The Perfect Couple

13

As soon as the car drove off, Kim dashed across the street. I wasn't sure, because I hadn't had a stopwatch on her, but she'd probably broken an Olympic record. Up in my room she tore open the carton that held the perm and soon my dressing table was spread with rollers, some little squares of paper and bottles of various solutions.

"I hope it doesn't come out too frizzy," I said, beginning to get a little edgy about the whole thing.

"Do you want a permanent or not?" Kim was in charge and she wasn't about to let me forget it. I had to give her credit, though, she always deferred to me when it came to sports or math. "Yes, but"

"Then sit down and let me get on with it. Here, you can hand me those papers, one at a time."

I was afraid to hope for too much, but when I'd been curled and neutralized, blow-dried and brushed out, my hair swung softly around my shoulders. Somehow it had picked up shadings and highlights so that it was no longer plain brown, but as multicoloured as autumn leaves. I was so thrilled I danced around the room.

"This is great, Kim! I never thought I could look like this. You're a genius!"

She gave me a more or less modest smile, then she told me to sit down again. "We'll do your face now." I wasn't worried about that because makeup could be washed off.

When she was through, I studied my reflection on the mirror for a long while, then I jumped up and whirled around the room, throwing out my arms . . . wanting to hug the whole world.

"It's going to work!" I announced to the walls and ceiling and the bed and the dresser. I glanced in the mirror again. I still couldn't believe it was me. "Alan will wonder where I've been all this time."

"Don't get too excited yet," Kim warned. "We still have to work on your personality but you've given me an idea, dancing around like that. Being vivacious suits you. You'll be all movement and smiles and flirty looks and teeth. You have good teeth, so you'll laugh a lot, showing of as many of them as you can."

Being made over physically was one thing, but having your whole personality altered was something else. Yet I knew what was behind this and didn't force Kim to spell it out. I wasn't a natural beauty like she was or the girls Alan went with. My looks alone, even with a lot of goop on my face, wouldn't attract him. My best bet was to develop a lively manner.

"Like this?" I said, throwing back my head and sending forth peals of laughter. "Well, something like that," Kim said. "We'll work on it later, but now we'd better practice some conversation. When Alan finally notices you, you're not going to talk football or soccer with him . . . Okay, I'll pretend to be him." In a gruff, would-be male voice she said, "what do you like to do for fun, Kelly?"

I tossed my head the way she'd taught me. "Oh, the usual thing listen to rock and go to the movies and dance. I'm already looking forward to the Christmas Ball."

"Not bad," Kim said. "Just don't be pushy about the dance. That turns guys off. Why don't you polish your act on Marcus starting tomorrow? Then you'll be ready for Alan."

"Good thinking," I replied. "Now, how about about some pizza?"