Chapter Text
The light in the dining room was too bright, too yellow, emphasizing the angular shadows and the sharpness of the surroundings. But for Shauna Shipman, he was just gray. Gray, like the ashes of burnt-out hope that she felt in her chest.
She was sitting at a table surrounded by her teammates, but it felt like she was separated from them by an invisible, soundproof wall. Her attention was focused on the sticky stain on the countertop, her thoughts on the void that Jackie had left.
There was a lot of life around her:
Tai and Wang were leaning against each other, talking in whispers. Their intimacy wasn't just friendly—it was the same casual, decades-honed intimacy that couples who have long since passed through the honeymoon phase demonstrate. Wang finished her Tai juice without asking, and Tai just looked away as if it was a matter of course. Their calmness, their certainty that they belonged to each other, hurt Sean.
Nat sat across from him, sipping juice from a bag and listening intently to Lottie. Lottie, whose life has always been full of turmoil, complained about Laura Lee: "She pulls me on a movie date, then runs away from me in the hallway, as if I'm a leper. I don't understand what she needs!"
Shawna sat lost in her thoughts, heavy and sticky as syrup. She ignored three-quarters of the conversation, focusing only on how empty her space had become since Jackie—her best friend, her anchor, and perhaps something more—started spending all her time with the basketball team, ignoring Shauna.
Nath, always attentive and sharp, noticed her detachment.
"Hey Shipman, are you with us?" asked Nat, barely turning her head.
Shauna shuddered, emerging from her pool. "Oh, yeah. I was just thinking."
"About what?" asked Wang, looking up from Tai, and her amber-colored eyes focused on Shona with unusual seriousness.
"Jackie," Shauna gasped, and the name, spoken aloud, burned her throat. "She stopped paying attention to me. It was as if she didn't need me anymore." There was a bitterness in those words that even her usually cold manner couldn't hide.
Nat slammed her palm on the table, drawing attention. "Do it back to her."
Shauna frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Nat leaned forward, her voice becoming conspiratorial. "Well, find yourself a new 'friend.'
And everything. Show Jackie that you can do just fine without her. She'll be furious, her ego won't let you leave, and eventually you'll be together again. It's a classic."
Shauna felt a stab of hope, which was immediately replaced by burning skepticism.
"Thanks for the advice, but... no one will want to talk to me," Shona said. She wasn't lying. The team dubbed her the hermit. She was Jackie's shadow, and without Jackie, she was just... nobody.
"Well, we're talking to you,— Lottie replied softly. Ty nodded.
Shawna just closed her eyes, her brain already sorting through the names. Randy? No, he was too pathetic. Misty? God forbid, Misty will stick forever.
Then Van leaned over to Nat and whispered something quickly, and Nat nodded, a wide, predatory smile appeared on her face, which Shawna learned to be afraid of.
"We have someone who will suit you. She's an oddball, of course, but she's an expert at this kind of thing," Nat said, rubbing her hands.
"In business, how do you make a friend jealous?" Shauna asked, looking at them skeptically.
“yeah. If you knew how many pairs Hat brought back or how many she destroyed, you would have fallen," said Wang, her voice sounding almost reverent.
Lottie gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, and Tai just stared at Wang and Nat with barely concealed surprise.
"There's no way Hat's going to be a part of this," Lottie said, clearly protesting.
"Who the hell is Hat?" she asked, feeling the conversation take on a surreal tone.
"She's in JV. Jen, Marie, and Akeela are with her all the time," Ty explained.
Shauna was still looking at them like they were fools. She didn't know all the girls from the junior staff.
"The blonde. She wears a pink cap backwards all the time," Nat explained, as if it were a world landmark.
And then Shauna understood. Pink cap, J.V., three clingers.
"Are you serious? She's... well, a loser," Shona said, recalling how the entire team made fun of her strange outfits and bulky skateboard.
All the girls laughed.
