Dollface sat on the sheltered bench, feeling unusually nervey.
She patted her hair, claw-like nails raking at her roots.
They were brown.
Not blonde.
Now that she thought of it, her hair was supposed to be blue and curly, not pink and straight.
But she couldn't think of that now.
Where was Diaz?
No, she didn't want to see him.
It was just weird not seeing him.
She sighed, starting to feel relieved, considering last night's escapade.
The only problem?
Her bear was missing.
Like, completely.
The toddler sized bear had completely disappeared in the night.
Dollface knew she had the toy in her arms when she was scrubbed clean and still damp. The bear had been sitting on her pillow waiting for her. It had watched her sneak into the room after she'd climbed the rose trellis and knocked on Regina's window. Regina had groggily let her in, and Dollface quickly got to her assigned room, showered, and got to bed her beloved prize in her arms.
And without waking her roommates!
But when Dollface got dressed and into Regina's room for makeup and a quick breakfast, the first thing Regina had said was…
…"Your roots are showing."
"Well, yeah, it's been a few weeks, that's generally what happens." Dollface shrugged.
"No," Regina said, "You're roots are showing."
Dollface twisted around, trying to see her back, "Is my skirt caught in m'unnerwear?"
"No!" Regina snapped, "Look in the mirror."
"It's fine, I keep my color pretty well, all I would have to do is get the roots retou- EEP!" Dollface looked in the mirror and ruffled at her stubble.
"It's brown!" Dollface exclaimed, "I'm not a brunette!"
"I know!" Regina asked, "Everyone in my family has black or blonde hair!"
"Same here!" Dollface said, "The only one in my family who had brown hair was Grampa!"
"Maybe that's where it's from?" Reggie asked. "Maybe your hair's just naturally darkening? It's pretty common."
"No," Dollface said, "It doesn't do that overnight."
Dollface pulled at the longer part of her hair and saw the beginning of brown roots. She lifted a section and watched the strands fall like silky threads.
Hot pink, blonde, then a very, very thin layer of brown.
"I think it's just a trick of the light or somethin'," Dollface said, panic lowering down again. "See? M'eyebrows are still blonde. And since they're still blonde, that means I still need my eyebrow pencil."
"Your eyebrow pencil?" Regina asked, being a little snot.
"Fine. I need some o'yours then."
"That's better."
Dollface turned back to the mirror, looking for a Bobbi Brown skin set. Once found, she applied, watching Reggie set about the table.
"How was your day yesterday?"
"I already told you at dinner."
Dollface averted her eyes as Reggie sat down, trying to blend in the cream foundation. It covered her light freckles.
"Nice hat."
"Thanks."
"Where'd you get it?"
"Couple friends of mine wanted to match." Dollface explained, patting in blush. Her hoops, not as big and round as Claudine or Laura's swung gently, "They had one more and I got it."
"Do you know what brand?" Reggie asked, "it looks familiar and I've been wanting Daddy to get me one."
"I dunno, actually." Dollface said, watching Regina approach.
Reggie lifted the cap from where Dollface had slapped it over her roots and read the lining, "Oooh, Vercace!"
Dollface turned red under her foundation, eyeshadow brush raised to her eye. "Hey, dontcha need t'git ready fer school?"
"Oh, yeah, I do, don't I?" Reggie said, placing the hat back down on her sister's blonde-ish head, "Move over and pass me that brush, will you? Ya didn't think Daddy would pay for some wedge or my fingers to do the work, didn't ya?"
Dollface, as annoyed by her sister as she was, was proud at how far Reggie' skills had gotten, from a daily styling team to doing it herself and choosing nice colors, Reggie was well on her way to some strange form of independence.
"I had the maid bring up coffee for the both of us this morning."
"I thought ya said ya despised th'stuff." Dollface murmured, drawing on eyeliner. It was hard to get it just right with hooded eyes. She was really hoping for very little movement from her better proportioned and much curvier sister.
"I'm tired of tea." Regina said, "And besides, it's hard to watch you go without a proper drink because of the caffeine."
Dollface grunted affirmatively, already on her other eye.
Now for them to dry without spotting everywhere…
Then, she could do mascara, darken her brows, and move on.
The girls sat at breakfast, far away from the other dorm dwellers in their cafeteria below.
"I can't wait to see Mummy and Daddy this Thursday, can't you?"
Dollface chewed her toast, feeling queasy at the thought.
Reggie picked up on the silence. "I'm a lil nervous too, I guess."
They sat silent, just eating and went their separate ways.