Chapter Two

In this chapter: -Skylar's mom is ecstatic when she finds out she actually got a makeover -Skylar goes to school with her new makeover

 Chapter 2

^~*~^

 "How much did you spend, honey?" My mom called out when I got back home at seven.

 "A lot," I admitted, embarrassed.

 "Fork over the receipts."

 "Would you believe me if I said I threw them out?" I asked hopefully.

 "No."

 "Yeesh. Fine."

 I gave her a wad of receipts.

 "Two fifty for your hair?"

 I winced.
 
 "Three hundred at the spa?!"

 I cringed.

 "Five hundred for clothes?!?"

 "One fifty for make-up and perfume?!?!"
 
 I smiled weakly.

 "SKYLAR ADAMS!" My mother shouted.

 Eep.

 "Yes?" I asked meekly.

 "I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, BABY!"

 "I know I should've been more responsible and I--" I said at the same time she screamed.

 Wait.

 "What did you say?"

 My mom squealed and hugged me tightly.

 I was still in shock.

 "Gah?" I choked out.

 "I was so worried that you were a defunct girl. You never showed interest in anything remotely girly. Finally. Finally. Finally!"

 "Goo?"

 "Honey, you look gorgeous," she complimented me.

 "Gee. I don't know what to say," I said, blushing. I'd regained my ability to speak without making baby gurgles.

 "I finally have a shopping partner!" My mom smiled and did this weird little dance.

 "Er...  I'd best be on my way now," I said, backing away.

 "Stop!"

 "What is it, mom?"

 "Just don't spend that much every single time, okay?"

 "Mom, I am not a retard."

 "Are you sure? Because I was under the impression that you were."

 "Shut up."

 "Don't you use that tone with me, young lady!"

 "Mom, piss off. Seriously."

 "Fine. Remember to do your Chinese work!"

 I grumbled all the way up the stairs.

^~*~^

 My family lived in a mansion. It didn't have that many rooms for a mansion, but it was very open and spacey. Some houses looked and felt closed in and made you feel trapped, but mine made you feel like flying.

 The best part of my house, other than my room, was the big skylight in the foyer. You took a few paces into the house and you would automatically look up. It stretched up for three floors and through the roof. When I was little, I thought that the skylight was actually just a hole. I felt that I reach up and touch the sky if I climbed to the top...

 Hence the zigzag scar that ran down from my thigh to my ankle.

 Hey! I was a curious child, alright?

 I went to my bedroom. It was just amazing. Abstract, random, classy and artsy. It fit all together like a puzzle.

 My desk was white, pale purple and pale blue. It was colossal, equipped with several drawers, countless cubbies and an enormous flat surface. When I got it, it came with a beautiful chair. There were two holes in the shapes of a crescent moon and a star in the back. I would trace the outline with my finger whenever I was bored.

 I had an enormous four-by-four cubby shelf. When I bought it, it was white, but I took it upon myself to do the Jackson Pollack all over it. It held my collection of stuffed animals, books, and miscellaneous things.

 I had two nightstands that matched my desk and two antique lamps on top of them. I had my memories stored in the drawers. Diaries, photo albums, school assignments.

 I had two walk-in closets on opposite ends of my room. They were mostly empty, but now there was something to fill their vacant racks.

 My personal bathroom was truly amazing. A clawfoot bathtub, a shower, a fake ivory counter, a shelf of toiletries and a high-tech toilet shipped from Japan. The cupboards were poorly stocked, but they would soon be full from all supplies I'd bought.

 But despite everything, my favourite part of my room was the big canopy bed. One could lose themselves in the layers and layers of mosquito netting and lace. It wasn't as expensive as everything else. In fact, it was bought at a secondhand store. I knew right away that it belonged in my room when I first saw it.

 Everyone who came into my room admired it. Colourful designer rugs lined the pale lavendar hardwood floor. A flatscreen hung on the wall in front of my bed. Bean bag chairs were littered around. One layer of netting from my bed was drilled to the ceiling. It artfully drooped down in some places. Potpourri was scattered on it, giving the whole place a wonderful scent.

 I designed all of it by myself.

 So yeah, I'm obsessed with decor.

 And no, I'm not going to design your room for free.

^~*~^

 Maybe I'll consider it if you do the chicken dance naked at my school.

