Red-Heads On The Battle Front

2. I Hate Coincidences with a Burning Passion

"There. You look-"

"Passable" I said, scrutinizing myself in the mirror. I didn't like what I was seeing. Not in the slightest.

"You look good""I don't look like you"

"That's okay, you look like you"

"No, CeeCee, I don't" I sighed. It was true...Gwen Taylor wore glasses, baggy tees and sweatpants. Gwen Taylor did not wear dresses, line her eyes or go anywhere without a book. I couldn't believe I was going to let people see me all dolled up. I hated the notion but for a book? Anything

"Let's get this over with" I said, turning away from the mirror abruptly. I didn't like looking at that girl in the mirror, whose green eyes blinked in time with mine, whose red hair hung in waves down her back, but who looked nothing like the familiar freckled face I would see when I usually looked there. It was unnerving and unpleasant.

"You're the only girl I've met who couldn't care less about the way she appears" said Celia, following me down the stairs. I smiled. That wasn't a compliment to most but that was to me and that made me feel a bit better. Grinning slightly I walked down the stairs, two at a time as usual.

"Gwen" my mother choked out. She looked close to tears "You look-"

"Not another word, Mum. You'll ruin your makeup" I said a little softer. Oh geez. My mother was probably the only one who'd cry over me being pretty. Well, I'm crying over me being 'pretty' too, but more like a horrible, internal wailing. You get the idea.

"Is that my little Whinny?" the miserable expression was whipped off my face

"Pop-sicle!" I launched myself at my father. He'd been gone for two days on business, two days too long in my opinion.

"Father!" Celia said in a dignified manner as she hugged him. I snorted into his coat. Pfft. I stuck my tongue out at her as we withdrew and she rolled her eyes at me. Sensing a brewing storm of quarrel, our parents shoved us onto the porch. The cold effectively shut us up. Mum grinned at the expressions on our faces and threw us jackets which we caught thankfully. And then we walked up to the stupid goddamn party.

Great.

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The park actually looked kind of pretty. It was strung up with lanterns and there were fairy lights on the bushes and picnic tables with candles on them. It looked perfect. If only it didn't have people in it.

I ducked behind my mother as Cynthia Green's nasal voice floated over.

"He's, like, soooo cute, Kelsey! You should totally hit him up"

Loud and incessant giggling followed this statement and I groaned. My mother shushed me and herded me away from the giggling. I glared mutinously at the ground, staring at the back of her heels as they marched across the ground. Suddenly they stopped and I bumped into her. Celia steadied me as I peeked over Dad's shoulder.  The lady in front of us was a vision in pink. Not a bad vision, just...a vision. Mum was grinning back at her and then let out a very un-Mum like squeal.

"Stace! It's been so long!"

"Oh Jen!" and then they were hugging. I looked up questioningly at Celia but she was too busy beaming at a tall, willowy girl with familiar brown eyes.

"Corny!" she laughed. Corny? Huh?

"Helium!" What the...

"Thomas, it's good to see you" And now Dad was shaking hands with a man who'd popped out of nowhere. He looked familiar too. What was going on?