Chapter Sixteen
Jen
By the time I left the pregame I had been transformed. I have never argued my look. It's me. I am skinny jeans, shabby kind of in layers and scarfs and drama. If I dress up I can do the heels thing with cute tight tops, but I haven’t been that girl in a long time. That being said, I felt nerves unlike any time before in my life as I went, dressed to kill, to watch Cal play.
I couldn’t believe they took the time to plan this dress up party for me so that I felt special even though it wasn’t my night.
"You are gonna want to look like a trophy bitch tonight baby. I bet ya that." Raleigh says as he hands me the black skinny jeans with holes split in the knees and a tight t shirt that says 'Rock N Roll stole my soul' on it.
"Well thanks Ral." I say sarcastically and roll my eyes when he snaps me into line and I put the clothes on.
"He's right Jen." Bright says when she enters the vanity room. Legit, Noah let her have a girly room. "You will be kissing his ass later."
"Do you know something I don’t?" I ask, knowing that they have seen more of this show in practice than I have.
"We know everything." Raleigh says with a 'duh bitch obviously' tone.
"I don’t want a spectacle." I groan hoping they aren’t planning on making a scene tonight of all nights.
"Please." Ral says and rolls his eyes. "Like I am classless? Girl I wouldn’t embarrass you, nobody would. Just trust me yeah?"
I look at him dead pan as he says it in a perfect imitation of Noah.
"Are you seriously mimicking him now?" I ask and he winks.
"It worked though, so in this yeah. Besides sugar daddy would never let anyone embarrass you. He loves you almost as much as he loves me."
I laugh at the ego and though I know he loves me, he truly has taken Raleigh in like a long lost wayward kid he needed to adopt to save. It was odd, but it worked.
"Well, then I guess you better make me look the part Ral." I laugh as I say it and the nervous butterflies are flying around in my tummy. It has been a long time since I watched Cal take the stage hoping he would leave with me.
Now, dressed in the tight t and jeans he throws me a bone and lets me wear my red chucks after rolling the cuff of my jeans. He systematically puts each bracelet on my wrists, and rings on my fingers before starting in on a messy knot for my hair.
How he made me look like this was effortless and perfect was beyond me. The boy was gifted for sure. We are met with Carrie and Cassa as the kitchen fills up, and more of the same excitement from them.
"You look perfect for tonight Jen." Carrie says and hands me a shot of tequila as we all cheers.
"Can I suggest...?" Cassa asks and looks to Ral and I for our approval. Cassa is knock out beautiful and her style sense is up there with Ral and Bright, so I begrudgingly allow her to fix whatever she thinks is off.
"Come with me." She says and pulls me by the arm to Bright's closet and looks to Ral who followed us in. "I need scissors." She says and I feel dread.
"What are you cutting?" I ask with trepidation and all trust in my look is fading.
"Trust her." He says and hands her some big ass scissors.
She starts slicing the back of the shirt and the sides until, if possible it looks better. "How did you do that?" I ask and look at the black shirt that was already a tight fit and how now it shows just enough of everything to look sexier and still keep its edge.
"I do this to my TAT shirts usually." She says as she pulls a clunky large black belt around my waist and fastens it on my hip.
I look in the mirror at the quick transformation and love what she did.
"Wow, I love it Cassa. Thank you." I mean it and hope she can feel the sincerity. A year ago, I think she would watch me burn before offering to piss on the fire to save me. It seems though, that we have reached that point where I have proven myself to them as changed.
I both hate it and am thankful for it.
I understand why they hated me, but now I would forever guess the start of these friendships. I knew Cassa a little in high school, she was always with Shamus and we got along though we ran in different circles. I was desperate to be popular and surrounded by friends and Cass just didn’t give a shit, she had Shame and that was all she cared about.
"You’re welcome Jen. And I mean that." She says and places her hands on my shoulders to ensure I am paying attention. "And you arewelcome. Here, with us. We are family Jen and you are a part of it and I am sorry for how awful I was to you."