Page 14 of Best Mistake Ever
Ah, yes, of course. That was something I’d need to deal with if I’m going to keep stepping in for Dee.
My stomach turns over.
‘I pretended I was wearing a wig to disguise a bad haircut.’ I take a steadying breath, finding it incredibly hard to say the next words. ‘But I’ll need you to cut it off for me. There’s no way I’ll get away with playing on that story for the rest of the week.’ I screw up my face. ‘And maybe it’s time for a change anyway?’ I finish lamely.
‘Really?’ Dee says, apparently shocked by my suggestion.
‘Yes,’ I say, with conviction this time, fighting my jitters. ‘Let’s do it.’
It does seem like a good time for a change. I’ve been hanging on to my childhood hairstyle for too long now and it’s probably time to try something new.
I’m not sure what’s made me feel like this, but I’m just going to run with it for now.
‘Ok-ay,’ she says, clearly not convinced I’m entirely happy with the decision, but willing to go with it anyway. ‘Grab the kitchen scissors and I’ll chop it off for you.’
Fifteen minutes later, I’m holding my now detached ponytail in my hand and trying not to cry as I feel a breeze tickle the back of my neck. Dee’s done a pretty good job of trimming it to makeit as straight as possible, but I can still barely stand to look at myself in the mirror.
I look so different.
I look like Dee.
Oh, my beautiful hair.
I take a stuttering breath.
But it had to be done. And it’ll grow back if I decide I don’t want to keep it this short.
I reach up and tug at the freshly shorn ends, still in a state of shock about how different it feels.
My comfort blanket is gone.
All gone.
It’ll be worth it, though, if it helps to even things up with my sister so I can stop feeling so guilty about the advantages I’ve had through getting preferential attention from my dad.
Dee, who’s sitting behind me on the bed, shuffles forward and rests her chin on my shoulder. We both stare into the mirror at the double image.
‘Hey, look, we’re twins!’ she says with a twinkle in her eye.
I can’t help but laugh, even though I still want to cry a little bit.
‘We’re a couple of hotties, aren’t we?’ she says, when my face falls back into a slightly stricken expression.
I give her a weak smile this time.
‘Speaking of hotties. What did you think of Jonah?’ she asks, widening her eyes and waggling her eyebrows at me.
There’s a weird little flutter in my stomach at the sound of his name.
Then I remember the attempted kiss.
‘Ah, yes. I have a bone to pick with you. Were you ever going to tell me that you tried to snog your boss?’ I ask, one eyebrow raised.
Dee bats her hand at me. ‘Ah, that was just a misunderstanding,’ she says, but the look in her eye is suspiciously shifty. ‘I was just being extra friendly to try and shake him out of a bad mood and he took it the wrong way.’
‘Hmm.’ I’m not entirely convinced by this.
‘You’ve met him; he’s a total grump, right?’ she says, screwing up her nose. ‘A sexy grump, but very – what’s the word? – cantankerous.’
