Marie's Path

Chapter 6

Gabriel had left after helping Marie hang her new clothes in the closet. Marie stood in the doorway admiring her new clothes, her fingers lightly gliding across the different outfits. This was the first time in her life that she had clothes the didn't come from a second hand store. They might not be from the high end stores they past by in the mall, but they were hers, clothes that she bought.

She laughed when she thought about how Gabriel could swoop into a department store and pick just the right style and color that suited her best. He sure knew his stuff, and even though he wore her out, she had fun.

Fun, she couldn't remember the last time she could say she actually had fun doing something. Hers fingers touched a dress. Gabriel had convinced her she needed a little black dress, he told her every woman needed at least one. Knowing she'd probably never have an occasion to wear it, she splurged and got it anyway.

A flash of light reflected off her wall. Going over to her window she looked down seeing Danielle's car just pulling into the driveway. She frowned, not really wanting to go to a party but knowing if she didn't go, Danielle wouldn't stop bitching.

She looked down at herself one last time. Her new top felt good on her, she tilted her foot looking at her new knee high leather boots she wore over her new jeans. "Well, let's do this," she told herself as she put some cash and her I.D. in her pocket. She remembered what Gabriel told her and grabbed her phone.

Marie opened the front door before Danielle had a chance to knock. She watched Danielle's stunned reaction as she looked Marie up and down from head to foot.

"Looks like you were busy today. If you wanted your hair done why didn't you ask me for help?" Danielle's face had a slight blush as she stared hard at Marie. "Who did you let do that to your hair? Shit, I can't do anything with it now. We're late as it is." She grabbed Marie's arm pulling her out the door. Marie saw out of the corner of her eye Danielle's pursed lips. She smiled inwardly knowing Danielle was pissed off and surprisingly it didn't bother her. "There's going to be another change in my life and Danielle is it," she thought to herself.

Danielle was seething inside and driving faster than normal. "You know as friends I think I can give you advice without you getting mad. So here goes." Danielle glanced at Marie with a fake smile. "I'm sorry, but your hair looks like you went to some back street beauty shop. But don't worry, we'll fix it tomorrow. And your make-up, how do you expect to ever get a guy looking so plain?"

Marie counted to ten before looking back at Danielle. She had learned enough from Adam and Gabriel in one day that her eyes were opened. Danielle's makeup was caked on. She had too much eyeliner on, and her mascara was way too thick. Dark red lipstick completed the look. Fake, she was all fake.

"But I will say, your clothes are awesome and I will be borrowing that blouse and those boots."

Marie chuckled to herself, "not in this lifetime," she thought. Not wanting to start a fight, Marie changed the subject. "Where's this party at anyway?" She asked her when they were getting farther and farther away from home.

"Jay Williams." Danielle told her with a gleam in her eye. Danielle had been trying to get Jay's attention for months. Marie knew Jay was way out of her league and had always thought it was funny how Jay would avoid Danielle. He was clearly not interested in Danielle, but his actions always went way over Danielle's head. "I heard him tell Derrick about it."

They turned onto a car packed street. The large houses, all with manicured lawns screamed wealth. Danielle had to park the car a block away. Marie was feeling apprehensive as they walked up the sidewalk to Jay's house.