A flashlight in the shadows.

chapter 41: Girl time.

Bennett was mostly silent for the whole car ride. I stared at his arms. Not intending to sound like a heartless monster right now, but I couldn't help but notice how incredibly muscular they were. The muscles popped out in all the right places and made me feel all tingly inside. As we pulled into my driveway, he sighed and looked at me. I smiled and reached a hand over to his arm. I set it on his forearm and sighed. He set a hand on top of mine. I looked into his eyes and said,
"We need to talk about this soon, ok?" He nodded and smiled.
"Ok." I went inside without another word. When I got inside, I plopped down on the couch and fell asleep the second my head hit the cushion.

{The next morning...:}

I was sweating. Sweating uncontrollably. Boy, it was hot in here...
I groaned in bed as I kicked the covers off of me. I was wearing the same thing from yesterday, and I was in my bed. Weird. I remembered falling asleep on the couch. I sat up and looked around the room. Everything was normal. I glanced at Bennett's room. He was sound asleep in his bed. He looked at peace when he was sleeping. It made me think of happy times, I could stare at him sleeping for hours.....
'Wait, stare at him sleeping?' I asked myself. That wasn't right. I decided to get ready for the challenges the day would bring. I chose a pink tank top with a light brown jacket that I tied across my chest and blue jeans. After I threw my hair in a ponytail, I walked down the stairs to the kitchen. I was glad that it was Sunday and I didn't have any school until tomorrow. Dad had already left for the shop and Jane was out having lunch with Jacob before their rehab session. But Cassandra was sitting in the kitchen. Her hair was put in a tight bun and her makeup was lightly applied. She wore a dark blue duke sweatshirt with black leggings and boots. When she saw me, she stood and smiled.
"Get your shoes on,we're going to have a girl day." I frowned.
"Girl day?"
"Girl day. I'll be in the car." She left without saying another word. I wasn't in any kind of mood to ask questions, so I just threw on my shoes and went out to her car. As I buckled in, she asked,
"So, would you like Starbucks or Caribu?" I shrugged.
"Caribu, I guess." She nodded as we pulled out of the driveway. We turned off our street and headed to town.
"We're going to get my eyebrows waxed today, would you like to do yours too?" She asked me. I shrugged and sighed.
"I guess." She frowned and looked at me.
"Is that all you can say today?" I smirked to myself and shrugged.
"I guess." She giggled in the way many girls like Sabrina do. It made me shudder on the inside. She pulled in the driveway of the caribu parking lot and stopped the car. We got out and headed inside. It wasn't terribly busy, which was lucky for a Sunday. I saw Kenny and Mike behind the counter, smiling and talking about random crap. They smiled when they saw me and Mike said,
"Hey Sarah, what's up?" I smiled and shrugged.
"Eh, ok." Kenny said,
"Um, before I forget, Kendra wants to meet you at the mall at 7:00. She wants you to bring money to buy stuff." I frowned and nodded.
"Ok, thanks."
"Yup, no prob. Now, what can we get you?" I frowned and tapped my chin.
"Hmm....I'll have a mint condition." Cassandra smiled.
"A medium caramel latte is fine for me."
"Alright, we'll have that for you in a second," Mike and Kenny started making our coffees while still carrying on their conversation. Cassandra leaned down to my ear and whispered,
"How do you know them?" I frowned and said,
"They're my friends boyfriends." She smiled.
"Oh." Then she added, "they're pretty cute."
"Mooom!" She stared at me with wide eyes. It didn't hit me at first, but I soon realized, I just called her mom. Before the situation could get any more akward, Kenny gave us our coffees.
"That'll be $9.65." Mom gave them a ten and smiled.
"Keep the change." We walked out to the car. She drove us to 'Curly Girls,' the busiest hair place in town. As we walked in, a short woman with cherry hair and freckles went behind the desk and smiled at us. We walked up together.
"Hello, I'm Joan, and what can I do for you two ladies?" Cassandra smiled and leaned on the counter while rifling through her purse.
"We would like to have our eyebrows waxed, please." She typed it in on the keypad.
"And will that be all?" She asked sweetly. Cassandra nodded and handed her the money. She took it and led us to the end of the chairs.
"Please have a seat, someone will be with you shortly." She walked off back to the counter. Not long after she left two women came and tended to us. The woman who was waxing my eyebrows was kind and soft-voiced. She took a stick of hot wax and streaked my face, cleansing the extra hairs clean off. I winced for a second, but only a second and the pain was gone. As we sat back in the car, I felt my now swollen eyebrows. Cassandra watched me for a second before saying,
"Dont worry. It'll look great tomorrow." I smiled and checked the time, 4:30. I sighed and asked,
"So, will you take me to the mall?" She frowned.
"But Kendra said not until 7?"
"I know, but I can call her and get her to come." She had a hurt expression on her face, but she just nodded and started driving. I texted Kendra,
-be at mall soon, can u b there:)?' She texted back soon after,
-yeah;)'- Cassandra dropped me off at the front entrance. She opened her wallet and handed me $50.00.
"Holy crap, what's this for?" She smiled.
"That boy said you'd need money. Go have fun, ok? You deserve it." I looked at her for a minute before replying,
"Thanks Cassandra." She nodded and drove off. My phone started ringing. I answered hastily,
"Articulate?"
"Hey, Dina, Hannah, Lucy and I are waiting by the pet shop, come meet us."
