One Last Prayer

Part 18

I stretch out dramatically. It feels like I've been holding still for an eternity. Tessa walks over to my body mirror that she's thrown a light blanket over and stands next to it, clapping her hands once with her million dollar smile. I stare at her and her smile drops instantly. If looks could kill, I would be dead in this second. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath in as if she's trying to calm herself down.

"Riley freaking Blaide would you get your scrawny ass over here, please?"

"So pushy." I say as I take my time walking to the over-sized mirror.

"Take your time. It's fine." She says sarcastically as she checks her beaded bracelets as if there was a watch on her wrist.

I step in front of the mirror and try my hardest from letting my jaw hit the floor. My hair is a medium to dark brown, my make-up is heavy around my eyes, with winged eyeliner, mascara to cause my already full lashes to look even bigger, whatever you would call this color on my face, to make my cheekbones stand out and my face look more shaped, and the very dark maroon lipstick that makes my pouty lips stand out more then ever. The outfit only adds to the alternative style I would've never thought to put myself into. My long hair that reaches almost to my wait is in curls that make it look fuller, but cleanly put together at the same time.

If I didn't know me, would I like the way this girl in the mirror looks? I put my hand on the hem of the shirt, tugging it gently to try to cover the sliver of skin that's showing on my stomach. The stranger I've been seeing in the mirror for weeks, now matches how she has felt on the inside. Maybe a little dark. Maybe a little lost. And while I want to find myself and I am learning to be happy with the changes that are taking place in my life, the girl I'm looking at right now looks like someone I would see standing in Chase's group of friends. While I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with this look, I do like it, for tonight.

Tessa steps up behind me, putting her chin on my shoulder with a small smile on her lips. Our eyes meet in the mirror and she wraps her arms around me from behind.

"Do you feel beautiful?"

"I feel like a different person."

"A person you can be proud to be?" He voice is quiet, thoughtful.

"A person I think I've been holding in for a while. Maybe."

She smiles and lets go of me, walking away. "Good. Let's party before we head out. David will pick us up when I text him."

"We aren't walking?" I turn to look at her as she digs through her bag until she pulls out a bottle of Sailor Jerry's.

"I live in Goleta. There will be no walking." She laughs shortly and looks around, then at me. "Do you have sodas?"

I nod and leave the room, running up the stairs. When I walk into the kitchen I quickly grab two sodas from the fridge and make my way back downstairs. I feel slightly guilty about drinking in this house that I've been welcomed to stay in, but other than Chase's grandpa, who doesn't leave his room ninety five percent of the time, no one is here. I find myself wondering what the boys are doing, or if people have started to show up at Trey's house yet. When I get back to the bottom of the stairs Tessa is on the couch taking selfies. She looks over at me and waves me over dramatically.

"David will be here soon, let's at least get a few shots in before he does." I'm not sure if she means pictures or drinks, but I walk to her and sit down eagerly as she opens the bottle. Tessa drinks directly from the bottle after opening the can of soda then hands it to me without a word. I've only ever had mixed drinks and I start to feel nervous about how I'll handle taking a drink straight from the bottle. Tessa must sense my unease because she grabs my can and opens it for me. "Take a sip of your soda, then swig" she gestures to the bottle, "then another drink of your soda. She hands me the can. "You can wait a bit before taking another drink it shouldn't take too long to hit you."