“Don’t forget my party tonight. The bash will be a blow-out. See you there.” Her eyelash extensions made big wink. “And no hooking up.” The crowd laughed.
Powder turned to Ashley. “I’ll see you at her party tonight?”
Ashley wrinkled her nose.
At her expression, Powder said, “The party’s for the whole crew. You’re going.”
“What are you wearing?”
“Feathers and teal makeup. Teal streaks in my hair if we break early enough tonight. Or maybe orange. You?”
Ashley looked down at her jeans and T-shirt. “Um.”
“Don’t,” Powder said. “You show up like that and I’ll take you to the car and redo your outfit and makeup with a pair of scissors and ebony night eyeliner.”
Ashley smiled, fully intending to wear something other than her usual jeans. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
***
Ash could hear music through the door of Petra’s apartment. She raised a painted pink nail and pressed the doorbell, wondering what Powder would think of her outfit. She wore a pink spaghetti-strapped top, black miniskirt, and black flats. Her makeup up was light except her eyes, which were smoky.
The stunt coordinator waved her in. The loft smelled a lot like Petra’s trailer, but the perfume wasn’t as overwhelming here in the larger space.
About thirty people stood inside, most of whom she knew. Glancing beyond them, she drew in a breath at the décor. Every wall glowed a different neon color, and against every color hung a dark-framed artistic shot of Petra. The images were completed in all mediums, oils, watercolors, charcoal, and film. When she tore her gaze from the ego extravaganza, she saw Cutter.
He wore a gold top loose over shiny gold skinny jeans. His brown hair was thick with mousse and stood straight up.
Cutter eyed her up and down with a hand clasped to his mouth. “O.M.G., it’s like you’re a girl. Who knew?”
“So says the guy wearing eyeliner. Where are—”
Cutter moved past her to greet someone else.
The eyes in the portrait hung on the lemon wall seemed to follow her steps. Creepy. The doorbell chimed and more people flowed in. Ashley spotted a wave, and was happy to see Powder. She was dressed in an orange leather jumpsuit and stood talking to a short, sturdy-looking guy in a pastel, button-down collar shirt over in the corner. What was his name? Ashley couldn’t remember, but it had something to do with sound. He worked in one of the offices.
Heading in their direction, she took a glass from one of the circulating waiters, and sipped the pale gold liquid infused with fizzy bubbles. Mid-path she ran into Petra holding court. “Hi, Petra, thanks for inviting me.”
Petra stared to the left and right of her, as if trying to see if Ashley brought a date. Spotting Ashley alone, she waved a dismissive hand weighed down by a sparkling emerald ring that matched her large emerald earrings. “Yeah, have fun.” She turned her focus back to her minions to continue her story. “I sat there.”
Olive said, “You’re kidding.”
“For at least an hour, in that wooden chair with its straight back.”
“No way.” Olive covered a mouth with her hand.
“Exactly. Only my dance training kept me sane. Having to hold my posture that long. You can’t imagine.”
Olive’s jaw dropped. “You know ballet?”
“Oh yes, I’ve studied all kinds of dance.”
Ashley left their group and continued toward the corner. After she reached them, she greeted Powder with a hug and the guy with a wave. Then she tried to be subtle about attempting to identify Powder’s date. She peered through the crowd. There were no chain-wearers in sight.
“Hey, I was about to tell Jason here about the kissing pentagon or maybe show him.”
Ashley’s eyes widened and her head swung back to pastel shirt. Jason? Powder was dating a guy who favored pastel and dressed like an accountant? Sipping her drink, she flushed a little and didn’t know what to say.
“Is the technique so secret only
Powder turned to Ashley. “I’ll see you at her party tonight?”
Ashley wrinkled her nose.
At her expression, Powder said, “The party’s for the whole crew. You’re going.”
“What are you wearing?”
“Feathers and teal makeup. Teal streaks in my hair if we break early enough tonight. Or maybe orange. You?”
Ashley looked down at her jeans and T-shirt. “Um.”
“Don’t,” Powder said. “You show up like that and I’ll take you to the car and redo your outfit and makeup with a pair of scissors and ebony night eyeliner.”
Ashley smiled, fully intending to wear something other than her usual jeans. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
***
Ash could hear music through the door of Petra’s apartment. She raised a painted pink nail and pressed the doorbell, wondering what Powder would think of her outfit. She wore a pink spaghetti-strapped top, black miniskirt, and black flats. Her makeup up was light except her eyes, which were smoky.
The stunt coordinator waved her in. The loft smelled a lot like Petra’s trailer, but the perfume wasn’t as overwhelming here in the larger space.
About thirty people stood inside, most of whom she knew. Glancing beyond them, she drew in a breath at the décor. Every wall glowed a different neon color, and against every color hung a dark-framed artistic shot of Petra. The images were completed in all mediums, oils, watercolors, charcoal, and film. When she tore her gaze from the ego extravaganza, she saw Cutter.
He wore a gold top loose over shiny gold skinny jeans. His brown hair was thick with mousse and stood straight up.
Cutter eyed her up and down with a hand clasped to his mouth. “O.M.G., it’s like you’re a girl. Who knew?”
“So says the guy wearing eyeliner. Where are—”
Cutter moved past her to greet someone else.
The eyes in the portrait hung on the lemon wall seemed to follow her steps. Creepy. The doorbell chimed and more people flowed in. Ashley spotted a wave, and was happy to see Powder. She was dressed in an orange leather jumpsuit and stood talking to a short, sturdy-looking guy in a pastel, button-down collar shirt over in the corner. What was his name? Ashley couldn’t remember, but it had something to do with sound. He worked in one of the offices.
Heading in their direction, she took a glass from one of the circulating waiters, and sipped the pale gold liquid infused with fizzy bubbles. Mid-path she ran into Petra holding court. “Hi, Petra, thanks for inviting me.”
Petra stared to the left and right of her, as if trying to see if Ashley brought a date. Spotting Ashley alone, she waved a dismissive hand weighed down by a sparkling emerald ring that matched her large emerald earrings. “Yeah, have fun.” She turned her focus back to her minions to continue her story. “I sat there.”
Olive said, “You’re kidding.”
“For at least an hour, in that wooden chair with its straight back.”
“No way.” Olive covered a mouth with her hand.
“Exactly. Only my dance training kept me sane. Having to hold my posture that long. You can’t imagine.”
Olive’s jaw dropped. “You know ballet?”
“Oh yes, I’ve studied all kinds of dance.”
Ashley left their group and continued toward the corner. After she reached them, she greeted Powder with a hug and the guy with a wave. Then she tried to be subtle about attempting to identify Powder’s date. She peered through the crowd. There were no chain-wearers in sight.
“Hey, I was about to tell Jason here about the kissing pentagon or maybe show him.”
Ashley’s eyes widened and her head swung back to pastel shirt. Jason? Powder was dating a guy who favored pastel and dressed like an accountant? Sipping her drink, she flushed a little and didn’t know what to say.
“Is the technique so secret only
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