashes, it pulled them out to its full length. I stepped back and inspected at my handiwork, pleased. She looked like a completely different person. The black contrasted with her grey eyes and the slight blush I had brushed on accentuated her cheekbones. I grinned, and the girl in the mirror’s lips curved up in a pretty smile.
The door opened and a man walked in, he was middle-aged and had the same black hair as Nicole. He didn’t greet her, and made his way into the kitchen straight away.
“Nicole! Get down here immediately!” he yelled and I jumped at the sudden noise. I wasn’t sure how Nicole acted around him, but they looked similar so I guessed they were related.
I walked down the stairs, hoping he wouldn’t notice anything different.
“Hi! What’s wrong?” I smiled brightly at him.
He turned to look at me with an annoyed expression before his eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“Are you smiling at me? And is that make-up? Are you sick?” he asked shocked.
I immediately wiped the smile off my face. Nicole probably didn’t smile that often.
“Nope. I’m not sick,” I said with a straight face, “I decided to give make-up a try since everyone at school wears it.”
He frowned, “Well, I don’t have time to argue with you today. Make sure you’re at Michalando High by 8am tomorrow. I had to bribe them with the money your father left since no other schools want you anymore. If you skip another day of school, I’ll take all the money your parents left since I’m your legal guardian. Understood?”
My head jerked up at the mention of my school. “I’m going to Michalando?”
“Yes, I told you yesterday, don’t you remember? You probably weren’t listening,” he sighed, looking weary. I eyes wandered around the small kitchen we were standing in, the clock got my attention and I saw it was nearly 6pm.
I whirled around and bolted up the stairs, scared of leaving Nicole’s body in his presence. I felt myself being pushed out just as I reached her room. I felt like I was being stretched then compressed as Nicole took possession of her body once again.
I stood next to her, my eyes wide. I watched as she pressed a finger to her lips and saw the gloss I had applied a few minutes ago. She looked confused, as a small frown made her forehead wrinkle.
“Nicole, I’m not finished talking to you!” the man yelled once more. I drifted behind Nicole as she stomped down the stairs.
“What the hell do you want!?” she screamed, standing in front of him.
“Did you hear me? I said if you don’t go to school, I’ll take away the funds your parents left you, and you can stay here forever,” his eyes narrowed, “I can and I will do it.”
“You bastard! Don’t you dare touch it! My parents left it for me, not you, you greedy, filthy moron!” she yelled, her eyes ablaze in anger. I was shocked at the way she spoke to her family member.
“Then go to school. I don’t have time to argue with you, Nicole. I need to go back home to my kids and wife. Don’t make me regret agreeing to your father’s request of looking after you,” he said quietly, his hands clenched, taking her insults with no complaint.
“Fine! I will! I’ll go to that posh private school! Just don’t touch their money. I need it to leave this god forsaken place!” she screamed, and I watched as angry tears bubbled up in my eyes, threatening to spill, “And you don’t have to come here anymore. I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself. Go back to that bitch, and your retarded children because I don’t want you here!”
He stepped forward and delivered a sharp slap to the left side of her face. She barely flinched as my eyes widened at their exchange.
“She’s your Aunt. I forbid you to use that language,” he said softly, though I heard an edge of menace to his voice, “I left some money for you to use for the rest of the week. I’ll see you next Monday.” With that, he brushed past her, grabbed up his black briefcase and slammed the door behind him.
I turned back, and saw Nicole sink to her knees, clutching at her heart as she coiled up into a ball on the floor, making choking noises. I kneeled next to her, wanting to help in some way, but not knowing what to do. She sobbed on the carpet, her tears making paths of black down her face from the eyeliner I had applied. I sat down and watched her, her sadness making me want to cry too. Her sobs eventually died away and I saw she had fallen asleep.
I stood up and moved around her house effortlessly. I felt a stab of compassion for her, after registering that both her parents were dead. I couldn’t even process the thought of losing my parents.
