Following Sharon out of the building, Kim spotted another patient coming towards the entrance, an attractive auburn-haired girl with a great figure. All at once, her stomach went cold. It was one of her bullies! Thankfully, it wasn’t Lisa, but it was the one whose jealousy over her artistic ability had started it all. It was What’s-her-face! Holly? Hallie? H-something. Honestly, all of Lisa’s friends tended to blend together, just different versions of the same spoiled girl that stayed behind her leader and laughed at her jokes.
Quickly, Kim tried to put her hand over her face. Sure, it would be conspicuous, but what else could she do? While her body had improved dramatically, her face and hair retained enough of her old features to be recognized.
Too late. She heard a gasp. “W-what are YOU doing here!?”
Sharon had stopped out of curiosity, so Kim had no choice but to engage. Taking a breath, she dropped her hand and tried her best to say something. “I…uh, I, well-”
“Did you follow me here?” The girl interrupted, glaring at her. To Kim’s surprise, she saw none of the smug disdain she had grown to expect from the bully. Instead, she seemed angry and more than a little embarrassed. “Are you stalking me!? Hold on, you look different. You’re-” Suddenly, her words faded as realization dawned. “Wait, this is why you left school! You got the virus! Was it you who got me sick!?”
Kim opened her mouth but found no words coming. Blushing hard, she turned away. Ruined. All her plans were ruined. Now that H-whatever-her-name-was had seen her, there would be no way Lisa wouldn’t find out about the whole thing. Sure, Kim could still try to steal their boyfriends, but it wouldn’t be easy if they were all aware of her identity. And it wouldn’t take a detective to figure out her true motives. No, her grand plans for revenge would only work if she could keep her identity hidden. Now, the whole thing had gone out the window.
Meanwhile, Sharon had joined the conversation. “You know that’s not how the virus works. You just got lucky. Or unlucky. Now, who are you?”
The girl narrowed her eyes. “None of your business.” Pointing at Kim, she demanded, “So, what are you turning into, huh? A slug monster? A hairy ogre? What?”
Sharon folded her arms and sneered. “What do you think? Does she look like she’s becoming a hairy ogre?”
With some satisfaction, Kim could see envy blooming in the girl’s face. Then, sadness. “No.”
“For your information, she’s becoming-”
Kim interrupted Sharon with a hand on her arm. “Don’t tell her. She doesn’t deserve to know.” Besides, she would find out sooner or later, so why not buy some time to think things over?
“Whatever, keep it to yourself. I don’t care,” the bully said, tossing her hair. “I’ve got more important problems to deal with. Just stay out of my way.” With that, she continued onward.
Seeing her go, Kim finally remembered her name. “Haley!”
Haley looked back. “What do you want now?”
It was a long shot, but she had to try. “Please, don’t tell Lisa about me.” A moment later, Kim mentally kicked herself. There was no way Haley would NOT tell Lisa now that she had made that pathetic plea.
To her surprise, Haley rolled her eyes. “Why would I tell that cheating, backstabbing b*tch anything?” With that, she entered the building, slamming the door behind her.