You and Me (Plus Everyone In Between Us)

Lobotomy by Mascara

"Ow!" I grimaced, as Janelle stuck a bushy mascara applicator into my eyes.

I was currently in their dorm-turned-dressing room. Dresses sprawled all over their beds, and so did various makeup products. I sat patiently at the end of Grace's bed, as Janelle attempted to give me a lobotomy via mascara.

"The key is to hold still," Janelle insisted, putting an eternal death grip on my shoulder to keep still. "It's for your own good."

I didn't enjoy wearing makeup. Maybe if I wasn't lazy and flat-out unskilled, perhaps I could actually be pretty good at it.

I trusted Janelle though. Her makeup was soft light, almost angelic, like a little nesting doll.

"Okay," I huffed.

"What are you trying to wear?" Grace asked.

"I don't know," I responded. "Something that isn't too flashy. I don't want people to notice me."

"For real?" Grace wondered. "I think you should be noticed."

I sighed. "What if someone who knows someone who knows my parents sees me in something incriminating? I just kind of want to blend in. I don't want anyone finding out I'm a minor."

Grace and Janelle glanced at each other. Grace continued, "You are too funny sometimes."

"What did I do?" I wondered. She shrugged back.

"Anyway," Grace insisted. "What's your shoe size?"

"Eleven," I replied.

I had some pretty big feet, and it was all thanks to the collective effort of Mom and Dad. One of the few things we all had in common was our large feet. None of us were partially tall, vertically, however.

"We have the same size!" she exclaimed. "Let's see. How do you feel about heels?"

"Why do you need them?" I asked. "You're like way over six feet tall."

"Six foot six seven, to be exact," she corrected. "I wear them to make a statement. Who gets to decide how tall I get to be? If I want to be a seven-foot-tall goddess, then I'm gonna be seven feet tall. I'm taking all the height with me, and leave all of you vertically challenged!"

"That's so inspirational, babe," she deadpanned, before winking. Janelle had moved on from the failed eye transplant and had brought out mascara. She pressed her thumb on my temples as she stroked lightly against my eyelids. She stepped back once my right eye was done.

"They don't call me the Eyeliner Expert for nothing," Janelle fawned at herself.

"Who calls you that?" I asked.

"No one," she revealed.

I choked out a laugh. It was way better than choking on vape smoke in the bathroom. Something about this felt foreign.

"Okay dumb question," I blurted. "But what do you actually do at a party?"

"I don't know," Janelle sighed. "You dance. Maybe you drink a little."

"What's the goal?" I wondered. "What happened at the party?"

"Whatever you make it," Grace assured. "Have you ever been to one?"

I shake my head. Janelle stabilized it.

"Really?" they asked in unison. Pretty uncanny, if you asked me.

"Not even like a birthday party?"

"Of course, I've been to a birthday party," I responded with a bluffing choke. "Just ones supervised by trusted adults, of course."

They traded glances with each other. "You have so much to learn this summer."

"I think I do," I responded. "I don't want this to be boring. I'm trying to do something."

"Then...," Grace began, pulling one of Janelle's dresses out of her bed. "Here's what you will be wearing, Ezra. It's the only outfit I have that isn't pink or frilly."

The dress was short and there was a huge cutout in the middle that wrapped around from the top to the bottom.

"No!" I exclaimed. "I can't wear that!"

But despite its literal shortcomings, something told me to wear the dress. It was risky to wear. Mom would definitely not approve of that. Even in simple shorts, I was sent upstairs to change.

But I didn't have to tell her.

"I'll try it on," I caved in. "But if it doesn't fit, then I'll wear something else."

They both turned around collectively as I stripped down and slipped the dress over my head. Finally, my head entered the correct hole.

I stole a quick glance at myself in their mirror, and my jaw fell.

I looked breathtaking, to be honest. And this definitely wasn't parent-approved. Perhaps it was time to break off of their rules. I mentally checked it off of my newly formed list.

When they both looked, their jaws dropped collectively.

"You need to wear this!" Janelle exclaimed. "No offence Grace, but you look so hot right now."

"None taken," she replied. "Come on. So what's it gonna be?"

I glanced at myself back in the mirror.

"Let's get this started," I smiled.