The Chameleon gets stood up
True to her words, Macey did 'dolled' me up. She went a little overboard with the make-up and clothes but as long as I didn't look like Godzilla, I'm happy. A little blotch of blush. A dash of eyeshadow coupled with dark eyeliner. And a swipe of gloss, I look almost look as good as Macey. Almost.
She picked out this outfit that no spy would be caught dead in. It showed a lot of cleavage. My mother would hurl me off Big Ben if she ever saw me in that thing. Which is why my eyes popped from my head and my mouth was gaping. "Tell me, is that actually yours?" I uttered, keeping my eyes transfixed on the glittering gems on the side of a dress. It was short; stopping at the thighs. With high-knee boots with three-inch heels and some leggings. I paled, imagining me walking in those deathtraps.
She shrugged and tossed me the outfit. "It's actually really good for seduction."
I stared at her; shocked. "And you know this...how?"
She shrugged again and demanded, "Put it on."
"No. It's gonna be cold out and we're gonna be up on the roof. There's a fifty-fifty chance of me falling off the edge if I wear those heels!" I scowled, pushing the outfit away from me.
"If you do, Zachey's there to catch you." She sing-songed.
I scowled again but my heart trills a little. "Stop calling him that."
"Wear it." She turned back to the closet and rummaging through the jewelry box she'd packed.
Bex and Liz walked in, stared at the outfit sprawled across the bed and said in unison, "She is not wearing that."
"Thank you!" I cried, grateful.
Macey sighed dramatically. "Fine." She snatched the outfit from Bex's outstretched hands and plopped it back one of the suitcases. "We'll just throw together something."
Liz sat on my other side and asked, "When do we get the whole info on our mission?"
I pursed my lips. "Soon, I think."
"Aha!" Macey grinned victoriously and produced a whole new outfit. "Ta-da!"
This one, I admit was better than the previous one. Shorts with tank top. At least I felt less self-conscious wearing this than that other one. "Better." I huffed, standing to take the pieces from her arms; I walk slowly to the bathroom, imagining how the night will play out.
In the confinement of the bathroom, I slip my blouse up my arms and tossed it on the floor, keeping only my bra on and slid on the tank top. It fit me perfectly and made my curves more pronounced. I step out of the skirt I wore and yank on the shorts. I ducked as a pair of white sandals flew inside. I grinned and put the shoes on carefully.
Just as I readied myself to step from the bathroom's four walls, my best friends' hushed voices kept me back.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Liz muttered.
"About what? Zach?" Macey asked.
"Hm. I don't trust him." She stated.
"We all don't." Bex answered.
"What about Cammie? Is she ready to be alone with him? Things might take a turn for the worse. Think about it, Bex, Macey, he hasn't contacted her since that first kiss. So why now? Why is he trying to reconcile things between them?" Liz preached.
"Lizzie," Macey sighed. "You didn't see the adoration and love I did when Zach looked at our girl. He might not tell us what he's up to but I know we can trust Cammie with him. He wouldn't hurt her. Ever."
"I don't know." Liz still sounded unsure, unconvinced.
"Let's see how this night goes between them two before we make any judgements." Macey decided. "Alright?"
"Okay." Liz said, defeated.
I made a show of opening the bathroom door loudly and scraping the soles of the sandals across the tiles. Their conversation still fresh in my mind as I rounded the corner and smiled at them. I tried to be mad at them. Tried to find fault even when they try to protect me. But I couldn't. They were just looking out for me. I couldn't be mad at that. "Hey."
"Ready?" Macey asked brightly; all traces of seriousness from their discussion evaporating, replaced by a mischievous grin.
"Yeah." I smoothed the front of the tank and and started for the door.
"We'll walk you." Bex spoke up.
"Nah, guys, it's fine." I shook my head. I appreciate them looking out for me but the protectiveness toward me was getting a little annoying.
"Sure?"
"Positive." I disappeared out the door, closing it softly before I darted down the main stairwell and across the length of the foyer to the adjacent elevators. I pressed the button lightly. It glowed green and a second later, the elevator doors on the left slid open and I slip inside. I scanned the panels for the button marked roofand pressed on it.
A few minutes later, a different, smaller panel slid from the metal and a mechanical voice screeched, "RETINAL SCAN!"
I rolled my eyes. Apparently, Blackthorne is as cautious as Gallagher. I opened my eyes and, unblinkingly, stand in front of the scan. A red light shot out and scanned my eyes. The lights turned green and the elevators started moving. I get why Zach had said it was the hard way. If I had taken his instructions, I might have avoided all this.
I stood against the railing, tapping my feet impatiently. The doors slid open and I step out, crossing the short length to a set of doors marked Roofand pushed it open before slipping inside.
I walked around the roof in search of Zach and memorizing how it looked it. Truth be told, I've never been on Gallagher's roof in all my years as a student and a teacher, I never really bothered to explore up there.
It was big, spacious with potted plants dotted everywhere. I was kind of surprised to be looking at plants. I had thought that the roof would have some lasers or guns or explosive chemicals but it seemed to be like any other roof. But I knew it's not. I didn't dare look over the railing. I'm risky, yes. But not stupid.
I waited and waited.
Minutes turns to hours.
Hours dragged on.
And on.
And on.
On and on to the point where I gave up.
Macey's P.O.V.:
I was asleep when the door opened and slammed shut. Opening my eyes slightly, I made out the green glowing digits. 1:35 in the morning.
I sat up, rubbing the sleepiness from my eyes and grinned at Cammie, whose face was concealed by the darkness. "Hey, girl, how'd it go?"
"It didn't go." She spat bitterly.
I sat up and flicked on the lights, causing Bex and Liz to shield their eyes with their hands. "What is going on?" Bex moaned.
"Hey, Cammie. How'd it go?"
"Shh." I mumbled. "It didn't go."
"What do you mean?" Bex stood and dragged Liz over to my bed.
"I mean, he stood me up." Cammie said brokenly.
Suddenly, I was jarred awake. I knew it was somewhere along those lines but hearing Cammie sound so defeated and heartbroken, fury seeped through and drenched my heart. Anger and fury chased away the drowsiness. Oh, hell to the fucking no. He did not. I clenched the duvet in my fist and dug my nails into the soft material. "Excuse me." I said robotically. My mind incoherent except for one thing and one thing only. Destroy Zachary Goode. Passing the table, I snatched a Swiss knife of its surface and headed for the door.
"Noo, Macey!" Liz shouted, grabbing my by the waist and steering me away from the door. For a girl that weighs ninety-five pounds and is extremely thin, she's pretty strong.
"I need to kill him!" I growled.
A knock on the door sounded and Bex stood. Liz's arms was still wrapped around my waist and I pried them off.
In the distance, I heard Bex's voice, menacing and hard, "You got a lot of nerves coming here."
"I need to see her." Zach shouted, not caring if he woke the entire school. He needed to see Cammie and apologized. He screwed up, big time. "I want to explain."
I knew then and there that Zachary Goode was dead by the hands of Macey McHenry, Elizabeth Sutton and Rebecca Baxter.
Because. No one stands up our girl and get away with it.
No one.
Well? Good? Bad? Horrible?