^~*~^

 I'm on a really crowded bus. Ew. It seriously smells here. Gross! That lady really needs to shave her pits.

 Wait... Is this PARIS?

 Why the heck am I in Paris when I should be at home in California? I'm supposed to be going to school today.

 "SKYLARK!!!"

 Who's that?

 I turned toward the voice. Only one person calls me Skylark...

 "It's me, Forrest!"

 And there, I spotted him. He was hanging onto the window from the outside with one hand, and waving to me with his free hand.

 "Holy fishnet tights! What are you doing there? You're going to fall and crack your head open and you'll die and your brains will spill out and cars will mush them into little bits and run over your dead body and there'll be nothing left to bury!" I shouted.

 "You care about me that much?" Forrest asked in shock.
 
 "I don't care about you at all!" I retaliated. "I'm only saying that because you'll make everything smell."

 "You don't care about me?" He asked.

 "Not one bit."

 "Oh," he said, hurt. His hand slipped and he disappeared from view.

 "FORREST!" I screamed.

 "Just joking with you. Chill," he said, popping back into sight, laughing like a lunatic.

 The sky flashed red, then orange, and started to flash all the colours of the rainbow.

 Jiminy Cricket! What's going on? And where are we going?

 I turned to look at the road, but it wasn't there anymore. In fact, we were riding in rainbow or something. The bus was suddenly empty. I turned around, and Luke was there. I looked at the window, but Forrest was gone. I turned back to Luke and plastered a big smile on my face. But it was immediately wiped off my face when I realized that Luke wasn't Luke, but some sort of monster.

 Wait. It's a monster!

 It looked like a Gremlin, but it was five times its size. Why am I even explaining this when I should be screaming?

 "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

^~*~^

 "HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" I finished screaming.

 "SHUT UP!!!" My parents shouted from the master bedroom.

 "NO, YOU!" I shouted back.

 There was no response from them.
 
 Well, that was a bad dream. I checked my alarm clock, which was on the other side of the room. 05:44:56, 05:44:57, 05:44:58, 05:44:59...

 Oh my blueberry banana pancakes! I forgot that I set my alarm for 5:45 AM last night!

 "SKYLAR ADAMS!!!" My dad yelled.

 "Yes, daddykins?" I asked loudly as I scrambled to shut off my alarm.

 "Turn the darned thing OFF!" He shouted. I pretended not to hear and clapped my hand on the button that shut off the alarm.

 "What was that?" I asked.

 "Forget it," he said.

 "If you say so," I sang while making my bed. I threw on my jogging clothes and left for my morning run around the block.

 Huff, huff, huff, huff. Huff, huff, huff, huff.
 
 Running always helped me clear my mind before a big test, so I decided that the same would probably apply to today. I ran around five times and I was back home in an hour. I grabbed a carton of juice from the fridge in the kitchen and poured myself a glass, promptly downing it right after I stuck the carton back in the fridge. After washing the cup quickly, I skipped up the stairs two at a time and headed to my room.

 Time to get ready for school!

 I had an outfit all planned out. It took me four hours last night to piece together with my mother. She taught me the basics of how to dress. Okay, that sort of came out wrong, but I'm sure you know what I mean.

 My outfit: A simple but cute purple top with two straps twisting around the neck. Ripped short shorts. Mirrored aviators. Dark brown gladiator sandals. Large hoop earrings. A butterfly Swarovsky crystal necklace. A Tiffany charm bracelet with four charms: a giftbox, a purse, a black stiletto and a tube of lipstick.

 I laid all of the clothes on my bed and the shoes near the door. I took the jewellry with me into the bathroom.

 Showertime (a la Hammertime)!!!

 Okay, so what did mom say to use first again? Was it the apricot scrub or was it the conditioner? And where am I supposed to rub this "body wash"? My hair?

^~*~^

 I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready (a la Spongebob Squarepants)!!!

 I planned my awesomesaucical entrance: drive up in mom's Mercedes, open door and get out gracefully, strut across the parking lot, set sunglasses on top of head, put on constipated face that shows you're better than everyone else and say hi to everyone.

 The part I'm most nervous about is the saying hi part. I know everyone, of course, but no one knows me and I'm kind of scared as to how they'll react to me speaking to them for the first time in their lives.

 But whatever. It's too late to change the game plan now so I guess I'll just have to *gulp*... follow through.

