I know The Devil

“Wow…” Stacey gasped almost like she could believe her eyes. “You look beautiful.”

“I do?” I rolled my eyes at her thinking she was being sarcastic but confusion crossed my features the next minute because her face remained in pure awe that I knew well enough she didn’t have it in her to fake. There was a reason why she was renowned for her bluntness, the girl can’t pretend to save herself!

After my shift, Diane had remained adamant on helping me get ready and I had dragged Stacey along because let’s just say I didn’t want to explain a missing eyebrow or accidental burn of my scalp since humans are prone to “mistakes” but by the looks of it I was at loss of what games Diane was playing now.

She swiveled my seat which she had insisted on turning away from the mirror initially, so now, I’m facing the mirror.

I blinked looking at my reflection and as corny as this moment seemed and how ridiculously absurd it was alike to a scene from “The makeover” I did look okay which didn’t happen everyday.

“This is nice.” I nodded in approval after a while.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Diane beamed.

“And I created this magic just with the basics, tinted lip balm, mascara and powder.” She walked over to my dresser and shook her head at me. “Noticed your empty vanity dresser so I left them behind so you can use them. Every girl needs minimal makeup every once in a while and you especially could use an up to speed with the do’s and dont’s of dressing up or down.”

I stood up from my chair giving Stacey an “I’m going to end this charade right now look” before walking up to Diane who was rummaging through her leather bag she had ran back home to get.

“Look.” I sighed realizing that what I was about to do would be so hard especially since she was pulling all stops to be this nice. “You do know that I can’t get you a cute rich guy and being nice to me wouldn’t make Law Tyler reply all the messages you have been sending him on Insta right?” I held her hand even as I gave her what my mom normally calls a polite enough smile. “I didn’t mean to get your hopes high and I’m so sorry I let you do all of this for nothing, don’t get me wrong I totally appreciate the gesture,” I said as Diane opened her mouth to speak. “But me and Law don’t even speak at all.” Because Titiana is always too busy sucking off his face disregarding how sick and nauseous her slurpy sounds were making a handful of us feel in class. What? I’m not the only one that has a problem with their PDA. The world has a problem if I’m alone!

“Yes, I know I deserve this moment because I fit the profile of this cold hearted gold digger which I can’t deny for the records are true. I crave opportunities to get out of here and unlike you, I’m not as brainy or smart so I use what is at my disposal which might be the reason why I had hated you even before I had my first conversation with you. Brainy, have a mother that truly cares and is not too busy smoking weed to remember she has a teenager at home, unbelievably good-looking too yet so clueless.” She says chuckling. “I bet that adds to the appeal. But more than all of these which had made me jealous of you, meeting you had killed me completely because you were unbelievable good and I could never be that girl. I’m not Prudence who is in the lips of just everyone in Creekside who is too good to be in the hood and the only news that never grows old here. Butut not anymore because I hear the whispers, I followed few of your classmates after Law and I was shunned when I tried hitting them up because I’m some La Paz chick which in itself is nothing wrong as it is a vibrant capital city of Baja California sur but none of them cared because It was obvious I wasn’t some rich kid hiding away in lapaz because of its amazing scenic views as I reeked of Creekside and that alone was my crime.”

I looked away not excepting the quick turn of events and Diane’s hand on mine startled me as I wondered how she was able to grasp all this, the judgement, the condescension, the disrespect in just few conversations.

“I don’t know how hard going to school with such presumptuous people is like but you’re not alone anymore Prudence and make no mistake I still hate you and don’t pity you because my little sister believes your beauty is…” she frowned. “Ethereal but I’m more determined in showing those Todos Santos bubble protected idiots that we can dominate, make heads turn and still ace life even as occupants of a hood that comes with poverty as a package deal and I would never have wished for a better representative because although you don’t believe it now, which was one of the things that I thought you were pretending about you have it in you to ace whatever you put your mind in, this party inclusive.”

My mouth must have been hanging open as Diane completely obliterated everything I thought I knew about her and I felt my cheeks grow warm at the thought that I had truly jumped over the gun while judging her.

Stacey sniffed in the background even as I found myself opening my arms to Diane who fell into it and after few seconds of what had to be the most awkward hug of my life, Diane went back to searching her bag.

“I know you might not know this about me, but I’m guilty of buying clothes whenever I’m tensed, stressed or just angry and you are in luck because I’m usually a lot of these things all the time which makes me have an oversight and buy clothes that aren’t even my size!”

“Such an extravagant hobby.” Stacey mumbled under her breath shrugging as I arched a brow at her which Diane noticed and chuckled.

“I really can’t help myself especially since it is cheaper than therapy. Imagine paying someone just to listen to you!” Her eyes widened in mock incredulity even as she produced a bikini from her bag.

“This just screams you all over it, Prudence.” Stacey muttered.

“It does?” I asked in surprise because Stacey always never agrees with Diane. That’s like her thing.

I stared at the quintessential halter turned strapless style bathing suit with a fun open back that can be worn two ways with removable strip ties and though I couldn’t help but admit that the bikini in front of me was beyond gorgeous, the truth is that I didn’t know if I could pull wearing something this bold and flirty. At this point this wasn’t even a baby anything, I was purely leaping now as I beamed at Diane whose smile was already faltering at how long as I was taking to decide on the bikini which was quickly rectified as I told her I loved it. Believe me peer pressure is real and valid.

I walked out ten minutes later wearing the bikini underneath a cotton free black gown courtesy of Diane’s induced habits of dealing with basically everything which I intend to pay her back for because I was so keeping the gown.

“Thank you.” I whispered to Diane as I packed a picnic blanket, beach towels, and flip-flops into a portable leather bag courtesy of mom who never gave up the thoughts that someday I’ll just morph into a normal high school kid and have use for them.

“For what? Making you do most of my job while I flirt at the din?” She teased, a smile on her face which I reciprocated but was wiped two seconds later as my phone chimed with a message from Gloria.

She had caught a flu and though it wasn’t serious, she needed to sleep it off.

Stacey had already left in a hurry to the din minutes ago because unlike us she worked full time and she was at a risk of coming back from her lunch break quite late if she spent extra time with us and there was no fucking way I was going to Todos Santos alone so that left me with no other choice.

“Remember your speech which basically was all about Creekside women helping the other, I think there just might be a call for you to do that. One guess, it includes a party and boys. Cute rich boys.”

I laughed so hard when Diane comes back minute later panting hard with her beach items while I wonder how she had fitted into the crop top and shorts she was wearing, did her hair, wore make-up and with the sunglasses ontop of her head looked at ease in such record timing. I guess some people were just pros in acing this getting dressed thing, just to be clear I don’t share any genetic trait with “some people.”

I just wanted to have the best day of my life void of overthinking and having the world on my shoulders like Rob would constantly tell me I do. I just wanted to be a teenager, just for today, just for a while, just in Tristan’s beach house.