I came to another room down the hall from her room and saw the door was locked. The door was coated in dust and looked like it hadn’t been opened in a long time. There was another empty room down the hall, and held many cardboard boxes. I realised I couldn’t leave the house and so I drifted back down the stairs and sat beside Nicole. She whimpered as she slept and her fingers twitched too, like she wanted to grab onto something. I leant against the wall, and drifted off to sleep too.
I woke up to a thudding sound above my head. Standing up, I noticed that Nicole was no longer on the floor. There were patches of black on the carpet as I passed by to make my way to her room. I slipped in through the slightly ajar door. She had found my bags of make-up. I gasped in horror when I saw that the make-up bags were empty. Luckily, I had hung up the shirts I had gotten straight away or otherwise she would have thrown them away too. Quickly checking the clock on her wall, and saw that it was past 6am, I slipped into her body once more.
The strange feeling didn’t bother me anymore as I settled into her body. I rinsed her face, and scrubbed off the make-up she had failed to wash off the day before. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and I pressed a cold towel to them. Dressing in the clothes I had bought the day before, Nicole looked much better. The shirt showed off her slim waist and the shorts emphasised her long tanned legs. Wearing no make-up, however, made me feel odd, like I was missing something, but I quickly forgot that as I stepped out of her house. The phone Sched had given me was in my back pocket and I made my way to the closest bus stop. Fortunately, the bus number that passed my school was on the list.
I boarded the public bus when it came a few minutes after and paid the bus driver the fare. Making my way down the bus, I sat on the first empty seat I saw. I took off Nicole’s messenger bag and placed it in my lap.
The bus lurched off and I sighed, rubbing my neck.
“Excuse me,” a familiar low voice spoke next to me. I glanced up startled and found myself staring at a pair of violet eyes. He was attempting to stand up.
“Y-yes?” I stuttered, at the same time drinking in Ryan’s features. He looked haggard, and had dark circles under both eyes. His hair was ruffled and unkempt and I saw a sense of melancholy within those violet depths. His lips however, were quirked into that familiar crooked smile as he regarded my confusion with amusement.
“I think we should stand up,” he murmured, still smiling slightly.
“Why? It’s not our stop yet,” I stammered, trying to slow my pounding heart.
He chuckled softly, “I’m not getting up to leave.” He raised his right hand and gestured at a pregnant lady holding a young boy’s hand.
I felt my cheeks flush as I hurriedly clambered up and Ryan followed suit. The lady smiled and thanked us. I could feel Ryan’s curious eyes on me.
“How do you know what stop I get off at?” he asked quietly, standing beside me.
“Err,” I hesitated, “Y-you look like a high school student, so I figured you were getting off outside Michalando.”
“I see. Are you new?” he had a thoughtful expression on his face.
I nodded, hoping my cheeks were no longer so pink.
We stood in silence for the rest of the journey and when the bus pulled up outside our stop, he smiled a little in my direction but I noticed that it didn’t reach his eyes. “See you around, New Kid.”
With that, he strolled off towards the entrance, his backpack hanging off one shoulder.
However, my attention shifted when I noticed a familiar convertible screech to a stop. A grin spread across my face and I momentarily forgot that I wasn’t the old Zoe. Running towards Brooke and Ashley, I felt happiness bubble up inside me.
“Hey!” I smiled at them.
Ashley turned slowly before flicking her curls over her shoulder and stared at me. “Do I know you?”
I mentally cringed. “Uhh, I’m new! I’m Nicole.” I extended a pale hand in her direction.
Her hazel eyes flickered down at my hand but she made no move to return the gesture.
“Ew,” she said in reply, her gaze scrutinising my make-up free face.
I frowned, “What did you say?”
She laughed nastily. I had never noticed how her pretty face could turn so ugly all of a sudden. “Honey, are you lost? Or are you stalking me?”
I blinked in surprise as she didn’t bother waiting for a response before strutting off with Brooke next to her.
Maybe she was upset over my accident, I thought to myself as I made my way towards the front entrance. Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the doorway. No-one spared me a second glance as if I didn’t exist. I was no longer Queen Bee. I was Loser New Kid now.
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