Is This What You Always Want Me For?

Part 11

As the weeks went by I felt the air change. It no longer felt warm and comforting, but bitter and cold. I found myself wearing more clothing and a slight pain in my throat for my first seasonal cold. October went by and my world was changing. I couldn't have wished for a better start to my senior year. I had friends. Friends that were there every day, and every time I needed them, and because of that I was a little worried that Frank's birthday was coming up.

"What am I going to get him Em?" I asked Emily one day at work.

"I dont know, nicorette."

"Emily..."

"The boy smokes too much."

But if I thought Emily was un-helpful I couldn't even predict what the guy's suggestions would be.

"Cigarettes and porn," Gerard recommended.

"Batman comics," Mikey offered.

"Kyser capos," Ray put in. I didn't even ask what the heck those were.

So I guess I was on my last hope when I confided in Maria.

"Please Maria, you have to have something," I pleaded. We were in between classes and Maria was at her locker shuffling through her loose and unorganized papers.

"Well I have one idea," she said crumpling a paper and throwing it into her locker.

"Well I'm desperate," I confessed hoping it would be good.

Maria slammed her locker and turned to me. "Well Frankie's party is this weekend right?"

I nodded my head.

"Well...I could give you a make-over for it."

"But," I said a little confused. "How would that be Frankie's gift? That would be for me."

"But you'd look hot," Maria pressed on. "When you gave him his real gift."

I stared at her completely confused. Real gift? Wait, what? She wasn't implying what I think she was implying. Was she? "I don't know," I stammered.

"C'mon Vee," Maria said pleading me with her eyes. "It's what every guy wants, and you are his girlfriend."

I'm his pretend girlfriend. I couldn't give him that...but was that really what every guy wanted? Maybe I could just have it as a back-up. Something if my real gift, whatever it was, didn't work out. "Okay," I said.

......

I went to Maria's house the next day hoping she wouldn't go overboard with this make-over thing. I just wanted maybe a new outfit, but soon I found Maria's plans were different.

"What's that?" I asked nervously when I saw Maria mixing up something in the bathroom.

"I'm going to dye your hair."

"Oh no!" That's it. I quit.

"C'mon Vee," Maria begged blocking my exit. "It's not permanent."

"So...I've never dyed my hair before. Wonder if it comes out blue," I questioned taking slight steps back.

"Then that would be awesome!" Maria laughed steering me over to a chair.

"Maria!"

She laughed and grabbed the strong smelling bowl from the counter. "It'll be fine...trust me."

I sighed and sat down. I knew when I got into this I couldn't do it half way, so I had to trust her.

Maria went to work on my hair and I sat still. I was regretting this decision already, but I couldn't turn back now. The fumes of the dye were starting to give me a headache when Maria announced she was done and we had to wait for it to set. The phone rang and Maria went to answer it. I don't know why I was doing this. Nothing was going to happen between Frank and I. We were just good friends, friends that were using each other for their own benefits.

"Vee."

I looked up to see Maria standing by me with the phone.

"It's Frankie," she announced handing it to me.

How ironic? I took the phone and Maria exited saying she needed to get things ready for the next step. I cringed hoping it wasn't something like breast implants.

"Hello," I said putting the phone to my ear.

"Hey beautiful."

"Frank."

Frank laughed from the other end. "Well I'm told I can't see you 'til tomorrow," he went on.

"Is that what Maria told you?"

"Something 'bout a make-over..."

"That girl!"

Frank laughed again.

"What do you want Frank?" I pressed hoping this conversation wouldn't last long.

"Can't I just chat with you?"

"No."

"Okay, okay," Frank laughed out. He seemed to be enjoying himself. "I was just wondering how my computer studies paper was going?"

"You called to ask about homework?"

He really was a jerk.

"It was on my mind."

I sighed and shook my head. "It'll be done by Monday," I reassured him. "Now can I go?"

"Okay I guess," he said. "You have fun getting pretty, not that you need it."

"Don't compliment me right now," I warned. "I was on the verge of hating you."

Frank laughed at this. "Bye Vee!"

"Bye Frank," I said before hanging up. That boy really was something.

My butt was starting to hurt from sitting so long when Maria came back announcing my hair was done. I stuck my head in the shower as Maria washed it out.

"Um Maria," I said my voice a little muffled from being bent over. "What color did you dye my hair?"

"Um, you'll see," Maria answered with a touch of delight in her voice.

I accepted the 'you'll see' but I was a little worried when I saw the dark colored dye running down the drain.

After Maria had washed my hair she sat me back down and pulled out scissors.
"Okay, wait," I said. "You can't cut my hair."

"Vee, are you going to protest to everything I do?" Maria asked a little annoyed. "I know what I'm doing."

I didn't know what to say. All I could do was trust her, and I did. I think.

The beautifying continued and I saw chunks of my precious hair disappear. After the haircut came a part I could deal with...clothes.

"Okay, how 'bout this?" Maria asked holding up a black and red strapless dress.

"Um, I don't think I'd wear something like that," I objected.

"Vee."

Maria had perfected the begging look throughout the day.

"Try it on!" She commanded.

Her stern look caught my objections and I accepted the dress slowly. I pulled on the tight material and appeared before a smiling raven haired girl. I don't think I've been so uncomfortable in my life. The dress was way too short and way too tight. It was...

"Perfect!" Maria exclaimed. "C'mere," she said grabbing my hand. She pulled me in front of the mirror and I finally got a glimpse of the day's work.

My hair fell just past my shoulders and was a gleaming black. Yes, black. Staggered bangs fell over my left eye casually. The dress I guess didn't look that bad. It fitted nicely showing curves I didn't think I had, and maybe it wasn't that short. I guess Maria's whole day of pushing had a good result after all.

"And just wait until tomorrow," Maria gushed. "I'll do your make-up and it will all come together."

I smiled actually excited about the new look.

"Frankie will be all over you."

I just got the shivers.