FULL NOVELXO Chapter 27
COMMENT
Chapter 27
The afternoon on the day of the Homecoming dance, I’m rudely awakened from my nap by banging on my door. Mia had also been napping. She stirs in her bed before opening her mouth and letting out a retched cry. I sweep her into my arms and stagger over to the door. I wrench it open and see a man in front of me.
He has silver hair and electric purple eyeliner on. His skin is nearly flawless save for one dimple in his cheek. His clothing is all sorts of electric colors that match his eyeliner. He looks at me like I’m covered in mud.
“Oh dear,” he says to himself. “We have our work cut out for us, don’t we?”
“Can I help you?” I snap. Mia wails.
The man extends a hand. “Gabriel,” he drawls. “Hair Car Extraordinare, Beau sent me.”
I furrow my brows. “Beau.”
The man laughs and pushes into the room. He gives it a look before looking back at me. Disgust is prevalent in his mouth.
“For the dance?” He continues. “They didn’t expect you to know how to do your hair so they hired me.”
“I can do my hair,” I grumble. Mia is still screaming on my hip.
The man, Gabriel, tuts at her before he procures a lollipop. He shoves it in her mouth and Mia immediately stops, shocked at the intrusion. My jaw unhinges as I stare at him. He shrugs.
“I’m great with kids, darling.”
Somehow, Gabriel gets Mia out of my arms and back into her crib. He ushers me into a chair that he’s dragged into my room. In front of it is a Large mirror. Immediately, he goes to work coming out the knots in my rats nest of a mane. There’s another knock at the door and a woman
comes in.
Her make up is even more eccentric than Gabriel’s. It’s all swirling red and flashy blue. Her skin is a deep brown, eyes a rich hazelnut. She
smiles at me.
“Hello, love,” her accent is thick. “I see Gabriel already got to you.”
Gabriel aggressively combs through a particularly bad knot. “Thank Gods I did. We have much to do.”
“Well,” She sets a trunk of things down next to Gabriel’s desk. Her hands go to my shoulders. “We should get started then.”
The next hour or so is a flurry of them preparing me toactuallydo my make up. The woman’s name winds up being Athena. She’s very sweet and doesn’t admonish my looks like Gabriel or any of the Hayes. She puts a bunch of masks on my face and these weird pads under my eyes. The whole time, Gabriel combs my hair with tenacity. He plaits and curls and puts so much product in it. I think he’s done when my hair falls in tight curls around my face only to be told that it’s “just the beginning.”
The nextthreehours is filled with Gabriel primping and clipping and brushing and molding my hair. Athena starts to apply make up about an hour into the primping. It feels thick on my face. I normally don’t wear any make up, let alone this much. Make up wasn’t something we needed in Greendale. We didn’t have such luxuries as looking good when it was either kill or be killed.
Mia’s primped by Gabriel as well. Her hair is neatly curled. She doesn’t get any make up besides a smear of lip gloss from Gabriel. She looks
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fabulous by the time she’s put in my lap. Athena blocks the mirror as she continues.Finally, Mia is plucked out of my lap by Gabriel. Athena spins my chair around for the grand reveal.
“Ready?” she asks, I shrug, too scared for words. What if I don’t recognize myself?
The chair swings around and I’m met with the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. It takes me a few seconds to realize that it’sme. Behind
the thick make up, I am still me. I have the same brown eyes, blonde hair and cherry red lips. Only I look the best I ever have. I touch my check to make sure it’s real and Athena catches my hand before it hits my skin.
She smiles. “No touching my masterpiece.”
I can’t even bring myself to laugh. I’m still staring in awe at the reflection in the mirror. My hair is coifed so beautifully, with a deep side part and beautiful big curls billowing down my back. A gold barrette is fastened to one side.
“Mmm,” Gabriel hums from behind me. I spin in the chair to look at him. “From Tiffany’s. My favorite touch.”
I don’t dare ask who Tiffany is and why we have her barrette. I look back at Athena with big eyes.
“Thank you,” I say, “I look amazing.”
“Well let’s get you ladies dressed,” Gabriel stands, Mia in his arms. “And complete this transformation.”
I shimmy into the dress. Athena helps me zip it this time. Gabriel dresses Mia. I’m amazed to see her dress is the same midnight blue mine is. We match perfectly. Mia grabs fistfulls of the skirt and giggles. She looks as beautiful as I do, if not more.
Athena sets down a pair of red soled shoes for me and Mia. I step into them and wobble slightly on my feet. I’ve never really worn heels. Again, not much of a need in Greendale. My Doc Martens got me everything I’d ever needed. Athena steadies me and I feel a bit better. Mia’s shoes are flat. She wobbles despite that.
There’s a blunt knock at the door and I turn my head. Neil comes in. He’s in a black pressed suit. It looks silk. The shirt he wears under it is a deep read paisley. His long hair is swept into a neat bun at the nape of his neck.
“Wow,” he says. “Don’t you both look nice.”
Heat floods my face. Athena gives my arm a light squeeze.
“Just what you needed,” she whispers.
“A bit of blush.”
I smile at her and look at Neil. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” Neil says curtly. “I was just coming to let you know the car leaves in five.”
“Let me get Mia’s bag and we’ll be good,” I reply.
Neil nods once more then he’s out the door.
I hug Gabriel and Athena and thank them heavily for their work. Gabriel hands me a gold diaper bag for the evening. It’s been loaded with everything I need. I hoist Mia up to my hip and walk down the hallway to the gold room in the pyramid.
The boys are chatting as I walk in. They all immediately go silent as they take in Mia and myself. The first one to speak is Beau when he lets out a low whistle.
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“Gods be damned, nanny,” he says. “You clean uprealgood.”
I smile at him softly. Steven speaks next. His face looks as red as mine feels.
“You look great, Chloe and Mia.”
Irock Mia slightly. “Say thank you Steven.”
Mia babbles and everyone giggles. I look up at the only brother who hasn’t yet acknowledges me. Archer’s jaw is hard and set. His face, however, is devoid of any emotion. He looks down at his phone then back up at the group.
“Car’s here,” he says. His voice cracks slightly. Beau slaps him on the back.
“Good there, Archie?”
“Fine,” Archer snaps. “Come on. We can’t be late.”
The drive to the auditorium is quick. It’s only a little bit across campus. The boys are silent on the ride over as am I. When we arrive, the outside is lit up in gold and purple, the Moonriver colors.
As we walk in, all eyes are on me and the boys. It feels so intimidating being watched by all these people. I hear a few incredulous whispers about my appearance and the fact that I’m holding Mia. Some are mean but most are just shock and awe.
I keep my head down as we get into the auditorium. There’s more purple and gold streaming from the ceiling and draped across tables. I catch myself gawking and then look up to see that all the Hayes have disappeared into the crowd. I look around for them and find Debbie instead. She bolts towards me and smiles brightly. He jaw unhinges as she notices my dress.
“Gods, Chloe!” she gasps. “This is beautiful! Is it Givenchy? Gucci? No, no, it looks like Prada.”
“It’s… something,” I say, swishing the skirt. Mia giggles and presses her hand to my cheek.
“And – wait a minute,” Debbie says. “That’s the baby right? From the cave?”
I freeze. “Uh, well-”
“Chloe don’t tell me you took her again!”
“I didn’t take her the first time!” I hiss. “Nor did I this time. I’m well – I’m-”
“There you are,”
“I hear in my ear. I feel the warm of a chest pressed to my back. A hand wraps around my bicep and turns me away from Debbie. I look up at the person and see Archer. I turn back to say something to Debbie and Archer spins me around again.
“It’s time for the ceremony.”
SEND GIFT