Learning to Live

Chapter 12

"You're way too excited for this."

Lia lowered the dress she held in her arms. A big grin split her face. "It's Mallory's birthday party. She said there's going to be a chocolate fountain. Also, I'm excited you're going along. You never have the opportunity to dress up."

Liza, sitting at my desk, turned from doing her eye make up. "That dress is going to look gorgeous against your skin tone, Lia."

The dress in question was red. Liza was right; it was Lia's color.

My room looked like Lia's closet had vomited in it. Dresses were thrown over my desk and chair, high heels littered the floor, and two bags of makeup were open on my bed, spilling their guts next to a curling iron.

Liza was already dressed when she got here. She cleared up a small space on my desk and started doing her make up, looking at her reflection in my chipped mirror.

"Can't I just go in jeans and a nice shirt," I said, brushing some orange fur from my pajama pants. Cheddar had escaped my room when Lia started pulling out clothes from her bag and throwing them all over the place. Lucky cat.

"Why do you hate dressing up?" Liza said, applying blush on her freckled cheeks.

"I don't hate it," I said. "I just don't see why we have to do it now. It's not like we're going to a wedding or something."

Like most girls, I did like dressing up. I just couldn't be bothered to do it often. Besides, Hunter and I had gone to the gym today, and Steve had been ruthless. I was spent.

"Hunter will be there, right?" Lia said, ducking into my closet.

"Yeah. So?"

"Well, don't you want him to see you all glammed up?" she asked, her voice muffled.

I chuckled. "I think it's a little too late for that. He sees me literally sticky with sweat, my hair all over the place and my face blotchy red a few days a week. We go to the gym together."

Lia emerged, dressed in the red dress. It set off her beautiful tan skin and complimented her delicate features. The strappy top fit her like a glove, widening out at her waist into a skater skirt that ended a couple of inches above her knees. "You look pretty."

She grinned, twirling. Her skirt flared. "I love it. Now your turn."

Liza stood up, rubbing her hands together. Her pale green dress made her hair look even redder under the bright lights of my room.

She and Lia had matching grins as they closed in on me. I scooted back in my bed. I didn't like the look in their eyes.

*** *** ***

One hour later, my phone pinged. I checked it.

"Don't move!" Liza said.

"I hate you guys," I grumbled, checking my phone without lowering my head. Liza was styling my hair. She was at the locks near my ear. She already burned me once because I couldn't sit still, and it hurt like hell. I had no intention of a repeat performance, so I sat still, checking my phone without lowering my head.

A text from Hunter. He was in front of the house.

"What do we think, this or this?" Lia asked, holding up two tubes of lipstick. She obviously wasn't asking for my opinion, even though the shade would go on my lips.

"Left," Liza said, stepping back from my hair and observing her handy work.

Lia applied a coat of lip color and stepped back as well, smiling to herself. "Awe, my baby is all grown up."