Black & White

11: Who invited the rat?

"How do I look?" Tara emerged from my closet.

She was wearing a flowy lilac blouse with a deep neckline. Her long legs were covered by black high-waisted leather trousers and her lips were painted a soft nude color.

My jaw dropped. I had never seen her in anything so modest and classy yet so attractive. She was usually more prone to the party-wear type of clothing. I mean, the leather trousers aren't far from it but she's getting there."Wow, Tara! You look amazing!" I gushed as she twirled, her soft brown curls cascading down her back.

"Yeah, new love interest- new me!" She shrugged happily, admiring her reflection in my full-length mirror.

"Oh, it's serious huh?" I wiggled my eyebrows.

She turned to look at me, excitement filling her brown eyes as she nodded eagerly."Yeah, Tina. I really do like Seb. And I feel like he likes me that way too...like for real likes me, you know? Not like Jay...nothing like Jay" She explained her feelings, her eyes wild and alive with this newfound love in her heart.

I smiled warmly, feeling truly happy that she was finally...happy."Seb is a great guy from what I know" I agreed."I'm really happy for you, Tara"

She teared up but immediately fanned herself to not ruin her perfect makeup."Yeah, about time I got what I was praying for right?" She chuckled even though she was completely choked up with emotions. She really does deserve this, after everything she's been through. After every tear, every sleepless night, every bruise, every hurtful word...

She deserves something happy and bright.

Seb wouldn't disappoint, I was sure of it.

"Right, enough of all this girl talk! Let's get you ready to mingle" She wiggled her eyebrows and I rolled my eyes.

"With who?" I scoffed.

"What do you mean who? Austin, who else?" She stared at me as if I were stupid. I snapped my head her way, to look her in the eyes.

"Austin's coming?"

She glanced around, weirded out by my behavior."Yeah...were you hoping he wouldn't or...?" She scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"No!" I replied a little too quickly, making her smirk in realization.

"Oh, you were worried about him not being in school..." She grinned like the Cheshire cat, pleased with herself as if she cracked a code or something.

"No, I wasn't" I rolled my eyes.

Yes, I was.

"Mhm!" She chimed as she dug through my clothes."Well, he's going to be here. So wear this!" She pulled out a pair of high-waisted white skinny jeans and a black long-sleeved mesh top with small embroidered flowers on it.

"This???" I held the top up with a look of confusion."My bra...it's going to be on full display!"

"You've stripped in front of these people twice now, get over yourself!" She rolled her eyes at my fear-filled eyes.

"Not in front of your brother!" I argued.

"We've been swimming together, he saw you change in the back of my jeep, you saw his pants get pulled down by his soccer buddies, and so on..." She stated nothing but facts."Yeah, I think a fucking mesh top with a bra is nothing" She deadpanned.

Ugh, why is she always right?

***

I could hear Tara letting in all of our friends as I stood in front of the bathroom mirror. I had been putting away everything breakable upstairs, just in case. Now, I stood in the master bedroom's bathroom, staring at myself in the mirror and trying to get my crap together.