Fraternizing with the Enemy

27 // Stella's New, Lacy and Black Groove

      When I pulled out the lipstick Reese had given me the day before, I was once again the recipient of a very weird look. Savannah tilted her head, confusion melding in her eyes. "First the dress, now this? Have you been going on a shopping spree without me?"

     "No," I said, maybe a little too quickly. "Mom bought, she was excited."

      There was a beat of silence, but then a smile quirked on Savannah's face and I was immediately eased into relief. "Well, it's a fabulous choice. Seriously, you always look great, but this time Tyler's probably going to propose." 

     "I mean, I'm not saying he will, but I already have my shocked face on lock." When I gasped, slapping both my cheeks in mock surprise, Savannah fixed me with a cocked brow, and then broke down laughing.

      Hearing her giggle was oddly calming in the way that only Savannah could make it, and it was a feeling I grasped tightly onto if only to keep my lunch down. The clock continued to tick, despite whatever I wanted, and I watched with both mild fascination and anxiety as Savannah got herself all dolled up.

     For a moment I was mesmerized, watching with awe-induced, unblinking eyes as she expertly blended and lined and transformed her face with the precision and expertise of an artist.  Savannah doing her hair and makeup was entirely captivating in its own right, and I was drawn in like a revolutionary thought-piece at MoMA. Her face glowed in all Zeus lovechild fashion and I watched with the expression of a gaping fish.

     It was almost weird to think that we'd been friends since grade two. All of my most vivid memories were doused with her blonde hair and those crystalline eyes. And just as I was thinking of how ridiculous it was that I couldn't even remember her going through that supposed-inevitable awkward phase (meanwhile grade 7 Stella was always known as She Who Should Not Be Named), the doorbell was echoing through my room.

       We both froze, Savannah piling her hair into a messy ponytail, and I could feel my heart leap into my throat. My nerves were igniting underneath my skin. Savannah gave me a reassuring smile, as if she had read my thoughts all over my face, and I nodded.

      Well, there was no backing out now.

     (I knew this because I had begged Savannah and texted Reese, both who refused to let me do that.)

     When I swallowed my nerves and forced my feet down the stairs, I looked by the door to see both Reese and Tyler had stepped in, more likely due to Reese's habit of inviting himself. They were both dressed up in pale dress shirts and ironed black pants, although Reese had unbuttoned his at the top, and Tyler was wearing a dark blue bow-tie, which was adorable.

       So adorable, it made me want to throw up again.

      I forced my mouth into something I hoped looked more like a smile than a grimace

      "Wait," Reese, threw up his hand, "Is this happening in slow motion? Should we pause, sigh, and say you look gorgeous now? Isn't that how this works?"

     I snorted, rolling my eyes and feeling my worries begin to evaporate. I was right, dates and Reese had no business being anywhere near each other, and that still stood tonight. 

     "Thanks, Powers, I took off my glasses and everything for this," I drawled, receiving a toothy grin in response.

       "No high heels though, no stillettos?"

     I shot him a deadpan look. "Trust me, I don't need a heel to stab you, I'm very resourceful."

     A smirk dug into Reese's cheek, creating an impish dimple. "Is that a threat or a promise?"