Survivor
Shauna stared at her reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing the girl looking back at her. Was this really what sorority girls looked like? The floral dress Taissa had picked out felt foreign on her body, like a costume she'd been forced to wear.
"I look ridiculous," Shauna muttered, tugging at the hem of the dress.
Taissa's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp as a knife. "You look like someone who belongs. Isn't that what you want?"
Shauna bit her lip, considering. Did she want to belong? Or did she just want Jackie to notice her? Fuck, why was this so complicated?
"I guess," Shauna said, her voice uncertain. "But do I have to lose myself in the process?"
Taissa's laugh was cold, almost cruel. "Lose yourself? Shauna, we're creating a better version of you. One that gets what she wants."
What she wants. Jackie's face flashed in Shauna's mind, that perfect smile, those knowing eyes. God, what wouldn't she do to have Jackie look at her that way?
"Fine," Shauna said, squaring her shoulders. "What's next?"
Taissa's smile was all teeth. "Now we work on your small talk. You can't just stand there like a statue, hoping Jackie will notice you. You need to be interesting, engaging."
Interesting? Engaging? Shauna almost laughed. She'd never been those things in her life. She was tragic, and boring. How the fuck was she supposed to start now?
"And what if I can't do it?" Shauna asked, hating the vulnerability in her voice. "What if I freeze up?"
Taissa's eyes flashed with something dangerous. "Then you push through it. You're a killer, Shauna. Act like it."
A killer. The word echoed in Shauna's mind, bringing with it memories of APUSH, of blood, and hunger, and desperation. If she could survive that, she could survive anything. Even Rush Week.
"Okay," Shauna said, her voice stronger now. "Teach me how to be interesting."
As Taissa began drilling her on sorority small talk, Shauna felt something shift inside her. Maybe this wasn't about losing herself. Maybe it was about becoming someone new. Someone who could catch Jackie Taylor's eye and hold it.
And if that someone was a little ruthless? Well, Shauna thought, her lips curling into a smile, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing after all.