C5 Chapter 5

DOROTHY’S POV

"Alright, I've narrowed it down to three perfect outfits. Wait, skip that, let me rethink," Elena muttered, spinning around in circles.

"Elena, seriously, you’ve been tearing your closet apart for the last half hour looking for these pieces. Just let her pick something so we aren't completely late," Laurel pleaded, groaning from the floor.

We were all hanging out at Elena's place, passing the time before the big football game. Adrianna was sprawled acRoger the mattress, completely lost in a book. Laurel was scrolling through her phone, and Elena was still operating as my personal stylist, determined to find me the perfect look.

Elena had basically demanded that I come over for a fashion show. When I initially told her my grand plan was just to throw on regular jeans and an oversized hoodie, she completely lost her mind. She insisted that since this was my very first high school football game, looking cute was non-negotiable.

So, I caved. And that’s how I ended up here.

Three distinct options were laid out acRoger the bed right next to Adrianna. The first setup consisted of black skinny jeans, a plain white tee, and a structured black leather jacket, finished off with high-heeled boots. It gave off a total rebel, bad-girl vibe.

Yeah, not my style.

The second choice was a deep maroon sweater paired with a high-waisted skirt, black tights, and brown ankle booties.

I really wasn't a fan of skirts.

The final option was a cozy, off-the-shoulder gray knit sweater, light-wash denim jeans, and gray suede boots that came up almost to my knees.

"I think I’ll try this last one on," I told the group, pointing to the gray sweater.

"Perfect," Elena beamed.

I grabbed the clothes, ducked into the attached bathroom, and clicked the door shut. I quickly changed out of my regular clothes and slipped into the new outfit.

Stepping back, I checked my reflection in the mirror. It was actually incredibly cute, and bonus points—it was super comfortable.

"Okay, I'm coming out," I called out, twisting the doorknob.

I stepped into the bedroom and did a quick little spin so they could see the whole look. When I faced them, all three girls were grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh my gosh! You look absolutely adorable! Adrianna gushed, dropping her book.

"My mission here is accomplished. Well, at least the wardrobe department," Elena cheered.

"Thanks for letting me raid your closet," I said gratefully.

She waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, stop it, of course! Now, here's the game plan: while I handle your hair, Adrianna is taking charge of makeup. Laurel, you're on music duty and nails."

I laughed as the room turned into a full-blown salon. Adrianna started organizing her makeup brushes; Elena was debating whether a straightener or a curling iron would look better on me, and Laurel was scrolling through playlists.

"Yes, this is absolutely perfect track," Laurel announced, tapping her screen.

A second later, the bedroom speakers started blasting "Señorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello.

I totally shipped them.

"La, la, la," Laurel immediately started singing along.

She actually had a really beautiful voice. Elena started swaying her hips to the beat, and Adrianna hummed along while setting up. Laurel walked over to me, holding a bottle of deep red nail polish.

Seven songs later, the girls finally finished putting my look together. I stood up and walked over to the full-length mirror to take in the result. Laurel, Elena, and Adrianna crowded right behind me to look.

My blonde hair was styled into soft, elegant curls right at the tips. My makeup was light and natural. To finish it off, Elena had added two delicate silver rings to my left hand, a statement of silver necklace, and slipped a black hair tie onto my wrist just in case I wanted to throw it up later. My nails were painted a stunning shade of dark crimson, which I absolutely loved.

I looked like a completely different person. I didn't look like a broken girl a few months ago. I didn't even look like a stressed-out girl yesterday. Standing there, it looked like I didn't have a single care in the world.

I looked like a normal, happy teenager.

"Well? What is the verdict? They asked in unison.

"Are you serious? I totally love it. Thank you, guys, so much," I told them honestly.

"Anytime," Adrianna smiled.

We all leaned into a big group hug. The second we pulled apart; Laurel whipped out her phone.

"Groupie time!" She shouted.

"A groupie?" I asked, tilting my head.

"You know, a selfie, but with a whole crowd of people." She explained, breaking it down.

