Eros

Chapter 15: Masque

Angie slumped in her chair while Shay curled her hair.

"I swear, Ang, you'll bet the belle of the ball."

"Please," Angie said. How did she ever manage to find herself at the mercy of her friend's hands once again?

"Stop right there," Shay said waving the curling iron. "Who's holding the wand of power?"

"Whatever." Angie closed her eyes. Social events were not her forte. At all. She couldn't believe that she had even agreed to going to Shay's mask and she had the nerve to invite Eros and his loyal followers. Angie chewed on her nail.

Eros' circle of friends grew bigger and bigger. Sighing girls and macho boys. Angie would peek over the crowd once in a while during lunch to find Eros at the center as he hurled pencils to pieces of food that sat on his friends' heads. He could toss two, three pencils at a time to their respective targets. He could play the prettiest music from a spoon, a paperclip and a girl's hairpin. He had them all falling over him.

"Hey, don't slouch—I can barely reach you."

Angie huffed and straightened her back. Shay had no idea the turmoil she endured. No idea.

"What're you thinking about? It reminds me of the time you walked into a stall with the clogged toilet."

"What?" Angie laughed over the knot in her throat. She sure had a knack for cheering her up, too.

"That's better. Look—not bad." She stepped back with a grin.

Angie lifted her chin. Her hair was full and shining with each winding curl that dangled over her chest and framed her face. She turned this way and that. "Wow, Shay, it's beautiful. You did a great job."

"I know, darling, I didn't go to beauty school for nuthin." Shay winked and dropped hair jewels into Angie's hair. "Though my business major isn't hurting my numbers, either."

"Why don't you just admit that you are a nerd at heart?"

She pressed her finger to her lips and glanced all around. "Shhh, I don't want anyone to hear my weakness."

"I wouldn't call it a weakness." Angie's amusement shot from her nose. "More like a strength. Hey," she bit her lip, afraid to look her straight on because of how much of a jerk she'd been with Shay, "Are, are you going to do my face, too?" Angie glanced into the mirror.

"Of course! Yes. Are you ready for that?"

"Whenever you're done." Relief made the air lighter. Boy, was she glad Shayla wasn't immature.

An hour later, Angie stared into the mirror. "You've got to teach me how you do that. Wow, Shay—you're a lifesaver!" She gave her best friend a tight hug. "Where would I be without you?"

Shay laughed, returning the squeeze. "Reading romances in your magnificent tub."

Angie laughed, giving her a slight shove. "You've been doing that every night since you came."

"Course! Wouldn't miss it!" Shay glanced at the digital clock on the dresser. "Okay, well, I'm going to hop in the tub. Get me in thirty?"

"Yeah, sure." Angie couldn't take her eyes off as she gaped at her reflection. Shay could make any eye look sensual and smoky with shadows alone. Angie's eyebrows looked like angel wings, soft and slick. And her cheeks! What was Shay's secret in making her face look chiseled?

"Okay, well, have fun and see you in half an hour then!"

Angie nodded absently, her mind wondering back to Eros. Did he think she was pretty? Did he? She knew that he liked her, but it felt more like a brotherly kind of thing. He was too open, too guileless, too innocent. The flash of him pulling away from a kiss and tasting her on his lips made her blush. That felt very unbrotherly.