"Ugh!" I gritted my teeth and yanked, practically pulling my hair out as I looked in the mirror. "What's wrong?" Alex peeked inside the door, in only boxers and a halfway buttoned shirt. "Do you not see this?" I gestured from my head to my toes rapidly. "Frizzy hair, a tee shirt, frayed jeans, and vans are NOT what I had in mind for a first impression at a new church. Especially since Stacy and Evan said everyone in this area is rich and dresses nicely! Looking like a bum just won't suffice!" I was practically hysterical; overreacting, I know, but I was nervous, and it's really hard to control your emotions sometimes. I mean, hello, we're stuck here for how long? I want the people I'll be surrounded by to like me! Not to mention, looking bedraggled is much more suspicious, and a nosy prat might figure out who we are and turn us in. There is no way I am letting that happen.
"You look pretty hot to me, I don't see the big deal," Alex said nonchalantly, biting into an apple as he sat down on our bed, waggling his eyebrows. "That's because you're a guy! Men can dress any way and do anything and be considered socially acceptable, and you happen to look extra charming in everything." He still looked incomprehensive. Why are guys so...ugh. I gave up and plopped down face first on the bed, when I heard the sound of the front door opening, and footsteps coming down the hall.
"I figured I would find you like this," said a giggling voice. I looked up and saw Stacy standing in the doorway, holding something behind her back with a twinkle in her eye. "You, out," she commanded Alex abruptly, motioning to the hall vaguely. "We have work to do." He obediently left, peeking at what she held, then smirking and rolling his eyes, as he winked at me and walked away. Stacy closed the door in one quick motion, locking it for good measure, and grinned at me, holding out a garment bag and a curling iron
"Wow," Alex breathed almost too silent to hear, the jelly donut in his hand all but forgotten, powder smeared across his lips. And cheek and chin and a bit on his shirt. I blushed and wrung my hands, and he wiped his mouth and pecked me on the cheek. "You look gorgeous, Scar." Stacy glared at him, a steely look in her green eyes, "If you mess up her make-up, you don't get dinner for a week, mister. And no pizza for a month," Alex looked incredulous at the thought of her being so harsh. "She's serious about that, trust me. But you do look beautiful, Scarlett," Evan said with a grin. "Thanks guys," I blushed again. I had to admit, though, as I looked in a mirror in the hallway, I did look pretty good. Stacy had managed to find an elegant yet casual dress the precise shade of the light blue specks in my eyes, strapless and just above the knees, with a cream colored belt. The heels were four inches high and matched the belt exactly, with dark blue gems on the strap forming a flower. My hair was spiraled to my shoulders, and a touch of black was starting to show at the roots, so I know I'll have to get it redyed in the near future to keep up the charade. Stacy, Evan, and the pastor are the only people who can ever know the truth. Though it had only been a week, Alex and I both felt more at home than ever-- though we had always hated the hustle and bustle back home, so it wasn't that surprising that we enjoyed the comfort of a small town.
"Calm down, Scar, they're going to love you. Seriously, chill," Alex squeezed my hand as I tapped my foot and bit my lip nervously, eyes flashing around the room as I attempted to decide how to handle today. These were going to be the longest two hours of my life, undoubtedly. Pastor Allan waved as we stepped inside, but he was in the middle of a conversation so we couldn't stop to talk.
"Okay,you have Sunday School for an hour: high schoolers are first door upstairs on the right, when it's over just go to the sanctuary and wait for us before service. Have fun!" Stacy squealed and smiled at us earnestly, grabbing Evan's hand as she pranced away. He gave us a quick grimace, like an I feel your pain look, and followed her, trudging down the hall. "Dang, for a middle aged woman, she sure has a lot of energy," Alex laughed, then opened the door.
YOU ARE READING
On the Run
Teen FictionEverything was normal--well, better than normal actually. Scarlett was doing well in school, no serious trouble with her parents lately, and she and her best friend, as well as longtime crush, Alex, were headed to the Mockingjay premiere. As much as...