"You heard it from our team and hers. We're making fun of her, yes. But she's actually quite popular at school. She has her own hangout, and she knows how to work with people," Wang said, nodding at Nat.
Shona thought about it. A loser, but popular. She has her own retinue. At least it's better than Randy. If this Hat is really that good at drama, then maybe she's Shauna's only chance.
"Okay. Where can I find this Hat?" asked Shona, feeling the adrenaline replace the apathy.
The girls vied to explain that Hat often hangs out in the skate area in the park next to the school.
"Also," Nat called after her as Shawna stood up, "you can tell her I want her shit!"
Shauna headed for the park. The skate area, contrary to its name, was more than just a concrete playground with a couple of ramps and shallow steps, favored by those who considered themselves too cool to hang out on a sports field.
She saw them immediately.
Mari was sitting next to Akeela, and they were looking at something on the phone, giggling. Jen was sitting on the railing, diligently writing something in a notebook (maybe poetry, maybe a plan for world domination). And Melissa, in that pink cap pushed backwards, was smoking and at the same time playing with a soccer ball, kicking it with her foot, showing unexpected coordination.
Shona stopped at the edge of the zone. She felt awkward, as if she had entered someone else's territory.
"Hey, Hat, can we talk?" Shauna asked, trying to make her voice sound confident and not like a muffled squeak.
The blonde looked at Shauna. Her gaze was instant but searching, as if Melissa had instantly scanned her for threats or usefulness.
"If you're from Nat, tell her to go through the woods!" the girl shouted, without even turning her head completely.
"No, I'm on another matter," Shona said.
Melissa stopped the ball with the toe of her sneaker and looked at her friends. Then, with amazing ease, she threw away the half-smoked cigarette.
"I'll be right there."
She walked towards Shauna, and Shauna felt her confidence melting away. Up close, Melissa wasn't just an "oddball," she was... charismatic.
Her eyes were sharp, and her gait was purposeful.
They moved to the steps leading to the podium, where it was quiet.
"So, Shipman, what do you need?" the girl asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Well, I was told that you, Hat, are good at making people jealous. Or to make them realize that they're missing something," Shona blurted out, feeling stupid saying it out loud.
Melissa laughed. The sound was low and completely out of keeping with her pink cap. Shawna looked at her strangely.
"Do you want Jackie to be jealous of you?" asked Mel. Shauna nodded.
Melissa nodded, as if confirming her theory. "And you came to Cousin Jackie. Tell me honestly, was it Wang's idea or Nat's?"
Shauna froze. “what? Are you Jackie's cousin?" Shona was surprised. Jackie never mentioned it.
Melissa sighed, adjusting her cap. "Listen, Shipman. Yes, I'm Jackie's cousin, but we're not close, if that's what you're talking about. And no, she's not my only cousin on the team. It just so happens that I have blood ties with some wildly obsessive people."
Shauna ignored the last remark, too busy processing the information. This only made the case more complicated, but it also made it more intriguing.
"Okay, Hat. So will you help me or not? I need a plan, and I need it now," Shauna asked, trying to regain the initiative.
Melissa smiled. The smile was wide, like a cat's, but there was no warmth in it. "I'll help you. And by the way, I have a name."
"Isn't that Hat?" asked Shauna.
"Do you think my parents called me Hat?" The girl laughed, taking out her phone. "I'm Melissa, but you can call me Mel. Or Mellie, if you insist. Jackie used to call me Mellie when she was a kid."
It was at this moment that someone called Melissa.
She looked at the screen, and her face, which had been so theatrically playful, instantly became serious.
She replied. "Yes, my beloved cousin Lee."
Then, listening to something on the phone, Melissa abruptly straightened up, and the smile disappeared completely, replaced by an expression of acute anxiety.
"Yes, I'll be right there. No, don't cry, it's okay. Yes, good. Hold on," Melissa said, and hung up.
She turned abruptly to Shawna.
