A Harsh Reality | ✓

Chapter 17

Amanda

"No way," Hailey said, "Please help my dying eyes by taking off that horrible outfit." She had already changed for the party and was wearing a cute short dress with high heels, her rainbow hair in a tight ponytail. She was waiting for me to get ready so she could then do our makeup.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked looking down at my outfit.

"Everything."

Hailey was sitting with Riley and Pilar on her bed. Clothes were thrown everywhere and I was standing in the middle of the mess, jeans and a simple shirt on.

"What do you guys think?" I turned to Riley and Pilar.

"Meh," Riley said. She was wearing a spaghetti-strapped black top with jean shorts and sneakers. She was doing her makeup, applying her mascara carefully, her blue short hair held back into a bun on top of her head.

"A ver, querida," Pilar replied, "This is a party we are talking about, y yendo así va a arruinar toda la onda de la fiesta." She was wearing a long black jumpsuit with matching sandals, her blond hair falling in big curls around her shoulders. She was not wearing makeup because she didn't need it, she was really lucky to be that beautiful without even trying.

I looked at her confusingly, not really getting what she said. Pilar came from Spain as an exchange student, we shared a lot of classes together, so I decided to help her out. We became friends in less than five minutes.

"Going like that will ruin all the party," Riley translated.

"Oh," I said, "What should I put on then?" Pilar looked at Hailey, who looked back at her and then looked at Riley, who then looked back at Hailey and finally at Pilar.

"What are you planning?" I asked narrowing my eyes and looking suspiciously at the three of them. They smiled at the same time.

"Tenemos algo perfecto para ti," Pilar said and then the three of them jumped at me, throwing clothes at me and forcing me to change into them.

I was rushed into the bathroom and told to put on the outfit they had planned for me. I agreed reluctantly and changed as quickly as I could, knowing I would regret it the moment I saw myself in the mirror. The weird thing is, I loved the outfit my friends had picked out for me. I was dressed in Hailey's clothes from head to toe, but I didn't really care. I was wearing a tight, black mini skirt with a neon-pink, tube crop top, which showed off my tanned stomach.

"Perfect!" Hailey said, "Now put these on." She handed me a pair of thigh high black boots. I fell in love with the boots as soon as I saw them.

"Slay!" Riley said, "You're welcome."

"Thanks, guys!" I moved on to do my makeup. Hailey applied a small amount of mascara and eye shadow. She used pink lipstick and I let my hair fall down onto my waist.

"You guys ready?" Pilar asked.

"Yeah," Riley said putting on a simple, black, see-through sweater. Hailey already had on her white jacket as I looked around her closet for a cute outerwear that would go with my outfit.

"Use mine," she said, handing me her black leather jacket. Oh my god. A leather jacket? Really?

"I don't think so," I handed it back to her, but she pushed it back at me.

"Ponte la campera," she insisted furiously.

"Fine," I said. I took the jacket from her and shrugged it on as she pulled on a floral chiffon kimono.

"I'm calling an uber," Riley said.

* & *

Everyone was jumping up and down to the rhythm of the electronic music blasting from the huge speakers next to the DJ. The room smelled of sweat, alcohol, and cigarettes. Before I knew what was happening, Pilar had pulled me onto the dance floor and I was jumping like everybody else. When the beat dropped, it all went crazy. People shouted, screamed, danced and cheered. I put my hands up in the air and tried to dance the best I could with my boots on.