“We’re getting ready at yours, right?” Ilia said, barging into my room that afternoon. “You never told me.”
I laughed and stepped back to let her—and all of her bags and cases—in. “Of course I’ll help you, but seriously, you’re ten times better with hair and makeup than me.”
She threw everything on my bed, and five minutes later Larissa appeared. She had less stuff than Ilia, but still plenty, and between them I couldn’t see an inch of bed.
“We have two hours to get ready,” Ilia said, glancing at her watch. “That should be just enough time.”
She pointed a finger at me. “Maddi first. Sit your ass in the chair.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m not going.”
“You are,” she insisted. “I know you were really pissed about not being able to shop for a dress, but that doesn’t mean you should miss out. Don’t give those Atlantean assholes the satisfaction.”
She crossed to the bed and hauled up two dress bags. “We always got your back, girl. We’re your fairy godmothers, and we’re going to dress you for the ball.”
“What did you do?” I asked, as the slightest swirl of excitement sprang to life in my center. I couldn’t stop staring at the two black garment bags, wondering what might be inside.
“Sit,” Ilia said again, pointing me to a nearby chair. “Don’t ruin your surprise.”
I hesitated, because in general I hated surprises. The only ones I’d had in my life were of the bad variety. But … I trusted these two, they already felt like sisters to me, so I would let them have their fun.
Two hours later I stood in front of the mirror, my best friends on either side of me, and we stared at our reflections. Ilia’s dress was a deep blood red. Of course. It was her color and I’d fight anyone who disagreed with me. It was a one-shoulder, slinky cocktail dress that draped across her lithe frame and fell in smooth waves to the floor. There was a slit all the way up one thigh, and every exposed part of her ebony skin was shimmery from where she’d dusted powder across it.
“I made a good choice with this dress,” she said confidently.
“You definitely did,” I confirmed. Her makeup was also flawless: full red lips, and green eyes dressed in winged eyeliner.
On the other side of me, Larissa was just as gorgeous. Her blond hair was slicked back in a low bun that offset the simple white, floor-length, strapless dress she wore. The white made her brown skin look even creamier—she had the most perfect skin.
I was in the center, and I almost couldn’t believe it was me in the reflection. My long hair was curled, falling to midback, and Ilia had killed it with my makeup tonight; smoky dark eyes, a red lip, and shimmering cheekbone powder gave me a sultry, mysterious look.
“Thank you both so much,” I said, feeling a bit choked up about it again. I’d never had anyone care enough to try and give me a perfect dress.
They’d given me two.
The first dress was navy blue, with a halter neck and plunging neckline. It was gorgeous, and had I not seen the second one I would have worn and loved it. But it was the black one, with a fitted, ornately detailed bodice and off-the-shoulder straps that captured my heart.
I ran my hands down the corset front, amazed by all the perky boobs I had going on now. My girls were Ds tonight. “You look so beautiful,” Ilia said, her voice breaking a little. “My little supe is growing up.”
I laughed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at her. “Seriously. I love you both so much. This is so much more than anyone has ever done for me. I won’t forget it.”
I held my arms out, pulling them in for a hug on either side of me.
“Stop,” Larissa said. “If you make me cry and ruin my makeup…”
We were all in danger of that, so we pulled away and finished getting ready. I slipped into black shiny heels. Larissa had on amazing silver heels, which brought her to my shoulder in height, and Ilia was a few inches taller than me in her red numbers.
“When are your dates getting here?” I asked, turning from the mirror.
“We told them we’d meet them there,” Larissa said.
I ground to a halt, halfway to the door. “What? Why would you do that?”
Ilia looked at me like I was stupid. “We wanted to arrive with you, of course. Hoes over bros.”
I was one lucky bitch.
“Let’s do this,” I said.
