And so here it is. Just like I promised. I hope you enjoy it!!!
~~~
The following day I put on some shorts and walked outside, my hood was up to conceal my identity. Dillon was with some friends but was going to be home any minute so I was careful. I walked down to the end of the street and sure enough, there was Jace in the front seat with a girl laughing to what he was saying.
“There’s my girl,” Jace smirked over at me and I climbed in back. The girl turned around and tsked when she saw me.
“Take off your hood,” She ordered and I did what I was told. She studied me and at the same time, I studied her.
She has the same eyes as Jace but her hair was way darker. I can’t tell if it’s dyed or natural, she has the same facial structure as her brother but nothing else was the same.
“Okay, so I’m thinking getting her hair done and she needs a whole new wardrobe to match the girls that you go out with.” She scowled at her brother. “This might be a lot and I don’t know who’s paying.”
“I am,” After all… this is benefiting me. “What do you mean hair being done? Like a haircut or—“
“We’re dying your hair red, it’ll make you stand out and it will look adorable on you.” Cara laughed and started driving the road to the mall.
My eyes widened, “I don’t want to be a ginger!”
When I was in elementary school, there was this girl who had red hair. Some reds are pretty but this girl had orange like a carrot hair. Everyone made fun of her for it and ever since then I haven’t liked the color.
Cara looked at me from the mirror, “Not ginger honey… Maroon is what I mean.”
I was about to argue more but Jace sent me a look that said no. I sighed and slumped into my seat. This wasn’t going to be fun. The term ‘hothead’ is going to affect me now.
As soon as we got to the mall, we went inside a store that had some revealing clothes.
“I’m not going to be a slut next year,” I huffed out and Cara sighed.
“Peyton is it?” Cara said with hands on her hips. “My brother told me your story and quite frankly, I’m not surprised your boyfriend cheated on you.” My mouth opened in surprise. “You’re gorgeous but from what I’m seeing now, you like to hold it in.” She wiggled the oversized hoodie I wore. “We’re going to get you clothes that will give you confidence and also make you look hot. I won’t force you to wear something that has your boobs hanging out but it will be more showy than what you’re wearing now.”
I nodded in agreement and she smiled. She started going through some racks and threw clothes at Jace and I. She then ordered me to try every last bit of clothing and decided what I should buy.
I admit, some of the clothes looked pretty good but others made me blush when I came out.
“Whoa, I didn’t know you have curves!” Jace said when I walked out in a dress. I rolled my eyes and waited until Cara said yes to try on another article of clothing.
By the time we were done with the shopping part, we each have two bags full of clothes. We then headed to the salon to get my hair done.
This was the part I have been dreading. Red hair? Isn’t that a bit extreme? Regardless, if it doesn’t turn out I can always dye it again. Cara spoke to the person doing my hair and told her what I wanted done. She nodded and we did all the washing then cutting.
Then the hair dye came out.
“Say goodbye to boring brown,” Cara smirked from where she sat with her younger brother.
I looked at myself in the mirror and frowned at what I saw: a girl who had her heart broken. I didn’t want to look like her; I don’t want Sean or Kayla to laugh at what they saw in me. No, I want them to be jealous.
A smirk rose onto my face, “Let’s do this.”
I waited for the dye to sink in then made Cara and Jace leave when my hair was almost done. I wanted them to be surprised.
I didn’t look in the mirror as they blow-dried and flat-ironed it. I took my hoodie off and took a deep breath before walking out where my friends were.
“Holy shit,” Cara said with a huge smile. “I am a genius.”
I smiled and ran a hand through my new hair. I still have yet to see it but by the look on Jace’s face, I’d say I looked good.
“So does she pass your standards?” Cara asked her brother.
“Exceeding,” He laughed and his sister nodded in satisfaction. “You did a great job on her.”
We headed off to the car with our new things. As we walked by a store, I finally saw myself. Deep red hair hung to my mid-back and I looked like a normal teenager rather than some girl who gets stalked by her ex-boyfriend.
Speaking of ex’s…
“Peyton, is that you?” A very familiar voice called from in front of us.
Please don’t do this to me.
A hand appeared on my shoulder and I turned around to see the face of Sean. “Wow… you look great! What are you doing out here?”
I looked at Cara and Jace for help. Jace put his hand in mine and smiled at Sean.
“The young couple is just hanging out,” Cara said as she caught on. I figure she knows who Josh was because him, Jace, and Dillon used to hang out all the time.
“Couple?” Sean glared at our attached hands and I almost burst out laughing.
I walked closer to my ‘boyfriend’ and pressed my body against his. “Yeah, it just happened today.” I rested my hand on Jace’s chest. “Isn’t that great?”
An evil smirk appeared onto my face while I saw Sean’s features get angry. “Just dandy,” He said through clenched teeth.
I smiled up at my ‘boyfriend’ then looked at Sean. “So how’s it going for you? How’s Kayla?” I sneered her name.
He looked down in guilt, making his blonde hair fall in front of his face. “I didn’t mean for that—“
“Save it, I’m actually happy now,” I laughed. “I should’ve left you a long time ago.”
His face darted up and he looked pained now. “Pey Pey—“
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped and took a step toward him. Jace’s hand tightens around mine and I looked up at him. He shook his head and I sighed but retreated.
