Cece checked Davina Winter’s photo one more time before taking a final look in the mirror. She couldn’t believe her luck when she’d snagged the flowy, gray blouse from Saks yesterday. It was the perfect match to the supermodel’s red-carpet ensemble. The girls were going to be so jealous.
The warning bell rang for first period, and Cece attempted to swallow the thickness in her throat. It was the same feeling every time she wore a piece from one of her shopping trips. That feeling almost outweighed the excitement that bubbled inside of her. But not quite. She quickly surrendered to that feeling, placing the carefully constructed smile on her face. She adjusted the collar of the shirt, the silky fabric slipping through her fingers and took one final look before leaving the girls’ room.
Liza and Keelan were outside, waiting for Cece’s debut. She’d texted them all last night after finding the shirt.
‘Oh my god!’ Liza said when Cece stepped out of the bathroom.
She beamed broadly. ‘I told you it was perfect.’
Keelan’s mouth opened wide. ‘Is it as soft as it looks? I really want to touch it. Can I touch it?’
Cece giggled. ‘It’s not like Davina wore this exact shirt. But sure, go ahead.’
Keelan touched the fabric gently as if she were handling a breakable heirloom. ‘You’re so lucky. You always find the best pieces.’
‘It’s an art,’ Cece said, already feeling the soreness in her cheeks. She held onto the smile harder, determined to keep it in place. She couldn’t give away anything, ever. If she did, she feared her shameful secret would come out.
‘Did your parents ask how much it was?’ Keelan asked. ‘How much was it?’
Cece had had a credit card since she was ten. Her parents had no issue with her purchasing whatever she wanted, but even unlimited funds weren’t essential when it came to getting what she wanted in her own way.
‘I don’t buy and tell,’ Cece said.
‘You’re so bad!’ Liza said, laughing.
‘I know,’ Cece said. She wanted to get to class. She found it exhausting to talk about her new outfits for more than a few minutes. That creepy, twisting feeling in her gut always returned, and she wanted to sit down and regroup before she saw them again.
‘What did I miss yesterday?’ Cece asked Liza, knowing her friend would fill the rest of the time until they arrived at class.
Cece didn’t miss much. Though she did worry about her shift at the Student Council drunk-driving event table. Liza had covered for her.
‘It was worth it to look that good!’ Liza said to Cece.
‘I promise I’ll take your shift today at lunch,’ Cece said.
‘Good,’ Liza said. ‘I’m totally not ready for Mr. Curtis’ test today. I need to review my notes during lunch.
‘If you need help,’ Keelan said, ‘I made flashcards.’
‘Oh my god!’ Liza said. ‘That would be great.’
They arrived outside Mrs. Hathaway’s classroom and lingered in the hallway with their other classmates. It was an advanced placement class, but no one wanted to go in until the last possible second.
Cece glanced in the room. She wanted to go to her seat as the sick feeling in her stomach still hadn’t subsided.
Teddy James was the only one in the classroom other than Mrs. Hathaway. His head was buried in a book, as usual. He was already reading the next novel for class. What a show-off.
Keelan handed over the flashcards to Liza. ‘You’re a lifesaver.’
‘Come on in,’ Mrs. Hathaway said as the final bell rang. She came over to the doorway to stand as a sentry outside the classroom, just as the rest of the teachers did.
Cece saw her chance and took it. She zoomed into the room.
‘Ms. Cho,’ Mrs. Hathaway said from behind her.
Cece slowly turned around, placing the smile back on her face.
‘I need to speak with you in the hallway,’ Mrs. Hathaway said.
Liza and Keelan gave Cece a look.
Cece shrugged and walked out of the room.
‘Are you feeling better?’ Mrs. Hathaway asked, her eyes burned into Cece’s.
Cece lifted her chin and nodded. ‘Yes, thank you.’
‘Good,’ Mrs. Hathaway said. She scanned the hallway and then looked back at Cece. ‘I received a phone call from Principal Killian this morning.’
‘Oh?’ Cece muttered.
‘He wants to see you in his office immediately,’ she said.
Her expression gave away nothing, but Cece had a clear idea what the principal wanted to talk about. Or did she?
‘Do you know why?’ Cece asked, saying each word slowly so her teacher wouldn’t hear the tremble in her voice.
‘I don’t,’ Mrs. Hathaway said. ‘But you’re a good student. I’m sure it’s nothing serious. Come straight back to class when you’re finished.’
For once, Cece wanted to stay in class for another boring lecture rather than face the principal. Not once in her life had she entered that man’s office. And now she was asked to go there the day after she’d skipped school?
She didn’t have to be Teddy James to put two and two together.
Heat moved behind her eyes as she walked down the empty hallway. What was Principal Killian going to do? Tell her parents? She thought she’d covered her tracks with a fake note from her mom.
With her parents constantly up her sister’s butt all the time, why would they notice their youngest daughter skipping school once?
What if he also knew about what she’d done while skipping class? She thought that was a stretch, but her mind was on overload, filling with questions and scenarios.
Tears slipped down her cheeks. She hated that she cried so easily. It always gave away her guilt. She wiped at her damp cheeks and took a deep breath.
Last time was the last time. But when she saw that the shirt had arrived at the store during her nightly fashion hunt, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
Now she was going to pay for it.
Her parents were going to be so pissed.