(Rena's POV)
"Umm... Hey, Rena?"
I set down the pen I was currently writing my essay with, and I pushed my wheeled office chair back away from my desk with my feet. I craned my neck to look up at Rhythimi. She was stroking her Eevee up in her top bunk, wearing a thoughtful look.
"What is it?" I asked dryly, then flinched at how blunt and rude that sounded. Stupid, stupid, stupid... You're supposed to befriend these idiots, Rena! Not push them away! My face twisted in discomfort, and I quickly started to force out an apology. "Uh, I mean---"
Rhythimi just chuckled, shaking her head. "It's okay, Rena. You don't have to apologize. I know that you initially come off as rough and abrasive, but I know you well enough to know that you're actually a caring person deep down in there somewhere!" Rhythimi laughed, pointing at the place on my chest where my heart was.
I just scowled at her. I was quick to sigh and give up soon after, however. "...whatever." I brushed off her comment. "Anyways, what's on your mind?" Mightyena, who was napping by my feet, opened one eye at the conversation.
Rhythimi just sighed, and her Eevee sat up and hugged her face to comfort her. "It's just... I... I don't know how to get Isaac to look at me!" She sat up in bed, cuddling Eevee in her lap. "Well, he looks at me, but he doesn't really look at me. You know?" She asked, looking over at me with longing eyes, hoping for acceptance.
I just sighed, scratching at my forehead. "Sadly, I do." Mightyena, suddenly feeling he wasn't getting the attention he deserved, jumped up onto my lap and licked my face. I just rolled my eyes and petted the attention hog. "Well, what do you do around him to get him to notice you?" I asked her, stroking Mightyena's black fur.
Rhythimi just sighed again, and she made her way down the ladder and plopped herself down on my bed, right in front of where I was sitting. "Well, I mean, I do the usual. I talk to him every day, and I give him subtle hints that I like him---"
"Stop right there." I abruptly interrupted, holding my hand up to her face to get Rhythimi to shut up. "Subtle hints? Rhythimi, I think it's time I taught you a lesson about boys." Mightyena hopped out of my lap, and I crossed my legs and leaned forwards. I began teaching Rhythimi the basics of being a grifter without her even realizing it, resting my head in my hand. "Alright, here's the thing. Boys, men, same thing. Neither of them take hints. Subtle hints don't work, obvious hints don't work. If you want something, you have to ask for it." Rhythimi was paying close attention to every word, taking a mental note of all of this.
Is there some sort of rule against teaching the mark's friend how to be a grifter...? Oh, who knows.
"Wait, so you want me to just tell Isaac up front that I like him?" Rhythimi raised an eyebrow, catching on to what I was saying.
I just rolled my eyes at her. "Don't be stupid, that's ridiculous. Let the poor bastard figure it out himself." Rhythimi pouted, only encouraging me to continue. "Isaac just needs a little help noticing you." I smirked, looking Rhythimi up and down.
"Wait... I have to change my appearance for him to notice me?" Rhythimi sighed, looking hurt.
"Not necessarily." I stood up and walked over to my dresser, pulling out makeup bags and assorted boxes of beauty products. "You see, Isaac associates what you look like now as the 'friend' look. So, you'll have to do a little extra to snap him out of his stupid thought process. It just couldn't hurt for you to enhance your existing natural beauty." I accidentally complimented her without noticing.
Rhythimi blushed slightly at the compliment I gave her, then stood up and walked over to me. "Oh... Well, alright then. Do what you will! I trust you." She grinned at me, and I stopped rifling through my makeup bag to stare at her smile. I caught myself flashing her a half-smile back, and then the spell was suddenly broken.
Maybe you shouldn't trust me...
I wiped the somber look off of my face. "Alright. Let's get started, then." I smirked, pulling Rhythimi into our bathroom with a giant box of stuff. This should be kinda... Well, fun.
Rhythimi just raised an eyebrow. "Rena, I didn't realize you were so...girly." Rhythimi began looking through my big box of beauty products. "I always thought you were such a tomboy."
"Oh, I am." I pulled out a comb and a pair of hair-cutting scissors, having Rhythimi sit down on our stool in front of the mirror. "I just know how to clean myself up nice when necessary." And by when necessary, I mean having to charm rich and powerful men on jobs long enough for me to pick-pocket them. Otherwise, I'd totally be okay with dressing in sweat pants and T-shirts 24/7. Unfortunately for me, wearing comfortable clothes just isn't in my job description.
"Oh." Rhythimi nodded her head. "That's a helpful skill to have... I don't really know much about cleaning myself up like that." Rhythimi wore a contorted look, and I placed my hand on her shoulder.
