"Missy?" Her blonde hair whipped around, and hit me in the face. She looked a bit appalled to see me. "What do you want freak?" "I want your help." "What?" "I want you to help me with the way I look." "I'm not a miracle worker, besides why would I do that?" "Because you hate Crabgrass, and I want Ned. If I looked good enough to get him, Crabgrass would be crushed." Missy's face went slack, battling with herself. Help me, and make Suzie miserable. Or refuse, and just leave me here miserable. "Fine, I'll do it." She dragged me into the girl's restroom, and began primping me up.
"I don't want to be weighed down, I just want a light touch." "Fine." She sighed as she went to her make-up case. I wanted to tell her I didn't want to look like a hooker, but was sure it would offend her and she'd quit.
I went home astonished that a few strokes of make-up could make such a difference. But it did. I wasn't the only one who was surprised, as soon as I walked in the house, my mother was heaped with pleasure. I was finally doing something with my appearance. I went upstairs to change, I didn't really have anything girly, so I settled for jeans and a pink hoodie. Pink is a girly color right? "Honey, you're going to be late for work." It wasn't really work, the public library paid me to type information down into their files on the computer.
It never took me more than an hour to get it done. I had seven pages worth today. My fingernail polish chipped from hitting the keys too hard. I walked home wondering was this worth it? Changing myself to suit others? No…It wasn't. But I was going to try to brace through it, for at least today.
Ned was already sitting on the couch when I got home. " Sorry, I know I'm a bit early." "It's okay I'm here now, so let's get started."
Honey why you calling me so late? It's kind of hard to talk right now. Is everything okay?
When I threw down my backpack he finally looked up at me. "You look different." "I just wanted to try something new." "It's nice, but you looked better before." I crossed my arms over my chest, anger mixing with my confusion. "Did you even notice me before?" "Of course, we've known each other forever. We used to be really close." "I remember." Moze came along then, and I guess a sporty flair beat an impish bookworm. Our report was over the Puritans, I never really cared for that stage of American history. Cause of the way they treated women, but oh well.
We researched silently, until Ned groaned. "I need to stretch my legs." He walked around the living room, and his eyes landed on my copy of Eldest. "Who could read this?" "It's easy for me." He stared. "When you're mainly alone, it's simple." "You know you can hang out with me. Suzie, Cookie, and Moze it would be fun." The sound of Crabgrass' name made me burn. "I don't need you to take pity on me Ned." "I wasn't, I just thought it would be fun if we hung out again."
I gotta whisper cause I can't be too loud. Well, my girl's in the next room. Sometimes I wish she was you.
He gathered his things and turned back to me. "You want to come to my house tonight?" "Why?" "A couple of us are going to have a movie marathon." I shrugged, but my heart pounded. "I guess it would be alright." He smiled, "Great."
He went to the door and sighed again. "I have missed you, I want us to start over. Become friends again." I nodded, "It would be nice." "I'll see you tonight." With that he was gone.
I guess we never moved on. It's really good to hear your voice saying my name.
I changed if we were going to start over, then it had to be with me. Not a made up princess. It was probably a bad idea but I didn't care. If he didn't like me like this then maybe it wasn't destined to be anything but an oblivion. I rang the doorbell, and Ned came out smiling.
It sounds so sweet, coming from the lips of an angel. Hearing those works makes me weak. I never want to say goodbye.
I stepped inside, and saw nobody there. "Where is everyone?" He winced, "Probably at home, I just wanted to talk to you." I felt the corners of my lips twitch spasmodically upward. "Talk?" He smiled shyly. Coming closer to me, too close. His lips touched mine. And I put my arms around him. Things were spiraling out of control. It frightened me how much, when Ned put his warm hands underneath my shirt to pull it up. It made me gasp. My frost was melting beneath his touch, and gave into it all. I just wish I knew then what I know now. Because I would've known Suzie was watching us in the next room, seething, but with satisfaction wielding inside her.
But girl you make it hard to be faithful, with the lips of an angel.
