Page 42 of The Spare
"Now, what are you going to wear?" she asks. Strolling to my side of the dorm she opens the door then steps back with her hands on her hips. She scans the rows and rows of leggings and tank tops, her frown getting deeper every passing second. Stepping forward, the hangers clack together loudly as she moves it all to the side rather violently to get to the back of the closet, where the pickings are still meager."This is all you've got?"
I bite my lip. "Yes."
Standing up, I clutch the towel I wrapped around me tighter and walk over to the closet with her. She picks out a black dress, but it goes all the way to my ankle and has ruffles on it. It's completely inappropriate for a birthday dinner. Isobel got it for me last year to go to some banquet with her when Hendrix was out of town.
Karissa tsks. "We're going shopping in my closet."
She pivots on her heel and skips to her closet which is stuffed full to the gills with all manner of clothes and begins moving hanger after hanger. I admire her style, but she's shorter than me, so anything she could possibly give me will more than likely be indecent.
My phone dings, and I walk back over to the little vanity where I see Mason's texted me.
It's five o'clock sweetheart. -Mason
I know. I'm trying to find something to wear. -Melody
The bubbles come fast.
"Here, I think these will be so pretty on you," Melody interrupts, draping a couple options over my bed. I look over and cringe, seeing it's just as bad, if not worse, than I thought. She got out options for what looks to be a nightclub, not my in-law's grand estate.
What do you mean you're trying to find something to wear? Melody…-Mason
My brow arches at his obvious slight chastisement of me. His discontent wafts through the phone, and gets my butt into gear. I bite my lip and hurry over to the bed, snatching one up.
"I'll take this one," I say, picking up a rather pretty deep purple dress with itty bitty tassels all over it. It's shimmery and looks good against my skin.
I'm already outside waiting. Don't make me have to come get you. -Mason
"He's here!" I gasp, turning quickly to head to the door so I can change in the bathroom like usual. I'm rushing, and it sets Karissa off, igniting her hyper-excited attitude.
"Who?"Karissa asks, her voice going an octave higher as my panic spreads.
I veer to the vanity and snatch my hair oil off, twirling around like a manic. I don't know why he affects me this bad, but Mason has always been able to dig under my skin and set me off kilter.
“My sister's brother-in-law. The ‘Spanish one,’" I air quote her words from earlier. "He's picking me up, and he's already here," I stress, stumbling over a wayward shirt left in the floor.
"No time for that then."
Karissa leans forward and snatches the dress out of my hand and then shoves it over my head. Before I know it, she's ripped the toweloff, and, yelping, I clamp my arm over my breasts. I'm left glowering at her while standing in nothing but a black thong and this ridiculous dress around my neck. She ignores me and manhandles me into the dress.
As soon as it's smoothed over my hips I bend down and flip my hair a little, shaking my curls out and spritzing oil everywhere. "It's too fucking short," I complain, tugging on the hem.
"Hang on, I bought some too-big tights last week by accident. See if they'll fit!" She dives for her dresser, pulling out a pair of sheer, black tights. I yank them on carefully, trying to not tear them. Thankfully, they have a lot of stretch, and they work, but they're mighty sheer.
"Here wear these." Before I can stand up straight and get my bearings, she pushes me to the edge of her mattress and picks my foot up where she shoves a black, ridiculously high platform heel on my foot.
"Karissa!"I protest, pulling my foot away, but she just yanks me back, tying the strap around my ankle.
Just then my phone rings. I answer, completely overwhelmed.
"What?"I snap, not even knowing who's on the other end.
"Who are you talking to like that?" Mason says, making me bite my lip.
"Sorry, I didn't know it was you."
"And why not?"
I frown at his irritated tone. "What do you mean why not?"
