Annie's POV

"So, neutral or colorful?"

"Colorful."

"Right. Bad question. You own like three black pieces."

"It's not really my color." I told Marigold.

She and I were having a sleepover at my house, and we were looking through my closet for something for me to wear on our double date with Connor and Sirius.

"I don't know, I like this one with the white lace." She pulled out the black dress that Aunt Rouge gave to me. She said every girl needed the one black dress in their wardrobe. She had been in charge of making that black dress catered to the person to everyone in the family. Mom told me it was a way she showed love and made sure I wore my black dress at least once a year. The skirt of the dress had a thick boarder of intricate white lace going around it. It was supposed to have spaghetti straps, but Mom and I talked Aunt Rouge into making thicker straps for it. I… wasn't sure if spaghetti straps were for me… I still have a hard time trusting them. I'm always afraid they'll snap, and I'll be exposed. Ugh. "Try it on."

"What?"

"I've never seen you in black. Come on, model it for me." She hopped in place and waved the hanger with the dress at me.

I giggled. "Okay. Okay. I'll do it. But it's not that big of a deal. And don't look until I say so." I waited for her to cover her eyes and then I changed into the dress. "Okay, you can look now."

She turned and gasped. "Oh, my gosh, you look so cute."

"You think so?" I asked. It's one thing when adults and parents tell you you're cute. They're supposed to say things like that. But best girlfriends are supposed to be totally honest with each other and encouraging to each other. It's weird, I never really cared about what I looked like before. It's been… a hassle, I guess. I don't know, ever since Mom and I had our talk, I've been fussing and groaning and second guessing everything I own.

"Totally. Hang on." She started to rummage through her bag. She pulled out two pretty boxes from her bag. They were glossy with floral motifs. Then, she pulled out a smaller one with a lock on it. Her dragon box, she liked to call it. It had scales and was bumpy and felt leathery. On the top was an eye with a vertical slit for a pupil. It was a creepy kind of violet eye that followed you around the room. She pulled out a few accessories out of the boxes. "Aha!"

"Wow!" She showed me a barrette with a white flower attached to it. Inside the white flower was a glittery rainbow. I was about to touch it when she moved behind me.

"Sit down."

I listened and sat down.

"Hold still, okay?"

"Mm-hm."

I smiled and waited patiently as she messed with my quills. She tugged and pulled and sighed in exasperation.

"Sorry..." There's a reason I leave my quills down.

"It's okay… they're just more stiff than I thought they'd be."

She yanked and pulled some more. I gritted my teeth a few times to keep me from saying ow.

"There. What do you think?"

I turned to look at my mirror and I was shocked at what I saw. "Whoa. That's me..." I walked closer to the mirror to get a better look.

"Simple, classy, adorable. I think black works for you."

I had to admit, the rainbow glitter did pop and it made me smile. I twirled in place and giggled. "Yeah, maybe sometimes. If I have a pop of color to go with it."

"For sure. You can keep the clip by the way." She waved her hand slightly.

"What – are you sure?" I turned to look at her.

"Mm-hm." She replied with a sweet smile. "That's why I brought it in the first place. It came with the one I wore this week with the grayscale inside. I thought it might work better on you than on me. Rainbows aren't really my thing anyway." She shrugged and tilted her head.

I turned back around towards the mirror, adjusted the clip a little and moved my head around. "Thanks, Marigold."

She squealed and said, "I can't wait for you to wear it out. Now, back to finding an outfit for date night."

"Huh? But I thought-"

"No way, that's too nice. That's something you wear to a dinner party or the symphony - which we are totally doing together, by the way – not game night at Connor's.

"Oh…" Duh. I should've known that. "Right," I chuckled. "Okay, let's get to it."

"Not that it matters what you wear. Connor thinks you're cute, no matter what." I looked at her funny.

I wanted to ask, Then, why are we even doing this? Which prompted something scary for a second. Am I pretty enough?

"But this so much fun."

I chuckled to myself. Marigold was right. I thought going through our closets was going to be more like a chore but together, it actually was pretty fun. I never thought fussing over my quills and matching things that didn't involve yarn would be so fun.

