Playing Perfect

16. Mensonge

16. Mensonge

Lie

Alice sat in her chemistry lab, the back of her head burning with Emily's gaze.

Days had passed since their small confrontation in the parking lot, and she suspected that Emily was still waiting for an apology, considering how little they'd spoken since then. She was finding it incredibly difficult to listen to their teacher drone on about electron configurations with Emily staring into her soul.

They'd never gone this long without speaking.

Julia nudged her lightly on the arm and Alice blinked, turning to face her.

"Emily still wants you to apologise?" Julia whispered.

Alice raised her brows in surprise. She hadn't told Julia anything about their little fight. Recognising her look, Julia shrugged. "Sierra Grammar loves gossip more than it loves old money."

"Right." Alice nodded, all too familiar with how quickly news spread when people had nothing better to do—like most of high society folk. "Yeah. I guess she does. We haven't really spoken, but I think she wants to come over before Debutante."

"What?" Julia muttered, quirking a brow. "Why? Isn't her house closer to the school?"

Alice paused furrowing her brows. She was right. Why hadn't they planned to meet at her house instead?

"Well, since Emily's having a sook," Julia teased with a smirk. "You're welcome to come over to mine. Amy's meeting me and we're getting ready together."

Alice smiled. It sounded nice, meeting up and getting ready with friends before Debutante, but she couldn't intrude on Julia and her girlfriend's special day. So, she shook her head.

"No, it's okay. My parents already made plans," she said, partially telling the truth. "You know how they get. They're making a big fuss about this whole thing."

And it was true.

After her plans with Emily had seemingly been thrown out the window, she'd told her mother about her newly emptied schedule, who promptly booked a five-person team of stylists, hairdressers, and make-up artists to ensure she was looking her best.

It was something Alice would be finished with long before the Debutante began, and something she could easily weasel her way out of, but Amy and Julia deserved some privacy.

She'd only be a burden, anyway.

"Oh, well if you change your mind," Julia offered with a smile. "You know my address."

Alice exhaled deeply, her heart swelling. "Julia, you're the best."

"I know," she teased, grinning.

"No, seriously," Alice whispered back, glancing in their teacher's direction who remained completely oblivious to their muttering. "I don't know what I would've done if you, Amy and Marco hadn't been so kind to me. Thank you, seriously."

Julia shrugged coyly, her eyes drifting to her fiddling fingers before meeting Alice's eyes again, a gentle smile on her lips. "I'm just glad I could help. If anything, I'm lucky to be your friend."

"No way." Alice knocked her arm lightly. "I'm the lucky one."

Julia laughed, opening her mouth to contest her only to be interrupted.

"Miss Travers, Miss Mathews."

The girls spun, eyes wide, to see Mr Farrows glaring in their direction. A red vein bulged from his shining bald head. Alice swallowed thickly.