Love and Fame Games (Book 1)

16

Alex insisted on going home right away to get dolled up because it was our first party of the new term and her first chance to make waves. I went with her since it was easier for me to get permission from my parents through a text message than in person, anyway. Beth and Erin agreed to pick us up after an hour or so.

"I'm gonna go shower. Help yourself to whatever," Alex told me when we got to her room. "And don't start straightening up, we'll be here all night."

"I'm just gonna make the bed," I replied, because I was already doing so. It was driving me crazy. There was no reason for it to be in such a mess. They had a live-in housekeeper, for God's sake.

"Why do you like making me feel like such a slob?"

"I don't. I just like having an excuse to snoop around."

"Well then, snoop around the closet for something to wear. I'm gonna take a shower. Leave the clothes on the floor alone."

Of course, I picked them up and hung them in the closet as soon as she turned and left the room.

Since the party was to be held outdoors, I made the decision to stay in my jeans and flats and just change into a nicer top.

Just as I'd expected, Alex's closet was brimming with stuff I'd never seen before, some with tags still attached, while some still stuffed in shopping bags. Sometimes I wondered if that girl had some kind of problem.

She and I wore the same size down to our feet, but her clothes never looked the same on me as they did on her. After rummaging through a whole mess of cropped tops, minidresses, and skin-tight nightmares, I found, by some miracle, something more my style: an oversized but lightweight top in pale pink (my favorite color) with kiss- prints in different bright colors all over.

"You're not wearing that!" Alex had returned to the room, wrapped in a towel, just in time to see me make my choice. "Where'd you even get such a tacky thing?"

"This—" I widened my eyes and held up the top for her to see— "is yours."

"Oh. I must've been thinking of you when I bought it," she said, shrugging. I scowled and gave her a sideways glance but she hardly noticed, already preoccupied with scanning the contents of her closet herself. "Go get ready. Leave the outfits to me."

"Fine. I'm looking through your medicine cabinet."

"Birth control's in my nightstand, though. Top drawer."

"Hell if I'm looking in there." I called out on my way to her bathroom.

From Alex's countless bath products, I picked out the pinkest one in the frilliest bottle and lathered up. The scent of roses filled the room. My mood picked up instantly, although I was still a little put off by her birth control comment. I knew she was kidding; I just didn't think those jokes were all that funny, and sometimes led to trouble.

The water felt nice but not hot enough so I slowly turned the handle. The cloud that rose from the bathroom floor became thicker and I could barely keep from wincing when the stream hit. I turned it a little more . . .

"Ugh! What's taking you so long?" Alex rapped against the door sharply, jolting me back to reality. "Come see what I picked out."

Alex stood at the foot of her bed and held up two short dresses that were identical in style, except one was red while the other, black. They had wide straps, low-cut top and a fitted bodice, flared skirt, and cutout sides.

"We'll be overdressed. At least, from the waist down. My chest might catch a cold."

"And these are the shoes." She ignored me and laid out two completely identical pairs of black 5-inch peep-toe platforms.