But, at some point, I couldn't help but look at myself in the mirror. My quills grew fast. The pink was mostly gone at the tips of my quills, but it clashed with my natural pink. I remember noticing my chest and how the dress clung around my waist. I was starting to look like my mom more and more every day. That meant that I would pretty like my mom, right? That I am pretty. But… my period makes me feel like I have some kind of stomach bug that stings me, and my chest feels soar all the time in bras that pinch and squeeze me. I never want to wear corset because these things are cruel and unusual punishment as they are. No amount of pretty colors was ever going to change that. I wish I could have pushed it off a little longer. I wish I didn't feel so weird about myself.

Still, hanging out with Marigold and talking about our date really was fun. We went through my entire closet. She talked me into wearing one of the only other black pieces of clothing I owned. Since she insisted on the black jeans, I insisted on a loose long sleeve. It was peach that was striped with a lighter shade on top and darker shade on the bottom. I guess it was only fair, I talked her into wearing a chunky red sweater and NOT black jeans.

"Knock, knock." Mom called out before she opened the door with a plate of snickerdoodles, and chocolate chip cookies. "I thought you girls might like a snack."

We sniffed. "Mm, those smell heavenly, Mom."

"Yeah, thanks Ms. Amy."

"Of course. My…" Mom looked around at my room. "You two have been busy." She smiled her mom smile that twitches.

"Yeah, what do you think Mom?" I held out the clothes we picked out in front of me for her to see.

"Oh, you're wearing black?"

"Yeah, it's cute, right Ms. Amy?"

"Of course it is, and you girls are absolutely lovely. Remember that."

We promised her we would.

"Good. I'll be back with some milk." She left for the milk as Marigold and I got to work and put my clothes away. When she came back, she smiled at us and told us to enjoy the cookies and put the clothes away later.

We settled onto my bed with the plate in the middle and the milk in our hands.

"So, how's Caleb doing? You haven't mentioned him lately."

"Fine. His school keeps him busy, so we haven't been able to talk too much lately."

"Does he know? About you and Connor."

I took a bite before I could answer, so I nodded.

"Aaaand? What did he say? What does he think?" She would have bounced if she didn't have the milk in her hands.

I drank the milk and held up one finger to signal her to give me a sec.

"He was surprised, but happy for me."

"Really?" She cocked her head to the side.

"Mm-hm. I asked him what I should do, and he said that I should follow my instinct. I think he actually meant my heart. But anyway, he was glad that I was happy." I wished we could have talked more. It didn't have to be about Connor and me. But I understand. School comes first. Besides, I get to see him every other week.

"Uh-huh." She brought her hand up to her chin and looked up.

"Yup, but you know it's weird. He told me to talk to you about dating instead of him."

"Huh? Really? How come?"

We both reach for a cookie.

"He says you'd be a better resource because you and Sirius are together. You have real life experience that none of us have."

I took a bite of a snickerdoodle while she looked up thoughtfully.

"Huh?... that's actually a good point. We haven't been together that long but still."

"I thought so too."

"But is that all there is to it?"

"Hm? What do you mean?" I took another bite.

"Tell me Annie," with her cookie in the air, she looked at me and asked, "Did Caleb seem… squeamish when he said that?"

That was an odd question, but I thought back anyway. "Mmm… No, I don't think so." Caleb doesn't do squeamish. He's too tough to let blood and guts get to him. This thing with Connor was a surprise to the both of us but he was happy for me. Just like I would be if he ever met a special someone. We could double date, even triple date. That would be so cool, we'd have so much fun. "Why? What'cha thinking?"

"Mmm." She waved her hand dismissively at me. "Nothing, really. Just wondering if talking boys would be weird for him, that's all."

"Oh. I don't think so. Caleb wouldn't keep something like that from me."

"You sure about that Annie?"

"Positively, absolutely, no doubt about it." It's Caleb. The only secrets he has are GUN related. And I never asked. I would never dream to compromise him and cost him his dream. I don't like the idea that his missions could take days to months or whatever, but he'll always come back. He promised to see me after every mission and he never breaks his promises.

"All right. Since you're so sure."

"I am." I nodded with confidence.

Everyone: Yay for bonding and young love… although poor Caleb is nursing a broken heart. Boo for puberty, let's face it, it's a dragon that tries to take us down through no fault of our own.

Next time, the date and we meet Sirius.

Happy reading!