Page 22 of A Good Book

“Don’t wait up,” she said.

I flinched when the door closed. Why did the two of them make me so uneasy?

CHAPTERSEVEN

THE ESCAPE CLUB, “WILD, WILD WEST”

Gabby

Friday night,Ben impatiently waited in the hall for Olivia and me to finish getting ready for the party.

“I look like a hooker,” I said, standing in front of the full-length mirror after Olivia borrowed her friend’s Clairol Benders to use on my hair.

She finished the look by giving me mall bangs with her singed curling iron and a half bottle of hairspray. Then she painted my face in shades of blue, purple, and hot pink makeup, and dressed me in a short denim skirt with black tights, leg warmers, heeled boots, and a Van Halen T-shirt tied at the waist.

“Gee thanks, Gabby. I was going to say you look like me with shoulder-length brown hair. But now I know how you really feel.” She pulled on her tan, suede fringed boots.

It wasn’t fair that she got to wear jeans.

“You know what I mean. You can pull off this look. I can’t.”

“You won’t know until you try.” She relentlessly sprayed me down with her heavy, musky perfume.

“Stop!” I coughed and waved my hand in front of my face.

She giggled. “Let’s see what Ben thinks.” She opened the door.

He lumbered to standing and brushed off his backside while glimpsing at me. “What the fuck, Gabbs?”

I froze.

Ben rarely cursed in front of me. Maybe the occasional “damn” or “shit,” but I honestly couldn’t remember hearing the F-word come from his mouth.

“Doesn’t she look hot?” Olivia gushed.

“She looks like?—”

I interrupted him by clearing my throat. “I look like Olivia, only not as pretty.”

“Oh, stop.” Olivia accepted the compliment while swatting my shoulder.

My attention remained glued to Ben, daring him to say another word that might offend her, make me cry, or all-around ruin the night.

I looked like a whore; he didn’t have to say it. Had my dad seen me, he would have dragged my butt home to Devil’s Head, locked me in my room, and arranged for the rest of my higher education to take place at an all-women’s college.

“Here.” Olivia pulled on the neck of my shirt.

I jumped as she planted a condom in my bra.

“Always be prepared.” She winked at Ben, but he looked ready to murder someone.

“Let’s go, kids.” Olivia strutted toward the stairs.

I closed the door as Ben waited for me. “I’m not going to use it. And you don’t need to tell my dad. This wasn’t my idea, and you know it.” A tiny yelp escaped as I took my first step in the heeled boots and my ankle buckled.

“This is ridiculous,” Ben grumbled, catching me before I ate it.

I adjusted my skirt that wanted to ride up my ass, and Ben peeled away the stray hair that was stuck to my makeup.

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