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“All the time,” Claire replied. “And I know he listens to them.” Sighing, she added, “He just chooses not tohearthem.”

“Oh dear god,” Lizzie muttered. “That boy’s a donkey.”

“But Johnny’s not like that. He’ll listen, Shan. Healwayshears you. Oh here, take this—” Tossing a permanent black marker at me, Claire smiled. “Write something down on the disc once you’re done, so he doesn’t mistake it for one of Gerard’s creations.”

* * *

“You are so tiny, it’s sickening,” Lizzie groaned an hour later. “If I didn’t eat a bite of food for the next year and a half, I still wouldn’t be your size.”

That would be the hunger,I begrudgingly thought.Be glad you’ve never felt those kinds of pains.“Do I look bad?” I croaked out, feeling nervous, as I glanced down at my outfit. “Am I okay?”

“No.” She sighed and steered me toward the full-length mirror in the Biggs’s family bathroom. “You look amazing and perfect and I’m disgustingly jealous of you right now.”

“Ta-da,” Claire squeaked, waving around a foundation brush in her hand. “You look like a…like a…sexy bitch!”

Eyes locked on the mirror in front of me, I took in my appearance and blew out a shaky breath. “Whoa.”

“I know,” Claire agreed knowingly. “Hot stuff.”

“I’m going to freeze,” I whispered, taking in the sight of the halter-neck red dress Claire had practically wrestled me into. She told me it was a dress, but I knew she was lying because I specifically remembered admiring the same red halter-neck last month—when she wore it withjeans. To be fair, itwasa dress on me, reaching midthigh. On the upside, it was snug and not hanging off my body like most things I wore.

“The jacket will keep you warm,” Lizzie corrected, flicking the black leather jacket I was wearing.

“And the skirt is for easier access,” Claire snickered. “Just joking. Hey, what size shoe are you?”

“I’m a three,” I replied, watching myself warily in the mirror. My lips were bloodred to match my dress and my eyes were smoky. My hair was tousled up in a purposefully messy high ponytail that still reached my elbow in length.

“God, how unfair is that?” Lizzie grumbled. “I would kill to have small feet.”

“Mam’s a four. Hmm. Gimme a sec,” Claire mumbled before darting out of the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later with a pair of black heels. “Perfect.”

I eyed the spike heels with caution. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“It’s agreatidea,” she coaxed and then dropped to her knees and shoved the shoes on my feet before I had a chance to object. “Good god, you’re like a Bratz Doll with those big popping eyes and all that hair,” she said excitedly, standing up to take in my appearance. “You’re so cute it hurts.”

“Well, she’s not a doll, Claire,” Lizzie reminded her. “She’s a person and she looks… Stop it!” Slapping away the hairbrush Claire was inching toward me, Lizzie smiled. “You look gorgeous, Shan.”

“Are you sure I shouldn’t wear a bra?” I asked, feeling self-conscious.

“No,” Claire huffed. “You should absolutelynotwear a bra! It will ruin the whole outfit.”

“Shan, if I could get away with not wearing a bra, then I would be roaming free 24/7,” Lizzie said, squeezing my shoulder.

“Me too,” Claire offered supportively. “Flaunt those itty-bitty titties, girl.”

“Don’t you think that’s a bit short?” Hughie quizzed, cocking a brow as he leaned in the doorway of the bathroom. Frowning, he added, “I feel like I need to take off my jumper and put it on you.”

“Shut up, Hugh!” Claire growled. “Leave her alone.”

“Fair enough.” Holding his hands up in defeat, he said, “Now clear out of the bathroom, will ye? I need to get ready. I’m picking up Katie in half an hour.”

“Katie…” Claire mocked, fluttering her eyelashes. “Make sure you wash your willy for Katie.”

“There is something very wrong with you,” Hughie replied, scowling at his sister. “Mam and Dad brought the wrong baby home from the hospital.” Turning to me, he added, “By the way, Johnny’s parked outside.”

My eyes widened. “H-he is?”

“Yay—let’s go!” Clapping, Claire butted Hughie out of the way with her hip. “I’m so excited.”

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