breaking nia ~n.f.~

Chapter 3

Carefully, Nia looked into her closet. Maddie, Chloe, Paige, and her were having a sleepover at Paige's house. She wanted to look nice. For a sleepover, at least.

She took out a random clothes hanger and looked at the article of clothing on it.

It was her school, Franklin Regional Senior High School's, sweatshirt. She shrugged. That would be a no, thank you very much. She didn't want to try too hard, but at least no sweatshirts. Everyone else would be in a nice-for-a-sleepover shirt, because everyone knew that Maddie was desperately in love with Josh, even though she had a boyfriend. Chloe probably just wanted to impress everyone. Paige probably wanted to look nice because she was the hostess.

So she picked a foamy orange tank top and a pair of acid-wash shorts. It was hot for May today.

Her mother came in as she was packing.

"Hi." She said meekly. Holly came beside her and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "Almost done?" Nia nodded.

"Ok. I'll be in the car." She kissed her forehead. As she was walking out, she noticed Nia's cheeks, more sunken, and her arms, like sticks. But she waved it off, figuring she had worked hard at dance.

The two Frazier women went downstairs and loaded into the car. They started to drive off to the Hyland's, when suddenly Nia realized, Josh would be there. Anxiety flooded her like a tsunami. She wanted to pry her mother's fingers from the steering wheel, beg her to go back. But she couldn't, because she had pulled into the driveway and it was far too late.

"Hi Nibear!" Kelly Hyland kissed her cheek and welcomed Holly in. Nia smiled fakely and went inside, ready for the wave of discomfort and feelings of exclusion.

"Nia!" Paige screamed when she arrived, dropping her furry pink overnight tote on Paige's carpeted floor. Maddie was siting on her bed, polishing Chloe's nails a bright yellow.

She was right. They were all wearing nice (for a sleepover) shirts. Chloe's outfit consisted of a gray tank top, with a pink rose print. It was spaghetti-strap and had a bodice. She paired it with clean, bleached white shorts. Chloe's hair was curled so nicely that Nia craved for it. But of course, her hair was coarser than Chloe's silky locks, so she would never get to curl like hers.

Maddie, the fashionista out of the four of them, was wearing a flowy white top that went to her waist. Under the shirt was a pair of jeans she had cut off at the lower thigh, so it gave her a Tumblr-girl kind of look. Her brown hair was up in a messy bun.

Paige was Paige. She was wearing a pink half shirt that showed off some of her belly, and a white skirt that's hem ended at her thigh. Her hair was in a ponytail, swinging as she talked and chattered with everyone.

Nia's stomach grumbled at their skinny figures. There was no bulge over the top of Paige's skirt. Chloe's tank top clung to her stomach, completely flat. And Maddie's jean shorts had nothing but space in between the thighs. She laid down on the bed. Why did she even agree to come?

Well, they weren't terrible people because they were beautiful and skinny. Nia felt a guilt burn deep in her stomach.

Maddie and Chloe hugged her. Chloe blew on her nails tentatively, afraid she smudged them after hugging Nia.

"So, Miss Nia," Paige said, turning on the radio with a clack of her acrylic nails, a little smirk on her face,

"HOW ARE THINGS IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS?"

They all burst out laughing. Paige's guilty pleasure was the Today Show, that was positive. And she loved Al Roker, the weatherman on the Today Show. As she covered her mouth to keep the giggles out, she admitted that indeed, she watched too much of Al Roker. (honest to god this is me everyday of my life me and Paige are THE SAME)

Nia rolled back on the bed, hair sloshing over her face. She made a weird face to keep up the laughs, when she noticed.

Standing in the doorway, his buzzcuttted hair glinting the light of Paige's room, stood Josh Hyland.