The Leader

21

"We're just going to be talking," I say, trying to pry Tera's hands away from my hair. "I can just brush my hair and call it done."

"The point is I'm bored and I want to practice my french braiding," she says, sitting behind me and parting my hair down the middle. "Besides, you only wear your hair one or two ways, so it'll be different."

"Hello, ladies," Finn says as soon as he enters the dormitory. "What do you two have planned for tonight?"

"Rori is meeting with...a friend," Tera says, "but I don't have anything going on. Why? What's happening?"

"I heard there's going to be karaoke going on in the Pit." Finn unlaces his boots and sits in front of me. "I was hoping both of you lovely ladies could attend the event with me."

"I would go, but I've already made plans." I jut out my bottom lip. "On the bright side, Tera is available and that's more her scene than mine."

I wink and watch him struggle to not let his embarrassment show.

"So, what friend are you meeting with later?" Finn says, as a way to change the subject. I give him a look and he slaps his forehead. "Oh... Eric. That's a good thing, right?"

"I'm not sure," I say. "He told me if I wanted to talk to meet him on the roof at seven if I wanted to talk."

"That's a step in the right direction," Finn says, with two thumbs up and a large grin on his face. "Hopefully you can work things out. If not, then there isn't anything else you can do."

"Yeah, that's true."

"Okay, your hair is all done," Tera says, the excitement evident in her tone. "Go take a look."

I hop up and cross the room to take a look in the mirror. My hair is braided down both sides, not too loose or too tight. It's different, and I like it.

"Wow, this is so cool," I say, a grin on my face. "Please teach me how to do this. You called it french braiding, right?"

She nods and places her hand on my shoulder. "You look beautiful."

"You never tell me I look beautiful," Finn says, his face appearing in the mirror. His bottom lip juts out as he fake pouts.

"Oh, you're such a baby." Tera rolls her eyes, but the smile forming is a giveaway that she is not the slightest bit annoyed.

I glance up at the clock. "It is six thirty, you guys."

"Let me put some mascara on you," Tera says, jumping up and rummaging through the trunk at the end of her bed. "It will make your eyelashes longer and make your eyes pop."

"Sounds painful," Finn comments.

I bust out laughing at his comment and he joins in. We quiet down when Tera sits down in front of me with the tube of mascara.

"Be brave, Rori." Finn chuckles at his comment, but quietens down when he realizes I have not joined in.

"So, just be still and blink when I tell you to, okay?" I nod as she twists the tube to reveal a brush covered in black goo. She raises it up to my eyelash and says, "Blink." I do as she says. She has me blink again before applying mascara to the lashes on my left eye.

"Perfect," she says with a smile. "Finn, doesn't it make her eyes pop with color?"

Finn leans in close to inspect my face before sitting back. "Huh, it does make your eyes look bluer than normal. That's crazy."

I grin and hop up from my position on the bed. I walk to the mirror and inspect my eyes before nodding my head. "Wow, you're right. I actually look like I have eyelashes."