Nomads

Chapter 36

Mara hadn't known how chaotic getting ready for a school dance would be until now.

She was at Sarah's house with all the girls. They all wanted to get ready together; apparently it was tradition? And they had convinced her to join them. Then they were going to take pictures once the boys got here.

It was like a scene in a movie. Clothes all over the floor, the girls running about frantically as she sat on Sarah's fluffy pink comforter watching them rather helplessly. She had put her dress on in the bathroom, her hair in their usual wild curls and her face free of makeup. And she hadn't planned on changing that.

So she just sat there watching them fiddle with their hair, apply makeup expertly, adjust their dresses. They were normal high school girls in their element. Who was she, an outsider, to try to break this barrier? It was much more comfortable to silently observe.

Sarah glanced up at her from her spot in front of a full-length mirror and gasped. "Naomi, what are you doing just sitting there? We only have three more hours before the boys get here!"

Mara blinked. "I'm... Ready?" She asked more than stated.

Which in hindsight, she realized that maybe she should've said nothing. Because the look those girls gave her made her question every decision she'd made that day.

"Please, Naomi. Please tell me that was a joke."

"Uhm," she bit her lip, looking down. "I don't know how to... do my own makeup."

Sarah aggressively snatched her makeup bag from the vanity and the three girls immediately dropped everything to crowd around her. They gently but firmly pulled her this way and that, commanding her to close her eyes, don't move, look up, look down, make this face, don't move yet.

As Sarah was working on her makeup with expert precision, Maggie had begun to fiddle with her hair. "Do you want to straighten it?" she had asked, and Mara bit her lip.

Her hair was always so wild and untamable. She had never tried to straighten it; partially because she didn't know how but also because she didn't think it would look good. But Maggie's eyes sparkled with excitement, and so she simply shrugged. Mara didn't want to disappoint them, and since they seemed to know what they were doing, she just decided to go with the flow.

The girls seemed to burst with excitement at the chance to play dress-up with Mara. Julia had already had her fun altering the dress and couldn't shut up about how great it looked on her while fiddling with the fabric, and Maggie squealed in delight when Mara agreed to let her style her hair. Sarah played it off well, but Mara could see the sparkle of excitement under the indifferent façade she wore.

Although she was nervous about how it would turn out, their excitement was a little contagious and it made Mara feel giddy. The boys would be here soon and it would be the first time she'd seen Luca in formal attire.

Just the thought of seeing him all dressed up made her blush. She was sure he would look so handsome.

"Thinking of the lover boy, aren't ya?" Julia cooed teasingly.

Mara blushed harder, shrugging. "Maybe," she replied cheekily.

Maggie giggled and Sarah rolled her eyes, fighting back a smile. "That reminds me, did Mason ever ask you to the dance?"

Mara heard Julia scoff. "Not that I care, but no, he didn't."

Sarah gave Mara a look that said 'yeah right' before snickering. "Well, at least you'll knock him dead and make him wish he could've had you on his arm the whole night."