Smoke and shattered mirrors

Chapter eighteen: Flurry

I peered on the small peephole attached to the front entrance door. 

Kylie's raven-like black eyes staring at the small fixture. She lifted her fingers to give me a sly wave a mischievous gleam in her face.

"You gonna open this or not?" Kylie asked, her voice muffled from the other side of the door.

I unlocked the deadbolt and let her in.

"I swear, it's like forty degrees outside." She panted, a bit exaggerated if I do say so myself. Sweat beading down her forehead." Ooooh! Airconditioning!"

Immediately, as if on cue, Rory stumbles down the stairs. He is still wearing the musty outfit from last night.

"S'up Parrs?" He slurred. "S'up Mercifer?"

Kylie sneered, "Hangover much?"

I laughed. Kylie straightened her floral mini skirt and turned to face me." Ready to go?"

"Wha-" I started.

"We're going out with the gals. We missed you." She pulled me into another hug.

I could smell the chanel no.1 off her clothes and I didn't like it one bit of it. Yet I hugged her back.

"B-but... I made plans." I said, "With Topher. Today."

Her face fell and I quickly added, "I'm free tomorrow."

"Topher Schmoper, I'm totally kidnapping you." She whipped out her Iphone and grinned.

I winced at the word kidnapping. How can she even use those words lightly? Given the fact that her bestfriend dissapeared and left only a pool of blood.

"Get dressed!" Kylie barked and hurried out the patio to answer a call. "Gretch! Why the F would you spread that rumor!-"

I was confused yet I followed her order. I remember the flashback clearly... The bracelet... the intruder... the stolen video...

I've been waiting for this chance actually, to uncover the real Kylie Ann Parrs.

I ran up the stairs in anticipation and forced myself to wear a yellow sundress. Too bad I won't be spending the day with Topher.

The only reason why I wore something out of my comfort zone is because I don't want to look like a piece of lint beside Kylie. Kylie is like this raven-like beauty goddess that could put Aphrodite's love child to shame.

I smoothened my messy hair  and pulled it high into a ponytail. When I looked in the three-paneled mirror, I saw that Old Merci in me; the one in those pictures that Aunt Caroline showed me.

"Hubba hubba."Kylie crooned as she entered my room.

"I put on the first thing I could grab..." Which is not a lie, the dress was poking out of the closet, I swear." Thanks."

"Oh, Merci. Always so modest to the point of sarcasm." She dismissed and gave me a wicked grin. "But you should know upfront that Topher isin't coming."

"Why? You think I'm dressing up for him?" I defended. My tone was a bit sharp.

I wanted to grab the words that fumbled out of my mouth and stuff them back in my brain. But Kylie was already smirking. Might as well brace myself for...

"No. Why would you jump to that conclusion?" She choked a laugh.

Huh? "But you said-" I protested.

"That Topher isn't coming, so your plans are cancelled for today," 

"Oh." I blushed. How silly of me to conclude that. Why do I get defensive when it comes to Topher?

Kylie pursed her lips and flipped her long black hair. 

"Where are we going?" I ask, putting on the nude colored heels Kylie handed over.

"Gretch and Jules are waiting at Snowflakes. Then we'll drive over to Retro Beirs  to give you a little party." She excitedly squeals.

I raised my eyebrows in apprehension. Snowflakes, I know. But what the heck is Retro Beers? Or is it Beirs?

"What's that? The place?" 

She pursed her lips once more." I forgot to tell you. Sorry, Merce. I'm still new to this amnesia thing."

That makes the two of us. Three if you count Topher.

"Retro Beirs is this small upscale club in Willowy Creek, it's just a town away. It used to be beside Palm Springs but this huge raid shut it down a year ago." 

A shiver raced against my spine. "Is going there now, like, um... illegal?"

"No," Kylie's eyes flashed for a second, "We won't do that to you. This liquor company bought the new branch. And it's totally supervised. And perfectly legal."

"A night club?"

"More or less." Kylie said.

That's what I'm afraid of. "Is this outfit good for that?"

Kylie surprised me by laughing hysterically.

"Oh my God, M! You're starting to sound like your old self again!" Then she threw her arms around me for a tight embrace.

Retro Beirs turned out to be more than a club. There was a pool for private guests. There was an all-you-can-eat buffet and circulating cocktails. Jules got us on the guestlist (How? That I may never know) and Gretchen handed me a fake Id.

"Britanny Jones?" I wrinkled my nose.

"That was the best my resources could do." Gretchen flashed me an apologetic smile.

I glare at Kylie, who was filing her nails,"What? What did I do?"

"You said this was legal. Why do I need a fake id?" 

"Oh you just need to flash it when a guard comes by. We're just a two years younger from the legal age. That's just a cover up, Britanny." Kylie explained. Just then, a suspicious guard asked for Id's and dismissed us after we flashed it.

I frowned at their id's. Kylie's cover up name is Bridget Jones. Gretchen's is Mikaela Macintosh. Jules' name is still... well, Jules Bower.

 "So, Bridget.. Word on the street is you're a Flurry now." Jules prompted. "What's with that?"

"Flurry?" I'm confused.

"Flurry is the word we use for 'uptight, screwed up bitches'. And that's totally a rumor, Jules. You know me well. I could pass Advance Math after bribing Mr.Solomon." Kylie said non chalantly.

I'm a Flurry.

Because I'm so screwed up.

"Merci?" When I turned, Brandon Asher was there.

Just my luck.