Distortion
Part One
There was something mesmerizing about becoming someone else; Rachel Amber knew that better than anyone.
It was as effortless as slipping into an old pair of shoes. She could lose herself in someone else's skin, even if the fit wasn't always the best. Today, she could be the outgoing and bubbly future starlet; tomorrow, the brooding and moody teenage loner. They were characters, all carefully crafted to be pulled out when she needed them the most. When it got too suffocating being Rachel, she became someone brand new.
She considered it method acting. There was nothing wrong with presenting a different face to different people; it was the only way to survive. The one person that got to peel back the tape and see the gnarled, angry bits underneath was Chloe. At times, Chloe's patient blue eyes and soft tones drove her crazy. She didn't like being dissected under a microscope, even if she knew that wasn't Chloe's intention. Every time she went anywhere, all she could feel were eyes piercing her. They stared and they whispered and they talked. Oh, they talked. She was never allowed to blend in, to disappear in a crowd. No matter which Rachel she decided to be, it was never satisfying. 100 layers and she still managed to feel exposed.
She barely flinched as the flash of a camera briefly crossed her face. She was lost this afternoon, drifting in and out of her own head, and staying focused was a struggle. Despite how much of a rush the past few weeks had been, she still couldn't shake the dark cloud that loomed over her. Nothing could change the fact that her parents were getting divorced and she'd never get the chance to meet her biological mother. Not a brand new tattoo or a million nights spent at the junkyard. It was a gnawing emptiness that nothing could fill. She'd sent countless letters, sometimes feverishly writing late into the night. None of them were ever answered.
"These are fantastic shots, Rachel!"
The trill of excitement was enough to get her attention. Evan hadn't moved from where he was kneeling in the grass, camera poised at the ready, but the awe struck look on his face was all the confirmation she needed that this was another successful photoshoot. Evan had an eye for detail that made her appreciate his work more than most and, usually, she had no qualms being his model. Right now, she wanted to leave. The camera lens winked at her under the glare of the sun and she wanted nothing more than to smash it.
"Do you think you have enough to work with?", she gave him a polite smile, one that betrayed nothing, "I hate to cut out on you but I'm meeting Chloe for lunch".
It was a total lie but it was one that she knew Evan would be willing to accept. She and Chloe were practically attached at the hip these days and nobody could question their loyalty to one another. It was her go-to excuse these days and it became easier and easier to lie each time. Why wasn't she home by 10:00? She was eating dinner at Chloe's. Why didn't she return any phone calls? She'd forgotten to get her charger from Chloe. Becoming Chloe's Rachel was the easiest role yet.
"No worries; I think I've got some good ones to work with. I'll show you once I have them finished".
"Thanks, Evan. I'll see you around".
She gave him a warm hug before she was off , quickly putting Blackwell behind her. She didn't stop walking until she was in the parking lot, far enough away from the prying eyes of her peers to feel safe. She dug her cellphone out of her back pocket and briefly paused on Chloe's name before she dialed the numbers she knew by heart. She swallowed down the lump of guilt in her throat as it rang, trying to put Chloe's concerned face out of her head. Sometimes it was all too much and she needed an escape, no matter how fleeting. Chloe couldn't blame her for that. After all, she was doing the same.
She let out the shaky breath that she was holding once the phone was finally picked up.
"Frank, I need to see you".
