Page 34 of Beautiful Harmony

“I don’t need my hair and makeup done,” Emma said.

Arianna gave her a wounded look. “Ray-Ray promised me I could do your hair and makeup.”

Emma studied the makeup spread out on the kitchen table. “Why is there so much glitter?”

“Because fairies sparkle,” Arianna said. “Sit down, Emma.”

She tugged Emma over to the chair. Emma put the wings on the table and then sat with a groan, sweeping the ankle-length purple tulle skirt carefully to the side so that Arianna didn’t step on it. “Pretty sure my ribcage is collapsing.”

“Maybe, but you look so damn hot in your fairy outfit that it’s worth it,” Arianna said.

“Since when did fairies even wear corsets?” Emma grumbled.

“Oh, hush,” Rayna said. “You look great.”

As Arianna perused her makeup selection, Emma said, “How come Rayna doesn’t have to have her makeup done?”

“Because she’s wearing a fake mustache,” Arianna said.

Rayna smoothed the mustache with her fingers. “Nobody wants glitter in their mustache, Emma.”

“Can you please explain why you get to go as Mario, but I couldn’t go as Luigi?” Emma said.

“Because the fairy costume looked way hotter on you,” Rayna shoved her hands into the pockets of her bright blue overalls. “And the Luigi costumes were all sold out.”

“I can’t believe you’re going as a plumber,” Arianna told Rayna. “That’s your job, not a costume.”

“This is a costume,” Rayna said. “I only wear a fake mustache to a plumbing call when the situation calls for it.”

“A plumbing situation never calls for a fake mustache,” Emma said.

“You’d be surprised,” Rayna tucked a stray strand of hair under the cap. “Besides, I look sexy in these overalls.”

“No, you do not,” Arianna said.

She had a sponge with foundation in one hand, and Emma said, “I can’t wear foundation. It’ll dry out my skin and give me zits.”

“This is that new hypoallergenic one I told you about,” Arianna said. She dodged Emma’s hand and dabbed it onto her cheek. “This is the perfect time to try it and see if your skin reacts. Hold still, please.”

“Rayna, help!” Emma said.

Rayna smoothed her fake mustache again. “Like you helped me when she was ripping out my eyebrows?”

“Hold still, Emma,” Arianna demanded. “This is happening, and it’ll go a lot easier if you just let me have my way.”

Emma sighed and stopped moving. “You’re relentless, Arianna.”

“I know, right? It’s, like, my best quality,” Arianna said happily. “Okay, let’s turn you into a sparkly fairy.”

Half an hour later, Arianna added a final coat of mascara to Emma’s lashes before standing back and staring critically at her. Rayna joined her and stared silently at Emma.

“Oh God, is it that bad?” Emma asked at the look on her best friend’s face.

“No, it’s… incredible,” Rayna said.

“I am, like, so good at what I do,” Arianna said. She handed Emma a mirror, and with trepidation flowing through her, Emma stared into the mirror.

She inhaled sharply, her pink glossed lips dropping open. She studied the face in the mirror, her gaze sweeping over the artfully applied eyeshadow in shades of shimmery purple and pink that made her eyes look impossibly blue and the dusting of light pink glitter that covered her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose.

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