Authors Note:
Hello everyone!
It's been quite the ride hasn't it? We are just about to eclipse Bad Girls with Big Hearts in terms of chapter number, and let's just say I'm having a blast!
Just wanted to take some time to thank everyone for reading, and because I probably won't update again until the weekend, I wanted to wish all of the people of the United States a happy Independence Day. May you all have a great and safe day!
Here we go!
Chapter 68
The following day was quite uneventful for the denizens of Peach Creek. In the aftermath of the huge fight that occurred in the cul-de-sac the previous day, a somber shadow seemed to cast it's veil over the neighborhood, spidering out as if it were a crack on a car windshield struck by a rogue pebble.
The weather seemed to correspond with the overall gloomy feel of the neighborhood; the temperature during the day was quite chilly, and the sun was obstructed by a thick layer of gray clouds. The little amount of snowfall that had accumulated the previous night had turned to a grey slush, with most of the white stuff already having been washed away by an earlier drizzle.
Unfortunately, the sudden onset of melancholy happened to coincide with a night most of the kids had been looking forward for weeks. The Peach Creek High School Winter Ball was set to take place tonight at a large party hall located in the business district, the same hall used by the school for their junior and senior proms.
As the sun began to set, the street lights lining Haventhought Way had begun to activate, illuminating the asphalt with a cream colored glow. It was five o' clock p.m., and with two hours left until the start of the dance, many of the teenagers were hard at work preparing for the special night. As the young men a final fit up of their formal suits, ensuring that they appeared presentable, the ladies donned their elaborate ball gowns, styled their hair, and applied their makeup.
Lindsay Statorowski was no exception. She had spent the last hour in the master bedroom, preparing herself for the big night, and currently stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection with a neutral expression. The girl has traded her typical outfit for an ornate, floor-length evening gown, ice-blue in color, and accented by silver trim in the area of the thin shoulder straps and waist. On her feet were a pair of matching high heeled shoes, which appeared to sparkle under the light emanating from the wall mounted lamps. While the skin of her upper arms was exposed, she had elected to conceal her forearms with a pair of white evening gloves, custom made for her due to her unusually long fingers. Finally, her hair, which usually hung in loose waves, had been curled rather tightly, and appeared slightly shorter than usual.
Despite the young girls love of all things to do with fashion, hair, and makeup, it was quite obvious that Lindsay was not quite happy with her current situation. Two issues exacerbated this; the first being the continuing struggle of living a lie, her fight with Lee, and her preoccupancy with the lecture she had received from Eddy the previous night.
The second was the fact that she was not alone in her dressing endeavor; Edyta had volunteered to assist in her efforts, much to Lindsay's chagrin. As Lindsay stared into the mirror with a face devoid of any emotion whatsoever, Edyta paced back and forth behind Lindsay, inspecting her dress for any loose threads or awkward wrinkles, all the while displaying a menacing smile. After a few moments, the petite woman ceased her pace, and took a standing position directly next to Lindsay, her head barely reaching Lindsay's shoulder due to their height difference. As she stared into the glass, she began speaking to Lindsay through the mirror, with a sly smile.
"Well, I think we're all set with the wardrobe." said Edyta in a slow, heavily polish-accented voice, "But clothes are only one part of puzzle, I hope you've been practicing stage presence, and come up with a good plan to ensure your win , yes?"
Lindsay did not respond; preoccupied by her own thoughts, she continued to stare into the mirror.
"Hello!?" yelled Edyta as she reached up and grabbed hold of Lindsay's face, promptly turning it toward her, "What have you lost your hearing, I asked you a question! Did you figure out how to get crown on your head tonight!?
"Yeah," said Lindsay as she involuntarily rolled her eyes, "I did."
At that point, Edyta's face turned to anger, as she simultaneously grabbed an empty bottle of perfume off of her vanity.
"Look you little bitch," yelled Edyta, "You'd be wise to take things seriously from now on, I won't be as nice with you as I used to be, especially after that stunt you pulled last Spring. Crying to them may have got you back near the trash you seem to be attracted to, but now I know I have to watch very carefully.
Edyta released Lindsay's face, and began pacing around the girl as she continued her lecture.
"Face facts," said Edyta, "I own you, and there's nothing you can do or say to change. You thought you could escape, but you only make things worse for yourself. I'm still here, and I'll always be here, and if you try to change, so help me not only will those nightmares you told them come true, but you will also have much more to hide than those bony forearms of yours!"
At that moment, Edyta threw the perfume bottle across the room causing it to shatter upon hitting the wall; an act which caused Lindsay to suddenly stand up straight, as if she were a soldier standing at attention. Edyta repositioned herself in front of Lindsay, staring up into her eyes with an angry expression as she continued her rant.
"You only exist to keep the reputation of Edyta Babik alive," said Edyta, I expect nothing less from anyone associated with me. And if you think the man downstairs or that red-headed lice head can save you, you are stupider than you look. You already ruined both of their lives through your actions, so just accept fate. You put yourself in this situation."
