There was something about asking Silena for help with hair and make-up that made me sick. I knew that I was just bringing myself to much more pain than I could handle. But ever since that argument, I learned not to even question someone's abilities, especially if that someone is a person very close to me.
"Hi, Silena?" I mused smoothly over the phone, unconsciously twirling a strand of my hair.
She replied in her velvety voice, "What is it, Anna?"
Somehow, I could feel a very big lump on my throat that got it really hard to swallow. "Um, can you do me a favor?" I asked, my voice feeling rougher than it once was. How hard is it for a person to ask another person for a make-over?
"Sure!" she exclaimed happily.
"Well, the dance is in five hours and I'm kinda hoping if you help me get ready" It came out more of a demand than a request. But she didn't sound like she minded. How I knew that, well, it's pretty easy to tell since she couldn't stop squealing in delight or excitement, I don't want to know.
She gave one last shriek that was probably the loudest before giving her reply. "I thought you would never ask. I'll be there in five minutes." And with that, she hung up, not wasting a second longer.
When she said that she was going to be here in five minutes, she was really serious. Silena wasn't a second late, not even a millisecond. The moment the expected time passed, she was here and already repeated what she did on my date with Percy. "Okay, so we only have exactly four hours, fifty three minutes, and thirty nine seconds for you to look more beautiful than you already are and I prefer it when you don't ask any questions." She told me, grabbing the brush.
Since I just came out of the bath before I even considered calling her, she has that only problem of untangling my hair once again. But unlike before, she was rather careful and I was glad that she doesn't want me to go see my boyfriend rubbing my head because the pain was bothering me. "He told me about your date and how pretty you looked."
"Yeah?"
"He even showed me a photo"
"When did he take a picture of me?"
Silena giggled, placing the brush back down on the table and grabbed the bigger make-up kit she brought. When she opened it, I started wondering why a girl would need so many cosmetics. First, she pulled out the eye shadow, tapping her finger to her chin as if to think before settling with the green that is closest to the dress that I was going to wear (which is basically the color of Seaweed Brain's eyes). Then, she delicately applied the eye liner and mascara for me not to get irritated. "You don't need much work, honey" she cooed, making sure that my cheeks were pinker than they already were. I was actually praying that she would stop there but she didn't seem to forget about the lipstick. Thankfully, or maybe not, she used the same color as the one I used for the date. I don't know if I should be thankful or pissed at her for making me different but she sure as hell made me beautiful.
"What do you think?" she asked, smiling.
I laughed and examined my face. "I never doubted you once, Silena."
Once I checked the clock, I realized that she took at least one hour just to handle my hair and make-up but I think that's what I really need. She handed me my dress and I got that from her, thanking her with my eyes as I headed straight to my closet just to get dressed.
Do you remember the dress that the girls and I bought when we went shopping before? The one with the deep v-neck? I promised Silena that I would wear that on my birthday but I got a little too excited and decided to just break that and use it today. Although I should have told her this in the first place (I think she already knew), she didn't seem to look mad at all. Her compliments were sincere and I was glad that I have a friend like her to keep me company. "Thanks" I voiced, hugging her tightly.
"It was my pleasure. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get ready too." I couldn't help but give her one last embrace before letting her out of my door.
What do I do now? I can't just go out of this room already ready for the dance that starts in two hours. Then again, being in the committee means you have to be there at least an hour earlier just to see if everything's alright. I don't think Percy would mind that. Till then, what am I going to do?
I sighed and dug through my book shelf, searching for something to read. It was all so interesting but I have read every single novel here at least four times so that was useless as of the moment. Maybe he won't mind if I would stay at his room but I don't want to ruin my make-up, especially when I know perfectly well what we're going to do. Frustrated, I sat down on the sofa and grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, switching through channels just because I can.
When that didn't work out for me, I headed straight to the closet and stared at myself in the mirror. It wasn't like me to be self conscious but ever since Percy and I got together, I always felt as if there was something wrong with how I looked when I'm beside someone as perfect as him. Though he would constantly remind me that there was none, I could still feel that maybe, just maybe, he deserves someone better. "What does he see in me?" I asked myself, unable to stop the question.
