I couldn't talk to Kegan that day. I couldn't even burrow his hands in his huge ones or flash him a smile. No. That was taken care of by Melissa who dragged me to her car.

Her car. Melissa was sixteen years old. She couldn't drive. At least, not legally.

"Melissa, how did you get that car?" I asked as we made our way to the silver-grey sedan. "You aren't old enough to drive yet."

"I know, " she said as she shrugged her rounded shoulders. "It's my mum's car. She lets me drive it whenever I want to. Now get in."

I raised my eyebrows in response. Melissa's mother could get fined. Maybe, even arrested. I wouldn't know. My mum would never let me get within a foot of her car keys.

"God, are you getting in or not?" Melissa screamed.

I opened the door to the front seat when she stopped me. "No, you don't sit there. That's where Sasha sits. You go sit in the back."

I made my way to the back where I was cramped between three other girls.

"Did you see what Ms Greef was wearing today?" Sasha asked. "It was this really tight pair of jeans that showed just how flat her ass was."

"Yes, " Melissa laughed as she drove. "She looked like some dried-up old stick. I wonder how her boyfriend can stand her."

"Didn't you hear?" another girl said. "Ms Greef was engaged once. Apparently, the guy passed away."

"Really?" I said as my heart shattered. I forgave her. I forgave the teacher of every nasty thing she had ever said about me. Because beneath that mean demeanour lay the depths of heartbreak.

"Yeah, died of a heart attack, " the girl said. "Maybe he just got one good look at his ugly fiance and fell dead."

"She's not ugly, " I cried.

I actually thought Ms Greef was kinda pretty. She had light blonde hair which was cut into an eighties feathers style and she was really petite.

"What do you know about looking good or bad?" Melissa scoffed as she rolled her eyes.  "You look like some kind of mutant. Which is why we are here to help you."

I felt tears swarm into my eyes. I was not a mutant. Kegan told me that I was the prettiest girl he had ever laid eyes on.

"Okay, here we are, " Melissa said as she pulled up in front of a crowded boutique.

I wanted to sprint in. I wanted to clap my hands with a million ounces of joy. Yet, I couldn't.

The place was packed. Rap music belted through the store's many speakers. Its clothes were arranged in a neat line, sorted according to colour and style.

"So? What do you think?" Melissa said.

"I don't know, " I said as I gazed around the shop. My heart yearned for the soul music that came out of Heaven's Gates's stereos. I strained my eyes searching for explosions of colour amount the fabric. Pale pastels stared back at me.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Melissa said. "This store has the best clothes in Port Elizabeth. But looking at your body, I suggest we shop at the kid's section."

"Hey, am I that bad?" I said as sorrow welled up inside me.

"You are, " Sasha laughed. "Name one person other than Alister who has said that you aren't ugly."

"Kegan, " I said. "Kegan said I was the prettiest girl he ever met."

This was perhaps the wrong thing to say. Melissa's eyes narrowed as they filled with a single emotion; rage.

"Oh, honey, " Sasha said as she shrugged her shoulders. "You are so naive. Kegan was only mocking you. He told Cyrus that he only sticks around because you help him write his essays. Didn't you realise?"

"No, he wasn't, " I said as tears trickled down my face. "If Kegan was mocking me, he'd have done it to my face."

"Kegan does it all the time, " Melissa said. "Besides, why would a practically perfect guy like Kegan see in a goon like you?"

"Whatever, Melissa, " Sasha said. "Bianca, what did Kegan say he liked about you? Physically, I mean."

I thought about it. Memories of his compliments drew a smile on my face. Could they really be insincere?

At that moment, I wished he was here. I wished he chased me around these narrow aisles until we bumped into those rather formidable mannequins. We sometimes even posed as mannequins ourselves, although none of us did a good job at it.

"He told me he liked how natural I look, " I said at last.

"Natural, " Melissa echoed as she nudged the other girls. I didn't see the point of why she nudged them.

"Okay, girl, " Melissa said giving me one of her biggest smiles. "You need to start on wearing more makeup. You wear too little."

"I just wear concealer and lipgloss, " I said feeling honoured by their help. "You guys think I should wear more."

"Yes, " chorused the girls. "Lots of it. You need a foundation. One that's several shades lighter than your skin tone."

"Good luck finding that colour, " I smirked looking at my slightly translucent skin.

"You need to wear layers of it, " Sasha said. "So it would cover up your bumpy skin."

I raised my hand to my cheek. My skin didn't feel bumpy. Although, it must look bumpy if they say so.

"And don't forget to use fake eyelashes, " Melissa added. "Fake eyelashes will look great on you."

"Okay, whatever you say, " I smiled.

"And, " Melissa said as her eyes danced with unspoken excitement. "A fake ass."

"What?"

"A fake ass, " she answered. The others approved and I was lost in a chorus of chatter.

"You, " Melissa said as she pointed at a salesperson. "Get her a fake ass."

The salesperson returned with underwear. At least, it looked like underwear from the front. The back was stuffed with layers of foam.

"Try this on, " one girl said and I did.

A few minutes later a girl stood in front of a mirror. This girl had brown hair just like I did. And her name was Bianca, just like mine was.

But this was not me. I did not have fake eyelashes or bee-stung lips or a foam ass. I did not wear a 36C bra stuffed with tissue. No. This was a different girl entirely.

"Well, you're not as ugly as you were before, " Melissa smirked.

"Thanks, guys, " I said with tears in my eyes. "Thank you so much. Without you, I would never be beautiful."

"Bianca, I'm your friend, " Melissa smiled. "Your only friend. And you don't want to lose me, do you?"

"No, " I said shaking my head. I did not want to lose Melissa.

"Good, then you will do something for me, " she said.

"I'll do anything, " I answered.

"I want you to get Kegan to go out with me."