Tourmaline

Chapter Five

I spent the next few weeks attempting to forget the fact that in a span of four days I had been grounded, insulted, and cheated on. I'd call that a new record.

While driving home from school my phone began to ring, its optimistic beeps echoing throughout my car.

I pulled over from the trampled dirt road and killed the engine. I fished my phone out of my bag and the screen lit up in reply.

"3 new messages!" it read in blocky, square font. I pulled up the first message from Laurie. Her parents gave her the unfortunate name of Lauraleen, and thus 'Laurie' was born.

Sexy, come meet up with me at Mystic Theater tonight. A couple of us are going to see The Conjuring. AKA me and some really hot guys.

I snorted, shaking my head in reply. I flipped open the keypad and prepped my fingers for reply.

I can't. Bring Kara. I replied, hitting the 'send' button with a satisfied click.

Laurie texted back almost instantly. Kara? No. Pleasepleasepleaseplease they won't go if it's just me. We'll go to a late show. Nobody'll know. Be spontaneous. Accept a hitchhiker. Go bunjee jumping. Use conditioner before shampoo.

The idea swam in my mind. I have been doing really well lately, I thought, I can do something fun for one night.

How late might this late show be? I replied, gazing out the window. I was greeted by the naked branches of various deciduous trees, quaking it the wind. Outside, the sky was a sickly shade of gray, darkened clouds gradually swallowing any kind of sun we might have had. Suddenly my phone rang once more.

11:45PM. Not too shabby, eh? Now get your black dress on, it screams 'I'm a whore.' Pick you up at 10? We'll get some tacos or something.

I silently weighed the pros and cons of the situation. Despite resulting in an outstanding number of cons, I accepted.

See you at 11. Bring the car around quietly.

I drove home, an inextinguishable smile growing on my face.

Eleven o'clock came around painfully slow, in which I had time to organize my t-shirts, experiment with "smoky eyeshadow," win a whopping 12 games of solitaire, and hand wash my favorite pair of tights. At the sight of Laurie's beat-up navy blue 2000 Honda Accord, I let out a sigh of relief.

I turned around and evaluated myself in the mirror. I was wearing the knee-length black leather dress Laurie requested. the neckline was modest and clean-cut, with a simple bottom. I paired it with a pair of gold skull earrings and a gold, intricate waist belt. On my feet were a pair of brown leather heeled Oxford booties that stretched up to my ankles. My lips were a crisp, matte red, like that of a 40's movie star.

Yeah. I looked hot.

I swung my ratty Aztec bag over my shoulder and quietly opened my door to check for stirring parents. When I heard none, I crept back to my window and opened it with trembling, clumsy fingers.

I might have succumbed to my pestering conscience had Laurie not stepped out in a sexy red leather jacket and skin-tight jeans, waving me forward.

"Come on!" she called out quiet enough for just me to hear.

Tugging the window up enough to crawl out, I swung my legs out. Then my torso.

I caught my footing on the low roof beneath me and shut the window behind me cautiously. I crept gingerly down the roof, saying silent prayers that I wouldn't fall and perish at the hands of slippery heels.