Juliette:
The sun was just starting to dip behind the trees as I walked out of the mall, dress bag in hand, still floating on some cloud of confidence I didn’t recognize. For once, I wasn’t rushing to hide. I wasn’t tugging at my clothes or shrinking from stares.
I felt... good. Very good.
That didn’t last long.
“Hey you! You're Juliette, right?” a voice called behind me.
I turned slowly. Three girls stood near a parked car—fashionable, put-together, the kind who always traveled in a pack.
“You must be feeling yourself these days,” the brunette said, eyes glancing down at the bag in my hand. “Shopping spree?”
“Especially after that article,” another added, smirking. “Oh girl, that is pretty freaking gutsy, if I do say so myself.”
My smile faltered. “What? What article?”
“Oh…” Th
