Smashed Pianos ~ Liam Gallagher

TOO BIG FOR YOUR BOOTS

It's Isabella's eighteenth birthday today and the three of us have arranged to go to the American diner down the street dressed as pinups from the 1950s. When I told mum about it she was thrilled, eager to dress me up in her clothes from the sixties (I know, a decade out, but the fashion was similar and I fortunately have a ton of fifties jewellery items).

Right now Ruth is curling my hair into ringlets whilst I smother my lips in Marilyn red lipstick, I'm super excited, it's really nice to end the school term with a party - that is if you can call three girls dressed to the nines eating sundaes a party, more like a small gathering?

"Will there be boys?" Ruth says seriously, sounding more like a mother speaking to her child than a sister talking to her older sister.

"No, just Isabella and Casey. Besides, would it matter?" I raise an eyebrow and grimace as Ruth scolds my scalp briefly with the iron. "Be careful..." I groan, rubbing my head, but she slaps my hand away.

"You asked me to curl your hair, so I'm curling it, okay? And to answer your question, no, it wouldn't matter to me, but mum would freak."

"I'm seventeen. I can technically get married." I point out, smirking.

"Who would you even marry?" Ruth explodes into a fit of laughter and I slap her arm angrily, but she's right, I don't even have a boyfriend!

She turns off the iron and I examine my hair, she's done a good job to be fair, had I done it I would probably be going out with half my hair burnt off.

Eyeliner done, lipstick done, hair done, dress on. I'm ready to go! "Wait, just promise me one thing," Ruth pulls me back, biting her lip, "if anything happens, you'll call, yeah? After Corey-"

"I don't want to talk about Corey." I started, shrugging her hand off and grimacing. "I'll be fine. Casey is scary as hell, she'll fend off anyone." I ruffle Ruth's hair and kiss her forehead, slightly in awe of how aware she is of people and their feelings. She's the most down to earth person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I click my heels together like they do in 'The Wizard of Oz' and skip down the corridor, clutching my bag to my chest as I leave the house.

:-:-:-:

Isabella and Casey are waiting for me in the diner - and I have to say my outfit is definitely the best, not that I'm competitive or anything...

I swing open the door and rush up to their booth, heels clicking along the black and white tiled floor. I can feel people staring at me, and I don't blame them; two seventeen year olds and an eighteen year old all dressed like pinups in a diner on a Friday evening must be an odd sight in Manchester.

We did presents earlier at school; Casey painted her a picture of Isabella's tropical fish and I found a handmade dream catcher from the market with crystals and all that lark (she loves her crystals and 'magic salts') and I could tell that Isabella definitely preferred my gift, but again, I'm not competitive.

"You look amazing Arden!" Isabella gushes, pulling me down onto the red leather seat, I try to ignore how sticky the metal table is but my mind keeps slipping off and wondering how long it's been since it has been thoroughly cleaned... "It's a good job I bought my Polaroid!" She squeals before rummaging around in her brand new suede bag and grinning as she retrieves her beloved Polaroid camera. Casey leans in from across the table and Isabella takes the picture, the photograph tumbling out of the camera. Isabella starts to shake the photograph to get the picture to come out as a waitress dressed in normal clothes (I would've thought the staff would be dressed in theme!) walks over to take our orders.

"I'll just have a coffee." Casey says to the waitress who scribbles it down on her pad. Isabella and I both order a banana split each and I get a vanilla soda on the side.