Addison sat on her bed in her dorm room, still dazed from the events of the last hours. Bree fussed over her, laying a blanket on her shoulders while rambling about tea. Addison wasn't even sure how they'd gotten back; she supposed Bree had driven her car back to the campus. Still, she couldn't remember a single moment of the 90 minutes drive.

It had been a shitshow.

AZAZAZ

She'd been lucky that her teammates hadn't dropped her in all the chaos. Once she'd had both feet on the ground, Bucky had sent her away, already telling her off for the entire thing, complaining about having to do damage control and clean up her mess. Bree had dragged her to the locker rooms. Addison had followed, her feet knowing the way. She guessed she should be grateful the entire day was happening at her old high school where everything was familiar. Her parents were waiting for her, when she came out of the locker rooms with her friend. Not bothering to look at Bree, they all but pushed Addison towards their car. The both looked around nervously, afraid of anyone who'd see her. She sat at the back of her father's patrol truck in silence. She listened to her mother moan about Addison's actions… as if she were the one responsible for the nightmare they were in.

Missy Wells was droning about how freakish Addison looked, wondering if they'd keep a freak like her on the college cheerleading team. Addison hoped so. This was college, not high school. More than that, she just couldn't see herself not being a cheerleader. This was all she had ever wanted to be. She tugged at her hair, examining its pure white color. She couldn't help but think of all the trouble it had brought her over the years. Her mother must have caught her gesture because she changed subjects again. She just couldn't believe that Addison hadn't put her wig back on, not that she knew Addison had forgot it on the ground where it had fallen. Her daughter should have know better, white was such an ugly colour. What would people think? No one would ever tell her that her daughter was beautiful again. Addison hung her head in shame, she knew her hair was distracting and unappealing, but to hear her mother call her ugly still hurt.

By the time the truck stopped in front of her house, Addison was ready to drop. She just wanted to hide from the entire world. Things weren't going her way when she spotted Warner's BMW in their driveway. He was the last person she wanted to deal with today. Warner got out of his car as Addison was ushered in the house by her mother. Sighing, she went with it. The sooner she dealt with everything, the sooner it would all be over. She let herself fall on the couch, brushing off her mother's complaint about unladylike behaviours. Warner sat in the chair opposite of her, looking uncomfortable with the entire situation. Her mother stood in the kitchen, spying on them under the pretense of making tea.

"Can I help you with something, Warner?"
"What just happened, Addison? This was unexpected, to put it mildly." Warner shifted in his seat. "I believe you owe me an explanation."
"My real hair is white. I can't dye it, can't changed it. I've worn a wig my entire life. Mary pulled it off," Addison explained. She would have liked to blame the cheerleader, but the entire thing had been an accident.
"You didn't think to tell me before?" He fired back, his tone accusing.
"I don't tell people."
"Obviously. And now you left me to clean up your mess!"
"You don't have to do anything!" Addison fumed.
"Of course I do! This accident of yours went viral. Do you know how many calls from my parents I've had to filter in the last hour? Do you understand what kind of publicity this brings to my family's name?"

Addison got to her feet, anger bubbling inside her. She vaguely heard the phone ring and her father answer it. She didn't care who it was, all she cared about was her boyfriend. Shouldn't he be worried about her? Why was it always about him?

"Your family? Really, Warner. That's what you're going with? What about me? What about the fact that it's my life's secret out there for the world to see?"
"Come on, Addison. You are not being fair!"
"I'm not being fair?" She was yelling now and she didn't care who heard. The neighbours could go and screw themselves, she'd had enough of this terrible day. "You're not being fair! It's always about you and your stupid family's image! Do you even care about me?"
"Addison, we've been dating for more than a year! Of course, I care about you. However, you know the family's image is crucial to our business. I mean, it will be our only income when we get married."

Addison froze. Marriage? What the actual hell?

"Married? Warner, I'm not even done with my degree! I'm not even sure what I want to do career-wise."
"You don't need to know, Addison. We'll be married, you can run our household or something. I mean, I don't want a nanny to raise our kids…"

Addison was flabbergasted. There just wasn't another word she could use. What the hell was Warner thinking? Had he seriously already planned their entire lives without discussing it with her? He must have taken her silence for approval because he kept on going.

"Of course, that'll mean putting back your wig on. We'll start…"
"What if I don't." Addison surprised even herself, not only with the words that came out of her mouth, but also with the cold and clipped tone she'd just used.
"What?" Warner sounded confused.
"What if I don't want to wear the wig?"
"Honestly, Addison, is that even a possibility? Come on sweetheart, your hair is… well it's not… it's not exactly attractive. I can't even look at you right now."

At those very words, something inside Addison exploded. She didn't know why it happened. Or she knew why, but not why now. She'd heard those words and others just like them a million times before. From her mother who just wouldn't let her have breakfast until she put the wig on when she was 5 years old, to her grandfather who just looked at her like she was the biggest failure, not forgetting Bucky who'd spent his life threatening to reveal her secret if she didn't do as he said. And she was done. Done.She was done with these people trying to control her, control how she looked, who she'd be friends with or what her life was going to be.

For the first time in her life, Addison Wells decided to stand up for herself.

"We are done Warner." She brought her fingers to her neck, unclasping the expensive necklace he'd given her for their anniversary. "I will not let you dictate my life. I'll spare you damage control, we are through."

