Page 107 of Of Flesh & Bone

Ada's elation is evident on her face.She knows what she does to people.Her beauty alone is enough to make a person swim the Nile for her, but then there's that damn smile.Damn that smile.

Ada spreads more high-end makeup and expensive hair products than I have ever seen out on my desk and squeals in excitement."Right now, you are abnormally hot but, I'm about to bring your hotness into a new stratosphere."Her little speech is complete with wide-eyed wonder and elaborate hand gestures.

"Do you trust me?"she asks, holding a metallic rainbow makeup brush in one hand and what appears to be a facial torture device in the other.She's also sporting an expression reminiscent of the Joker.

She has clearly suffered a psychotic break, so I simply respond by shaking my head, fearful that negative speech might tip her over the edge of sanity.Her face falls dramatically."You know you trust me, and for good reason.I'm Aces at the glam."

Aces.Adam calls her Ace.I realize now that I never asked why."Why does Adam call you Ace?"

A small but genuine smile graces her elegant face.She looks away as if to recall a memory.

"Adam has always been so good at everything.Literally, everything he has ever tried, he's not just good, he's the best.Soccer, debate team, baseball, swimming, every subject in school, even arcade games."She chuckles as she says the last part.

"I wasn't born with the same good fortune.I had to work...hard.It seemed like everything I tried was a struggle.Nothing came naturally to me.I was jealous of Adam.I even lashed out at him at times."Her look has turned somber with this last admission, and I know that she feels ashamed of her behavior.She loves Adam.Not just that though, she respects him.

"He always handled it so well though.He never got impatient with me, and he would practice literally anything that I wanted to try.He helped me with my homework and even took me along with him and his friends."

She looks up at me suddenly and gives me that knowing smile."You're lucky to have him the way you do, you know?I didn't think he would ever care for someone more than he does for me, but I can see that's how much he loves you."

I start to cut her off and reassure her that it isn't true, but he she holds up a hand to stop me."It doesn't make me sad.Mildly jealous?Yes.Having the love of a man like my brother is nothing short of miraculous.I do want that for myself but, I'm not sad that he loves you.He deserves to have you.He deserves everything good in the world."

Ada's big coal-black eyes fill with unshed tears as she thinks about her big brother.

"He saved my life once.Did he tell you that?"

This latest revelation stuns me.Saved her life?No.He didn't tell me.What could have even led to her life being in danger?I always pictured Ada's life as perfect.I might have even pictured her home as a fairytale castle.She doesn't give me time to respond before she starts speaking again."How did we get this far off-topic?I can't even remember the question that you asked me."She's laughing now.

Her sudden redirection is an obvious attempt to change the subject.Whatever danger Adam saved her from is clearly something that she didn't mean to bring up, and she doesn't want to talk about it.

"I asked why he calls you Ace."

"Ah, yes.He calls me Ace because he says I'm his secret weapon.He was always sending me on secret missions or telling me I'm lucky to have around and that he performs better when I'm near him."

She pauses to look up at me."He's the best person I've ever known, and if there's anything special about me, it's that he's my brother."

Who would've thought that someone like Ada Davenport would be insecure?I guess you really do never know about someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes.The air in the room has gotten too heavy, and we both feel it, but Ada is the first to break the tension."Okay, first we do your makeup.I know I sent you options, but that was really just for show.I already know what I want to do."

Chuckling quietly, I nod, letting her know that she's the boss here.I truly don't have an opinion.I don't want to look like a clown.Other than that, I have no clue about colors or looks.Ada gets to work on my face, and I must have been some kind of atrocious because it takes three lifetimes for her to be satisfied with the look.I.Am.So.Over.This.

Finally, she steps back and exclaims in a high-pitched girl voice, "Perfect.Do you want to see it?"

She's handing me the mirror, and I'm reaching for it before she yanks it back, saying, "Wait!No!Let's do your hair and get you dressed so you can be wowed by the final product."

Final product?Am I a person or a tennis bracelet?"Fine.Are you going to do your makeup first?"

"No.I'll do your hair and then I'll do my makeup while you get dressed."

I huff out a dramatic breath."I can't wait to see what I'm wearing."

"You know, you are awfully trusting for someone who hated me not so long ago."

"Well, if your master plan has been to lull me into a false sense of security so that you can make me look like a fool at a public event, you are a level of sinister that I can't begin to comprehend, so I'll just let this happen."

Ada laughs her beautiful laugh."I would never do that to my sister."

Turning my chair in the opposite direction, I let Ada get started on my hair.It isn't until she grabs all of my hair and begins to twist it up that I realize I never told her I need it to stay down.There's no telling what dress she has picked for me, but I guarantee there's very little fabric involved, and it will show the parts of my back that I want to keep hidden.

"I need it styled down," I rush out with a slight panic in my tone.

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