"Listen, Shona. We can plan out our brilliant plan later. I'll text you the address. I have to go now," Melissa said, already heading towards her friends, quickly packing her things.
"But..." began Shauna, but Melissa was no longer listening, saying something quickly to Jen.
Shauna watched Melissa and Jen quickly walk away towards the residential area, leaving Mari and Aquila, who were slowly assembling the scooters.
Shona was left alone. In those five minutes, she learned that "Hat" was Melissa, aka Mel, aka Melly. And she was not only Jackie's cousin, but also, judging by the conversation, Laura Lee's cousin.
Who is this Melissa really? And why is she so good at controlling other people's emotions?
The next day, shortly after the final call, Shona received a text message with the address and time: "Today. 19:00. Come alone. And don't be late. We're working on art, Shipman."
The address led Shawna to a small, cozy old house in an area that was too cute for a "loser" with a pink cap. Melissa answered the door when Shauna knocked.
She was wearing house shorts and an old T-shirt, but her cap was still on her head. Behind her, Shauna saw a huge board covered with photographs, threads, stickers, and handwritten notes, reminiscent of a detective's headquarters.
"Come in. And don't touch the diagrams," Melissa warned, leading her into the living room, which looked more like a creative workshop.
"This... What is it?" asked Shona, pointing at the board.
"It's called 'Human Connection Research,'" Melissa explained, pulling out two cans of soda. "But you can call it the 'Chaos Map'. I'm studying here.
That's how this business works."
Shauna saw the photos on the board. Many of them were from school albums. And yes, there was a picture of Jackie. There was a picture of Lottie next to it. And Laura Lee. All of them were connected by red threads denoting "family duty" or "emotional dependence."
"I'm not just a manipulator, Shipman. I'm a strategist. And you came to me because you were replaced. Jackie stopped seeing you as more than just a shadow. Our goal is to get you out of the shadows and set off fireworks," Melissa placed the jar in front of her.
"So, are you going to be my new best friend?"
Melissa grimaced. “no. We're going to be a couple who looks like she's about to escape to Vegas. We have to be so ridiculous, so unexpected, that it will cause Jackie complete cognitive dissociation. She won't be jealous, she'll be obsessed with questioning: Why did Shauna choose her?"
Shona felt goosebumps running down her spine. It was so dramatic.
"Why are you doing this? It's easy... school drama," Shona asked.
Melissa shrugged, her gaze sliding to the image of Laura Lee on the board, which was linked to her own photo with a thick blue thread labeled
"Protection."
"I love drama. And I love justice. Jackie was always too much... sure. She needs to be reminded of the boundaries. And besides, I need something from you. You help me, I'll help you."
Melissa began to arrange the magazine clippings on the table.
"Here are the three rules of our false intimacy. First: Maximum visibility. No secret meetings. We need to be in the public eye. Second: Physical intimacy. Keep your hand on my shoulder in the corridors. He laughs at my jokes louder than he needs to. Stay close. Third: Complete serenity. If Jackie comes up to you, you look at her as if she's a stranger who's interfering with our very important conversation."
Shona felt herself tremble. It was scary. It was exciting.
"Okay, Melissa. Where do we start?"
"Tomorrow. At lunch. Jackie always sits down at your table at 12:45. We will appear at 12:40. And now," Melissa rummaged in the closet and pulled out a bright green flannel shirt, "you need to change your usual, boring style.
You need to look like you're ready for an adventure, not sitting at home waiting for Jackie to call."
I walked into the dining room, feeling like I was on stage in my underwear. She was wearing Melissa's green flannel shirt, which was too big and too bright, and her hair was styled more casually than usual.
Melissa walked beside her, completely unperturbed. She took off her pink cap and draped it over Shawna's shoulder, creating the illusion of "we're sharing stuff."
They went straight to the table where Nat, Lottie, and Tai and Wang were already sitting.
Shawna instinctively looked for Jackie. She was sitting in her usual spot, talking to her classmates.