He started stuttering as she pushed the necklace in his hands, ignoring her mother's pleas to be reasonable and not give up on her perfect life. Addison just walked up the stairs to her bedroom, barely hearing her father yelling at her; she grabbed her back-up wigs from their hidden spot in her bathroom cabinets, dropped them in the shower and turned on the water. She went back to her room. Her suitcase was already pack from the swift departure she had planned this morning. Had that really only been this morning? She grabbed the suitcase at the end of her bed where she'd left it before leaving for the day. She ran back down the stairs and headed straight for the door, barely stopping to inform Warner and her parents that she wasn't going to wear the wigs anymore – thank you very much – and that she'd find her own way back to campus. They were still screaming when she closed the door behind her.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she took a deep breath to steady herself. She didn't know what to do now. A light honking noise startled her and she opened her eyes. She almost cried in relief. That was her car. Bree took one look at her and got out of the car to hug her fiercely. Addison let her friend lead her to the car, Bree taking charge and hauling her suitcase in the trunk promising that everything was going to be okay.

AZAZAZ

Bree pushed a hot mug into Addison's waiting hands. Addison felt so powerless, unable to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. And because Bree was her best friend, the only person to ever like her the way she was, white hair and all, Addison opened her mouth and told her everything.

"Fuck tea, we need vodka," Bree said. Addison heaved yet another sob. "Or maybe just ice cream?"

Addison sent her a grateful smile through her tears. She knew the entire thing wasn't over; it was all over the internet and she couldn't escape it. She was going to have to face people in class on Monday but eating ice cream and crying with Bree she thought maybe, just maybe, she had made the right choice.

AZAZAZ

Zed was playing an intense game of Uno with his sister when the door to their house flung opened and hit the wall in a loud thump. Neither Zed nor Zoe actually looked up from their game. They were both used to Eliza's antics by now. She'd hit that wall so many times in their lifelong friendship that Zed's dad, Zevon, had simply given up on fixing the round indent on the wall. Eliza dropped her bag and made a beeline for Zed.

"Why aren't you answering your phone?" She demanded, snatching his card from his hands.
"Cause I'm not you and I have a life?" Zed protested, reaching back to try and get his cards back.

Eliza took a step back and Zed reached for her middle, tugging her back towards himself. She fought back, tackling him to the ground. Both busy wrestling the other for the cards, they didn't hear Zevon walk in. With a resigned sigh, he closed the front door and turned to the two college kids.

"Children!" Zed and Eliza stopped rolling on the floor, heads spinning in his direction. "Good evening, Eliza. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Zed's ignoring me." She said matter-of-factly, glaring at her best friend.

Zevon ordered both of them off the floor before Zed could reply something that would get them started all over again.

"It's okay, Zed. I win anyway!" Zoe piped up, throwing her last card in the middle of the table. "I'm going to my room, please don't destroy the living room again."

Both Zed and Eliza had the decency to blush. Zoe ran up the stairs, a fond look on her face. They would never change. At least one of his kids was mature, Zevon couldn't help but think. He sent a warning look to Zed and Eliza before heading back to the kitchen. Whatever this was about, he probably didn't want to know. As soon as they were alone, Eliza punched Zed's arm.

"What's your problem?" He complained, rubbing a hand over what was sure to be a bruise in the morning. Eliza didn't pull her punches for anyone, least of all him.
"Seriously? Of all the days to ignore me, you picked today?" She grumbled.
"Chill, E! I haven't been on my phone all day."

Zed raised both his hands defensively in the air.

"Well, that figures!" She snorted. "Guess you haven't seen it then?"
"Whatever idiot did whatever stupid thing? No! I didn't think you were in such lowly gossip."
"I'm not!" She protested.
"Could have fooled me!"
"It's your cheerleader."
"What?"

The confused expression on her friend's face made Eliza roll her eyes. She took out her phone from her back pocket.

"Your cheerleader. The one you've been mooning over forever!"
"Addison? Did something happened to her?"

Panic filled his chest as Eliza passed her phone to him. She motioned wordlessly to him to start the video she'd just pulled up. Zed watched the first few seconds of the video, confused as the cheerleading squad filled up the screen. Why was Eliza looking at cheer routines? He knew better than to ask her before finishing the video. He turned back his attention on the phone, easily spotting Addison – not that he would admit to that. She was just as perfect as always, he thought to himself. He knew his mouth dropped as he watched the events of the day unfold. The video ended with a close up on Addison's frantic face as she was ushered away from the crowd.

"Shit!"
"Yeah! Looks like Little-Miss-Cheerboots isn't all that perfect after all!"
"Shut up Eliza! It's her fucking life!" Zed growled.
"You're right, I'm sorry."

Eliza placated her friend. She still thought it was ironic that the cheer squad precious princess wasn't as perfect as everyone thought. She could also feel bad for her. She looked so scared. Zed was shaking his head. Eliza knew how empathetic he was.

"What… when…"

Zed was at a lost for words. Thankfully for him, Eliza had long decoded his nonsense.

"This afternoon. It went viral. It's everywhere, I don't think there's a single person in all of Seabrook who hasn't seen this."
"Fuck! You know how this town is, Eliza. I hope she's okay."

She did know this town. Seabrook was full of terrible people. They were zombies. They knew that better than anyone. Eliza wrapped her arms around Zed's shoulders. She assured him he'd see her soon enough, but she knew it wouldn't help his worrying. She knew Tuesday morning couldn't come fast enough for him. They stayed silent for a long while, eventually passing out on the floor of Zed's living room.

Zed, as he often did, dreamt of Addison smiling softly at him. This time however, her face was framed by the shorter white hair he'd seen in the video. He couldn't help but think she looked even more beautiful than usual.

This chapter was a pain to write. I' still not sure it's exactly the way I want it to be, but after writing it three times, it's pretty close to it. If you do celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a good one! Let me know if you enjoyed this.