LOGAN (Book One)

SEVENTEEN

"Effie, are you ready? Everybody is going to be here. What are you doing up there?"

I groaned.

I rather stay in my room and go out like this. What is Lily thinking?

After hearing Athena's voice, I kept my mouth shut, staring at the mirror, looking face to face wearing something too formal and not my style. Of course, my sister had the idea of turning my birthday party into a prom theme because she didn't get to go, and Ares snuck his way to meet up with his date after his suspension for fighting. He was lucky. Ares wasn't expelled when Coach Kelly hadn't caught his ass.

While shopping for lingerie, I got a text from Athena telling me if a prom theme was okay for my birthday. I hated celebrating my birthday because it was my birth date and my parents' loss. Since Athena brought Ares and me back home, we never celebrated my birthday on the exact date. It's too painful.

Turning eighteen is a big thing for a girl, especially if you have Filipino blood in you, then it's imperative. Mom would tell me that, like Mexicans, the girls turn fifteen, and the sweet sixteen for other people are also unique.

In the Philippines, eighteen makes you a woman — the age when you are closer to becoming an adult. I wanted to tell her that an ordinary party was okay, but I thought about Athena. She didn't have her big eighteen parties. We were separated, and she had to raise Ares and me for her eighteen birthday. Mom also didn't have a party to celebrate, and because she didn't have the expenses of booking a hotel, fancy invitations, a thousand-dollar gown, eighteen courts; nine girls and nine boys, and an escort, then the cake, the makeup, and all that stuff I do not want to go through it. Too much of a hassle and too much money.

I don't want to go through it, and Athena seems excited about this party. How could I turn her down?

"Effie? Your sister wants to know if you're okay?" I heard a soft knock behind me as I found my eyes on the mirror once Lily entered my room with a surprised look. "Oh my god! Damn girl. You look sexy."

"I don't feel like it."

"What are you talking about?" She stood beside me, looking at the same mirror. "I don't see anything wrong."

Lily had her hair mousse up with a high ponytail leaving no strain of hair sticking out. She wore a gown styled in her culture in a peach color. It's a two-piece beaded crop-top dress that reveals her belly button pierced and a long scarf that drapes over her shoulders. She had gold headwear jewelry on her hair that traced the line and loads of gold bracelets that jingled each time she moved her hand. Her dad, Nicky, made the dress in one day and did a great job at it. At the same time, he also made mine, but I had a bit of a doubt that it was my style. I thought he was only a makeup artist; there is more of his talent.

"I should have gotten a simple gown," I told her while looking at myself.

"Effie, my dad, did not spend a whole day making our dresses, and it's free!" She exclaimed. "My daddy made a dress that is perfect for you with this dress because he believes you are the person who deserves his best designs and not because of your name after the Goddess of beauty. Plus, we have to hide that sexy lingerie."

I bite my lower gloss lips that need another coating. Athena did my makeup and curled my hair into loose ends before she could get ready herself.

Lily's dad made this beautiful gown, and my eyes deceived me. He made me a long sequin dress that shows my back with a long V shape in white. The design looks like it has been made for a celebrity, but Nicky made it for me. I couldn't be happier that he gave his time to make me the gown. I had put on the dress, and during that time, I was starting to get sweaty palms and doubts.