Page 38 of Tilly in Technicolor
“It was very encouraging,” she says, grabbing me by the ankles and yanking me down the bed so my shoes aren’t on it.
“You two kill me,” I say, sitting up and pointing between her and Oliver. “So stoic and serious. It’s okay to admit that it went frigging great.”
Mona rolls her eyes again then walks to the mirror to put on makeup. “Don’t sayfrigging.”
“Sorry. It’s okay to admit that it wentfuckinggreat.”
“Tilly!” Mona says, whipping around mid-mascara swipe to glare at me.
“Where’s Amina?” I ask, noticing her absence. She would have gotten a kick out of that one.
“She’s, um, out,” Mona says, tossing the mascara tube back into her makeup bag.
“Out where?” I ask, watching Mona pop the cap off her lipstick and twist the end.
“Uh. She’s. I don’t know. Just out. Out getting something.” Mona swipes on the color and uses her finger to fix the edges.
“Why do you have your date lipstick on?” I ask, walking up next to Mona and leaning toward her mouth. She shoves me away from her.
“I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. You only wear red lipstick for dates.” Mona is so type A that, even in high school, she had labeled boxes in her bathroom drawers with makeup specific to events ranging from Tuesday debate club meetings to Friday date nights.
“No. What. I…” She looks around the room like she’s searching for the emergency escape. Her eyes land on Oliver. “You two should go explore,” Mona says, shooing us with her hands.
“No, thank you,” Oliver says.
“I’d rather rip my own hair out,” I add.
Mona frowns. “Really. Go. If nothing else, take some pictures for Instagram.”
“Are you asking me to explore or are you asking me to take photos?” Oliver clarifies. “I need to know if I should record the time on my invoice.”
“You’re gettingpaid?” I ask incredulously, sinking in my heels and resisting the downright pushing Mona has started doing to get me out of the room. “Why am I not getting paid?” I add, turning on Mona.
“Because you’re on a free trip around Europe!” Mona says, throwing her hands in the air.
Oh. Yeah. Well, work is still work and I need to pinch every penny if I’m going to keep consuming pastries and coffee at the rate I am.
“Why are you so determined to get us out of here?” I ask, eyes narrowing as Mona tries to crowd me out like an Australian shepherd herding sheep.
“I’m not! It’s just…”
A knock sounds at the door.
“Hi, gorgeous. You ready for our—” Amina pokes her head into the room, a bottle of wine and two glasses in her hands. Her eyes go wide and her mouth snaps shut when she sees Oliver and me staring at her.
Holy shit.
I knew it!
I freakingknewthere was something there.
I turn to Mona with a giant, open-mouthed grin. I suck in a breath, preparing to scream out my excitement.
“Don’t,” Mona says, eyes wide as she holds up a menacing finger.
I choke back the gleeful shriek clawing at my throat, my head about to explode.
