Imperfectly Beautiful (Jordan Knight Fanfic, Liadan #3)

Smiles and Soirees

-NATALIE-

"Alright, so we'll be back to pick you up at ten. If you need anything just give us a call or you can come find us in the bowling alley, okay?" My older cousin, Aiden, asked as he pulled up to the entrance to the front entrance of the mall.

The entire drive from my parents' he'd been googly-eyeing DJ's cousin, Samantha and holding her hand and it'd just made me all the more nervous for my own date. My palms were sweating and my heart was pounding so loudly that I could hear the thump banging in my ears.

"'Kay," I squeaked out before pushing open the back door to Aiden's truck and hopping down.

I vaguely heard DJ complement Aiden on the sweet ride and ask some car question that I didn't understand, but my eyes were busy scanning every face coming in and out of the doorways for some sign of Austin Marshall's perfect blonde hair. I knew I was a forty-five minutes early, but still I was anxious to set my sights on him.

The click of the truck door closing just served as a match to send me surging forward towards the doors.

"Slow down will ya, what's the rush?" DJ asked as I heard his footsteps pound behind me and I turned to see him catching up. "We're super early you know."

"I know," I glanced back. "I just want to get to that side of the mall and wait for him."

In my peripheral view I could see DJ rolling his eyes, but I didn't care as I surged on forward until I spotted myself in a large hallway mirror and I paused.

I scanned my eyes over my brown curly hair, critiqued the makeup that I'd spent nearly an hour trying to get right and skimmed over my turtleneck knit sweater, jeans, and knee high boots. I turned from left to right and practiced my smile a couple times. I decided my usual smile looked a little too big and desperate so I went with a closed lip smile.

"What are you doing?" DJ groaned.

"I'm just trying to make sure I look okay."

"You'll look fine if you stop making those weird faces."

"What faces?" I asked as I turned to him.

"That weird closed-mouth thing you're doing. You look like you're in pain."

I scoffed, "I do not. It's my smile."

"I know your smile, Natalie, and that ain't it," he shook his head.

I tossed my hair over my shoulder and did the closed-lip expression again, "It's my new smile."

"Your old one's better."

"My old one's too big."

"It's a smile. If this dude has a problem with the way you smile, you need to tell him to go kick rocks."

"You don't get it."

"You're right for once," he gave me a look. "I don't."

I ignored him and practiced the new smile a few more times before smoothing my fingers over my sweater and silently wondering if I should've went with something a little more eye-catching before I finally stepped back from the mirror.

"Okay, let's go."

DJ gestured in front of us, "After you."

I gave a little nod and walked with a quickened pep in my step through the crowded walkway of the mall.

"We've still got over a half hour 'till you're supposed to meet him."

"You want to go get a smoothie or something from the food court?" DJ suggested as we got nearer to the center of the mall.