“What took you so long?” Raina asked her daughter.
“Uh…I couldn’t find something to wear,” Tiffany said, grabbing a piece of toast.
Her mother cocked a plucked eyebrow at her. “Sorry Tiff, but only Cynthia says that.”
“Yeah well, my clothes were in the laundry.”
“I just did the laundry last night,” Raina said, eyeing her daughter suspiciously.
“Ok so I wanted to actually look good for once!” Tiffany gave up, throwing her hands up in the air, defeated.
“Well why didn’t you just say so? Oh and I see you have makeup on?”
Tiffany rolled her dark brown eyes. “Whatever mom.”
“Whatever Tiff,” she mocked.
“Mom you’re acting like a teenager.”
“Cool.”
Tiffany spotted the familiar vehicle of Brian’s and got up, grabbing her black Jansport backpack.
“Bye Mom.”
“Bye.”
Tiffany smiled as she got into the car, greeting her friend with a good morning.
“Why are you so chipper today? You’re usually grumbling and moaning about how we have no time to sleep,” Brian laughed, heading for the school.
“Yeah well, I feel good today.”
Brian glanced at her from the corner of his eye and couldn’t help but think once again that she looked hot.
‘Stop it Littrell. You can’t like her!’
But no matter what he did he knew he had a crush on his best friend. Were all women this evil?
“Um, Bri? You just passed the school,” Tiffany said, turning in her seat to watch the school fly past.
“Shit, sorry. I don’t know where my head is this morning,” he said, slapping himself inwardly. “Maybe I stayed up too late.”
“Are you kidding? After last night I couldn’t WAIT to sleep!” she said, looking at her friend bewildered.
“I dunno,” Brian shrugged, pulling into the parking lot.
They finally found a decent enough parking space, and Tiffany got out of the Suburban.
As they walked up to the main doors, Tiffany glanced at everyone, for many were staring and pointing.
“Ok do I have something on my face or something cuz everyone’s staring,” she said to Brian nervously, letting the door close.
“Nah. I think they think that you’re Cynthia,” Brian dismissed as they walked through the halls.
Tiffany laughed. “So what do you wanna do this morning?”
“Wanna talk?”
She hid her surprise quickly- he never did that. Nearly every single morning he hung out with his friends on the basketball team.
“Is that ok?” Brian asked when she didn’t respond.
“Yeah sure. I was just wondering why you didn’t wanna hang with the team.”
“Well if you want me to I could-”
She grabbed his arm as he tried to turn and said quickly, “No I don’t think so. Fine we’ll chat.”
His eyes twinkled at her. “Knew you’d see it my way.”
Tiffany rolled her eyes. “You’re so damn conceited.”
“Am not!”
“Are too!”
“I’m sorry for interrupting your mindless chatter, but could I have a word with Brian for a second?” Marisha Tegen asked over-sweetly, dragging Brian to a corner.
With yet another roll of her eyes Tiffany muttered, “Bitch.”
She made her way to her locker and pulled off a yellow flyer off the dark green door.
“Hey Tiff.”
The brunette turned around and smiled at her blonde friend.
“Hey Nick wassup?”
“Eh nothin mu- hey are you wearing makeup?”
“Yeah it’s the talk of the town,” she said, rolling her eyes in disgust. “I make one little change and everyone goes bezerk.”
“Well it’s a-a good change,” Nick stammered, rubbing his neck.
She groaned and looked up at the ceiling. “Oh no not you too! Brian had the same reaction.”
“Isn’t that uh good?”
“If it changes anything in our relationship, no.”
“What if it’s for the better?” Nick asked.
“Believe what you want Nick,” Tiffany said, closing her locker. “But I’m going to class.”
“Already?”
“It’s one minute till bell Smartass,” she said, pointing to a clock she was passing. “Tell time.”
“Uh yeah sorry.” Nick shook his head and blinked at her. Was it really Tiffany? Or was it Cynthia playing a cruel joke?
“Nick please don’t be like that,” she said. “It just bugs me.”
“Sorry. It’s just…you and makeup…that doesn’t happen everyday.”
“Only if you don’t want it to.”
“Whatever. So are we still up for that one on one game tonight?”
“Yeah of course. It’s Friday isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
Before they knew it, she had gotten to class.
“See ya Nicky.”
“Bye Tiff.”
Nick ran and hand through his blonde hair. “What the hell was that?”
:+:
Tiffany was unusually hyper when she returned home. Which was weird because she’d be tired out from school.
Two guys actually asked her to go to the Fall Ball. She had turned them down of course, she didn’t even know their names. But they were hot all the same.
“Hey sis. Heard you are the talk of the school.”
“All for my makeup. How wrong is that?” Tiffany laughed as she talked with her sister. She drummed her pencil on the math textbook.
“Yeah well, I think you look better with makeup on.”
“Really?”
“A lot of guys agree with me,” Cynthia added. Then she became serious.
“What?” Tiffany asked, noticing her change of mood.
“There’s a rumor…oh never mind. I solved it on my own,” Cynthia said quickly.
