This is not a Branikki chapter BUT you'll want to read it because Nikki happens to drop a lot of hints on what's coming for the next chapter. And when I hit 30 reviews (we are at 28 as this chapter is being posted) I will post the next chapter! Another reminder of that at the bottom of the chapter.
Chloe and Zoey were having a sleepover at my house, as Chloe had the makeup, Zoey had the accessories and jewelry and I had all of our dresses. I had all of our dresses because apparently Bill aka Brandon (read chapter 5 if you don't know about the Bill/Brandon thing) has a cousin who steams dresses so all of the fabric on our dresses doesn't get damaged. I took up Bill's (Brandon's) offer, on the terms he doesn't get to look at our dresses. So I went with him to his cousin's dress shop, and she steamed them for us and I brought them back making SURE he doesn't see them. Not that it really mattered to Chloe and Zoey, because they don't know Bill is Brandon and they think they will never see Bill again in their lives.
"Hey Nikki, what's that on your neck?" Zoey asked, "Because if I didn't know any better, I'd assume it was a hickey." My hand immediately touched the spot on my neck she pointed at. It hurt a little as my fingers brushed over the damaged spot. "Who'd be giving her hickeys, Zoey?" Chloe asked. "No one's been giving me hickeys! If they have been, I'd definitely remember," I said. Unless….
Unless when I went to 'Netflix and Chill' at Brandon's, during one of our most intimate moments as a couple, he'd left a love bite on my neck. "It must be a bruise," Zoey said. "Yeah… I don't remember getting this bruise, though," I said. And that TECHNICALLY wasn't a lie. I don't remember getting a bruise. But I do clearly remember getting a hickey. I just don't have to mention that last part to them.
"You wouldn't, you'd have gone unconscious and not remembered," she said. "Possibly," I said. "Forgetting how I got this bruise, how am I supposed to wear what I'm wearing with this purple thing on my neck?" I asked. "Wait, what ARE you wearing? I mean, I don't remember us really deciding with you, or you even showing us what you've decided on by yourself," Chloe said.
"Right! I must've forgotten! Sorry. But you guys will freak out," I said. Their eyes immediately lit up and they got so excited and Chloe started squealing for no reason at all. "Show us!" they yelled. "NOW!"
"Okay, okay, calm down. I'll show you… if then straight after, you help me find an unnoticeable way to cover up this ugly thing on my neck," I said. "Sure! Just show us the dress!" Chloe said, clapping her hands like some kind of hyper seal. "Fine. Just don't give some kind of lecture on safety when you see it, okay?" I asked.
I opened the closet, and reached into the back behind a pit of clothes. I had to keep it hidden just in case Mom goes looking for something that may have been misplaced in my closet. I had to reach so far back it's like my hand was in f'in Narnia or something.
Finally my hands found themselves touching a silky, smooth fabric. I slowly dragged my hand up the dress until I found the hanger of it, and then gingerly pulled it out of the closet, not wanting to damage it.
"Here it is," I said, pulling it out.
The next couple of minutes were just a bunch of squealing and hugs and trying to process what I was showing them. Finally Chloe took a breath, surprisingly, being the first one to speak and calm down. "I thought you said there was no chance…" she said. "I don't know what changed my mind," I said. And now THAT WAS A LIE.
Brandon's the one that changed my mind. At first, it was way too adult to wear to his party when our relationship was nothing but light kisses and giggles and bashful glances and holding hands. But now it's become a little more serious, with our heavy makeout sessions and the fact we've seen each other half naked and that I had to stop that twice from going further. And I'm not sure why I stopped that, maybe the fact being my parents at home waiting for me, or me just being super cautious and nervous and not feeling ready. But things change.
"Brandon will die for you in that… he'll probably pull you away in that gear sometime through the night and tell you how beautiful you are and kiss you with tongue!" Chloe giggled. "Gross!" Zoey said, slapping Chloe's arm, "Your so dirty-minded."
