Blake

My eyes shot open and I sprang up from my slumber, on the floor. My chest heaved, and heart drummed against my chest wildly. Another nightmare. 

After Jace knocked me out with the skillet, I woke up to my wrists and ankles being shackled. He said that I've lost his trust. I couldn't blame him either, with the past stunts I've tried to pull off.

This was bound to happen.

My defiance has gotten me nowhere, all my plans failed. I should've known I couldn't leave. Jace was impossible to outsmart! His thinking was always ahead of mine.

I'm back to square one. Back to staring at the cheap painted walls. Back to the disgusting gritty tuna. Back to the endless crying. I've dug myself a hole too deep to escape. 

I caught sight of the cork-board that lay under the bed. Sniffling and wiping my tears away, I extended my leg and dragged the board towards me with my foot.

Memories flooded my mind and sad smile crept on my face, as I looked at the photos. 

*f l a s h b a c k*

"Blake I want you home by 9:00," Mom ordered, sternly with her eyes glued to her phone.

"Alright, yeah. I got it," I sighed, approaching the door. Blair stomped her way down the stairs.

"Hey you're going to the mall, maybe you'll come back with actual cute clothes," She laughed bitterly. 

"I don't dress bad," I countered, looking down at my outfit.

"Yeah. Keep telling yourself that, sis."

"Blair I dont dr-"

"The more you sit here and argue the less time you have Blake. So I suggest you scurry off with your little friends before you have to be back here. Now go," Mom intervened, icily. 

I swung the door open, shaking my head. She was never friendly to Stella or Peyton. She'd always refer to them as 'those girls',  as if they were below her. 

 I yanked the door open and slid in the back seat of Stella's car. 

"Hey, what took you so long?" Stella questioned, putting the car in drive.

"Oh you know the usual, my mother and the wonderful Blair," I feigned a bright smile. 

"Ok I know that Blair is a brat, but sometimes I admire her sass," Peyton confessed.

I raised my brow, "Her sass is gonna get her decked." 

"By who? . . . you?" Peyton challenged.

I nodded eagerly with a sweet smile, "Keep pushing me."

"You're so cute B," Stella laughed, knowing that I wouldn't hurt a fly even if I tried. 

Stella pulled into a parking space once we arrived at the mall. One thing that I didn't like about coming to the mall on a Friday was that you're bound to see somebody from school.

The few times it happened to me, we ended up having a brief and awkward staring contest.

"Ok where to first ladies?" Stella clapped her hands together in excitement as we entered the mall. 

"Let's go to Forever Twenty O-" Peyton suggested.

"No," Stella rejected intermediately. 

For the next ten minutes, I walked in between them, listening to them argue about which store to shop in. I pressed my lips into a thin line, trying keep them from pulling into a smile. 

"Stel! Just give me five minutes in Abercrombie," Peyton begged.

"Five minutes is all I need to die over their use of too much perfume," Stella rolled her eyes. 

Stella had more of a laid back style and gave off a kind of hipster vibe. She went for the more inexpensive stores. While Peyton, had to have the latest everything. 

"Oh my god just pick a store," I sighed exasperatedly. 

Peyton abruptly stopped and her face lit up like a Christmas tree, "Candy!"

"Can you sound any younger?" Stella deadpanned.

" Ok Stel you cant turn down candy,"  I rose a brow. 

"I know," She admitted, tugging Peyton and I's arm.

Soon as we stepped foot in the store, we were hit with the heavenly aroma of every candy known to man. Grabbing our tiny plastic bags, we wasted no time filling them up with our favorites.

"You really just filled you're whole bag with gummies," I stared down at Peyton's bag, a single laugh escaping my lips. 

"B, you know gummy bears are my weakness," She laughed. Whereas Stella and I filled our bags with an assortment of candies.

When we put our bags on the mini scale, I caught the cashier guy looking at me with a crooked smile. He was really good looking with his effortlessly ruffled blonde hair and ocean blue eyes.

I pulled out my card when he gave us the total amount, Peyton and Stella gave me questioning looks.

