Chapter Seven: You Look Like Hell
"Ana!" Christina cried, frustrated with her cousin. "Y'have to calm down! So, he kissed you. So what? You like him, don't you?"
Her cousin sighed and flopped onto the white couch in the main room of the closet. "I don't know," she whined, rubbing her eyes. "I just… I mean, I didn't… Oy…"
"Complete and coherent sentences would be appreciated," Christina suggested, sitting across from Ana on the table. She wasn't entirely sure she could handle her cousin in such a state. Ana looked on the verge of tears and Christina knew she lived by the mantra never let them see you cry. Where Ana learned it, Christina had no idea, but she knew her cousin rarely strayed from it. "Now, take a deep breath and try again."
"Chrissie, I never wanted this," she explained. "He has a really good thing with Betty; I don't want to ruin that. Betty is a wonderful girl who deserves the best she can get. And she has the capability to get Henry. I don't want to take him from her."
"Then don't," Christina said gently. "Tell Henry this and make it especially clear that all you wanted from him was that one kiss you tricked him into." She reached out and gently took Ana's hand. "But later. Get some rest. You look like hell."
"May I…?" Ana gestured to the couch.
Christina rolled her eyes and stood. "Yes, of course," she sighed. "No one will bother you." She walked away and stopped at the door, watching her cousin get comfortable on the couch. Christina knew that Ana didn't need additional stress caused by her brother. She was beginning to feel sorry for her. But she knew that there was very little she could do to help. With a sigh, she returned to work.
"Christina!"
A few hours later, Christina walked down the stairs to find Betty standing just inside the closet entrance. "What're you shouting about, Betty?" she asked, taking a quick look at Ana, who was either amazingly sleeping through the shouting or simply pretending or trying to do so. "What's got you up in such a knot?"
'Up in a knot' seemed an understatement, however. Betty was not merely upset. She was decisively livid. Her usually calm, kind face was twisted up into a furious expression. "Where is she?" Betty demanded. "Where's Ana? I need to speak with her right now!"
"She's on the couch," Christina answered. "But what's going on? Why are you so upset?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out," Betty muttered, marching over to the couch where Ana still lay. Betty pulled her off the couch and demanded, "Get up!"
Rubbing her hip, Ana stood and inquired, "What do you want?" Betty said nothing. Instead, she slapped Ana soundly across the face. Christina was shocked. She had never seen Betty this mad before. "Excuse me?" Ana asked. Her manner was polite, but her tone somewhat icy. Christina knew her cousin was getting angry quickly.
Betty slapped Ana again. "You kissed Henry!" Betty screeched, drawing a small, but attentive crowd from the many rooms of the closet. Christina quickly shooed them away.
"I was drunk!"
"You kissed him twice?"
"What? No, no, no, no, no. Betty, the second time, he kissed me! Not my fault! Don't tell me you're listening to that witch, Amanda!"
Before Christina could react, Betty had a handful of Ana's meticulously pinned-up curls and was pulling on them, forcing Ana to bend over. "Do you love him?" Betty demanded. Ana whimpered in pain. "Do you love Henry?"
"No," Ana gasped. "I will freely admit that I find him incredibly attractive, but I doubt anything I feel for him is anything bordering love." Betty tightened her grip on Ana's hair and pulled harder. "Are you determined to rip out all my hair?"
"Are you making him believe you do?" Betty demanded, ignoring her captive's question.
Christina cringed at her cousin's expression of pain. "I'm not making him do anything," Ana replied. She looked on the verge of tears. Don't let us see you cry, Ana, Christina thought, trying to send good vibes to Ana for strength and patience and good vibes to Betty to calm somewhat down. "If he believes it, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to hurt him."
"Swear to me that you will leave him alone," Betty growled into Ana's ear, loud enough for Christina to hear. "Swear it!"
Ana suddenly had a calm, serene expression on her face. "Let me go," she said lowly, "and I will." Christina quickly thought back to try to remember why Ana's expression was familiar. As Betty released Ana's hair and the model stood up, brushing her curls from her face, Christina suddenly recognised the expression. And she knew that Ana had no intention of following through on her promise. Ana gave Betty an icy stare, turned on her heel and walked swiftly from the closet, her hair falling out of the intricate up-do it had been in.
Christina walked up to Betty. "This isn't going to end, is it?" Betty asked.
"Probably not," Christina replied. "And trust me, Ana can be a bitch when she wants to."
"Does she want to now?"
"You slapped her twice and yanked on her hair," Christina said. "It doesn't look good for you, Betty."
"You look like hell," Amanda commented snottily as Ana walked out of the elevator and directly to her desk. "Betty's not here."
"I'm not looking for Betty," Ana said coldly.
"Then what do you want?"
"I believe you and I have a common irritant."
Amanda smiled wickedly.
