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17: Pictures and Unwanted Dates

17: Pictures and Unwanted Dates

I slept till eleven in the morning.

Honestly, I don't know what happened. It just sort of... well, happened. When I woke up, there were bags under my eyes and my hair was...

I don't want to talk about that.

Emmett was gone. I don't know where he went, but I was glad he was. My hair was not something I wanted him to see. Where this insecurity around him came from, I did not know. But something in me just didn't want him to see me looking bad.

I brushed my hair and sighed as I looked in the mirror. This was a disaster. It would take all day to get myself presentable for the dance. Sighing, I sulked into the kitchen and opened the pantry before realizing there wouldn't be anything in there.

And then... There was food in the pantry. Emmett must have been out getting food earlier. I didn't know where he was now, though.

On the counter, I turned to find a wad of money. Frowning, I read the note Emmett wrote:

Louise
Spend it on hair and makeup for the dance;)
-Emmett

Smiling goofily for some reason, I looked at the money. My smile vanished when I saw how much it was. There was two hundred dollars lying before me, casually sitting on the counter like it was simply a one or five dollar bill.

My eyes bulged and I shook my head at no one in particular, considering I was alone. It wouldn't cost that much, would it? Surely not.

Biting my lip, I left it went upstairs to put a pair of jeans and a hoodie on. My favorite black hoodie.

Then, I pulled a pair of sneakers and resumed my position by the counter, frowning at the money. Should I take it? I felt guilty if I did, but I knew Emmett would yell at me if I didn't. It wouldn't cost two hundred dollars, so I could give him what was left over.

You know, if he let me give it back to him.

You're being goofy; two hundred for you is probably like five for him.

With that in mind, I pocketed the money and left the house.

When I made it into the city, I began looking around at strip malls and outlet stores. There were a few places, like Ulta or Sephora for makeup, but I was a little nervous. Really, I was just walking around, stalling because I didn't know if it was too soon to get my makeup done for tonight.

Checking the time, I realized it was only about two in the afternoon. Sighing, I decided I ought to get my makeup done first and then my hair.

I walked into Sephora and a smiling woman greeted me. I was instantly intimidated by her beauty. I hadn't met many people who could make colors like purple or blue or orange work on their faces, but she wore that magenta lipstick like a pro.

"You guys do peoples' makeups don't you? Like, professionally?" A frown marred her amazingly clear forehead and her perfectly painted brows knitted together.

"I'm not sure," she murmured. "I've been working here only for a week or two. No one has come in for that sort of help."

"I'm clueless when it comes to makeup. I have a dance to go to tonight." We both went silent for a moment, me looking around and analyzing the place and her trying to think of whether they could do my makeup or not. "I want to look like a model," I decided.

"Absolutely." Turning around, she walked away. Her posture and faltering steps told me to follow her, so I did so. "I'll do it."

"Oh. Thanks."