“Come in!” Ivy called, and Missy slipped into the room. She had a small tote over her shoulder.
“Hey,” Ivy called. “Look at this bitch’s hair,” she said, stepping back and pointing at me with that thing in her hand.
Missy shook her head and sighed. “It’s a damn shame.”
“Does it look bad?” I worried, trying to crane my neck to see in the mirror.
Ivy pushed me back in the seat. “Hell no. It’s awesome. That’s why it’s a shame. You don’t even appreciate it.”
Missy made a sound in the back of her throat like she agreed.
“Did you bring it?” Ivy asked her.
“It’s in my bag.”
She nodded and kept working. They chattered on about Braeden and other people they knew who I did not, and I totally tuned out. I was glad Ivy had someone to talk to other than me for a change. I really liked her, but she talked a lot.
After what felt like forever, she put the curling thing down and made me flip my head upside down. She ran her fingers through the locks, messing up everything she’d just done. Made no sense to me.
When I flipped it back up, she and Missy made appreciative sounds and she added some kind of clear, slippery stuff to her fingers and worked it in. Then she sprayed it with a bunch of hairspray she promised wouldn’t make my hair feel stiff.
I didn’t tell her this was the first time I’d ever had someone style my hair (other than the day she braided it). I barely ever went to get it trimmed. That’s why it was so long. When I did, I just left the place with it still wet and let it air-dry.
“I’m totally jealous,” Ivy said, standing back to admire her work.
“Thanks for doing that,” I said, praying I didn’t look like a Chia pet or something.
I stood up to go look in the mirror.
“Wait!” Missy said and jumped up from my bed. She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, sky-high heels, and red top with a thin black belt that fastened just below her breasts. She reached in the bag she brought and withdrew the velvet leopard blazer she had on the other day. “Here, wear this,” she said.
I looked at the jacket and then back at her. “You want me to wear that?”
“You said you liked it,” she replied.
“I do.”
She nodded. “You can totally borrow it. It will make that outfit.”
“Thanks,” I said, getting a little choked up. All this girl time was making me emotional. I slipped it on. It was just as soft on the inside as it was on the outside.
“Looks so good.” Missy beamed.
“Here,” Ivy said and handed over my brown fur-lined boots.
“Do those match?” I asked.
“Yes,” both girls said simultaneously.
I slid them on, grateful for the warmth. Then I went to the mirror to see.
I did a double take at my own reflection.
It seemed impossible it was me.
But it was.
I just stood there and stared, unable to say anything.
Ivy and Missy high-fived and then went back to talking about whatever.
My hair never looked so pretty. It hung in loose curls over my shoulders and down my back. It was parted off to the side and looked shiny and sleek, just like I always wanted it to (but it never did). For once, my black-rimmed glasses didn’t appear to take over my entire face, but seemed to have a bit of balance. I turned a little to admire the way the glossy curls fell down my back and caught the light.
The black leggings totally worked as an actual outfit. They were comfortable and didn’t make me feel like I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. They hugged my body because that’s what leggings did, but the tan boots came halfway up my calves and the white T-shirt was loose enough that it covered most of my butt. The blazer was a little looser on me than it had been on Missy, but it still looked nice. It seemed to make me look like I had more of a shape than I actually did. It ended up above my hips and the warm brown and black seemed to play off my hair and boots.
My face was makeup free, but I went to my bag and pulled out some vanilla lip balm and smoothed it on to give my lips a slight shine.
It’s amazing how a hairstyle and a beautiful outfit could make me feel. I wished my mother could see me. I wondered if she would have been proud.
Just thinking of her reminded me of something I’d kept in the top drawer of my dresser, hidden away for years. I went to it now and pulled it out carefully, sliding it over my head, taking care to slip it beneath all my hair. I turned to Ivy and asked, “Does this match?”
She turned and smiled. “It’s perfect.”
Missy nodded.
It was a pendant on a long gold chain, made to look like a cameo brooch. It was large and oval, with a black background and an ornate golden frame. In the center was the silhouette of a woman carved out in white. The detail on the lady was amazing.
The piece had been my mother’s. I still remembered her wearing it.
Tonight would be the first time I’d ever let myself wear it anywhere other than my room.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. My pulse jumped and my stomach dropped. I knew it was Romeo. I could feel it.
Ivy gave me a look and bounced to the door to answer. “Hey,” she said, still holding the door only partially open. I heard his deeper voice on the other side and my teeth sank into my lower lip.
“She’s over there,” Ivy said and opened the door all the way.
My palms felt sweaty and I resisted the urge to wipe them down my thighs. My eyes glued to his face the second he appeared and my nerves increased tenfold as I wondered what he would think about the way I looked.
His eyes saw me, then kept going, totally passing right by. My ego stung a little because I hadn’t earned just a little bit of a longer look.
But then he seemed to jerk and his eyes flew back to where I stood.
I smiled.
His eyes widened and recognition slammed into him. He hadn’t realized it was me. But now he did. He stepped a little closer as Ivy giggled, and his stare ate up my face and hair. Then his gaze traveled down my body all the way to my toes, reversed, and traveled back up again.
“Holy shit,” he breathed. Then he seemed to catch himself and hurried to say, “You look beautiful.”
I laughed. “Thanks.”
“Well, my work here is done,” Ivy said. “When you get to the party, Rimmel, come find us.”
“You aren’t riding with us?” I said nervously.
Romeo frowned but then turned to the girls and said, “You can if you want.”