Page 18 of Property of Fox

“The book signing is tomorrow. We have plenty of time to get ready,” I say, reaching for my plate again, only for Keira to pull it farther away.

“Um, hello, the welcome party is tonight. We're not missing that. And you know what that means,” Kiera chirps excitedly as she transfers the plate to a nearby counter. “We need outfits. We’re not going to show up looking like we just rolled out of bed.”

“Outfits? This isn’t prom.” I retort, slightly confused. It’s just a book signing. Why would we need fancy clothes for that?

“No, it’s better,” she beams. “My aunt has some amazing vintage pieces in her closet upstairs. There’s got to be something in there that we can wear to make a statement.”

I watch her bolt up the stairs, her energy infectious, pulling me along whether I want to or not. My initial resistance starts to fade, replaced by an unexplainable pull. Perhaps it was the thought of combining leather jackets with the intoxicating smell of new books that got me buzzing inside.

With a half-hearted groan, I follow her footsteps. Kiera stands in front of the closet, throwing open the doors like a magician revealing a secret stash of treasures. Dresses hang in a riot of colors.

“Here! This one!” she squeals as she holds up an emerald green dress. She tosses it at me and moves to dig further into the depths of her aunt's fashion vault.

I hold the dress against me, admiring how it pops against my pale skin. “What makes you think that’ll even fit? I’m way taller than you.”

“You’ll make it work,” she declares with a wink. “You’ve got the height for it. We just need to show off those gorgeous legs.”

"Legs that have been trapped in jeans for far too long," I counter but can’t help smiling at her enthusiasm.

Moments later, Kiera surfaces from the closet with an oversized leather jacket slung over one arm. “And this will complete your outfit,” she announces triumphantly.

“You seriously think I can pull this off?” My confidence starts to dwindle again.

“Absolutely! You’ll look fierce, like a badass bookworm who fell out of my fashion fantasy,” Kiera retorts, draping the jacket around my shoulders. “Trust me, Brea. Just try it on. You’re about to unleash a whole new side of yourself. Now about the shoes. I’m thinking heels.” Keira dives into the bottom of her aunt’s closet and pulls out a black pair of pumps, tossing them to me. “You should be about the same size.”

With an eye roll and the sense that arguing further would be futile against her sheer enthusiasm, I head towards the mirror. I strip from my pajamas and slip the dress over my head before I shrug into the oversized jacket. The shoes are a little big, but I can make them work for a few hours.

Kiera claps from behind me, her excitement infectious. “See? You look incredible! This is the new you. Fun, flirty, free.”

I turn sideways in the mirror and study my reflection closely for signs of transformation. The longer I look, the clearer it becomes that this version of me is bold and unashamedly alive—not bound by guilt or fear.

“We need some killer accessories,” Kiera says, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away from the mirror.

We rummage through her aunt’s shelves filled with odds and ends. I can’t help but think about how much has changed in just a few short hours. It feels like every corner I turn leads me closer to something bigger.

Kiera digs deeper into the eclectic array of mismatched items, her excitement bubbling over with each new discovery. “Here we go!” she exclaims, holding up a silver cuff bracelet adorned with intricate designs that sparkle in the light. “Thisscreams you, Brea. Edgy yet elegant. Perfect for the biker vibe we're going for!”

I take the bracelet from her and turn it over in my hands, admiring the craftsmanship. “It’s beautiful. I’ll take it.” Somehow, as I clasp it around my wrist, an unfamiliar sense of confidence flows through me.

Kiera is already digging into another box, pulling out a choker that looked like it belonged to a rock star from the ‘80s. “This will add just the right amount of sass,” she said, wrapping it around my neck while adjusting it carefully. The leather feels cool against my skin, and I hardly recognized the person staring back at me in the mirror.

“Okay, maybe this is more fun than I thought,” I admit, letting a smile creep onto my lips.

“Just wait until you see your hair!” Kiera laughs as she begins to pull out brushes and products from a shelf lined with beauty essentials. The earnest look in her eyes warms me. She wants this to be perfect for me. And, so do I.

FOX

I stepthrough the glass doors with my bag, the fluorescent lights of the airport fading behind me. My delightful time with the federal air marshal’s office and T.S.A. is now finally over. After three hours of questioning, background checks, bag searches, and even a cavity search, likely thanks to the hulk of an air marshal who plane-jailed me, I am ready to get the fuck out of this place.

Az, Hallie, and Eden stand in a semi-circle waiting for me.

Eden, brightly vibrant with her rainbow hair, bounces on her heels, her perpetual energy seemingly contagious. Hallie stands beside her, a confident smile breaking across her face as she waves enthusiastically. At the same time, Az's tall frame looms protectively at her side, his blue eyes scanning the area.

"There you are! Did they buy you dinner before or after the cavity search?” Eden smiles.

“I don’t kiss and tell about my time with the sky cops," I shoot back.

Hallie shifts beside Az. She leans closer to him, whispering something that makes him chuckle softly, a sound that sends a warmth through my chest.

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