Chapter 3
Six hours had gone by before either girl had realized it. They’d been riveted on the tv, watching Bridget Jones go through her various escapades, then started on Grease. Vanessa had gotten up once to refill the popcorn bowl, and that had really been the only interruption. Rosalie loved having a friend to be couch potatoes with.
“So, what program are you in?” Conversation had always been something that Rosalie hadn’t been that great at, so maybe she could practice more with Vanessa, then be able to make new friends in her classes, too.
“I’ve been bouncing around a lot, not really sure what I want to do, so I’m just taking the general education classes right now.” Vanessa didn’t seem to be too worried about it, and it struck Rosalie as odd. How could you go to school without some kind of clue as to what you wanted to do there? College wasn’t cheap. You couldn’t just stay there for an indeterminate length and enjoy the ride. Someone was paying for it. She wanted to say something to that effect, but she knew she’d been seen as the geek and the nerd in high school, so she didn’t want to chance ruining this new friendship. “What about you? Any idea what you want to be when you grow up?” Vanessa laughed good naturedly.
“Yeah, I’m going premed. I’m not really a social butterfly or anything, so I figured that I should go for a career path where that wasn’t really important.” Rosalie had meant it to be a joke, even though it had a painfully true undertone to it, but Vanessa just stared at her.
“Are you afraid to stand out?” It was a question that took her by surprise, because she’d never thought about it, but she wasn’t sure that she could answer that right now, because she didn’t know.
“I’m not sure. I’ve never really thought about it. Do I look like it?” Vanessa gave her a warm smile to take the sting out of her next words.
“Well, you kind of look like an old fashioned version of Florence Nightingale. The clothes that you wear are beyond out of style, and you have such a beautiful face that you should really show it instead of hiding it behind your long hair.” Rosalie was a little stung. She loved her long, thick, brunette hair. It was her best feature, in her eyes. But she could definitely agree with the clothes. It wasn’t like she would see anything that she was wearing in a fashion magazine any time soon.
“I’m paying for school myself, so I don’t really pay too much attention to style. I just get cheap, comfortable clothes.” She could feel her cheeks heating up painfully, and she hoped that Vanessa wouldn’t look down on her for it. It was nice having a girlfriend to hang out with.
“Well, if you were really serious about trying something new, then I could help you out. I have a friend who does hair, and I know some places to go shopping that would fit your budget but would still change your look. Just an idea.” Rosalie was silent for a moment. They were nearing the end of the movie where Sandy went to Frenchie and had her make over her entire image to fit in with Danny. She’d always wanted to shock people in high school like that, coming back one summer looking like a knockout, but she’d never had the guts. Now, she was in college, and she needed to stop being afraid of everything.
“Ok, let’s do it. I’ve been a mouse all my life, I could use a bit of a change. Just nothing too drastic, ok?” Vanessa laughed.
“No problem. I’ll break you in easy.” She snatched her cell phone off the arm of the couch and started to text furiously. She paused, looking up at Rosalie. “You want color, or just a cut and style?” Not quite knowing what Vanessa would have her looking like if she gave her a free hand, she decided to play it safe.
“Just cut and style. I like my mousy brown.” The girls shared a laugh and went back to the movie.
The next morning, a loud knock on her door woke Rosalie a minute before her door was flung open and Vanessa came dancing in. She went over to Rosalie’s window and tore open the curtains, whistling to herself as she went.
“Wake up, sleepyhead! Time to start your makeover!” She was in a much better mood than the first time that Rosalie had seen her, and part of her wanted to ask if she was ok, after what she’d seen and heard from Rob, but she didn’t want to say the wrong thing this early in the friendship.
“Vanessa, it’s only eight thirty!” She threw a pillow at the girl, missing by a mile. Vanessa grabbed it and deftly threw it back at her, hitting Rosalie in the face.
“Exactly! We’re wasting daylight! We have a lot to do before school starts tomorrow. Get up! Get up! Get up!” Laughing at her antics, Rosalie managed to slide out of bed and get herself dressed.
“I’ll be right back. Just gonna go brush my teeth.” Vanessa shooed her out of the door and Rosalie grinned the whole way to the bathroom. If this was going to be her new life, then she was ready for it. She’d never realized just how much she’d wanted it until it had happened. It was easy not to miss what you hadn’t experienced. She took care of her morning hygiene routine, then came back through the door.
“Vanessa, I’m--” She broke off when she saw the girl with the blue hair sitting in the living room. They locked eyes on each other, and both of them froze. Vanessa came bouncing out of her room. She saw the frigid glare between the two girls and sobered up.