 Eep.

 Well, I've parked the car a block away from school in a stranger's driveway.

 I never really understood why it's called a driveway when you clearly park on it. Also, why is a parkway called that if you drive on it? English is an obscene language. I feel really bad for foreigners.

 Wow, the weather's really warm today. 86 degrees out and it's nice and sunny.

 Did I ever mention that the sky is blue?

 "Baby, you can't stay parked here forever," my mom told me.

 "I know," I sighed, "but I'm just too scared."

 "Honey, you look sexy and you are sexy. All you need is to feel sexy."

 I laughed.

 "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

 "Now, drive!"

 With that, I went the rest of the way to the school and parked swiftly in the school's parking lot. I've never driven mom's car to school, but mom is going to start letting me take it from now on.

 "You can do this," my mom encouraged me, giving my hand a squeeze.

 "I can do this," I exhaled.

 People were starting to stare and point at my mom's car.

 Okay, so what if we owned a Mercedes Maybach 62?

 "Repeat after me," my mom said.

 "Repeat after me," I said cheekily with a smile. My mom rolled her eyes.

 "I'm beautiful."

 "I'm not beautiful."
 
 My mom glared at me. At this point, people started to surround the car.

 "I'm sexy."

 "I'm not sexy."

 My mom poked me.

 "You're no fun."

 I poked her back.

 "You're no fun."

 "What? You're supposed to say the opposite!"

 I laughed before checking myself in the mirror and bidding my mom goodbye. I inhaled deeply and opened the door. People had swarmed all around the car now.

 I received a fair share of wolf whistles and jealous glares as I got out of the car. Of course, being me, I managed to hit a guy named Tyler in the gut with the door. I rushed to his aid, stepping on a girl named Alyssa's foot.

 "I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed.

 "It's alright," Tyler and Alyssa both said at the same time.

 "Do I know you?" Tyler asked.

 "You probably didn't until that embarrassing mishap on Friday. I'm Sky," I told him with a sorrowful smile. He looked confused for a moment, but then recognition dawned on his face.

 "You look so different, though," Alyssa said. "I mean that in a good way."

 "Thanks!" I felt so happy. I was actually being complimented for once!

 My mom was now in the driver's seat. I waved goodbye and blew her a kiss.

 "Sweet ride," someone called out from the back of the crowd.

 "Thanks," I answered with a smile.

 "Can I have your number?" Someone asked.

 "I don't know. Can you?" I countered.

 Everyone laughed.

 "You're funny," Tyler told me.

 "Thanks," I said.

 "You say that a lot."

 "No duh," a girl said. "What else is she supposed to say when everyone keeps giving her compliments?"

 "Yeah, what am I supposed to say?" I asked.

 He shrugged.

 "Then don't comment on my excessive use of thank you's next time."

 I looked down at my Swatch watch. 7:18 AM. I had twelve more minutes until homeroom.

 "I'm going to head to my locker now. See you later!" I told everyone.

 Okay, time to start my routine. I slung my new Louis Vuitton purse over my shoulder (a gift from my mom) and started my strut. Left, right, left, right, left, right. Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip. Left, right, left, right, left, right. Cue the adjustment of the shades. Wait no! I need to have the constipated look first. Or wait! No! What?

 My body, on instinct, took over as I had a mental breakdown. My legs kept moving to a fixed beat, my hands automatically reached up to move the glasses up onto my head, my chest puffed up a little bit more and my eyes radiated confidence.

 This is so easy!

 Uh oh. Maybe not so easy anymore.

 Hello, mean girls.

 "Hi, I'm Leyla," the queen witch introduced herself and stuck out her hand for me to shake. "And you are?"

 "Sky. I believe you're the one who snidely commented at my confession to Luke on Friday?"

 "What? It's you? I don't--" She started to say in disbelief.

 "Hm... But then again, it can't be you because you're even uglier than I recall," I cut her off and kept walking, leaving her standing there with an outstretched hand.

 I took out my compact mirror, and I saw her shocked face turn into an outraged one.

 I smiled in happiness. After years of silence, I've finally gotten revenge. I'd let her walk all over me since the beginning of time, but no more! I let my eyes close for a few seconds in bliss.

 Big mistake, because in those few seconds, I crashed into a tree.

 I opened my eyes.

 Eep.

 It wasn't a tree.

^~*~^