It bothered me, that question. I'm not beautiful so that wasn't it. I can be annoying and my pride always gets the best of me. I get mad so easily you would ask when I wasn't. I'm always so serious, not being able to take a joke. I'm so blind when it comes to a person's feelings because when I'm happy, I don't care if the other is.
"Don't you think you've been asking that question more times than you want, Wise Girl?" a voice behind me asked.
I shifted and saw him in the very same position, leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed. "You do know you're not supposed to be in here. You should've knocked."
"Oh please. We're not hiding anything from each other. I've seen you naked before."
I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck, placing my head on his shoulder. "I don't care." I muttered.
"And to answer your question, I don't think I could list down all of the things that I like about you without having to die of old age first."
Maybe it was a little too cheesy but I couldn't help but love him even more than I do now. "I'm not beautiful" was the only thing I said.
"The hell you are and don't you ever doubt that." He told me, almost forcefully. "You're beautiful and smart and kind and brave and loyal and sweet and everything I want in a girl. Heck, you're perfect Annabeth. You might not think so but I do and I think you learned not to question my wisdom." I laughed at this, letting all those insecurities go and trust him on what he says.
Time flies by so quickly. I didn't know that one hour already passed until it did. By 6:30, we were already in the large warehouse where all those people spent their time and effort into making it look nice. And I've got to say, it looked pretty good. I don't want to go to the details because it did look like a typical high school dance, where the early birds were already in the middle of the dance floor, dancing the night away before it even started.
Percy and I decided that we should just sit first and wait for the rest of our friends. Honestly, we had to force Jason and Nico to join us since they're not the party kind of people. And when we did, they didn't seem too happy about it. But I think they would have a really good time tonight, whether they like it or not. "I still can't believe it's been three weeks ever since the school burned down."
"I still can't believe it's been exactly four months ever since we started dating."
"Before we know it, we would be graduating high school and then college and then we'll get married and have kids."
I sighed happily at the idea, looking at him. "You really have been thinking about this" I teased lightly, placing my head on his shoulder.
"Well, I at least have to try to think about our future. But let's just pray that everything I want to happen to us does." I don't know why I found this funny but I did, chuckling as the soft tune of Coldplay started playing.
Every five minutes, high schoolers would enter, their faces filled with awe as they looked at the venue. Most were already crowding the buffet table, serving themselves and their dates from the punchbowl. I was pretty glad that our supervisor/English teacher, Mr. Blofis, made sure that no one gets to put anything on the said drink because the last time that happened wasn't so pretty.
"Who owns this place?" Nico asked as he and Thalia, together with Jason and Piper, neared us.
Percy managed a smile. "My dad had to pull some strings but this is the best place to hold a high school dance. It's actually Uncle Vito's."
"Who's Uncle Vito?" his cousin looked a little more curious than she should be.
"He's my godfather. He said that he liked being called uncle instead because he didn't have any nieces or nephews."
"But still, how come I never met him before?"
My boyfriend laughed lightly, as if amused with the entire idea. I've always loved his laugh, loved the sound of it and how it always made him look like the twelve year old boy that I once had a crush on. "Dunno with you but I've known him since I was a baby."
"Hey guys!" someone interrupted their impending argument and I never thought I would ever be so utterly grateful for the stranger. I don't want my best friends fighting over something as stupid as Percy's incredibly rich godfather and how Thalia has never seen him before.
Thankfully, it was none of Percy's fan girls but a really good friend of ours, Lee Fletcher. His half brothers, Will Solace and Michael Yew (and yes, they were both of different moms), were already flirting with the girls sitting on the tables but Lee had the decency to talk to us, maybe about something important. "Hey, man, what's up?" He couldn't really move much since I was on his lap but he did flash a handsome grin to the boy.
"You would never guess what happened to Rachel Dare!" he smiled triumphantly as he examined the looks on our faces.
"What happened?" I asked, turning to face him.
He cleared his throat and his expression told me that he was just trying to hold her laughter. "Okay, so you know Rachel's best friend right, Jaime?" I nodded, gesturing for her to continue, "Well, when she and her date, Ethan, came to RED's house, she was wearing a half burned dress and her make-up was smudged. And then, while she was walking to the limo, she slipped and fell face first to the mud!" We all burst out in laughter, happy that Rachel Dare finally got what she deserved.
