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Chapter 19 - Announcement

Tikaani had been a no-show all day, but Ayla Tee and Max made sure to find me some clothing that fit. Max announced, 'Today you are having a makeover.', like it was some kind of epic moment in my life that I would never forget. When they were done, I looked at myself in the mirror and I was shocked to see my figure was getting...round? I should have never let them pick my outfit. Like any adolescent whose body was changing, I did not want anyone to notice and began reaching for the oversized clothing I had been lent but Tee and Ayla wrestled them out of my hands.

It was fun hanging out with kids my age. There was a lot of playing around, like when we were all hogging one mirror and putting the final touches on our hair. One second we were cooperating, the next we were pushing and wrestling. Or when Ayla chased Tee around threatening to knock him out and braid his hair into tiny corn rows like hers.

Ayla was a natural beauty and she looked like a warrior princess with her long hair braided in thin, blond braids. She was bare-faced and gorgeous in skin-tight leather pants and a top that she swore was not too small for her. When I pointed out that she was already shivering from the cold she ignored me.

Like me, Tee was also beginning to fill out. Except his changes were in his shoulders and chest and; was he getting taller? I felt a little nostalgic when I realized that he would not be able to pass himself off as a girl anymore. He was still pretty for a male, the kind of pretty that would turn into drop-dead gorgeous when he reached adulthood. 

Tee seemed to have the hang of this what-to-wear thing because he had not asked for anyone's opinion when he selected his clothes. I don't know where he got this confidence from, but he nailed it. He looked so handsome in a short-sleeved button-down plaid shirt and a pair of cargo shorts. 

Seeing him thrive made me wonder, was he happier without me? The dark shadows were gone from his eyes and he smiled all the time. This was who he would have been if I had listened to Mother and Father and stayed in the den. If I were a better brother I would want him to be at peace. Even if it meant forgetting me. But I did not want to lose my brother. Was it selfish that I wanted him to remember me? Was I a terrible wolf because I didn't want to lose the only family member I had? 

Max had on a pair of slim-fitting chinos in navy blue and a grey chunky sweater that would have looked nice except it seemed to be unraveling. When I pointed it out he said it was supposed to look that way. I must have misheard him because why would someone wear something that was damaged, right?

I had on a pair of skinny jeans and a plaid button-down formfitting shirt. The colors of the plaid were blue, white, and yellow and reminded me of the sky on a sunny day. Max was the one who had insisted that I wear my hair loose and long and before I knew it Tee was brushing my hair and Ayla was strategically placing small braids and some pretty sea glass beads in my long black hair. Then she passed around some juicy-flavored lip gloss and we were good to go.

Everything about this moment felt surreal. When did I start having friends? How had I gone from worrying about starving to death to finding the right clothes and hair style? My head was a mess. I was excited to see Pruk's reaction to my 'makeover.' and at the same time, I felt self-conscious and irrationally worried that Father would see me and chastise me. Ever the wallflower, I would rather fade into the background so the concept of dressing to stand out made me feel uncomfortable.

"Wow, you are so beautiful, Char, it's intimidating.", Tee said.

"We did good, right?", Ayla asked the room.

"Pruk is going to love the hair.", Max said.

I turned red and tried to return the compliments.

"You all look really good too.", I mumbled.