"Hey." I stared into her eyes, gaining the blonde's attention. "Not everyone knows how to do this stuff. I had to teach myself everything, so I'll help you out. Don't worry about it, okay?" I smiled at her, lifting her spirits almost immediately.
"Okay!" Rhythimi grinned brightly, then stared at the stuff I layed out. "Wait... We're cutting my hair?!" She stared at the scissors wide-eyed, shocked at that.
I just shot her a weird look, then picked up the ends of her blonde, bushy hair and held them up to her face. "Do you see all of these dead ends? Jheeze... When was the last time you had a haircut?" I asked her, wearing a skeptical look.
Rhythimi sweatdropped. "Well, I haven't had one since I came to Ranger School about three years ago..." She nervously glanced up at my hand holding the scissors. "Do you even know how to cut hair?"
I just scoffed, then did a 360 to show her my hair. "Does this answer your question?"
Rhythimi glanced at my excellently cut and styled hair, gawking at it. "Wait, you cut your own hair? It looks so professional!"
I just did a shoulder shrug. "Yeah, I've been cutting it myself for as long as I can remember. I've never gone anywhere to get it cut."
Probably since I can't exactly be out in society. That way, I'm not a recognizable face and I can continue to stay off the grid... But still.
"Wow." Rhythimi stared at me in shock, then relaxed her shoulders a little bit. "Alright, go for it." She brushed through her hair real quick and got comfortable in the chair.
As I began straightening her long blonde hair with a flat iron to get it ready to cut (oh my god her hair is so freaking curly it's a little annoying) I began educating Rhythimi on the do's and don't's of getting your hooks in a guy.
"Alright, here are a few tips for you. One, never waste your time giving hints, whether they're subtle or obvious. Guys don't get it." I began lifting up strips of her hair with my comb and delicately snipping off the dead ends. "If you want them to notice you, you have to do more than just hint that you like them."
Rhythimi just pouted. "Well... I thought hinting at it would be enough since we've known each other for so long!"
I immediately stopped cutting her hair and moved my head to look at her, a little shocked by this news. This wasn't in the file. Thanks, Boss. Really. You didn't think to do a thorough background check on these two, as well? I kind of need that information! Urrgh... I'll just call Ice on my cell later...
"How long?" I raised an eyebrow, just staring at her skeptically.
Rhythimi just blushed slightly. "Oh, um... Since we were seven? Is that important?" She sweatdropped, completely oblivious to the importance of that tidbit of information.
I just sighed and went back to putting layers into her hair to give it a cuter look. "Yes, Rhythimi. That's very important." I shook my head at her. "Sure, it helps to have known them longer, since they know you so well, but that also has a downside. Since you've been friends so long, he's gotten so used to it to the point where it's routine, essentially making it more difficult for him to see you as anything other than a friend."
Rhythimi began sulking, and I just sighed heavily. Why am I even getting involved in this drama? I'm a world-class thief, not a fucking therapist. This was not in my job description at all. Unfortunately for me, it looks like I'm going to have to help out Rhythimi with things like this if I want to get her to trust me one hundred percent.
Should I even be allowed to give advice on boys to her? Currently, I'm not doing so great with my mark... Keith and I have been barely talking lately, since I'm so busy. I'm always studying for class (since learning to become a Ranger is REALLY hard for a thief...), helping Isaac with an experiment or two a week (or three...okay, more like four or five a week. What? They're fun...), or hanging out and chatting with Rhythimi like I am now. When I'm not busy, I try to make time for Keith, but he's either always in detention or he just makes it nearly impossible for me to get close to him.
What do I mean by that? Well... Whenever I find myself alone with Keith (which hasn't happened much these past couple of weeks) ...we don't really talk that much. I barely even get a word out before he abruptly challenges me to some crazy Pokemon capture challenge or a race of some sort. And then there was the elaborate obstacle course he made me do yesterday... The list just goes on and on. I don't know what's going on with him, but I need to figure it out, because he's beginning to overwhelm me with his competitiveness.
I finished straightening Rhythimi's hair and began cutting the last few parts of her hair that I hadn't touched yet. I took about two inches off of the ends, gave her layers throughout her entire head, and styled her bangs to look even cuter.
Rhythimi gawked at her reflection in the mirror, playing with her hair. "Oh my gosh... This looks great! Why didn't I have you do this a month ago when I first met you!?"
I just chuckled lightly, shaking my head. I put away all of my hair-cutting tools and un-plugged the flat iron. "Alright, your hair is done." I turned around to face her, looking at her to figure out what could use cleaning up next. "Hmm... I think makeup is next on the list."
