October 2nd, 205392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXbCuYPK7K
Zinnia had outdone herself today with my outfit. I overheard last night's phone call. It was around 2 AM, but I hadn't fallen asleep yet. After all, I was feeling too awake. My brain, the Aura part of it, was still running simulations, dissecting the day's events, and cataloging every new piece of social data over the last week at school.
Dad was in the next room, talking to Zinnia at normal volume. He assumed I was asleep. I'm glad he has enough trust in me to not check the security camera, or am I really just a good liar? Probably a bit of both. He wants to believe I'm just a normal, sleeping teenager, so he allows himself to.
"It's difficult. I know she has the fall cupcake sale tomorrow but it's risky to have you over here. You were here just eight days back." Dad told her, trying to sound as mature and authoritative as he could. His voice sounded thin, almost strained, through the wall.
Silence for a few more seconds, probably Zinnia making a dramatic sigh or trying to get a word in.
"I understand, Zinnia, you want to help, but maybe... you can have a few minutes of extra time on tomorrow's morning call." He was clearly trying to placate her, and failing.
He was pacing now, I could feel the vibrations through the floorboards. It always meant he was stressed, caught between two impossible choices. "I... I can ask someone to come over here early tomorrow. One of my colleagues could help do her makeup."
Another pause, then Dad's voice, laced with what sounded like exasperation. "Hell, I might as well do the makeup then...... wait, you're removing the blue highlights now too?" He sounded like he was losing the argument, which, knowing Zinnia, he probably was.
The idea of Dad, in his ridiculous brown wig, attempting to apply Lexi's trendy makeup was almost enough to make me crack a genuine smile.
It was a visual I definitely didn't need in my head right before a public event, but now I can't stop thinking about it. The great Lead Carbon himself, one of the most eminent scientists in the weekend... applying makeup on a teenage girl. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZdgODYqpO
I don't remember the rest, but there was a final, resigned sigh from Dad. The argument, it seemed, was definitively over. Zinnia had probably won.
"Fine, but you'll need to be early. Stay away from heavy traffic, you can't be spotted," and a list of instructions.
***
The next morning proved her victory. My sleep, already light, was annihilated by a relentless knocking at the door somewhere around 5:30 AM. It was Zinnia, a whirlwind of early-morning energy, armed with a tote bag full of cosmetics and an unshakeable determination. She bypassed any pretense of asking, heading straight for the bathroom. The process was swift, efficient, and surprisingly thorough.
The blue highlights, which had felt so rebellious and Lexi-like, were mercilessly stripped away, replaced by a temporary, unassuming brown dye. My actual makeup, thankfully, I'd learned to apply myself with the help of a few late-night tutorials. I still opted for a lighter touch than Zinnia would have preferred, avoiding the excessive shimmer and bold lines she championed. After all, Lexi was sweet, not a disco ball.
By the time we headed to school, the transformation was complete. The plain brown hair, the subtle makeup, the carefully chosen outfit from Zinnia's "pick-me-girl" collection that she'd deemed acceptable. It was a simple dress, not way too annoying to perform my basic life functions in. Paired with slip-on shoes, I looked like I was a rich person on a fancy expensive vacation. I felt like that too.
I looked in the mirror and saw a stranger, a more polished, less obviously "new" version of Lexi. It was unsettling how easily my own appearance could be remade, like a sculpture in clay. But it was for the mission. It was for Lexi.
***
When I arrived at the school field in the morning, everyone was shocked. Girls were standing around with their friends, talking about how pretty I looked. Boys had the same reaction, just... they tried not to make it as obvious.
Hell, even Carly Nitride herself wasn't death glaring me... for a little while, until Miss Cyanide realized that she was supposed to be hating me, then she returned to normal.
Zinnia did so much to my appearance that Carly forgot about hating me for a split second there.
I actually didn't realize that her elements of carbon and nitrogen spelled cyanide until now actually... like genuinely never thought about it.
"Damn, Lex, you look gorgeous!" Liora called out from behind me. "I almost didn't recognize you without the blue hair. Natural brown suits you, girl." She gave me a cheerful, enthusiastic hug from behind, which I returned.
It was when she released that Sylvia, who entered just that moment, enveloped me in a tighter, more aggressively friendly hug. "Babe, who does your makeup?! You look beautiful!!" Her voice suddenly went low. "You are gonna have people asking you out like fifty times today, trust me."
"Don't scare her," Liora playfully scolded. "I bet she's probably already dating someone."
"No, I'm not..." I admitted. "Guys I'm not that pretty," my voice trailed off, aiming for faux humility.
Lie. One of those lies to get people trying to convince me otherwise. It's true, I'm not naturally beautiful as Aura. I did look less Aura today, which is an upgrade on my looks.
The strategic deprecation worked like a charm.
"Are you kidding?" Liora scoffed, pulling back to look me up and down. "You're literally glowing! Seriously, everyone's staring. You're going to clean up at this fundraiser just by being adorable." She nudged me playfully towards the cupcake table, and I moved, armed with my new face, my temporary hair, and a fresh batch of sincerity. The game was on.
I knew he would be here, but I didn't expect him to buy a cupcake. Archie, in the flesh, came over to the stall. Even after the weird conversation I had with him on the first day, the one where he casually dropped the bomb about Aura’s alleged death and his feelings.
He seemed cheerful enough, as Archie goes. He was, well, Archie. He had a black hoodie, surprisingly plain, which perfectly aligned with his slightly disheveled red hair.
"Hey Lexi," he said to me coolly, his gaze lingering for a millisecond too long.
This was a problem. My internal monologue, the unfiltered Aura, was still seething. Dang it, I'm still mad at him for probably siding with Aurelia, for believing that ridiculous story, for being so painfully oblivious to the actual truth. But Lexi had to snap out of it and act all sweet.
"Hey Archie," I chirped, plastering on my brightest, most innocent smile. "You want a cupcake?" I gestured to the rows of frosted treats, my hand waving a little too enthusiastically.
He chuckled, a low, easy sound that made my chest feel... weird. The irritation... it manifests physically sometimes. "Yeah, I guess so." He scanned the table, not really looking at the cupcakes, but at me. "Which one's your favorite?"
My brain, the Aura part, immediately started processing this. Was he trying to find common ground? Gather data on Lexi's preferences? Or was it just a polite question?
The Lexi part of me kicked in with practiced ease. "Oh, that's so hard to choose! They're all, like, really good. But I guess... the red velvet? It's just so classic, you know?" I gave a little shrug, trying for endearing indecision.
And, just a disclaimer, his red hair was totally not a factor in my decision.
His eyes crinkled at the corners, a genuine smile replacing his cool demeanor. "Red velvet, huh? Good choice. I'll take that one then." He pulled out his phone, the faint sound of the digital transaction filling the air between us. As I handed him the cupcake, our fingers brushed.
It was just a fleeting touch, barely there, but something in my chest fluttered, a totally unscientific, unexpected reaction. I drank some water after he left, and it seemed to settle. Probably a hiccup.
There was nothing to be alarmed by. I nearly hiccupped is all. I should drink more water...
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