Perfect On The Outside

Chapter Four: Getting Back Together

On my way home I expected my mother to be preparing to leave from work. And for my dad to be beginning dinner. Instead I come home to find my mom not even close to ready for work, and my dad is ordering take out. She's on the phone and she seems fairly surprised.

"Progress?" Something from the other person. "Well that's good. No, thank you." Blah, blah, blah. "Okay, bye."

Then the call is over. Before I have the chance to ask anything:

"Spencer!"

"Mom, why are you home?"

"Day off, and why didn't you tell me about your visit to Dr.Wise's office yesterday?"

"If this is about the money. I swear I'l-"

She shakes her head, grinning. "No. Actually she's not charging us. I meant, why didn't you tell me that you spoke about Sawyer without crying?"

"Cause it wasn't important."

"Dr. Wise seems to think so. She thinks you're progressing. So instead of visiting twice a week for three hours it's dropped to once a week for an hour."

I drop my bag. Mom laughs at my response. Less therapy? This is great! Not because I didn't like it,which I didn't. It means that I'm pulling myself back together. Things are finally going in the right direction. I'm not anywhere near close to perfect as people think I am. I may never be, but I know that I'm getting better. That's all I really care about.

I pick my bag up, and run upstairs. I hear my dad laugh as I go. Once I'm in my room I drop my bag in the corner, and jump onto my bed. I squeal, hugging my pillow to my chest. Maybe I can clean up the mess that is my life.

You're getting better.

Better yet, not maybe. I will.

+++++++

"You look hot."

"Hot? I don't like it. Please, I want my sweats back,"I whine.

"No. You're coming with us. And you have to look presentable,"Sofie tell me.

"But the 100..."

"No,"Annabeth repeats. "You're coming whether you like it or not."

"But I don't want too."

They both giggle.

"What's so funny?"

Sofie giggles,"You're accent."

"First of all I'm Australian. Secondly that's not funny. And finally you have one too. You're Hispanic."

Sofie stops, yet Annabeth goes into full blown hysterics.

"You have no room to laugh,"Sofie grumbles. "You're British."

Annabeth stops almost instantly. The face she gives us makes us burst into laughter. "Shut up you two." Her face gets really red. More laughter. "Spencer, Sofie."

I manage to make it stop. Sofie ends up in a coughing fit. Then she's done.

"This is stupid,"I mutter as Annabeth drags me downstairs.

Her parents await us at the end of the stairs. I was dragged here by Annabeth, and she had Sofie come here. The next thing I knew, I was pulled of my sweats and giant t-shirt, and thrown into black skinny jeans and a more fitting, long sleeved shirt. To top it off a plaid t-shirt was wrapped around my waist.

Anyway going back to her parents. They question Annabeth before we leave. Asking questions like: Where are you going? When will you be back? (This next question her dad asked) Will there be boys? Annabeth's answers were: Shopping, around 8 or so, and hopefully.

"You look great Spencer,"her mom calls after me.

"Thank you."

* *

Ideally a mall is not for me. Mostly because there are tons of people, and it's really not a place I'd like to spend my Wednesday afternoon. Today seemed to be off day though.

"Can one of you guys please tell me why I'm here?"

"Because we have to go dress shopping,"Sofie answers.

"For?"

Replies Annabeth,"The Winter Formal. You're coming with us to that."

I think about it for a second. A bunch of sweaty, hormonal teenagers in a gym. Do I really want to go to that?

"No."

"Yes, you went to two of the three."

"I plan to miss the fourth just like I did the third."

Annabeth scowls. Sofie just grins evilly. A sparkle appears in her brown eyes.

"Oh no. Sofie I know that look. No."

The sparkle remains but the grin disappears. "Fine,"she says. "Don't go. Leave us all alone." I raise my eyebrows at her. "Leave your Parabatai."

I instinctively look at my inner right wrist. The black mark stands out against my lightly tanned skin.

"That is used against me wrongly."

Parabatai from The Mortal Instruments series. It means two Nephilim warriors who fight together as lifelong partners. They are bound by oath. All of that remains true for Annabeth and I. Except we didn't do the whole oath thingy. The same mark is on her inner left wrist.

"Is it Spencer?"

I groan,"Fine I'll go."

"Great,"Sofie chirps. She grabs my arm and starts running. Annabeth right behind us.

***
"Do tell me that I get food out of this?"I ask.

"Told you,"Annabeth says to Sofie. "Yeah Spencer, you do."

Annabeth comes up behind me. We both look in the mirror. She's wearing a light blue, knee length dress. It has a sweetheart neckline. The top part of the dress has rhinestones all over it. Separating it was a rhinestone belt. The dress had a little puff to it.

"You like it,"she asks.

"Looks perfect for you."

"Yours does too."

My dress went all the way to the floor. It was also has a sweetheart neckline, it's strapless. The dress is all gray. A rhinestone belt separated the top from the bottom. The very top of the dress was a darker gray.

"It really compliments your eyes,"Sofie says.

Annabeth and I both whirl around. Sofie stands there in a knee length dress. The dress is ruffled, while it has a rhinestone belt at the waist. It's one strap and the whole strap is bejeweled.

"Damn,"I murmur. I cover my mouth after I say that. Sofie blushes, her face turning a light shade of pink.

"Let's go get you food,"she says.

"Yes!"