I laughed, and we were all crowded into the frame for a quick photo. Once that was done, the other girls started getting ready. I stepped in to help with their makeup, and I think I did a pretty decent job.

Elena ended up wearing a beautiful rose-gold sweater, dark tights, and brown Ugg boots. She ran a straightener through her hair until it looked incredibly long and sleek. I helped her apply some natural makeup, added some pearl studs and a matching necklace, and finished her look by painting her nails a soft cream color.

Next was Laurel. She went with a casual black-and-white striped tee, distressed black jeans, and a light denim jacket. She kept her hair completely natural, only throwing on a bit of mascara and some tinted lip balm. She opted out of a necklace entirely, choosing a simple bracelet instead, and went with a clean coat of clear polish for her nails.

Finally, Adrianna put on a classic black sweater, dark blue denim, and her reliable white Converse sneakers. Since her hair naturally curled at the bottom anyway, she just left it down. She strapped on her Apple watch, put in some simple earrings, and I helped her blend some dark brown shadow onto her eyelids, finishing her look with a bold dark red lipstick.

Elena clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Wow! Look at us, we look stunning!"

"Oh, wait, look at the clock- We're running late!" Adrianna said, her eyes growing wide.

"Alright, team, let's hustle! Move, move, move!" Laurel shouted, instantly shifting into athlete mode.

We practically jogged down the stairs and bolted out the front door.

"Mom, I'm heading out for a bit!" Elena yelled back over her shoulder just before the door clicked shut.

But the exact moment she unlocked her car; the front door swung wide open, and her mom stepped onto the porch.

"Elena Sabrina Port! I know you did not just scream inside my house! I will chase you down with a broom!" She yelled acRoger the yard.

Elena turned around, looking completely sheepish. "Sorry Mom! Love you! I'll be back by eleven!"

"Hmph, you better be. Love you too, Maddie. Have a good time! Her mom called back.

She gave us a friendly wave before heading back inside. We all piled into Elena's car, and she backed out of the driveway and sped off.

"So, who is our school playing tonight anyway?" I asked Laurel, who was sitting right next to me in the backseat.

"We're up against Quirrels Academy," she answered.

"It's that fancy private school in the next town over," Adrianna chimed in from the front.

"Are they actually tough competition?" I asked.

"They're a decent team, but honestly, we wipe the floor with them every single time we play," Elena said confidently from the driver's seat.

I nodded, turning my attention out the side window. Football season was clearly a massive deal in this community, judging by how the whole town seemed to turn out for it.

We drove for a few more minutes until we started hitting rows of cars parked all along the gravel shoulders of the road. Elena managed to snag a spot in the main high school lot, and we all climbed out into the crisp evening air.

The girls guided me toward the massive stadium bleachers, which were already packing up with spectators. They suddenly stopped at the base of the stairs and looked back at me.

“Hey, do you have a fear of heights at all? Laurel asked.

"No, not really. Why do you ask?" I replied.

"The absolute best vantage point is the very top row. You can see the whole field from up there," Adrianna explained.

"Plus, that's been our designated spot for every single home game," Elena added.

I nodded in agreement, and we started making our way up the metal steps. All around us, people were catching up with neighbors and sipping from steaming paper cups of hot cocoa.

The moment we sat down on the metal bleachers, a chill went straight through me.

Oh my gosh! “It’s like I just sat down on a block of ice!” Elena screamed and immediately jumped back to her feet.

"Well, you'd better get used to it," Laurel teased.

Elena rolled her eyes playfully. "I have a thick blanket sitting in my trunk. I'll be right back," she said, spinning around to head back down the bleachers.

Down below, the massive scoreboard flashed to life, and the cheerleaders were down on the track, setting up a giant paper banner for the team to run through.

"I’m going to make a run to the concession stand for some hot chocolate. What would you like guys?" Laurel asked.

"I'll have sour skittles and a hot cocoa. Thank you!" Adrianna replied.

"What about you, Dorothy?"

"One hot chocolate drink. Thanks!" I responded, massaging my hands.

Laurel responded, "Got it, I’ll be back in a flash," and vanished into the throng.

