Ladies' Choice (re-uploading SOON)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Checking my hair in the mirror, I threatened myself that it was going to be the last time, or we were going to be late. I was going back and forth between putting my hair behind my ears or in front of it. I was wearing earrings for once in my life by Elena's instructions. But I have what my father calls "grandpa's ears" which really just means they stick out too far and look like two swinging doors are hanging off the side of my head. Obviously, I haven't forgotten an off-handed comment from when I was ten.

When I'm standing side by side with other people, I'll never stop thinking about my cousin saying I had sharp elbows. Glancing at myself, when I'm brave enough to look in the mirror, I hear my mom's voice as she suggested waxing my eyebrows every time we got our nails done together. Jess used to tell me to ignore all the noise because my mom put "live, laugh, love" signs from Hobby Lobby all around the house. No one in our family had taste.

It was easy for her to say it with all that pretty privilege

Hair down it is.

Following Elena's every instruction, I pulled on a pair of light wash jeans and put my girl in red October t-shirt over a black turtleneck. Comfy, cute, and stylish. It was cold enough for me to grab my windbreaker, and Elena said that was allowed.

I glanced at my letter from Daniella.

Her words, hinting that I may or may not be cute based on my handwriting. Imagining Daniella James saying this out loud with words and her voice made me want to shove my head through the nearest wall and once I pulled my sanity together, I was off, slipping out the front door before my parents could ask too many questions and I was at Mona's house before I knew it.

Looking up at her house, I took a deep rib popping breath and stepped out of the car. I checked my posture, cracked my back, and started for her front door, the nerves settling into my bones like the top of a shaken soda bottle. It was all fuzzy and bubbling, and I was worried about them all spilling over. I already texted Mona that I was here, so knocking on the door wouldn't be a surprise.

Two knocks and the dog inside started losing her mind, and I had to take another deep breath. This wouldn't be my first date. I went out on a little date with Gretchen, a great winger on our team, but we left thinking we were better off as friends.

Friends, but I never saw her outside of practice again. It wasn't as comfy being around her as it was before. This was different. Mona was different. She wasn't even on the soccer team... that was also exactly what I didn't want to happen to Elena and Skipper. They were great friends. What they already had was really special. Adding romance to it just complicated everything. Opened them to failure. If what they had wasn't broken they shouldn't try to change it.

"Peggy, quiet down already. Relax," I heard someone on the other side, who sounded like Mona's little sister Jean. And it was. She opened the door, still in her pajama pants with an oversized sweatshirt on top. She had the dirty blonde hair Mona would have if she didn't dye it purple.

"Hey, Zoey," she said. "Come on in. Mona's almost ready."

"I am ready!" Mona called. "I'm not late!" By the strain in her voice, she sounded like she might as well be late. Her feet rumbled down the stairs and my brow quirked, seeing not only Mona appear, but Allison too.

Allison, for the first time since I've known her, looked completely normal, but Allison wasn't regular people pretty. Allison was movie star pretty. All she wore was plain black leggings and a t-shirt with her sports bra peeking out and I was blushing. Her braids were down and waved by her elbows.

"Hi," I greeted them both.

"Hi, weirdo." Allison grinned and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She leaned against the railing, crossing her arms, establishing herself in the audience and not a part of the show.