At that moment, Edyta stood on her tip toes positioning her face as close to Lindsay's as possible.
"And guess what?" said Edyta, "No matter how much you wear that coat, or try to do the finance, you will never be her. And if you think she's guardian angel, like you told counselor, you are mistaken. She will never be able to help you...because you killed her."
Edyta snickered as she backed away from Lindsay, leaving the blonde girl in quite the agitated state. Edyta's final statement seemed to cause a tear to appear in one of her eyes, as she slowly clenched both of her fists at her sides, a sign of an internal struggle to repress her anger.
"So we have deal?" asked Edyta as she turned back towards Lindsay, "You win, or you kiss all of them goodbye. You choose!"
At that moment, the sound of an electronic telephone filled the air. The sound was in fact emanating from Edyta's cell phone, which was currently stuffed into the side pocket of her handbag. The slim woman promptly reached into the pocket, and removed the device. After a quick check of the screen, she began making her way towards the door leading into the hallway.
"I have to take call," said Edyta, "You get earrings on, and I'll be back to do one final check of your dress."
With that, Edyta exited the room, closing the door behind her to isolate the interior of the room from the hallway. Lindsay listened carefully as the door latched, and Edyta answered the phone, speaking to the other party in her native polish as if to keep her conversation secret.
Unfortunately for Edyta, she neglected to realize that Lindsay had become very familiar with the polish language, somehow becoming fluent without her ever knowing. As Lindsay pretended to adjust her hair, staring into the mirror with a neutral expression, she kept a keen ear on the conversation. After a few moments of listening, Lindsay decided to comment to herself regarding one of Edyta's responses.
"Another one," said Lindsay, "If she thinks she's going to use any of his money for that, she's got another thing coming."
A few moments passed, at which point Edyta ended her phone call and re-entered the room in a speedy manner.
"I have to go out for the rest of the night," said Edyta as she grabbed her purse off of the bed, and proceeded to make her way back towards the door, "Tell your father that I didn't have time to make any dinner, so he's going to have to order pizza."
As Edyta opened the door, she turned to deliver one last line to Lindsay.
"I trust you know what to do," said Edyta.
Lindsay nodded her head up and down, at which point Edyta adopted a smile.
"Good girl," said Edyta, "I look forward to seeing that crown when I get home."
Edyta then turned and exited the master bedroom. Lindsay listened as the sound of her heels clicking on the floor diminished, eventually disappearing completely as she made her way down the stairs.
Upon hearing the sound of the front door closing, signifying that Edyta had taken her leave for the night, Lindsay turned back towards the mirror. While Lindsay by all means looked amazing, the beautiful giant did not feel amazing in the slightest. Throughout the night, Lindsay had been haunted by Eddy's words regarding her relationship with Edyta, specifically the ultimatum that she would have to choose between being controlled by the overbearing woman, or standing up for what she believed in.
As these thoughts raced through her head, she began to analyze her reflection; the dress she had worn was not of her choosing, rather it had been hand picked by Edyta for the occasion. The dress was not the only aspect of the ensemble that had been chosen entirely by Edyta; the shoes, evening gloves, and hairstyle had been dictated as well.
Upon this realization, Lindsay adopted an expression of anger. Suddenly, the tall girl dashed towards the door leading out into the hallway, and proceeded to slam it open. She briskly walked down the hallway, eventually making her way towards the locked door of her bedroom. With a turn of the key, the blonde girl unlocked the door and entered the room, closing and locking the wooden panel behind her.
Once inside, Lindsay kicked off the blue high heeled shoes she had been forced to wear, as she made her way towards the door leading to her private bathroom. As she reached the door, she unzipped the back of her dress, removing the garment, and angrily tossed it into the hamper located across the room. She then proceeded to activate the bathroom shower head, and used it to wash all traces of hairspray and other products that had been previously applied to her licks.
After a few moments, Lindsay exited the bathroom, wearing nothing but two towels; one large and wrapped around her body, and the other small and wrapped around her hair. She then made her way to her walk in closet, activating the solitary lightbulb using it's pull string, as she approached the large cabinet in the rear.
Using one of the keys she guarded with her life, Lindsay proceeded to open the cabinet. With Rolf's tuxedo now gone, only three items remained within. These objects consisted of a large, ornate picture frame sitting against the back wall, placed in such a way that the picture it contained was obscured from view, and two elaborately designed dresses; one frilly and pure white, and the other lavender in color.
Without hesitation, Lindsay gently removed the hanger containing the lavender dress from it's mount. She held the dress out in front of her for a few moments, admiring it's smooth surface; this particular dress was strapless, and made of shiny satin. The lavender color was accented by a silver diamond, placed just below the top of the dress around the area of the sternum. Attached to the hanger were a pair of mauve evening gloves, as well as a pair of silver high heeled shoes; both of which seemed to complete the ensemble perfectly.
