CONSUME

[30] untouchable

***

I stared at myself in the mirror. 

The red fabric flowed down long, hiding my bare feet underneath it. My face looks better than it ever has before. 

"You actually should be a makeup artist," I looked at Noah standing behind me in the mirror, her beautiful blue dress falling down to her feet. 

"I know, maybe I will be one day," She smiled at herself in the mirror, looking gorgeous. "I wish I could stay to take pictures together, but I have to--" 

"Yeah I know, go over to Jake's house," I rolled my eyes, but smiled after. "I'm glad you're going with him. I think he's as asshole for asking you so late, but it's cute that he was just nervous." 

"I know, it's just weird because I never thought someone like Jake Hunter would have a crush on me-- I mean, I'm just me. And he's popular." 

I clicked my tongue in annoyance to her words. "Can you get up and look in a mirror right now?" I furrowed my eyebrows, "He is going to be walking in there with the most beautiful girl ever. He sees that in you, I see it in you. Fuck, everybody sees it. I need you to look at yourself right now and see what I see, which is the best person to exist, one who's even too good for this boy. So he's lucky he even gets to talk to you, let alone be your date." I spoke, eyeing her as though what I've said is obvious. Because to me, it is obvious. 

She sat in silence. But I wasn't going to let her be insecure over some guy. She needs to see that she deserves what she gets, the same way she always tells me that. "Noah, seriously. Walk in there with your head high and know that there's no one better than you." 

She scoffed with a smile, "Besides you." 

"Right," I joked, and she laughed, looking at me fully and pulling me into a hug. I hugged her back. 

"Okay, well I'd better go. You look beautiful," She pursed her lips together and I am so grateful to have such a good friend.

I squealed, excitement taking over, "I LOVE YOU!" I raised my shoulders with a grin. We're finally finishing high school. We're doing senior prom. I can't believe it. 

And I get to do it with the most beautiful best friend, and the most beautiful boyfriend. 

"Mmm-hmm," She said, packing up her purse as she gets ready to leave and head to Jake's house, "You better be saying that to Axel tonight." She smirked, looking over her shoulder at me as she tossed a lipgloss into her silver sparkly clutch. 

My eyes grew wide and my face went hot. I counteracted my reaction with a frown. "That is actually absurd. I haven't even told him that I like him." I crossed my arms over my body, feeling my long locks of hair fall off of my shoulders and drape against my back. "He's your boyfriend, and you haven't even told him you like him," she said as if she didn't already know this information, "Right, makes perfect sense." Rolling her eyes, she sat down on my desk chair and began strapping up her shoes. 

"It does. What doesn't make sense is telling him I ..." I cleared my throat and felt some sweat begin to form on my neck, "Telling, well, that I love him-- WHICH might I add, I... I don't." I stuttered and stumbled over my words and I don't know why because everything I'm saying is the truth. 

"You don't have to tell him you like him before you love him. If you care about him, and can only think about him, and love being around him, and talking to him, then girl-- you love him. And I know you. I can see it in your eyes when you even say his name." Noah looked down at her now sandal covered feet, "And the way he looks at you... I mean, I think he's been in love with you since you guys were like 10 years old. I think he maybe just didn't know it then."