And then she saw Shawna.
Jackie stopped in mid-sentence. Her perfect, athletic smile froze, and her eyes narrowed.
Shawna, following Melissa's rules, did not look at Jackie.
She was looking only at Melissa.
"And I'm saying that they should have called it the 'Depression Dossier,' not the 'Princess Diary,'" Melissa said with exaggerated interest, and then, breaking all personal boundaries, put her hand on Shawna's lower back, guiding her to the table.
Nat, Lottie, and Tai watched, dropping their forks. Van immediately took out her phone to probably record this scene for posterity.
"Hey, girls. Can we sit here?" Melissa asked, her voice confident but not defiant.
Before anyone could respond, Jackie stood up. She walked to the table quickly, her jaw tensed.
It was the first time in a week that Jackie had noticed Shawna. And that was exactly the attention that Melissa thought Shawna deserved.: rage mixed with bewilderment.
"Shona, what are you doing?" Jackie asked coldly.
Shauna turned to her, raising an eyebrow as if she had just noticed her presence. Melissa, meanwhile, leaned over and whispered very loudly in Shawna's ear.:
"Don't forget rule number three: serenity."
Shauna's heart was pounding, but she managed to exhale:
"I'm sorry? We're discussing very important things right now, Cap." She didn't even call her "Jackie." Just "Cap."
Jackie stood over her, looming like a cloud about to burst into a storm, and Shauna held onto Melissa.
This plan may have been crazy, but it worked. Shauna had never felt so alive.
She was just beginning to realize that Melissa, Jackie and Laura Lee's cousin, was more than just a strategist. She was the perfect means of destruction.
After Shauna ignored Jackie, the girls continued to have lunch, immersed in a chaotic maelstrom of teen dramas and gossip.
Melissa joined their company easily, as if she had always been a part of it, which, as it turned out, was not surprising. Nat and Van lived next to Melissa and had known her since childhood.
—Melissa, make a discount for me again, please,— Nat said, sipping her lemonade.
Melissa rolled her eyes. "No, you lost it when you fucked my best friend, and then you forgot about it."
Nat immediately fell silent, staring at the table, while Wang laughed loudly, covering her mouth with her palm.
Shona, slightly taken aback by Melissa's bluntness, looked at them. "Did you fuck Marie?" "What is it?" she asked.
—No, it was Jen,— Wang corrected, barely catching her breath from laughing. — And Marie is clearly not Mel's best friend.
"Yes, Mel only talks to Marie and Aquila because they're Jen's friends,— Lottie confirmed, straightening her bangs. "Will you give me a discount on pot?"
Melissa leaned back on the bench, crossing her arms. "The discount doesn't mean anything to you, Lottie. You can just take it.
Lottie shrugged, taking it as a compliment, and fell silent when Laura Lee approached their table, her blond hair neatly arranged, and her face expressed slight bewilderment.
— Hi, girls. Mel, what are you doing here? Laura Lee asked, clearly surprised by the company.
"Consider me a part of your group now, dear cousin," Melissa smiled broadly and suddenly winked at Shawna, pretending to make eyes at her.
At that moment, a message came to her phone, and Melissa quickly read it, then looked at Shauna again.
—Honey, are you busy after class?" "What is it?" she asked Shawna, her tone unexpectedly serious, though her eyes sparkled with a playful fire.
Shawna thought for a moment, remembering that she had no plans other than to stay at home and do her homework. — No, why not? "What is it?" she asked.
Melissa abruptly stood up, said goodbye to the group, and leaned over to say goodbye, loudly announcing, "We have a date."
She quickly hugged Shawna, leaving a light scent of her perfume on her cheek, and disappeared before anyone could respond.
Shona was in shock. It was supposed to be a fake, ridiculous performance to annoy Jackie.
And also... Shawna has never been asked out on a date. Not really.
"What the fuck?" But what to do? How should I dress? — Shona panicked, seeking help from her friends. Her hands trembled, and images of all the romantic comedies she'd ever seen flashed through her mind.
Laura Lee blinked at Shauna. "Are you dating my cousin?" She sounded like she saw Melissa eating insects.
"Oh, yes, they're getting married soon," Wang said, and the others laughed again, although it was a little nervous.
—Don't worry, Laura Lee,— Lottie said, her gaze strangely penetrating. "You know Melissa, she's just helping Shawna with something.
Laura Lee frowned, looking at Lottie strangely. Does it help? This hint was too vague.
"So, we have to get you together for a date," Nat slammed her palms on the table, switching into crisis planning mode. Her gaze drifted over Shawna's simple T-shirt and jeans. "You need something that screams, 'I can be your sweet girl, but I can also kick your ass.' We're going to my place.
Shauna only doubted it all more. She's only known Melissa for a day, and she's already going on a date with her. Okay, this is a fake date. But why is her heart jumping in her chest?
Half an hour later, they were in Nat's old Subaru, speeding toward her house. Wang was shouting from the back seat, trying to be heard over the shrill grunge playing from the speakers.
—Okay, Shawna. You need to decide. Is this a "fun date" or a "date-with-Melissa-who-is-really-hot"?
— It's fake, Van! It's for Jackie to see!
—Jackie's already seen it,— Nat retorted, turning sharply at the intersection. — Now it's a real date because Melissa doesn't waste her time pretending. Moreover, why would she announce it so theatrically if she didn't want you to really feel like yourself?.. desirable?
Shauna felt a blush flood her cheeks. Van and Nat were saying something she was afraid to even admit: Melissa might have been acting, but she did it so convincingly that it took Shauna's breath away.
—Where are we going?" Shauna asked, trying to focus on the details rather than the huge, inexplicable affection she suddenly felt for Laura Lee and Jackie's cousin.
"She didn't tell you?" Nat glanced in the rearview mirror. "So it's a surprise." Great. Moreover, you need a versatile outfit.
When they parked in front of Nat's small, battered house, Lottie, who had been silent all the way, muttered as she got out of the car:
"It's not just a date, Shawna. Melissa is not one of those who just act out performances. She likes you. And this is just the beginning.
"You don't believe she's just helping her, like you told Laura Lee?" Wang asked, chuckling.
"I believe Melissa will help Shawna sort herself out," Lottie replied cryptically. — And will help Us.
Shauna felt goosebumps run over her skin. Lottie always knew more than she was telling, and it was always disturbing.
They entered Nat's house, and Shauna finally asked what she really cared about.:
"What if she's expecting a kiss?" Or... Something more?
Wang and Nat stopped in unison and looked at Shauna.
"Then you'll just fuck her, Shawna,— Wang replied nonchalantly. "Now go and put on this skirt." We need to hurry.
Nat led her into her bedroom, where the wardrobe was crammed with things that Shawna would never dare to wear: leather, ripped denim, T-shirts with punk band logos.
Fifteen minutes later, when Shawna came out of Nat's room, she looked different. A denim miniskirt, a black wrestling T-shirt, and thick combat boots. Her hair, usually combed back, was loose and slightly disheveled.
—Oh my God, Shawna! You're just fire," Wang whispered.
"Now," Nat said, handing her the lip gloss, "let's find out where she's taking you." And most importantly, no talking about Jackie. It's your night. Your fucking first real night.
Shona, looking at her reflection, almost did not recognize the girl in the mirror. She looked confident. She looked like she could really go on a date. Even if it was a date with a girl she barely knew, and who, according to her cousin, had never dated before.
Her phone vibrated. It was a message from Melissa.
"I'm waiting for you at the main gate. Don't be late. And yes, you look amazing. I need all this drama, sweetheart."
"Drama"? Shauna swallowed. She was ready. Almost. She picked up her bag and followed her friends to the exit.