Mae barged into Ariella's bedroom surprised to see Ariella fast asleep at her desk, face planted on her laptop. At the sound of her breaking and entering, Ariella stirred and sat up, disoriented.

This is why Mae preferred to do her homework during school. No late nights slobbering in textbooks. "Why aren't you up and ready for school? I've been trying to call you all morning."

Ariella rubbed her cheek where the keyboard had etched square impressions. "I must have overslept."

Mae checked her phone. "The bus will be here in fifteen minutes."

Ariella hopped to her feet. That got her awake. "I can't even fix my hair in fifteen minutes."

Mae shooed her to the closet. "That's the sacrifice you're going to have to make."

Ten minutes later, Ariella came out of the bathroom, but something was seriously wrong. To be specific, her outfit was seriously wrong. Her top clashed severely with her pants, only one earring hung from her ear, and the sandals she reached for on her shoe wall were two seasons too early. What was going on?

Noticing Mae's perplexity, Ariella finger combed her hair. "I did the best I could, okay?"

Her hair, although a little frizzier than usual, was the least of her problems. "Your hair is fine. It's your outfit I'm worried about."

Ariella took a look in her floor-length mirror and cracked up. "Of course."

Mae blew out a sigh of relief. Maybe she got dressed before her brain upload reached a hundred percent. If she swapped the top and lost the earring, they would have just enough time to make it to school.

Instead of doing any of that, Ariella added another layer to the whackyfest she was going for. "I forgot my sweater." She slipped into a cardigan that did more harm than help. "Better?"

Mae forced a grin because that's what people who were biologically incapable of telling lies did for their friends. "We should head for the bus."

***

That's weird.

As Ariella walked down the school hallway, it felt like everyone was staring at her and giving her strange looks. As a designer, she had eyes on her all the time, but this felt different. Like she had a third eye she didn't know about. "Why is everyone staring at me?"

Mae covered her eyes with her hand. "I don't see anyone staring." Ariella took Mae's hand away and gestured toward a group of gawkers standing right across from them. Mae buckled. "It's because you're a walking wreck."

Ariella opened her locker and closely examined herself. She still couldn't figure out what Mae was talking about. "Is there something in my teeth?" She bared her pearly porcelains and took a closer look. Although she had to do without the flat iron today, brushing was mandatory in her morning routine. Maybe she missed a spot.

Mae gaped in disbelief. "You don't see what I'm seeing?"

And then everything came to a record screeching halt. Caleb walked by wearing something scarily similar to Ariella's outfit. He backtracked to do a double take of his fashion twin and nodded in approval. "Cool." He continued cruising down the hall.

Ariella whipped back to the mirror, horrified. "What's happening." She turned to her so-called friend. "How could you let me walk out of the house dressed like Caleb's mannequin?"

Mae cringed with guilt. "I didn't want to miss lab day. We're melting marshmallows."

Ariella was at a loss. This had never happened to her before. Granted, she had her off days that consisted of smaller mistakes like too bold lip color or lashes gone wrong, but this was unacceptable. "I don't know what I was thinking. I can't walk around like this."

"Maybe we can find something in Lost and Found," Mae said.

Ariella dreaded the Lost and Found. Just the thought of a room full of previously worn unwashed clothes made her itch. But she had no other choice. She valued Caleb's friendship wholeheartedly, but she had no intentions of being his mini-me. "Okay, but I need you to do something. Hide me." She crouched behind Mae and they attempted to inconspicuously crab walk down the hall.

***

How would you deal with a bad outfit day? Let me know in the comments?

-Love, Charly