Eastwood Academy: Cruel Love

Chapter 52: Spectacle

At 3:15, we leave our families to head to Beth's room (part of me is still so surprised that I think her invite is a prank). All of Jessica's family will be there, they plan on meeting up with Tyler's family to watch him play. My dad will also be joining us. I have no idea if Beth is bringing anyone else aside from Gavin. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

"What are you wearing?" Jessica asks when we walk into our dorm. Each of us pulls off our coats and goes to our closets.

"I have no idea," I reply, browsing through my wardrobe. Nothing in here really screams, fuck you for ignoring me, River.

"How about you?" I say to Jessica when I don't hear the sound of her rifling through her closet.

"I'll probably just wear a bigger coat," she tells me, and I turn to her with a grin on my face.

"No reason to dress to impress because Cole isn't here?" I laugh at her, then dodge when she throws a pillow at me.

"Haha," Jessica fake laughs and then turns serious again. Walking over to me, she looks through my meager clothing options.

"I have nothing," I say, feeling dejected. Whatever I wear, Winnie is going to look ten million times better than me. Beth and Marina, too.

"Well, maybe Beth will let you borrow something," Jessica suggests, and I look at her like she's crazy.

"I'm sure she doesn't want me to wear her clothing," I mutter. Turning back to my closet, I look through it again as though a third perusal will magically make a great outfit appear.

Pulling out the black coat that I wore to Tyler's party, a pair of bootcut jeans, and dark brown ankle boots, I quickly change. It's not a great outfit, but it will have to do.

Five minutes later, we're knocking on Beth and Marina's door, Jessica and I each clutching a makeup bag in our hands. I'm generally not one to care about cosmetics, but after seeing Winnie and Beth today, I'm feeling a little short on beauty supplies. I wish I had something more than a basic foundation, two shades of lipstick, mascara, and a nude-colored case of eyeshadow.

The door is thrown open, and Beth motions us inside. Seeing my wary expression, she grins. "Relax, Brooklyn. I'm not going to throw a bucket of pigs' blood on you," she laughs and then takes a second look at me.

"But I am going to do your makeup and hair and give you some clothes," Beth tells me, prompting Jessica to give me an "I told you so" look.

"Oh, I get it," I joke as she motions for me to take a seat at her desk. "You aren't going to dump a bucket of pig's blood on me. You're just going to poke my eye out with a mascara wand."

Beth rolls her eyes. "Oh shit, you foiled my evil plan. Whatever will I do."

A laugh comes from Jessica and from the bathroom. I peer inside and find Marina with a curling wand. She gives me a wave, smiling brightly. "Hi, Brooklyn!" Marina says, and I give her a wave and return the greeting.

How is she always so bright and bubbly? I can barely manage her enthusiasm at the best of times, not to mention the worst. But if Marina ever feels terrible, she never lets on. I wonder if she and Tyler have patched things up after that fight Jessica and I overhead. I'm sure they have. River would have told me if they were on the rocks.

Ugh. Just thinking his name right now hurts, so I turn to Beth to distract myself.

"Will your family be joining us at the game?" I ask her.

"Yes," she responds, straightening up with a bottle of foundation and a makeup sponge in her hand. "My brothers are going to meet us outside the dorms, and my parents will meet us at the bleachers."