"Am not! Well, okay. I mean, what I just said was tots dirty-minded!" Chloe laughed. "Um… YEAH!" Zoey said, laughing and holding her stomach. "He'll like kiss you or something. Maybe. Probably," Zoey said, giggling. "Or on the cheek."
I tried laughing along with them, but in that moment, I felt 10 years older than them both. My middle school self would've been like "YASS" and have totally agreed with these girls and they'd #bestiesforlife and we'd me middle school #friendshipgoals.
And I like to think we still are. But something tells me I'm the first one of us to really grow up, and I have to seriously help these girls. But, they were the first ones to grow up when it came to beauty. I mean, the way they handled their makeup and clothes two hours before the party made me feel like in beauty years, I was a small child learning from experienced elderly women who'd been doing what they did for years.
First, Chloe started off with foundation. Then she used some cream to even discoloration in my face, which I found a little offensive, but when I looked in the mirror, my skin was like glowing. Then she powdered my face so it didn't look plastic, and then she did something called "bronzing" and "highlighting and contouring" using shades lighter and darker than my skin tone, which I thought was wrong, but then turned out to give me the cheekbones I never had. She did my eye makeup and did this beautiful smokey eye I once tried out, which ended up with me looking like I had crawled out of a horror movie. But the way Chloe's smokey eye turned out was better than the ones you see in makeup tutorials. Then she gave me cat eyes with her black eyeliner and put so much mascara on my eyelashes they felt so heavy I wanted to sleep. But she says you get used to it. She gave me a matte lip, using Kylie Jenner's lip kit (Mary Jo K.)
I looked like a bombshell. Not the dorky girl I used to be in my awkward stage in middle school. I looked like a woman. I put on those amazing heels and Zoey gave me some stunning jewelry.
We all looked AMAZING. By the time we were finished, it was two hours into the party and we weren't there yet. But it's okay, it's a New Years party, so it lasts ALL NIGHT. But Brandon was probably wondering where I was so we should've gotten going.
In the car ride there, conversation was stilled because we were all so nervous. Especially me, thinking of what might come for tonight. "Do you think Marcus will say I look cute?" Chloe asked (sorry if I'm wrong, I think it's Marcus who Chloe likes, I haven't read the books in awhile). "Don't worry about that… he'll say you look hot!" I said. "OMG, Nikki!" Chloe giggled. "What? Go for it, girl," I said, giving her push in the right direction. "Ok," Chloe blushed, "Do you think Marcus will say I'm…hot?" she asked. "Totally," I told her.
"What are you telling her, Nikki?" Zoey asked. "What she should be hearing! She's sixteen, Zoey. And so are you. You gotta aim for higher goals now," I said. "Nikki's gone wild!" Zoey said. "I don't know, Z. She has a point. We're older now, and I hope Marcus says I'm hot," Chloe says. YES! Finally. "I guess your right. Well then, I hope Theo kisses me," Zoey says. "With tongue?" Chloe says cheekily. "Not with tongue!" Zoey cries. "Zoey!" I say, nudging her. "Okay fine… with tongue," she says and I can't help myself but laugh at her bashfulness.
We finally arrive. I look ahead at the night to come. I feel so thrilled and anxious at the same time. But I'm ready. I'm ready now.
Hey, hey! Wait there. You think I'll end this story with that and be THAT MEAN to all of you wonderfuls? NO WAY. I love you guys too much for that. The next chapter comes what some of you wonderfuls have persistently been asking for… hopefully you've picked up on those hints Nikki's left you this chapter.
I know this chapter was not really Branikki, but Nikki needed to reunite with her girls! Keep her all of her relationships balanced. They needed to help get her ready. This chapter's not called "The Preperation" for nothing… ; )
I'll post the next one as soon as we hit 30 reviews! We're only at 28, so we just need 2 more wonderfuls to comment, and your then the chapter most of you have been waiting for will arrive.
Stay wonderful!
-authorofwonderful
