"Hey guuuuurrrrrrl!"
Dollface looked up from where she was walking back to the bus stop after rehearsals.
She missed her cousin Axel and her not cousin but old heart flutter Duke.
The Tesla?
Oh, electric cars really were that quiet.
She'd forgotten, since even Uncle Sebbie's car had a little purr in it.
"It's cold out 'ere!" Claudine's warm face poked out the window of the passenger seat.
"Not really…." Dollface said, shifting her feet. She looked at the biracial girl with the funny accent.
"Need'sa ride?"
Where had this come from? Dollface shook her head.
"Just get in." Claudine said, myrth gone from her voice.
"Okay, jeez." Dollface looked over her shoulder, making sure no one was around.
Everyone in the rehearsal hall had left the area, it seemed.
Did no one have time to chat anymore?
A girl in the backseat popped open the sleek black door and stepped out, gesturing for Dollface to step in.
Dollface looked at the girl with heavy highlights in her hair and gulped. That was the biology teacher's daughter, as tacky and early 2000s' kitchse as she was.
"Frankie?"
"Yep, don't wear it out!" Frankie smiled, maroon lips framing pearls. Dollface looked at Frankie's mismatched eyes and sunk into the backseat next to another girl.
"Oh ew, first the mismatched freak and now her?" She growled with a smoothing down of her gold and blue hijab.
"Anit, be nice." The driver whined.
Dollface's ears perked up as Frankie slid in next to her.
Laura was here.
Tension eased, Dollface sighed in relief.
Anit raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Why do you always choose such losers from the streets? Next you'll be plucking up some filthy hobo!"
"She sits next t'Laura in math." Claudine said, thick Jersey accent making the downright terrifying situation seem like an everyday one, "And I know her from des-oi-n class. And since Melody switched schools, we may as well."
Dollface's shoulders tensed up. She suddenly became very interested in her shoes.
"Why go to design class or make clothes yourself?" Anit snorted, "That's what Rodeo Drive is for. Now hurry up."
"Calm yer tits, princess!" Claudine retorted, "We'll get to Rodeo Dr-oi-ve soon."
"Ro-day-o Drive?" Dollface asked, pushing herself back into the conversation.
"Yep, that's where we're going!" Frankie chimed in. Her highlights weren't as harsh in the dim lighting of the heavily darkened car. Dollface wished she could see past Anit or Frankie to see the world go by.
"But I don't got any money with me…"
Frankie put a hand on Dollface's thin shoulder, "Don't worry, I gotcha."
"W-what do ya mean?" Dollface slipped into her old accent, heart racing, "How 'bout I just go t'my dorm, m'sister's expectin' me, an din'-"
"Take a chill pill." Anit snorted, "Really La-La? This one?"
"She seemed cool." Laura mumbled, hazel eyes on the road.
"It's fine!" Claudine drawled, "You'll get what you want, and Laura and I will take her around."
Claudine turned to Dollface, berry lips curling, "Don't worry gurl, we gotch'a covuh'd."
Dollface gulped, shoulders raised high.
She was so glad Regina had noticed and dropped her phone off during lunch time. It was nice to sit with someone.
Atleast, someone other than Tina.
Tina was sweet, but conversations could get stale and awkward fast.
Maybe it was like befriending Princess. Quiet until she got comfortable.
"It's about five now," Laura piped up from behind the wheel to scare away some of the silence, "We could get dinner first."
"We're still in our school uniforms." Frankie complained, "Shopping first, let's find the perfect outfits for dinner!"
"Good." Anit cooed, watching the world shoot past, "Maybe you won't get yourself something fattening and ruin another unflattering dress, Laura."
"That's it." Dollface sharply replied, feeling the need to defend sweet Laura's honor, "Yer bein' a real bitch. Cut the shit."
Anit looked at Dollface, kohl liner deepening her dark eyes. "What did you say to me?"
Dollface leaned away from Anit's interrogating pull forward.
"Yer bein' a real bitch." Dollface growled, skin cold. "If m'gramma was here, she'da beatin' yer ass by now."
"Well, good thing you're 'Gramma' isn't here, because I can do whatever the hell I want lit-"
"Girls stop!" Laura shouted.
The cat fighters jumped, surprised at Laura's loud tones.
"I don't want my two besties fighting!"
Dollface felt herself reddening under her foundation.
Besties?
Laura really thought that?
They'd only known each other for a day or two!
They hadn't even had a real conversation past 'What's 'x' again?'
Dollface bit her unglossed lip.
Boy, did she wanna reapply right now.
Dollface looked back down at her lap, backpack getting squished between her, the seat, and the belt.
She could practically hear Anit fuming by the window.
Checkmate Anit.
