Chapter 3 Shadows between us

Caught between past and present, I wonder where I truly belong.

I stood in front of the mirror, a black dress clinging to my body, and for a moment-I felt good. It hugged my waist, hit just above the knee, and made me look...confident. But then the whispers started.

Too tight. Too much. Too ugly.

The voices in my head returned like old friends with sharp teeth.

With a sigh, I peeled off the dress and tossed it on the bed. I pulled on a pair of loose black pants, an oversized red hoodie, and laced up my Jordans. Safe. Forgettable.

"I guess this is okay," I muttered.

A light tap on the window pulled me from my thoughts. Tiffany was crouched outside, grinning. "Let me in, quick."

I slid the window open, and she climbed through like she had a dozen times before. We'd been sneaking out for years, careful to avoid Chase's strict rules.

She landed softly on the carpet, brushing herself off. Her dress was electric blue and skin-tight, hugging every curve like it was made for her. Black stilettos added inches to her already perfect frame. She looked incredible, and she knew it.

"Damn," I said, smiling. "Changed your outfit?"

She spun once, laughing, a sound full of wild freedom. "This one screams party." Her gaze finally landed on me, scanning my outfit. "Is that what you're wearing?"

My stomach dropped. "Yeah. Is something wrong with it?." Asking that question always meant one thing: you looked terrible.

Tiffany paused for half a second too long.

"No, it's fine. Let's just go, we're late." She said, brushing past me. "It's not like you could do any better."

She let out a soft laugh, and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to laugh too. I didn't.

We slipped out through the window, moving silently through the night. Tiffany had parked a few streets over to avoid getting caught. The night was cool and still, and my hoodie suddenly felt too warm.

The silence felt heavy, a palpable weight. Tiffany seemed completely unaffected, humming lightly as we walked, while every step amplified the tightness in my chest.

When we reached the car, Tiffany slid into the driver's seat. I reached for the passenger door, only to find it already occupied. My hand froze.

Someone was already sitting there.

Before I could even voice my surprise, Tiffany chirped. "Oh, Lily, this is Sasha. Sasha-Lily." She shrugged nonchalantly as if this was completely normal.

This was Sasha, 'the Sasha'. The one Tiffany had been spending so much time with lately.

My eyes swept from Tiffany to Sasha. I tried to figure out the best way to react to this absurd situation. Had Tiffany done this intentionally, just to rile me up or rub it in my face.

If she wanted a reaction, she wasn't getting one. Not tonight.

"Hi," I said, keeping my tone calm.

Sasha smiled, all glossy lips and sharp cheekbones. "Hi. It's nice to meet you. I've heard quite a lot about you"

Her voice was low and sultry, like a vinyl spinning under midnight lights. Ginger hair with streaks of flame-red shimmered under the streetlamp. A glinting stud pierced her nose; a delicate silver jewel sparkled above her lip. Her barely-there black crisscross top clung to her skin like water. Paired with a micro skirt and towering heels, she looked like confidence wrapped in fire.

Hard to look away. Harder still to hate her.

"Well, I can't say the same." I shrugged, eyes flicking between them.

Her smile widened, teeth perfect, a dimple piercing flashing. "You could always get to know me," she said, locking eyes with mine.

My throat dried to dust.

"Sure, I'd love that."I rolled my eyes, trying to hide the jolt in my chest, but the ginger had me squirming under her gaze. Beads of sweat gathered on my forehead. My palms went slick.

Why is the air so thick all of a sudden?

She watched me, amused and was that desire in her gaze?

No. I was imagining things. Overthinking. Always overthinking.

But my skin burned under her stare.

Before I could lose myself in the spiral, a sharp honk cut through the thick silence. "Can we leave already!." Tiffany snapped, irritation in her voice.

I scowled at her, and she shot me back a glare-cold and hard.

"What is your-". I was about to unleash a million questions at Tiffany, Sasha placed a hand gently on the car door and smiled at me again. "Please".

Just that word-soft, kind, unexpected.

And suddenly my anger dissolved. It wasn't worth it, not with Sasha looking at me like I was just an awkward shadow.

"Fine." I muttered pulling the back door open.

Tiffany whooped, turning the volume up as the engine roared alive. A pop song blasted through the speakers; she and Sasha sang every word, harmonizing like rehearsed perfection.

I sat in the back, quiet. Watching them. Feeling like a ghost. It felt like I was just tagging along.

An afterthought. A third wheel to my own best friend.

They laughed. Sasha tossed her fiery hair back, the strands catching the breeze. Tiffany nudged her like they shared some secret world I'd been locked out of.

Once, that was us-movie nights, matching pajamas, dares at the mall.

Now?, we rarely talked or did anything together. It seemed like we had nothing in common. Two completely different people. I really missed my best friend.

I sighed, leaning my head against the window as the city lights blurred past. The beat thumped in the car, but all I felt was distance-growing, swallowing.

I could feel Sasha's eyes every now and then from the rearview mirror. Watching me. Quietly. Curiously.

I didn't meet her gaze.

"We're here!" Tiffany chirped as we pulled into the parking lot.

She and Sasha hopped out immediately, a perfect synchronized blur of confidence and chemistry.

And me?

I followed.