“What’s going on out here?” The girl with the blue hair glared at Rosalie as if she’d done something wrong. For her part, Rosalie couldn’t think of anything she’d done to this girl, so she just blushed and tried to get away as quickly as she could. She went back to her room to put away her toothbrush, hairbrush, etc. When she came out, Vanessa was looking at her, too.
“This is your friend whose hair I’m supposed to do?” Vanessa nodded. “Fine. Let’s get this over and done with.” The girl had complete animosity towards her, and Rosalie was starting to think that this was a bad idea. She didn’t know if she should trust the girl with scissors anywhere near her face. It was quick, and that was something that made Rosalie happy. It only took about thirty minutes before the girl finished up and walked out the door. Rosalie sat there, in the kitchen chair, frozen in place until she heard the door slam behind her.
“Whew. What did you do to Blaze?” Vanessa looked at Rosalie with her arms crossed over her chest.
“I don’t even know her! I’ve seen her once!” Rosalie had her hands up in surrender, getting ready to spill the whole story about the coffee shop. The more she talked, the harder it was for Vanessa to keep a straight face. When she ended the story with the boy with the blue eyes bringing back her book, Vanessa burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” Rosalie demanded, trying to figure it out for herself.
“Well, Blaze is head over heels for Eric, and she must have been sitting their when he grabbed your book and brought it up.” That dumbfounded Rosalie. Blue eyes had a name. It was Eric. And he’d taken time away from his friends just to bring her back a book? Did that mean something? Rosalie was the last person to know anything about dating or romance or courtship, and she would admit that freely. Maybe Vanessa could be an insight into the boy. Mentally pumping the brakes, Rosalie chided herself for even starting to think that way. No. She wouldn’t try to get closer to Eric. It wasn’t worth it. She had school to focus on, and he was just that arrogant punk that wasn’t her type anyway. Not that she really had a type, because she’d never dated, but if she did, he wouldn’t be it. She pushed him out of her mind and focused on something else.
“So, is her name really Blaze?” This earned her another laugh from Vanessa.
“No, it’s actually Stacey, but she didn’t think that would work in our group. It was too…innocent. So she dyed her hair and changed her name. It helped her change her image. Kind of what we’re doing with you, but without the color. Oh yeah, come look at your cut!” Vanessa had a full length mirror in her room, and she grabbed Rosalie’s hand, pulling her in front of it. Rosalie was dumbstruck. Whatever Blaze had done to her hair was beautiful. Before it was all one length, flat, almost lifeless. Now, she had bangs that framed her face, her hair was in layers, and she had a side part that would let her flip her hair in or out of her face whenever she wanted. It gave her a boost of confidence that she’d never felt before.
“Wow! She did an amazing job! I love it! I’d like to tell her that, but I don’t think that would be too smart.” Vanessa shook her head, validating that idea right away. “To be honest, with the look she’d given me, I thought she was going to sheer me like a sheep.”
“No, she’s not like that. She’ll get back at you some other way, if she wants to get even, but it’ll be subtle, and only something you’ll know. Almost like blackmail rather than blatant sabotage. I’ve known her for a couple of years, so I can promise you that much. Are you ready to go shopping?” Vanessa’s bubbly personality spilled over and infected Rosalie.
“Sure. Don’t get mad at me if we don’t find anything to make me look like less of a mouse, though. My mom used to tell me that I could only be what I was, and I’m a mouse.” Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Your mom never met me. Let’s go! I’m driving.” Rosalie patted her hair a couple more times, loving the way it felt when it slipped through her fingers. She smiled at her reflection, thinking that maybe, just maybe, things were looking up. She went and grabbed her purse, following Vanessa out of the room and down to the parking lot. Vanessa’s car was a blue sedan, not the newest, but not exactly a clunker, either. Gallantly, Vanessa opened the passenger door and bowed her into the seat. Rosalie was doubled over with laughter as Vanessa scooted into the driver’s seat. The girls were singing at the top of their lungs to the cheesiest hits on the radio, laughing and having a good time. Vanessa pulled up in front of a shop that Rosalie had never seen before. Grabbing her purse, Rosalie followed Vanessa in. The shop was dark, and there was some heavy metal blaring from the speakers. Rosalie expected to see ripped leather clothes with safety pins as decorations everywhere, but it really wasn’t all bad.
“Hey, Marissa. I brought a friend with me, and we need a makeover. Can you hook us up with a dressing room?” Vanessa was talking to a girl behind the counter with at least a dozen piercings in her face. It made Rosalie a little squeamish, but she soldiered on, following both girls to the row of dressing rooms against the back wall. Marissa unlocked one, then Vanessa shoved her in, closing the door behind her. “Ok, get naked! I’m gonna go grab some things for you to try on. We’re going to find the new Rosalie!”