Something Borrowed

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by ratsssss
by ratsssss
                                    
                                              

                          Talia and Sahar ended up choosing Dovetail, a fancy vegan four-dollar-signs-on-google restaurant for dinner. I got green beans.
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                          Until my parents find jobs and an apartment in NY, we're staying with Aunt T, so I've been given a room that is connected to Sahar's via bathroom. There are countless spare bedrooms in the house other than this one, so I can tell my parents want us to become best friends. No thanks. 

                          At about 9:00, I heard a light knock coming from inside the bathroom, and hollered for Sahar to come in. She had her hair in tiny little braids and was wearing a bright Disney nightgown. She invited herself to sit on my bed next to me, then proceeded to talk to me. 
                          "So, Talia told me that you'll be coming to the Penns' party with us tomorrow night. Their son our age is named Sam. He's really cute." The look in her eyes told me that I'd be better off staying away from him if we were going to be friends.
                          "Well, I don't even plan on going, so the briefing really isn't necessary."
                          "Wait, what?? I know I might seem a bit possessive of Sammy, but you absolutely must come. Honestly.  I mean, my friends will be there, but I'll stick by you. And Sam, of course," She giggled as she stood up, winked at me from the doorway, and disappeared into her half of the bathroom. Great. A party I can't opt out of.
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                          He's gorgeous, I thought.  Everything anyone could want. Big brown eyes, floppy yet well-kept hair, a smile to end all smiles. Perfect. 
                          He started walking towards me, and my heart sped up. Sahar popped up to try to pull him away, but he just walked right through her. He held out a hand and stared into my eyes.
                          'Hi' he whispered. He was just about to kiss me when-
                          "Sanaa! Get up, it's already eight!" What kind of crazy-ass family.......
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                          For breakfast, we went to a vegetarian sausage place. It was cool, I guess, but it smelled like shit and the employees put their dirty  fingers all over the sausages.
                          "Sanaa, what do you wanna go see today?" Sahara asked me through bites of her vegan waffle. 
                          "Uh, I was planning on staying home until the party. Reading, probably. Or skyping my best friend." Her face turned into a mock-shock and she grabbed my hands.
                          "No need to Skype me, I'm right here! And of course you can't stay home. We gotta go dress shopping for sure!"
                          "I'm not really sure I have that type of mon-" Talia held up a hand and interrupted.
                          "Don't be silly, dear. Of course we'll pay. In fact, I'll give you two my credit card so you can go now. Stay under $1000 total please, money's tight this week." Well good lord. When I'm tight on money it means I don't get lunch today. Nonetheless, Sahar grabbed the card and yanked me outside into the brisk New York air. I do have to admit, this state does have some nice weather. Not bad at all. Sahar tells me there's a few cute little shops down the road, but first we stop for hot chocolates. With her drink and beanie and long hair and sweater, she looks straight out of a polaroid. When do I get to be straight out of a polaroid?
                          "Okay, here's the first shop." It's called Beauty First and the faint red brick is quite appealing. For the next two hours, we go in and out of various dressing rooms like a montage in a teenage comedy movie. Finally, we're in a quaint little shop called MayElla Anne. Sahar basically pulls me into a fitting room and throws a lacy pink dress at me. It's so short. And tight. And pink. Sahar and I walk out of our fitting rooms at the same time, and she tells me I look beautiful but the sight of her in the same dress makes me want to faint. On me, the pink dress looks like someone stuffed an American Girl Doll into a barbie dress. But on her, those rosy cheeks look even more so, and she knows how to move in order to get it to be crease-free. I tell her she absolutely needs to get it.
                          "What about you? That is so your color." I shake my head, but as I'm doing so I spot a flowy pink dress in the corner. I pay for both of my picks and tell Sahar I have an idea.
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                          When I emerge from my bedroom in the combination of the two dresses, the adults raise an eyebrow, Daisy laughs in awe, and Sahar jumps up and down, mid-squeal. She drags me into our bathroom to straighten my hair. 
                          "Oh Sanaa, I love love LOVE the way that looks. Even Sam will know you're the life of the party." I smile in a appreciation and start to stand, but she holds me down. "Can I do your makeup please? It would your eyes pop so much." How do I explain that I actually hate the feel, look, and smell of beauty products. 
                          "No thanks cousin. I don't wanna look like you." Shit. Shit, the wrong thing to say. I was supposed to want to look like her. She wanted me to look look like her. But makeup makes my blemishes stand out. I don't want to look her. Her face is stuck in a gasp before I can say, "And I mean it."