"It's alright I got it," I nodded and handed over my credit card to the cashier.

"Thank you Taylor Enterprises," Stella grinned.

We munched on our candy as we continued to stroll around the mall.

"The candy store guy was smirking at you," Peyton nudged my arm with her elbow repeatedly. 

"He's a cutie,"  Stella gave a mischievous smile. 

"I agree," I giggled. 

Suddenly Peyton gasped, laying her eyes on mannequins displaying beautiful dresses. She turned and gave Stella and I a pleading look.

"Let's go," Stella sighed.

Peyton instantly sped into the store, eyeing every rack, touching every dress she saw. This store was mostly shopped at by students getting ready for prom. Even wedding gowns were sold.

"Oh my god Blake you have to try this on," Peyton pulled out a long white laced dress.

"Fine, give it here." 

I looked at the dress skeptically as I walked to where the dressing rooms were located. I wasn't sure if I could pull off such a look.

"Guys I don't know if I want to, it wont look right," I said, closing the door behind me.

"C'mon it's just for fun," Stella replied from the other side of the heavy white dressing room door.

Sighing, I undressed myself. I pulled the dress up my body and zipped it up. My eyes went wide when I looked at my reflection. It was floor length, fanning out just a little at the very bottom.

The flowery lace fabric hugged my hips perfectly. I turned around and a large portion of my back was exposed. It was a perfect mix of elegance with a touch of sexy.

"Are you done?" Peyton's impatient voice startled me.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered, slowly opening the door.

"Whoa you look hot!" Peyton gaped. 

"You're so gonna turn heads in that," Stella nodded eagerly, "Do you like it?"

"I really love it," I smiled, rubbing my palms against the fabric.

"So then buy it," Stella shrugged her shoulder.

"Are you kidding me? My parents would kill me and dump my ashes in the ocean," I responded incredulously.

"And by that you mean your mother?" Peyton crossed her arms.

"No offense but sometimes I swear she's Cinderella's evil stepmother," Stella added.

"None taken," I laughed.

"Too bad you cant get it, you look so beautiful," Peyton complimented.

"Thanks," I smiled shyly. "I should probably take it off now though." I quickly get back into my dressing room, jumping out of the dress and reclothing myself.

"Me and Stella are gonna try these on," Peyton held up at least a dozen dresses.

"C'mon go get more to try on," She takes the white dress out of my room, putting it on the unwanted rack.

"Yeah lets do our store fashion shows like we did when we were 6," Stella struck a pose.

"Hand me some dresses," I smiled.

The next hour or so was spent trying on the most expensive dresses we could find, photographing every dress we posed in.

Our fun was interrupted when my phone rang. My shoulders slumped when I saw the ID.

Mom.

"Hello?"

"Do you see what time it is?" She answered icily. I pulled my phone away from my ear and see that it's already 8:50.

"Yeah, sorry we're on our way," I told her before hanging up.

"Evil stepmother?" Stella asked.

"Yeah I gotta get home."

"It's so early though," Peyton complained.

"Yeah, but I'd actually like to live to see eighteen so let's hurry up," I rushed into my dressing room. 

When all three of us were back into our regular attire, we walked faster than usual to the exit.

"Man, that candy store guy was hot," Peyton said. The chilly air refreshed me as we walked to Stella's car.

Stella sighed, "I worry about you, Peyt."

"Your obsession with boys is unhealthy," I joked.

"What? No!" Peyton rebutted.

Stella and I laughed in unison.

*e n d of f l a s h b a c k*

Thinking about the small moments of happiness I once had evoked stinging tears to surge in the linings of my eyes.  I couldn't stop my mind from wondering about what they were doing right this second. I missed them so much. 

All of my confidence somehow evaporated. I lost my determination. My spark. My motivation. I'm back to the same feeling that constantly weighed me down before. 

Hopeless.

The difference is that it's here to stay this time.

___________________________

A/N > *sigh* and we're back to the old Blake.

I wanted you guys to see a little more of Peyton and Stella and their personalities :)

Hope you enjoyed it! 

Votes/Comments are much appreciated xx

-kya h. ∞