"The kickoff is only a few minutes away," Adrianna noted, looking down at the field.

"Do Mia and Roger usually come out to these games?" I asked, wondering about my new foster parents.

"Usually, yeah, but Hudson mentioned earlier that they both got called into the office for emergency work shifts tonight."

A few minutes later, Laurel returned balancing our warm drinks, with Elena trailing just a few steps behind her.

"What took you so long down there?" Laurel ask staring intently at Elena.

Elena tried to play it completely cool, putting on an innocent face. "The line for the restroom was forever," she lied.

Laurel and Adrianna exchanged a highly skeptical look.

"Is 'the restroom' the new secret code word for a steamy parking lot make-out session with Hudson?" Adrianna teased with a smirk.

Elena's face turned bright red. "Shush! Keep it down, someone is going to hear you!"

"Oh please, the entire school already knows," Laurel laughed.

Before Elena could even attempt a comeback, the loud stadium buzzer echoed through the air.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final home game of the season for your local Wolves! Tonight, the Wolves take on visiting Tigers. Let's welcome to the field... the Tigers!" The announcer's voice boomed through the loudspeakers.

A wave of players clads in bright orange and black uniforms shattered through their paper banner as a section of the crowd cheered.

"And now, let's hear it for your very own... Wolves!"

The four of us jumped to our feet, screaming and cheering at the top of our lungs as our home team exploded onto the turf. They looked sharp in their white and gray uniforms, and the girls quickly started pointing out the players through the helmets.

Oliver was wearing number fifteen, Ralph was number twenty-seven, Hudson was number eleven, Mateo was number ten, and right-out front was Felix, wearing number one.

"Let's play some football!" The announcer yelled.

The crowd went wild, and the players split off into their starting positions acRoger the gridiron.

Please, just let us take home a win.

I was literally shaking from the cold. The stadium lights were shutting down, and we were standing near the lockers waiting for the guys to walk out.

They completely crushed it, finishing with a final score of 45 to 13. It was an incredible game from start to finish. The boys left everything out on the turf, and the girls and I had completely lost our voices cheering for them from the top row.

Adrianna had explained to me earlier that the post-game tradition for every home victory was to pile into a local spot called Ken's Pizzeria.

"We took home the victory, baby!" Hudson shouted, leading the pack as the boys finally walked out.

"Of course you did," Elena beamed, stepping forward to plant a quick kiss on his cheek.

Ralph threw his arms around Laurel in a celebratory hug, and Oliver leaned down to kiss Adrianna. I noticed that all of them had changed into their matching varsity letterman jackets. The jackets were a sleek gray with their individual jersey numbers stitched onto the sleeves, and the word "Wolves" spelled out acRoger the back in bold black lettering.

"Come on, let's get out of the cold and grab some pizza," Oliver suggested, wrapping a comfortable arm around Adrianna’s shoulders.

"Yes, please, I am completely starving," Mateo groaned, dramatically rubbing his stomach.

The group started drifting toward the parked cars, but Felix slowed his pace, dropping back to walk beside me.

"So, did you actually enjoy your first game?" He asked, casually scratching the back of his neck.

"It was incredible. You and the guys are seriously talented out there," I told him, wrapping my arms tightly around my torso to try and keep from shivering.

He noticed the movement, his expression shifting to concern. "Are you freezing?"

"A little bit, yeah, but I'll survive."

"Here, take this," he said without hesitation, immediately unbuttoning his heavy letterman jacket.

"No, really, I'm okay," I insisted, trying to protest so he wouldn't freeze instead.

"I'm really worried that if you don't wear this now, you'll turn into a literal ice sculpture in no time." He said jokingly.

"Thank you," I murmured, looking up at him feeling the warmth of his gesure.

"A beautiful girl freezing to death on my watch? Not a chance," he said, showing his confident aura.

I quickly looked away, staring down at my boots and praying to the universe that he wouldn't notice the sudden warmth rushing to my cheeks.

I was blushing completely because of a silly comment he made.

What in the world is happening to me?