Page 122 of Seven Letters

Riley got Izzy to kneel up on her desk chair. She tipped her own make-up bag on the desk. Lipsticks, foundation, concealer, eyeliner and mascara rolled out. Then she pulled out clips, bobbins and her curling wand. She plugged the wand in and waited for it to heat up.

‘Now, madam, we shall apply some cream and a little concealer to soothe those eyes. Lucky for you, I happen to carry make-up with me at all times.’

‘You’re not going to put all black on my eyes like yours, though, are you? I don’t think Mrs Kelly would like it. She said no make-up at all. Hannah in third class got a spray tan last year and Mrs Kelly was not happy. She said we’re to look natural.’

‘Promise me you’ll never get a spray tan. Girls who go around looking orange are dumb.’

‘Mummy wears fake tan. She puts it on in the summer to make her legs look better.’

‘Yeah, a little bit is fine, but the girls who put on so much that they look like walking tangerines are ridiculous.’

‘You wear make-up, though.’

‘Yeah, but that’s different. Make-up is brilliant when you get older because it can make your eyes look bigger and hide spots and stuff.’

Make-up was the best invention since the wheel, as far as Riley was concerned. The way it hid spots and stupid freckles and made your eyes pop was bloody brilliant. She hated fake tan, though. The stink of it and the way it got all streaky and clumpy on your hands and feet was gross. Riley was fineabout being pale. She never wanted to walk around in shorts, so she didn’t care if her legs were white. Besides, her fashion idol, and lots of people said doppelgänger, Kristen Stewart, rocked the pale look.

‘Now, we’ll leave your eyes to cool down and start on your hair. My mum said you’d already picked the style.’

‘Mummy has it on her phone.’

‘Hang on,’ Riley said. She unlocked the door and went down to the kitchen. Adam was sipping a coffee and talking quietly to Rob.

‘What? What is it?’ he said, jumping up. ‘Is she all right?’

‘She’s fine,’ Riley said. ‘Sarah had picked out the hairstyle and there’s a photo of it on her phone. Can you get it for me?’

Adam reached into the pocket of his jacket, hanging on the back of the chair, and pulled out Sarah’s pink-covered phone. Riley felt teary at the sight of it.

Adam scrolled through her photos. ‘There’s some hair ones,’ he said. ‘How will I know which one it is?’

‘You won’t,’ Riley said, ‘but Izzy will. Can I have it?’

Adam handed her the phone, and Riley took it back to the bedroom.

‘OK, Izzy, show me which one.’

She scrolled until Izzy said, ‘That’s the one me and Mummy liked. Mummy said it was, uhm … Oh, what’s her name? She’s inRobin Hood.’

‘Maid Marian?’

‘Yes!’

Riley smiled. ‘I like it.’

She bent over the picture and tried to figure out how to copy it. She tested the wand: it was hot enough. She picked up a comb and began to divide Izzy’s hair into segments. Izzy’s tummy rumbled.

‘Sorry, I had no breakfast.’

Riley winked at her. ‘I have something for you.’ She pulled a big chocolate bar out of her bag. ‘This is for you.’

‘Yum.’ Izzy clapped her hands.

‘But I also brought you a banana, which you have to eat first.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes.’

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