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34
Raven
I knockedon Makayla's Door. "You ready?"
The door opened and Makayla stepped back, spinning in a slow circle. "What do you think?"
Her long, red dress hugged her curves in all the right places. Her cropped brown hair was dusted with something that sparkled in the light and her fire engine red lipstick was perfect.
"You look amazing. Jonah isn't even going to know what hit him," I said.
"I'm still mad as hell that he didn't ask me," she said as she walked out of the door. "But at least I know he's going alone so he has a chance to make it up to me."
She stopped in the hall and put her hands on her hips. "Did you even attempt to make yourself look good?"
I scoffed. "Wow. You're the best ego boost I've ever had."
"No, seriously. The dress is perfect. I told you you'd be hot as hell in it. But the makeup and hair are just sad. It's a ball, not a trip to a bowling alley or whatever the hell you did in the human world."
"I haven't been to a bowling alley since I was a kid," I said defensively.
"Well, lucky for you, I'm here to help." She swiped her key card then pushed me toward her door. "Come on."
Knowing it was easier to just go along with her, I let her push me into her room. Makayla's room looked like a tornado had torn through it. There were shoes and clothes all over her floor and bed.
She steered me toward her bathroom. The counter was covered in round powder compacts, lipstick tubes, liner pencils, brushes, and liquids I didn't recognize.
I took in my reflection. I didn't think I'd done too bad. I had pulled half of my hair up and pinned it with a sparkly clip. I'd even put on some blush and lip gloss. Wasn't that enough?
"Sit," Makayla commanded.
I took the chair facing the mirror. "I'm not a big makeup person."
"I know, but it's the Yule Ball. It's once a year. And it's a big deal. Besides, it might be your only one if you pass the trials in the spring."
"I doubt I'll be that lucky twice," I said.
She laughed. "None of us would survive if you got that lucky twice. I'm so tired of running up and down that tower."
"Same." Coach Miller had made us run the obstacle course the way he wanted it to go all week for gym. That final tower to get to the zip line was only accessible through a hanging rope. You had to climb it while sliding down the glossy tower if you tried to use it for leverage. People who had better upper body strength just climbed the rope. I had to use the side of the tower and ended up falling on my ass more times than I could count.
"I sure hope he's over that by Monday," I said.
"That's the best part," she said. "Monday starts the holiday break. Solstice. Some of the students go home and others hang out here. It's basically a week of nonstop parties."
I sunk a little deeper into the chair as relief washed over me. I could use the break.
Makayla sprayed something in my hair then went to work with a brush and a curling iron. Ten minutes later, I had to admit, my hair was a gorgeous cascade of loose curls. "That looks amazing."
"You're welcome," she said cheerfully. Then she spun me around so I was facing her. "Now close your eyes."
I obeyed, nervous about what she was going to do. She didn't spend long applying makeup, but it was more than I usually did.
"All done," she said. "Now that date of yours is going to lose it when he sees you."
I turned to look at myself in the mirror. She'd kept the makeup subtle compared to hers, but gave me a muted smoky eye and a pink lipstick that enhanced the color of my lips. I looked like a better version of myself and I felt beautiful. "Wow. Thanks, Makayla."
"Now, we're ready," she said.
