She watched as Hailey got to work on eye shadow, teaching her about the base colors, and deepening them.“Remember, this is just what I was taught in beauty school, but there are no rules you have to follow.These are guidelines for us, for flawless, but trust me, I have started with darker colors and gone lighter.The point of makeup is to have fun.”
“Fun?”
“Yeah, fun, it is supposed to be a fun process.Don’t let it get too serious, you know?”
Larissa understood.
Once the eyes were done, Hailey went into a foundation, and according to her, she would eventually need two shades.One for summer when she got a tan, and the other for winter.There was so much to learn, but Larissa liked the attention.
“So, how are you dealing?”Hailey asked.
They had both been shot, not together, but they’d been the ones stuck at the hospital.They had been side by side when it came to rooms.Larissa would go and see Hailey, and Hailey would come and visit her.It was during their hospital stay that they developed their friendship.
“I’m doing ...okay.”
“Okay?Is that why you were willing to kiss a random stranger?”Hailey asked.
“George is not a random stranger.I’ve known him a long time.”
“That kiss seemed intense.”
“It was just a kiss done on a dare.Nothing else.”
“Nothing else?”
“No.”
“You’re sure about that?”Hailey asked.
“George doesn’t like me, and to be honest, I’m not sure if I am a big fan of his either.”
“Wow, I thought you liked everyone.”
“Yeah, well, I guess things change you over the years.You stop ...being what you once were,” Larissa said.
“You’re right.Life sucks at times, doesn’t it?I mean, you think you found the one and then you’re woken up to the fact you’ve been used.”Hailey laughed.“It sucks.”
Larissa knew she was talking about Kinky.
“You know he’s outside, watching, don’t you?”
“I know,” Hailey said.
“Does it bother you?”
Hailey sighed.“Yes and no.Yes, because I don’t want to see him, I don’t want him around me.And no, because getting shot fucking sucked, and if someone had been here, we might not have gotten hit.”
Larissa reached out and put a hand on her friend’s.“I get it.”
“I know you do.Sometimes, when I’m here, I find myself getting tense at every noise.I know why they targeted my shop, and it has kind of taken the magic away from this place a bit.”
“It has kind of taken the magic away from ...life,” Larissa said.
“Yeah.”
They looked at each other and Larissa felt happier knowing someone else understood what it felt like.It wasn’t easy to get back up, but she had done it.She knew others were suffering differently.She wasn’t the only one having to deal with this kind of crap.Some people were in terrible circumstances.She had to keep reminding herself she wasn’t back at that shop.She wasn’t dead.She was alive.
“How are things with you and Andrew?”Hailey asked.