“We should get going,” Jace smiled down at me. “Bye Sean,” and with that we all turned around to go back to the car.
Once we were inside the small automobile we burst out laughing.
“That was amazing! He bought it completely so this is going to be fun. But next time, don’t get angry. It doesn’t suit your features.” Jace said through his laughter.
“So tonight you guys have to change your status, like everyone says, it’s not official until it’s on Facebook.” Cara snorted and started the car.
I rolled my eyes at the girl. “Why don’t we just wait until school starts again to do that?”
“Because Sean knows now. I should even make you guys take a picture together to be on your profile…” a sly smile played on her lips and she punched her brother in the arm. “That will get you guys a little practice on kissing each other.”
“No!” I yelled and Cara jumped from behind the wheel a little bit. Truth was, I forgot all about having to do physical things with Jace in public to make Sean jealous.
Jace turned around and smirked at me, “Ooh, someone’s blushing at the thought of kissing me. Is it because I’m so sexy or the thought of kissing a older man gives you the shivers?”
I looked down and played with my hands. I saw wisps of my new red hair fly into my line of vision and I smiled. “Shut up, Sean is a year older than me and I kissed him…” I muttered and he laughed.
“Well Sean isn’t as amazing as I am. We have history!”
I snorted, “Yeah… that history being the time when you pushed me down the slide then kissed where I got hurt when I was seven years old. That’s some deep history going on there.”
“So you aren’t afraid to kiss me?” He said with his eyebrow raised. In that one stance he looked pretty hot. I of course won’t tell him that but I’m glad that my thought is to myself.
“Nope,” I said and popped the ‘P.’
“Then kiss me right now.”
My eyes went wide and I felt my face heat up. “Well… I…” His laughter echoed through the car, which made me go even redder.
“Come on Peyton, if you can’t kiss me then this is a waste of time. Holding hands and parading around school isn’t going to make Sean jealous for that long.”
“Fine,” I said through clenched teeth. Cara smiled at me from the mirror and pulled into a park.
We got out and walked over to where a tree stood. There were shadows coming off of it and Cara smiled at the scenery. She reached into her purse and pulled out a camera.
“Why are we here?” I asked.
“We’re taking a picture of the lovebirds for your social networking websites. It makes you two get out there and it will make Sean jealous.” Cara shrugged and spun her camera in her hands. “Let’s do this…”
I looked towards Jace, “what’s something that makes us seem like a couple but not whoring on each other?”
Cara shifted her weight so it rested on her right leg. “Give each other a kiss, that’s nothing! No tongue action just a simple kiss.”
She turned on her camera and gestured for us to start. I looked at Jace hesitantly before his hands rested on my waist and mine went around his neck. I gulped before he pressed his lips to mine. My eyes closed and I heard the click of the camera. We pulled back to see Cara with her eyes sparkling.
“This is the best idea in the world,” She smiled. She showed us the picture and it actually turned out pretty good. “You guys need two different pictures, it makes you two seem like you’ve been together forever.”
“Another kiss?” I asked and she shook her head.
“Just smile and stand close,” We did as we were told and the camera flashed this time. “Perfect. I’ll email them to you guys, but it seems that we’re done here. You guys have to post these pictures as soon as possible or else.” Her attention shifted to some person walking down a path. “Is that Cameron? Hey, give me a few minutes to catch up with her.”
Cara ran off which meant Jace and I was alone. We sat down on the grass with the sun blaring down on us.
“Why did you agree to this?” I asked all of a sudden. It’s been on my mind all day and the question slipped out.
He chuckled, “I want to ask a favor of you. I want to know the mind of a woman, like what she likes with a guy and what she doesn’t. I figure, throughout this fake relationship you can tell me those things. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to reach into the head of a girl without being told off.” He laughed.
“Really…” I said with a bewildered look on my face. “That’s interesting. Most guys would probably say something along the lines of sex.” I shrugged and his eyes went wide.
“You have to remember that you’re my best friend’s younger sister. I would never do something like that to you, it would be weird.”
I shrugged and soon Cara joined us again. We set back to the car while the oldest Harley kid went on and on about seeing her friend again.
I ignored her as she drove me to my house. Dillon was home and Jace explained that he was going to come in and enlighten my brother about how we were ‘dating.’ I knew my brother was going to blow up but hopefully Jace and him will still be friends in the end.
I walked into my house with Jace in tow, we waved goodbye to his sister and hesitantly walked in.
“Hey Peyton,” He said, his back was facing us and his face was in the fridge.
“Oh how’s it going Dill, I’m having a swell day.” Jace chuckled from next to me and my brother turned around with a sandwich sticking out of his mouth. His eyes went wide when he took in my appearance.
“Peyton… why don’t you have brown hair anymore?” He asked slowly as if he was in a dream and didn’t believe it.
I shrugged and stepped closer to Jace, trying to get that something was up into my idiot brother’s head. “I wanted a change, do you like it?”
“You look great but there are guys out there that will—“
“You don’t have to worry about that.” Jace slung his arm across my shoulders and smiled down at me. “She has me to protect her.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
Jace smiled at his best friend, “We’re going out.”
Dillon’s face went red with rage, “What the hell?”
No comments:
Post a Comment