Song of a Sophomore

CHAPTER 27 - Smells Like Teen Spirit

I limped out of the restroom stall and studied my face in the mirror as I washed my hands. Gloria's glamorous make-up application held up below my mask. The shimmering peach shadow on my lids complemented the plum shade swept into the creases of my eyes. She expertly applied black eyeliner with a subtle wisp at the ends. My eyelashes appeared double their usual length, thanks to falsies she applied with glue. I didn't know there were such things, but they sure did make my olive green eyes pop. I reached into my purse for the tube of brick red lipstick and brown lip liner Gloria purchased for the occasion.

"Rose, is that you?"

"Hey, Jordan!"

"Your dress is red hot!" She raised a finger to her tongue, touched her hip, and made a sizzling sound.

I laughed. "You look amazing! Very disco chic."

Jordan wore a short, black sequined sheath dress which looked like something a young Hollywood starlet would have worn to the trendy nightclub Studio 54 back in the 1970s. The silver platform heels on her feet looked like the real deal. She wore her thick black hair swept up in a high ponytail on the crown of her head. Jordan's black and white harlequin print mask with a pink feather made her look edgy and glamorous.

"I picked it up at the thrift store for a few bucks. It's so seventies, but I love it." She spun around.

"It totally suits you."

"So, how's your date going?" Jordan asked with one hand on her hip.

"You mean, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum?" Sam emerged around the corner in a glittering gold mask and black velvet cocktail dress. It revealed the petal pink flesh of her shoulders. Pearl-studded claw clips tamed her wild red curls.

"Hey, Sam. Nice dress," I said. "So, about Katelyn and Bernie..."

"They stood you up?" Jordan gasped.

"No, they—"

"They broke your other ankle?" Sam snickered.

"No, worse. They brought their boyfriends and set me up with Leo Goodwin."

"You're kidding?" Jordan's jaw hung open.

"Wish I was." I touched up my lipstick in the mirror. "But he's actually being a gentleman for once. He stood up when I walked in the restaurant, gave me a corsage, and pulled my chair out for me. Oh, and he paid for dinner, too. He even did this little magic trick where he turned the spoon into a knife at the table, but I think he hid it in his napkin." I smiled and shook my head at the memory.

"Oh... my... God." Jordan squealed into her hands.

"She's totally into him! I knew it," Sam playfully shoved Jordan.

"No. I am so not!" I yelled, shocked they would even consider it. "You know how I feel about you know who."

Sam nodded knowingly. "Oh, yes, the big man on campus, Mr. Ashburn himself."

"Shh! Someone will hear you," I hissed.

"Maybe this will be the night you get your first kiss." Jordan smiled at me through the mirror.

"With Leo? Forget it. He's not boyfriend material. Too unpredictable and annoying. Plus he's a total flirt with all the girls."

"Okay, but, we've gotta find you someone else to lust after." Sam tucked her hair behind one ear and gazed at her reflection. "He who shall not be named is all that and a bag of chips, but he's got a girlfriend. A spoiled, psycho one. There's no way those two will ever break up."