"Where is she now?"
"At home most probably, getting ready" he sighed in disappointment, wiping the tear stains from his eyes. "She's not going to miss this dance for the world!"
We all nodded sadly. As much as I hate to admit it, Rachel was stubborn that way. If she wanted something, she would make sure that she gets it even if it's the last thing she does.
Much to my dismay, whatever Lee said was true. Standing near the entrance was the girl I hate the most, in the sultriest attire I have seen yet. Her dress looked more of a nightgown and I doubt she's wearing a bra under there. Then again, when did she ever? The length was probably mid-thigh, if not a little shorter. No sleeves. Low v-neck. Fierce red color. Hair in curls. Heavy make-up. She looked like a stripper on her way to the strip club.
"We should really decide on a dress code next time." Thalia said with a sigh, shaking her head at the outfit.
On the other hand, most of the other guys were drooling over it. Thankfully, none of those guys was my boyfriend. He was still holding me, nosing my cheek like a puppy. "Should we tell her off?" he asked.
"Nah, let her find out the many disadvantages of what she's wearing." I muttered, not really paying attention.
It would have been peaceful but the certain red headed girl strode towards us, her hips swaying in the dirtiest way as half of the guys in the dance followed her. And she seemed rather pleased about it. "Well, well, well" she mused, smirking. "Annabeth Chase, I thought you couldn't make it." I gave her a fake smile just to hide the fire in my eyes.
"I might say the same thing about you" I growled through my gritted teeth. I swear, if it wasn't for my boyfriend's tight grip on me, I would have lunged with my fingernails clawing at her not so perfect face.
"Annabeth, it's not worth it" he whispered soothingly to my ear, hoping that it would go past the ringing in my ears. "Don't stoop to her level."
He was glad when I nodded as I buried my face on his neck with him tracing patterns on my back. "Nice outfit" I nodded towards what she wore and Rachel smiled suggestively lifting it up a little just so that the guys behind her saw that she wasn't wearing any underwear. I glanced at Percy just to see if he was looking but he was too busy staring at my cleavage. On any other day, I would have made a teasing comment but as of now, I was rather thankful that he would be looking at my breasts than Rachel's… well, you get the point.
"So, slut, aren't you supposed to be screwing another guy by now?" I suggested with a raised eyebrow.
She looked at me and nodded, "Well, I should be off but I think you're sitting on the guy I'm supposed to be screwing."
At this note, my boyfriend froze. His eyes were locked on Rachel Dare's face as if he found the entire idea disgusting. "Then again," she continued, "you may not know much about it. You are a virgin, after all."
This time, I was holding him off, trying hard not to let him punch her in the face because I know that it was against every code of law he has ever established on himself. And second, I don't want his knuckles to be bruised because he hit Rachel's face so hard. "Don't worry about it, Seaweed Brain. She's just too shallow to think that I'm actually not." I kissed the corner of his mouth just as an attempt for him to calm down even faster and it actually did work.
"Actually, bitch, I'm not" I pulled Percy to his feet as we walked to a Rachel free environment, a good distance away from the buffet table and the dance floor.
"She's not wearing anything under that dress." I seethed, wishing I could throw something at her. "You didn't even look at her. Why?"
He smiled. "I had a much better view than her bare ass." Percy kissed me softly before he stood, walking casually to the punch bowl where he started a conversation with Mr. Blofis. The teacher nodded once in a while, looking at the spot where she is now.
"Don't worry about it, Percy. I'm going to call Mr. Dare and have him bring her home." My boyfriend thanked Paul endlessly before he made his way back to me, handing a cup similar to his.
Soon afterwards, Rachel's dad came to the warehouse and dragged his daughter out with Rachel bringing a very clueless Michael Westby with her. After that, I softened. This, this was a dance. I should be enjoying it with my boyfriend and my closest friends. I prepared so long just for this and I'm not going to let the memory of Rachel Dare bring me down. This may be one of those nights where my heart would be set on finding the solution to the problem that is her. But I figured that maybe there was no solution, no cure, for her. I don't know why but it made me feel a whole lot better, having known that RED was too sick to be cured and that she never deserved to be cured in the first place.
And honestly, it was the best night of my life.