After spending a few moments examining the dress, Lindsay closed the door to her cabinet, locked it, and made her way back to her room with the dress in hand. She then approached the mirror, and held the dress up in front of her. As expected, the dress fit her frame perfectly in terms of girth; however, the dress appeared to be a few inches too long, even for Lindsay's unusually tall frame.
With that realization, Lindsay gingerly placed the beautiful dress onto her bed, and re-entered her closet, returning with a small kit containing sewing accessories. The blonde diva spent the next twenty minute performing a temporary modification to the length of the dress, in an effort to ensure that it properly fit her height. Once complete, she closed the sewing kit, and proceeded to slide the dress onto her body. Using a back scratcher as a makeshift hook, she zipped up the back of the dress, after which she turned towards the mirror to examine her work.
Once she ensured that the dress was properly hemmed, Lindsay began working on her next task. She reached underneath her bed, and pulled the her silver lockbox out from underneath. After a quick entry of the required combination, she opened the box and retrieved two items; an old hardback book with the letters "CHS 2000!" written on it, and a small jewelry box.
Lindsay placed the book on her vanity, and proceeded to page through it; the book appeared to be a high school yearbook of sorts, as each page contained large photographs depicting several students, with the names of the club or team they represented displayed above.
As Lindsay skimmed through the book, she paused briefly upon reaching a certain group of photographs. On the white page in front of her were two pictures depicting large groups of teenagers; one labeled Girls Basketball, and the other labeled CHS Cheer squad. She touched her hand to the photograph of the girls basketball team with a somber expression, ignoring the partially destroyed photograph of the cheer squad below; the face of one of the girls appeared to have been carved out with a sharp tool, as if someone were attempting to remove their likeness from the picture.
Nevertheless, Lindsay continued searching through the yearbook, eventually coming across what she was searching for. With a determined expression, Lindsay propped the book up on her vanity for easy viewing, at which point she removed the white towel from her head, and proceeded to work on her hair while staring at the book.
In a matter of minutes, Lindsay had completed the task of molding her waves into the desired style; a high "up-doo" of curls, secured behind her head by a silver retainer. After a quick inspection, Lindsay proceeded to open the small jewelry container she had removed from her lock box, revealing a set of diamond earrings. She removed the large, golden hooped earrings that typically adorned her ears, and replaced them with the diamonds, adjusting them to ensure they hung straight.
Finally, Lindsay returned the jewelry box and book to her safe, locked it, and stowed it back under her bed for safe keeping. She then spent fifteen minutes in front of her vanity, applying her makeup and perfumes.
Once complete, Lindsay completed her look by sliding the pair of light purple evening gloves onto her arms. She then approached the mirror to examine herself, and spent a few moments staring at the glass in silence. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Lindsay had made a crucial choice of her own, and she felt quite proud of herself for doing so. As she gazed upon her reflection, she uttered a few words to herself.
"I'm going to this dance on my own accord," said Lindsay, "It's time to stand up for myself, one step at a time...and what better way to do so than to honor you."
At that point, Lindsay lifted her right hand in the air. She proceeded to curl her fingers over her thumb, which strangely protruded out from behind her pinky finger in lieu of being hidden. She remained in this pose for a few seconds, after which she turned, and promptly exited her bedroom.
Downstairs, Chuck was quite busy in his den. An avid fan of Star Wars, the eccentric man had just completed his latest project; a lego reconstruction of one of the most famous spaceships of the franchise. Chuck examined his work as he lifted the model off of the coffee table, and turned towards the wall of the den opposite of the door, lined by several book shelves containing various other lego models.
As Chuck eyed his collection, seeking the perfect position for his newest model, a familiar voice filled the air from behind him.
"Daddy," said the soft gentle voice of Lindsay.
"Hey Scout!" said Chuck as he began to turn towards his daughter, "You're just in time. I need that keen eye of yours to tell me where I should put the Millenium Fa..."
Chuck was not able to complete his sentence, as he appeared to enter a state of shock upon laying eyes on his dance-ready daughter. In the midst of his surprise, he accidentally let go of his model, causing it to fall to the floor. As he continued to gaze upon his daughter, he slowly lifted his hand up to his mouth, placing it over his lips as his other hand trembled.
Lindsay remained silent, staring at her father with a neutral expression. She finally decided to break the silence in a gentle voice.
"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you on such short notice," said Lindsay, "But there's a dance at my school tonight, and I was wondering if you could drive me?"
Chuck paused momentarily, prior to responding.
"No problem honey," said Chuck in a rather emotional tone, "I'll be happy to give you a ride. Let me grab the keys to the Cadillac Car and I'll be right out."
"Okay Daddy," said Lindsay, "Thanks, see you out there."
Lindsay turned and began making her way towards the garage, feeling quite relieved that she was able to tell her father the truth about her whereabouts. As Lindsay exited the room, Chuck turned back towards the wall, placing his hand over his mouth as his eyes began to appear glassy. Eventually, the man snapped out of his emotional trance, grabbed his keys, and followed Lindsay out to the garage.
