“So, hair?” Meg tapped Skylar’s silver watch, sending shivers up her spine. “We’re on a tight schedule, party girl.”
While Meg wrapped Skylar’s hair in curlers, Ali brushed foundation onto her face, blush onto her cheeks, and shadow onto her lids. Skylar felt like she was at a beauty salon, or on one of those before-and-after makeover shows. Ty hovered in the background—making Skylar a little nervous, to be honest. Ty seemed to have this balled-up dark energy inside her, even when she was smiling. It reminded Skylar, frankly, of Em.
“You’ve inspired me!” Ty exclaimed all of a sudden. “Watching you get this mini-makeover has given me an idea.” She grabbed her purse and disappeared into the bathroom mysteriously as the other girls watched her go.
“Ty and her ideas . . . ,” Ali said with a smile. “Can’t wait to see what she’s come up with this time.”
Meanwhile, the girls pulled out patterned gray tights and heeled charcoal boots to go with Skylar’s new dress.
“This scarf will look perfect too, especially with your watch,” Ali said, holding a silvery one against Skylar’s arm, where the glinting threads highlighted the delicate weave of the watch from her mom. Ali was right. It really was a perfect ensemble—and understated, for a change.
She was twirling around, trying to catch her butt in the mirror, when Ty reemerged from the bathroom. “Ta-da!” Ty struck a pose.
Skylar gasped. In twenty minutes Ty had completely transformed herself—she’d dyed her gorgeous, wavy red hair a deep chestnut brown, and she’d straightened it. Skylar hadn’t even heard the blow-dryer. She couldn’t believe how quickly Ty had reinvented herself.
“You like?” Ty asked, modeling for the others. “I figured since Meg changed her hair, I should change mine. Ali, you’re next.”
“I only grew mine out,” Meg said. “You’re like a whole new person.”
Skylar stopped herself from confessing she preferred Ty before. “It’s great,” she said. The other cousins agreed, nodding vigorously.
But the truth was, with her newly darkened locks against her already pale skin, Ty looked almost like a corpse.
They were about to head out to the party when Meg got a phone call. She retreated into the hallway for a minute, and when she came back, she looked at Skylar apologetically.
“Family drama,” she said with a grimace, and then, to Ali and Ty, “We have to bail pretty soon.”
A small part of Skylar was relieved. Her new friends at Ascension didn’t know Meg and her cousins, and Skylar didn’t want to rock the boat. What if they all didn’t get along and her party was ruined? It was better this way, really. Not to mention that she didn’t need any more gorgeous friends to steal the attention away from her. But still—being around Meg and the girls made her feel almost powerful. How was she going to fake it without them?
“You’re not going to come to the party at all?” Skylar pouted.
“Don’t worry,” Meg said, kissing Skylar on the forehead. “We’ll go with you right now and help you set up. After that, we’ll be there in spirit.”
Ty winked at her. “You’ll feel like we’re right there with you. Oh! What’s this?” She pointed to the red orchid Meg had given Skylar on the first day they’d met, which was still blooming as well as ever.
“Aw, you kept it,” Meg said.
“I think it’s the dream accessory,” Ali piped up.
“You should wear it.” Ty reached over and pinned the red orchid to Skylar’s dress. “You know, for good luck!”
Impulsively, Skylar hugged her as the other girls squealed. It was time.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“I really didn’t know,” Gabby told Em for the thousandth time, holding a gold dangly earring to her ear in front of Em’s bedroom mirror. “I mean, he’s a sophomore. He can’t really think it would work out between us.”
Em nodded. She was standing in her closet doorway, staring at her belt collection.
“I did think they’d be good together. I still do!” Gabby continued, fishing out a different dangly earring from Em’s collection, this one full of bright red beads. She was wearing her hair up tonight and wanted to balance the look with some big jewelry.
“Do you think she has any idea?” Em asked, holding a black belt up to her jeans.