After her mom's death, Manon Martinez moves to Ridgewood, a small town in Southern California, to live with her father. Starting at a new school, she feels out of place and is still struggling with a secret from her past. She tries to keep her dista...
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"𝐈 think I'm just going to skip this one," I muttered, staring at the comfy sweater and jeans I had just put on. It was safe, cozy-very me. But it was also very not a party look. I ran my hands through my hair, feeling nervous already. Why did I even agree to this?
Just as I was debating changing back into my pajamas and calling it a night, my phone buzzed from across the room.
Brinley (FaceTime): Incoming call.
I sighed, knowing they wouldn't let me get away with hiding. Brinley and Reilly had been hyping this party up for days, and now I was officially out of excuses. I answered the call and was immediately greeted by Brinley's grinning face, Reilly leaning into the frame with her signature unimpressed expression.
"Manon, you're not ready yet, are you?" Brinley asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she took in my very casual look. "Please tell me that's your pre-party outfit."
"I was, um, thinking about it," I said sheepishly, tugging at my sweater.
Reilly snorted and tilted her head, giving me a long, judgmental look. "Girl, no. Absolutely not. You cannot go to this party looking like you're heading to a study group."
Brinley sighed dramatically, throwing her hands up. "We've been over this! This is the party of the year. The whole point is to make an impression. You need to look like you're ready to have fun, not like you're running late to class."
I groaned. "But I'm comfortable!"
"Comfort is for Netflix and binge-watching shows," Reilly chimed in, rolling her eyes. "This is a party. You need to level up a little."
"What do you suggest then?" I asked, giving them a look. "I'm not exactly a party fashion expert."
Brinley's eyes sparkled as if this was her moment to shine. "Well, you have tons of options! You don't need to go overboard, but you should definitely step it up from... that," she said, motioning to my current outfit. "You've got to go a little more daring."