Rhythimi just scoffed. "Okay, well THAT I know how to do." And she was right, she did know a thing or two about makeup, but I knew just a little more. Then again, that's probably because I've gone to so many formal parties for jobs. Not to mention how many royal balls I've attended...
...what? I've had to con diplomats, businessmen, and the occasional Prince at formal parties before, so it helps to know how to dress up nicely... Hence my extensive knowledge on how to be girly, even though I, myself, am not girly in the least.
"Yes, I know that." I grabbed my makeup bag and began pulling out a brush and an eye shadow compact. "But... I have a few extra tricks up my sleeve that could make your every-day makeup stand out even more without being considered too much." Rhythimi watched as I added a couple details to the makeup she was already wearing, and she was pleasantly surprised. I taught her how to make her face glow just a little with a smidge of powdered bronzer, and I added a very slight brown eye shadow to her eyelids. "You see, the trick is to make you look great without making it seem like you're wearing a lot of makeup in the first place." I finished up what I was doing and began putting the makeup away.
"So basically the exact opposite of what Kim does with her makeup?" Rhythimi smirked, and I laughed under my breath at her joke.
"Exactly. We don't want you walking around school with makeup that makes you look like an escort." We both busted into a fit of laughter at the joke, just picturing Kim's face.
Well, she had it coming. She always wears like four layers of caked on foundation, super thick liquid eyeliner, and some sort of hot pink or electric blue eye shadow. It looks nice, but it's just a bit...much. That girl tries way too hard.
"Are we doing this next?" Rhythimi stopped laughing, pulling out a box of nail polish and nail files.
I nodded my head. "Yes. But don't worry, I'm not doing much to your nails." I pulled up a stool and sat in front of Rhythimi, filing her nails a little. I quickly painted on a french manicure, and I began giving her a couple more tips while it dried. It's nothing too flashy, just clear nail polish with a white strip at the end. I do this a lot before going to parties. My father may have taught me everything I know about being a thief, but all this girly stuff...yeah, I was on my own for that. "Okay, so... Obviously, you shouldn't have to change your look to get a guy to notice you. That's not what we're doing now."
"Oh, I know!" Rhythimi smiled, looking at herself in the mirror. "If I had known you could do this before, I would've had you do this a long time ago. And not just for some boy." She laughed, looking back over at me.
I had trouble resisting the smile that started to creep up on my face, so I averted my eyes and stared down at the floor. "Yeah... Anyways, Isaac only sees you as a friend right now, so enhancing how you already look might be just the push Isaac needs to look at you in a different light. Once the idea of being more than friends crawls into that brain of his, he will succumb to your charm and lovely personality, inevitably being putty in your hands..."
I cringed at how sinister and manipulative that last part sounded, but Rhythimi found it rather amusing.
"Oh, that makes sense." Rhythimi mused out loud, then noticed her nails were dry. "Okay! So, is there anything else?"
"Yes." I smirked at her, standing up from my seat. "Get dressed." I pointed over at our shared closet, and Rhythimi leapt up from her chair and began shuffling through it.
I kept my back turned as she changed into dark blue jeans, a pink off-the-shoulder top, and beige flat shoes. I cleaned up the mess in the bathroom and flicked off the light, walking back into the bedroom portion of our room. I began pushing some furniture back towards the walls to make some room on the floor, and then had Rhythimi stand right next to me in the middle of it.
"Now, posture is key." I rolled my shoulders back and straightened up my spine, then tilted my chin up just a little. "Posture is proper and lady-like, and it's important to have good posture in general, not just for when you're trying to get a guy to notice you."
Rhythimi mimicked what I was doing, and she did pretty good, surprisingly. "Oh wow... This is actually a little more comfortable than slouching..."
I nodded my head, smiling a little. "It can be a little uncomfortable at first, but once you get used to it, the lazy posture, like slouching, is what becomes uncomfortable. It's pretty simple." I began walking towards the door with elegance and grace, holding my posture the entire time. "It helps to practice walking with good posture as well, just so it sticks in your brain."
Rhythimi and I practiced several little tips and tricks for the next half hour, having a lot of fun in the process. Obviously, I encouraged her that changing your look isn't a must, but Rhythimi agreed she was in need of a long overdue make over. I gave her a couple tips on how to be a grifter, but obviously I changed it up a little bit to make it sound like she'd be catching Isaac's attention with it instead of conning people. There's no way all of this advice would fail, since it's bullet proof. We ended up sitting around and chatting for the rest of the night, bonding a little over how stupid boys could be. Except, there was just one problem...
I was having fun.
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Uh oh. Sounds like Rena is in trouble. And so, the REAL problem arises!
Fan art by @CelestialEcho :)
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