TWO YEARS

CHAPTER TWO~ Friends

    A screech erupts through my speakers, belonging to none other than my best friend.

    "CATALINA ANSWER THE DOOR I'VE BEEN OUT HERE FOR HOU-"

    "We've been out here for like five minutes Kylin..." Interjected my other favorite person, Abcde. Now, I know what you're thinking. Abcde? That's not a name, that's just the first five letters of the alphabet. Well you're right, it is, but it is also her name. Abcde (pronounced ab-city) well her parents weren't very original. I walk over to the site and open it over-dramatically, spreading my arms wide as if I were to receive a hug from the humungous abominable snowman. They erupt into giggles and enter my house as if it were their own, throwing their bags onto my couch and plopping into a seat at the mini bar in the kitchen, pushing what today's events shall be.

    I look at them and smile. without these freaks I don't know where I'd be. I'd probably be some depressed, cat loving, Channing Tatum obsessed, over weight, obnoxious, forever alone- okay well maybe I am the majority of those things... At least I'm not over weight! I over hear the word "Ignite" and freeze. They're planning on taking me to ignite. I snap out of my trance and make a bee line for my bedroom, only to be tripped and tackled.

    "I'M NOT GOING!" I yell in frustration, pounding the floor with my fists.

    "Yes you are, love." reply my two aggressors in unison, while still piled on top of me. "If you don't go willingly, we'll start you there in your PJ's." I sigh and pout, knowing that they're not threatening me, they're making a promise. It's not that I don't like Ignite, it's fun- I enjoy it really. it's just memory pushed and I haven't been there in forever, for a reason.

    "Good girl." says Abcde chuckling, as she lifts me to my feet and shoves me towards my bathroom. "So me, being amazing as I am, I'll do your hair, and Kylin will do your make up... and, well, we'll co-op in picking your outfit because I don't trust you with that challenge." I hear giggles from my left and punch a now whining Kylin on the thigh. I plug my headphones in, willing myself to dose off as the two go to work on my helpless-self. skipping through a few songs, hearing my multitude of genres and artists, until to my dismay I hear the study, welcoming transition into my hell.

    "the best thing about tonight is that we're not fighting

could it be that we have been this way before

I know you don't think that I am trying

I know you're wearing this down to the core

But his your breath

because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you"

    I blink hard into my courses eye lids to barricade the tears in. my breathing wavers as my finger lingers over the skip button. I make the mistake in peeking at my screensaver. him. I bite my lip and press skip. my favorite song blasts through the headphones and cut off any and all sounds from the outside world, and I don't mind.

    "I hate this town

it's so washed up

and all my friends don't give a fu-"

    "CATALINA WAKE UP!" screeches Abcde horrifically loud in my ear. I groan and away absent mindedly at the site where her face was, muttering explicit words under my breath.

    "WHAT CHILD?!" I retort, angrily pushing myself up in my chair and wiping the sleep from my eyes. "What was the point in that, I'm tired, and there's no way your going to make me look appealing anyway I'm a lost cause so stop trying!" I grumpily bring my knees to my chest and put my head down, sighing. I know I'm treating them unfair. But Thomas...

    "Stop wiggling so Damn much I haven't put any hair spray in yet!" Abcde is obviously annoyed by my attitude, I don't blame her.

I oblige her request just so she understands I'm not being purposefully difficult. I sit up again, and will myself to smile up at Abcde, not caring enough to see how I look. Big mistake. Kylin uses my kind gesture as a gateway to painting my face- I mean doing my make up.

She grabs my face aggressively and starts applying things that I don't know the name of. Some liquid, some solid, and some powdery substance? I guess me not knowing isn't that surprising. I've never been one for make up, a little eye liner every five years suffices me. I couldn't tell the difference between bronzer and foundation- is there a difference? I decide to just let her do her thing, fighting it will only make it worse for me. They'll win in the end. Bastards.

After a few minutes of my face being brushed and patted and poked by various objects, she announces she's finished. I'm about to turn to glance at my reflection when I'm abruptly stopped.

"Nope! Can't see what'ya look like til' we're done!" Smile Kylin, she's enjoying herself too much. "Now come into my lair, whilst we figure out what to put you in my pretty." smiling mischievously, she grabs my hands and leads the way into my living room, where they left their bags. I never noticed how much luggage they actually brought... They were planning this the whole time!! I sit cross legged on my couch and pout, I do that a lot. That's really all you can do with these two. They'll force me to go regardless if I'm up to it or not. I faintly hear chattering about what outfit I should model for the night, and I don't really care. Maybe I'm excited to be going out. I don't go many places. I've been to the club once these past two years for someone's birthday party- and I wound up leaving early. I guess it's time I have a little fun. After quite a lengthy debate they finally agree on something and throw it at me, as they start changing themselves. I strip off my PJ's and earn a scoff of disbelief.

"Babe. I love you. But you're not planning on wearing those... Granny panties... To Ignite, are you?" asks Abcde. I blush, slightly embarrassed. They've been my best friends since eighth grade, and I've never been uncomfortable with them. But let's just say I put the "C" in "sexy".... There isn't one.

"Her silence and crimson face shows that she was." replies Kylin for me, as she bites her lip. "One minute!" She opens another bag, slightly smaller than the others, and pulls out a black pair of laced I don't even know what's. It looks like a head band. She can't be expecting me to wear that, is she? "Here. No. Don't give me that look. I. Don't. Care." How is it that she knows everything I'm going to say before I say it? And yes, they were all protests. I sigh and slip the head band looking thing over my tan legs and continue to dress in whatever type of clothing these two decided to dress me up in.

After I'm done I look at them and do a double take, literally. Abcde, although short and somewhat frumpy, is wearing a short flowing black skirt, with a tight red top that shows off all of the right curves. Her usually straight red hair is half pinned, the rest flowing into natural looking beach curls. Her blue eyes touched with just the right amount of eye make up to make them pop. And Kylin. She's always been naturally beautiful. The kind people stop and stare at in the streets. She's tall, with long blonde hair, and hazel green eyes. She pretty much looks herself, except her dress. Tight, yet conservative enough so she doesn't look trashy. I've always been jealous of them, but even more so now as I gawk at my runway model looking companions. Wide eyed, I smile at them. "You both look amazing."

"Look at yourself, Cat. You're stunning." replies Kylin. In disbelief I walk over to the body mirror hanging on the opposite wall, and don't recognize the person staring back. Her usual wavy, frizzy, and uncontrollable dark hair is controlled and curled loosly down to her belly button. Her plain features, and boring brown eyes are exaggerated and brought out by the natural colored make up applied to her eyes and cheek bones. Her body... Her usually tiny forgettable frame is unrecognizable in the tight green long skirt and short black crop top, showing her tan toned stomach, accessorized with a dangling belly piercing. She's never had very many curves but you couldn't tell in this outfit. I smile and so does the reflection. It's me.

"This is what happens when you don't get out much, you forget how amazing you can look if you actually try." Smiles Abcde. My look of pride is swept off when the doorbell rings and I look, confused, at my two friends. They look back at me guiltily and bite their lip. "Welllll..." They drag out in unison. "We kinda invited a few people... You know, just a few." My eyes grow wide with shock then squint into slits of anger. They didn't tell me?! I haven't seen any of our "mutual friends" in over two years! They use my time of conflicting emotions to answer the door. I sigh, there's nothing I can do about it now, better make the best of it.