I Love You Just the Way You Are (Book 1- Rock Canyon Series)

Prologue - Maddie

Prologue – Maddie

"Maddie, you're gorgeous. Look at you!"

The mirror in front of me showed a girl that I didn't recognize. Her blue-black hair fell in a diagonal swoop across her right eye, tapering up to her left eyebrow before lengthening again. The silky strands finally came to a rest against her cheek in a triangular shape.

Her makeup had turned her into a beautiful little doll, the rouge of her cheeks contrasting the soft paleness of her skin. Her lips were a delicate pucker that almost distracted from her only visible eye; an electrifying blue wrapped in purple stardust.

The eye blinked and I jumped before realizing that I was looking at myself.

"Destiny what did you do to me?" I said as I tried not to touch my now glowing face.

My best and only friend smiled, closing her eyes and shaking her head, her shoulder-length dreadlocks swishing back and forth. Destiny had been my friend before she knew I was trans. I was afraid that when she found out she wouldn't want to talk to me anymore. I couldn't have been happier to be wrong. Not only did she not reject me, she became the best ally I could have ever hoped for.

"It wasn't magic, girl. You're a cute little thing already. But when I applied a little artistic flourish here and there, voila! I accentuated your long lashes and filled out your lips a little. I contoured that cute little upturned nose of yours, thinning it just a smidge. The rest is all you, with added color. Those tropical blue eyes are popping against that dark purple eyeshadow. I outdid myself there. I gotta tell ya, girl, if I didn't already have your number, I'd be asking for it!" she said, her strong hands shaking my shoulders as she laughed.

I turned back to the beautiful apparition in the mirror, catching myself laughing with her. For the first time in my life, I look on the outside the way I feel on the inside.

The peculiar sensation of lips curving upward and cheeks bumping into eyes was a welcomed experience after years of dysphoric pain. I reached back, grabbing her hand.

"I don't know how to thank you, Dest. You've helped me so much over the past year, with my new name, new clothes, now with makeup... without you... I don't know. I just don't think I could have done all this. I mean, especially this!" I traced a circle around my face. "What did you use, like three brushes, four creams and I don't know, two powders? I lost count. I know that I won't be able to remember all this." The amount of umpteen little containers strewn across her makeup station was bewildering.

She waved me off with a quick flick of her wrist. "Ah, don't worry girl, we'll practice as much as you need to. You'll get it down. It just takes patience. I'm going to help you every step of the way. It's what friends are for boo! But you're going to have to buy the next round of makeup because I'm about broke after surprising you with this Target haul," Destiny said with a laugh. I cringed thinking about her spending what little money she had after her parents' recent divorce.

"I owe you like four lunches out and a million lattes for making me look almost as pretty as you. You're the best!" Closing my eyes and squeezing her hands, I forced my emotions back down. There was no way I was ever going to do anything to change what I saw in the mirror in this moment.

"Mm-hmm," her sultry voice gently bringing me out of my thoughts, "better be large lattes too. You know I don't play when it comes to my coffee."

I giggled, watching my now very red mouth seemingly painted in an unending smile. Destiny had added shape and depth to my lips that I wouldn't have dreamed possible, making them appear larger than they really were. I wished that the makeup was permanent and that I would never have to look at myself without it again. I no longer saw a teenage boy in the mirror. I rested my head against the back of the chair and sighed.