Page 38 of Distortion
‘Ready?’
I crumple the paper in my hand and stuff in my pocket as I turn to Lu with a smile. ‘Yeah, but I really think you’re going to be disappointed by this party.’ I laugh. ‘I mean, Idon’t even have a key to the house. They might just watch us from inside and laugh.’
Lu gives me a funny look as we start walking. ‘So, it’s true?’
‘What?’
‘There are ... rumors.’ She winces.
‘Ah.’ I nod sagely. ‘I thought so. What are they?’
I almost don’t want to know. Actually, that’s a lie. I definitely don’t want to know, but I probably should find out so that I’m not blindsided when someone inevitably says something to my face like the sorority girls did last week.
‘That they won’t give you a key to the house because you were in an institution for killing someone, and they’re afraid you’ll go nuts and kill again.’ She laughs. ‘The shit people believe, huh?’
‘I—’ I swallow hard.
I was expecting it, but hearing the words aloud throws me into a tailspin. Despite being back here, I haven’t thought about the details of that day, the reason that John had me put in The Heath, for a very long time.
‘That’s ... I’m sorry. Jesus.’ Lu immediately stops walking and turns to me. ‘I thought ... rumors are usually just bullshit, you know? Do you ... want to talk about it?’
I shake my head. ‘Not really, but ... what happened ... it was a very long time ago.’
I wince. ‘I wouldn’t hurt you or anyone, Lu,’ I whisper, ‘but I understand if you don’t want to be friends anymore.’
Lu’s eyes widen and then narrow. ‘I don’t give a shit what happened when you were a kid, Daisy-bear. You’re my friend, okay? I don’t take that shit lightly.’
In a very rare show of affection, I reach out and take her hand, giving it a little squeeze.
‘Thanks,’ I whisper.
She looks down at my hand. ‘You don’t do that much, do you? Touch other people, I mean.’
I shake my head.
‘Well,’ she squeezes back. ‘I’m honored. Now, let’s go get you a killer outfit.’
‘But I don’t get paid ’til?—’
She waves a hand. ‘I can spot you a couple bucks. No problem.’
She takes me back toSecond Loveand finds me a little black dress. This is something that, she informs me, every woman should have. I’m not quite sure what for, but, according to her, the sweetheart neckline and the mid-thigh length are perfect for a party at KIP.
A part of me doesn’t want to dress up, or even go because of what people know about me. I also haven’t been invited and, with a couple of exceptions, none of the KIP brothers have been even remotely nice. But Lu is so excited about it that I decide to grin and bear it for her sake. She’s been so great to me and I want to be a good friend back.
Besides, it’s just a party, I reason. How bad can it be?
Lu fusses with my hair, taking out a brush from her oversized purse and putting my hair in a fishtail braid that she drapes over one shoulder. It tickles my skin and I try to ignore it, but in the end I have to push it to the back.
She gives me an indulgent look as she throws a little makeup on me from the seemingly bottomless bag, too, and just when I’m beginning to feel like an oversized doll, she declares that she’s finished and whirls me around to see myself in the mirror.
I stare at my reflection. I look like me, but also not like me at all.
‘Thank you,’ I say, forcing what I hope looks like a grateful smile because I’m not sure about any of this.
Lu’s high-pitched squeal makes me wince a little, but I trynot to let her excited noises bother me. It is getting easier now that I can anticipate her outbursts better.
She chooses a burgundy bodycon for herself with a square neckline that frames her ample chest and does her hair and makeup quickly.