"K," I hung up and started towards the pet shop. A man in a red apron was giving out samples of different dips. I smiled and took some from the plate and continued walking. I know it's rude to take some if you aren't interested in buying any, but I can never pass up an opportunity for free food. Call me old fashioned, but I love food. As I turned the corner I passed by a shoe store. Sabrina and her clique were there, trying on the highest high heels they had. They scowled at me as I walked by, but I paid no attention to them. I wasn't about to sink to their level because of a glare. I can handle that. When I walked up to the pet shop, I saw everyone standing around, waiting for me. When Lucy saw me, she walked up and smiled.
"Hey." I smiled back.
"Hey Lucy." She looked down at her feet, then returned to me.
"Um, Sarah?"
"Yeah?"
"Are we ok?" She asked. I could tell that she felt bad about what happened with Isaac and I. I nodded and smiled sympathetically.
"Yeah, we're cool." She smiled ear to ear. Kendra pulled on my arm.
"Ok, c'mon, we've got some shopping to do." I frowned.
"Where?" But she didn't answer, she only pulled me behind her. It didn't take long to reach our destination. They took me to a store in the mall called, 'Inner Kitty.' It's a lingerie store that sells everything from thongs to full blown sex suits. I groaned in protest,
"Uh....do I have to come in?" Dina nodded.
"Hey, I'm single and I'm going. It'll help build your confidence." Dina comforted. I smiled but my stomach was churning. I never wore bikinis, how did they expect me to try these on?! Kendra and Hannah went right to work on grabbing things they'd like to try on. Lucy walked off to another section and Dina dragged me with her to the bra and panties section. She picked up a light blue pair with purple lace and purple bows on the sides.
"How do you think this would look on me?" I stared at her for a second before replying,
"Uh....nice, I guess?" She rolled her eyes and giggled.
"Uh, gee, thanks for the help." I sighed. Needless to say, I didn't feel comfortable in this store. I asked her,
"Who're you trying to impress?"
"My prom date!" She exclaimed back. My eyes widened and I smiled.
"Who is he?" She smirked and flipped some hair from her face.
"His name is Jared Markham. He asked me out two days ago." I giggled and hugged her tightly. She patted my back,
"Cant. Breathe."
"Sorry," I stepped back and giggled. She sighed and asked,
"So, what're you going to try on?"
"Nothing," I said back. She frowned and asked,
"Why not? I bet Bennett would love to see your inner kitty." I rolled my eyes and pushed her playfully.
"No, I think he gets plenty of kitty from Sabrina." She rolled her eyes.
"Sarah, when are you gonna learn that Bennett doesn't like her?"
"Oh, I know he doesn't like her, but that doesn't change anything." She frowned and shrugged.
"Why not?" I sighed and looked at the racks of lingerie.
"Because he'll still be the jock, and I'll still be a nobody." Dina turned to face me and set her hands on my shoulders.
"You're not a nobody, Sarah. You're a somebody." I smiled at the child like comment and sighed.
"Well, are you going to try those on?" She smiled and replied,
"Not until we find something for you to try on." I shook my head in protest, but she ignored me and started looking.
"Hmm...well, red isn't your color. That's ugly, weird, ewww...who's going to buy that?" She kept looking through things while I let my eyes wonder. They wondered over to a rack of things that caught my eye. Two things, actually. I walked over and picked them up. One was a pair of plain lacy bra and underwear that was completely black. The other thing was a silk cut off kimono. It was all pink with black printed flowers on it. I smiled and picked them up, walking back to Dina, who was still talking like I was there.
"Huh, I just don't know, what do you think Sarah?" I smiled and held up my findings.
"I think we should go try these on." She looked at the things I found and stared for a minute. Then she said,
"Dang, I wish I'd found those first." I giggled and we walked off to the changing rooms. I shut the stall door and locked it. The stall was small and dimly lit. It had one mirror and a stool that I didn't want to sit on. The thought of other women sitting their naked butts on it made it seem gross. I tried on the black panties and bra first. They fitted the way they were supposed to, but I still felt fat. If there hadn't been a mirror, I would've felt ok. But the mirror made me look at myself, and I felt dirty. And not in the good way. I quickly took them off and set them aside. After I'd done that, I tried on the kimono over my regular undergarments, letting my hair down. Once I'd tied the kimono, I was surprised to see that I didn't look half bad. I twirled to the side. The kimono cut off just below my butt, and when I twirled you could see the end of my underwear. I liked the way I could breathe in it. After I'd slipped my clothes back on, I walked out with my things and waited for everyone else. Lucy walked over with a bag of her things and smiled.
"Know what you're getting?" I sighed.
"Just the kimono." She frowned and asked,
"What's wrong with the other ones?" I looked down at them and sighed.
"They make me look fat." She tilted her head.
"I bet they don't, go put them on and show me." I was horrified by this thought and I frowned.
"You mean, come out into the open with them on?" She nodded.
"Yeah!"
"No!"
"Why?" She asked, giggling. I sighed.
"Well what if someone comes by a-and they see me or-"
"Sarah, just go. No one's looking but me, I promise." She said. I thought about it for another minute before sighing.
"Fine, wait here." A look of triumph spread across her face as I went back and slipped the black bra and panties on. After a second to ruffle up my hair so it looked a little messier, I walked out to Lucy in my best runway model way. When I got to her, I smiled and spun around.
"Well?" She smirked and said,
"I was right, you don't look fat." I rolled my eyes and giggled. Just then, a flash of what appeared to be a clown passed the window. Then, it walked backwards and stared at me. With a closer look, I noticed that it was Sabrina staring at me. Uh oh, this definitely wasn't a good thing.

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Enjoy the next one, bye guys! C: