One of the Boys

Chapter 16

“Lindsey?”

“Ally!  Hey!  What are you up to today?”

“Do you think you could make me more girly?”

“What?”

“Like even more girly.  I want to act like one, not just look like one.”

There’s a pause on the other end of the phone, as if Lindsey’s considering something.

“Meet me at my house in half an hour.  We’re going out tonight.”  With that she hangs up, the phone beeping consistently until I close it myself.

Whatever Lindsey’s about to teach me, it’ll make sure a guy kissing me is never considered gay again.  The memory still stings and I still haven’t analysed it.  Why did Zac kiss me and then run away?  It’s not like I can ask Lindsey.  She’d just get mad that he’s ‘moved on’ already, and mad that I encouraged him.  I would ask but I feel as if I should give him space.  He hates clingy girlfriends, so why should my whiny questions be any different?  This is the first time I haven’t been able to talk to him about something.

I sit in the car for another fifteen minutes, staring at the waves rolling in and out on the beach, at Jordan, Cooper and PJ having a grand old time surfing like pros.  I feel completely utterly alone without my best friend.

Eventually I hazily start the car and drive my way to Lindsey’s house.

“Ally.  You’re late.” She says, opening the door.  “But that’s okay because a girl is always fashionably late.  Not that you’re looking too fashionable.”  She examines my sand soaked hair and my crumpled dress.  “What have you been doing?”

“I was at the beach.”

“And you couldn’t like shower or something?”

“Sorry.” I mumble.

“Woah Ally.  It’s all good.  Just act perky would you?  Trina will be here in a moment so you need to snap out of moody guy mode and wake up.”  She hands me another one of her perfectly packed tote bags.  “You know how to make yourself up.  Go take a shower.”

I trudge up her stairs and into her bathroom.  The water is cold at first, snapping me out of my overthinking haze and into focus.  I’m going out tonight.  I don’t know where, but knowing Lindsey I will need to look good.

I step out of the shower and go through the whole process methodically.  It’s printed in my brain now.  There’s no going back.  The dress she’s packed is pretty fancy, a royal blue little thing matched with silver heels and a silver clutch.  I apply the makeup and blow dry my hair, looking a million times more girly than I did before.  Now it’s time to act like one too.

“Trina!” I greet her enthusiastically as I come out of the bathroom, earning an approving smile from Lindsey.

“Ally!  You look amazing.”  Trina comes in to hug me, which I find awkward but she clearly doesn’t. 

“You do too!”  And she does.  Her hair is put into an exquisite bun with braids leading towards and into it.  I don’t even know how to braid or do a bun that isn’t messy, so my hair is still out.

“One sec.”  Lindsey grabs a pin with a small diamond on it from her dressing table and pins up a side of my hair.  “Much better.”

I feel for the pin and look at myself in the mirror.  She’s right.

“So, where are we going today?”  I ask.

“The Annual Ladies Benefit.” Trina gushes.  “Lindsey, didn’t you tell her?”