Montana Mansion

White Hair, Don't Care

Amanda's POV:

Wow. Finn was kissing Charlene more passionately than I'd ever kissed him. My heart was breaking, but when I saw the happiness on Char's face, it was worth it. I couldn't look at it, though, so I took in every one else's expressions. 

Maybeck looked like he'd just been punched in the gut. His face was screwed up like a crunched paper bag. What'd he care?

Willa was smiling ear to ear, happy for her girl, and Jess looked kind of sick.

"Get a room, you two!" Jess finally exclaimed a good ten seconds later. 

Charlene laughed good-naturedly as Finn slipped an arm around her waist. I started to feel nauseous. These feelings couldn't have popped up in two hours. Finn had to have had feelings for her when he and I were dating. Bile rose in my throat. He was going to dump me, I just beat him to it.

Sympathetically, Charlene glanced over at me and smiled, mouthing 'thank you'. I smiled back, before sitting down at the table next to Jess. She slung an arm over my shoulders and half hugged me. Looking at her, I whispered, "Even someone who dreams the future can't mess with fate, I guess."

"I'm so sorry, Manda."

I grinned. "Hey now, only Charlene gets to call me that."

"So," Finn asked, "what are we doing tonight?"

Charlene beamed. "Swimming?"

"Won't your hair turn green?" Maybeck snapped.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." Charlene met my eyes. "Sourpusses sink. I guess we can't go, thanks to Maybeck."

We all cackled and Maybeck turned red. "Bite me."

Charlene turned to him and batted her eyelashes innocently. "Who, me?"

"I'd kinda like to swim," I said.

"Me too." Willa stood up by her chair. "Jess?"

"Why not?"

I cautiously met Finn's eyes. "What about you?"

"I guess so, yeah." He looked down at Charlene. "It's a heated pool, isn't it?"

Charlene rolled her eyes. "Duh." Shaking off Finn, she rushed over to me and pulled me out of my chair, hauling me down the hallway.

"What the heck, Charlene?" I complained as I stumbled up the stairs.

"I have the perfect swimsuit for you to borrow."

"Are we the same size?"

"We used to be," Charlene hesitated. 

"Continue, please."

"I lost some weight. Diets, ya know?"

"You don't need to diet. You're tiny."

Charlene disappeared into her closet. "I'm anemic, Manda."

"Good Lord, Char. You have issues in every area, don't you?" I caught the swimsuit she had just thrown at me.

"Just put it on, Manda. You'll look great." 

Charlene appeared in her closet doorway in a striking, hot pink bikini. When she turned to find a pair of flip flops to match, I saw 'Beach Bae' printed across her rear in silver calligraphy. "You can swim after getting your ears pierced, right?"

"Yep," I nodded as I changed into the pretty, lime green one piece. It was modest but the sides were strung together by a loose cross stitch. It was much more flattering than any of my. 

Charlene clasped her hands together and squealed. "You're gorgeous, babe!"

I blushed. "Thanks. I love this suit."

"It's yours," Charlene said as she put sat down at her vanity to put on jet black, waterproof mascara and winged eyeliner. Smearing on a red lipstick with blue tint, she gave herself a snow white look, if you exclude the white hair.

"I couldn't take this, Char. It had to be expensive."

"I can't wear it. It would fall off."

I furrowed my brow. "It's a six."

"I'm a zero."

I gawked. "Charlene! That's not healthy, with all of the athletic stuff you do!"

"Will you help me take down my hair, please?" she asked, ignoring me.

Silently, I helped her slip the bobby pins from her intricate look. "Even if you were fat you'd be beautiful," I finally said.

"I know," she sighed. "I also know that Disney hired me for my looks. They kind of told me to loose weight, or else."

I gasped. "What?"

Charlene nodded. "Disney holds a tight leash. They didn't tell me to become a zero or anything, they were hoping for four. But then I became obsessed and they aren't complaining."

I really didn't know what to say, so I just brushed out her white hair that reached her chest. "Ready?"

"Let's go!"