First Comes Like #Wattys2020

9

NINE

"What are you wearing?" Dad says at breakfast, the next day. His face breaks into a smile. "Is today Appreciate the Homeless Day?"

"Haha Dad." I say, stuffing toast into my mouth. "I'm just trying something. Something new."More like something ew.

"And may I remind you that you bought me this sweater?" I pinch it at the top and awful red fluff stays on my fingers. I wipe it on my leggings. UGH.

Dad laughs. "Nina was right about you. You were too nervous to tell me you hate it." Dad laughs again and shakes his head, "Now I've got to give the kid fifty bucks."

Wait. They bet on me?

I swallow. "What?"

"Val, I gave you this shirt on the first of April. It was a joke. Ha! And you fell for it."

I frown at my dad. I can't believe he wasn't going to tell me before. I mean, it's been a year!

"But anyway... It's..." Dad stares into his coffee mug, searching for a word, "Interesting. It looks nice. On you." He looks everywhere but me. Oh jeez.

Again, this better work.

I think of running upstairs to change, but outside Dean toots loudly. I down a glass of orange juice, grab my bag and kiss my Dad on the cheek. "Is that the Pinkette boy?" Dad asks. "Why are you going with him? I could have dropped you to school."

"No you couldn't." I say. This is Dad's one day off. Otherwise, he'd have been at the construction site long before I even got up. I dash to the door and fling it open.

"Your mother allowed this?" Dad asks. I can hear his voice getting louder. He's getting mad.

"Yes!" I shout, scurrying toward the unbelievably shiny black car. Even halfway towards Dean's car, I can still hear Dad make one of those weird growls.

"Looking good Blythe." Dean says as I get in, and I groan loudly in response. I caught a glimpse of myself in the car door and I look like the walking dead. I was never trying this again. I was going to have to find other means of starting up a conversation with Cole.

Why was this so hard?

"So." Dean says, like he always starts the Mandatory Car Conversations. "What's up?"

I sigh deeply in response.

"Good to hear." Dean says, sarcastically, "I'm good too."

As we speed away from our neighborhood, the full impact of The Ugly Outfit hits me. And it hits me hard.

"Oh no." I say, not giving Dean a chance to continue the small talk, "What have I done?" I bury my face in my hands. Why did I listen to Macey? Why did I listen to you?"

"Trust me. This is your chance to see why he won't talk to you." Dean gives me a look in the rear view mirror. "If he can't talk to you when you're dressed up, and he can't talk to you when you're not, then face it." Dean swerves to the left and the tires screech on the asphalt road. "He doesn't want to talk to you."

The school building comes into view.

There was turning back now.

I look out the window at the girls and boys all dressed to impress. I sigh again. I could have been that girl in the cutest mini skirt ever with those gorgeous tan colored flats. Or that girl, Katherine with the cropped cami. Or Macey, I see her by the stairs, with super tight skinny jeans and a graphic tee that said Chill Babe at the front.