“What was it?”
“Some silly thing about if Adam and Trish are going out,” she lied.
“Oh…k…” Tiffany stared at her sister as she got up as if she had grown two horns.
Suddenly Cynthia stopped. “Hey sis…wanna come shopping with me and Aubrey?”
“Shopping?”
“C’mon. If you’re gonna hang with me, you’re gonna do stuff with me, now come on!” Cynthia laughed, pulling her sister up.
“But our homework-”
“It’s Friday remember?”
“Shit but I gotta call Nick-”
“Nick’s a loser c’mon. Do you want a guy to ask you to the Ball or what?”
Tiffany opened her mouth to shout at her sister for what she had said about one of her best friends, but she stopped. Maybe she could break their 8 year-old tradition just once.
:+:
“But Tiff-”
“I’m sorry Nicky, really I am, but just this once, I promise. I’ll play you tomorrow if you want,” she begged.
“What’s up with you? You’ve never ditched on me before- especially not for shopping. You said it was for girly bitches.”
“Just once Nicky please?”
Nick rested his head on the headboard of his bed in defeat and sighed. “Fine.”
“Thank you Nicky I love you forever!” she squealed.
“Yeah whatever. Later.”
Without a word Nick hung up.
“What the hell is wrong with her?” he asked himself. Just a few days ago she had said that she’d never be caught shopping with Cynthia, and now she was begging to go. Plus she had never canceled on him before.
Nick picked the phone up again and dialed Brian’s number.
“’lo?”
“Hey Bri…got anything to do?”
“Not really, why?”
“Wanna play some one on one?”
“I thought you and Tiff were supposed to play today.”
Nick sighed and rolled his crystal blue eyes. “Supposed to. She canceled on me.”
“What? Could you say that again I thought you said she canceled on you.”
“SHE DID Rok.”
“That’s just…bullshit Nick Carter what are you getting at?”
“She just called me up to tell me that our game is off so she could go shopping with Cynthia.”
“Wait, my connection must be REALLY bad. I thought you said that TIFFANY, my TIFFANY ADAMS wanted to cancel on you for ONCE out of 8 years, to go SHOPPING. With CYNTHIA?”
“You heard me right.”
“Liar.”
“Am not.”
“Are too- she never shops with Cynthia.”
“Well she is now.”
“Why?!”
“I dunno. So you up for some ball?”
Brian tried to get over his shock and said, “Yeah sure. Meet you at the court in 5.”
:+:
“C’mon Tiff- you HAVE to try this on.”
“What am I, a two cent hoe?” Tiffany said, disgusted at the tiny scrap of fabric her sister was asking her to try on.
“It’s a halter top Tiff. There’s nothing wrong in showing some skin!” her twin argued. “It would look good on you. You’ve got the body.”
“You are sick.”
“COME ON. Guys will notice you more.”
Tiffany shook her head and looked away from the skimpy pink piece of clothing.
“Please? Just try it.”
Tiffany looked at the “shirt” in disgust, then grabbed and walked away to the dressing room.
“Oh this would be the cutest thing to wear at the Ball!” Aubrey squealed, running over to Cynthia.
In her hands was a hunter green spaghetti strap dress. It went about mid-thigh on her, and had a small slit up the right. The beads created a leaf pattern across the midriff and hem. It was perfect.
“Oh my god! You’d win the contest for sure!” Cynthia exclaimed.
“Pssh! Me? I don’t think so. I’m too fat to wear it. They don’t have a larger size.”
Cynthia looked again. Aubrey wasn’t fat- she just needed another size.
“Go ahead- I know you want it,” Aubrey said, giving it to her friend.
Cynthia stared at the dress in thought. “You know what? Tiffany should wear it.”
Aubrey rolled her hazel eyes as she turned to another rack. “Whatever you want C.”
Cynthia walked toward the doors of the dressing rooms and heard a muffled, “Cynthia!”
“Tiff?” Cynthia called out, walking down the hall toward the voice.
“Get IN here!” Tiffany cried, opening the door and pulling her twin through in less than 5 seconds.
“Whoa!”
“LOOK at this! My boobs are like HANGING out of this thing!!” Tiffany hissed, pointing to the short pink top. “I can’t wear this!"
“It’s PERFECT!”
“For what a HOOKER?”
“Tiff seriously. Guys will be all over you,” Cynthia said, her hands on her sister’s shoulders as they looked in the mirror. “This is perfect! You’ll have a date for the Ball for sure!”
“What if I don’t wanna go?” Tiffany asked, crossing her arms over the low-cut top.
“I’m your older sister, and I’m commanding you to go.”
“A, you’re older by two minutes. B, I’m not going if I have to wear some hooker outfit.” She counted off on her fingers.
Cynthia rolled her eyes. “A, it is NOT a hooker outfit. B, You ARE going, cuz someone will ask you out.”
“Let’s hope it’s a guy now shall we?”
“Look, I’m helping you. Be thankful.”
“Can’t I be thankful in decent clothing??”
Cynthia sighed, shaking her head, which was resting in her hand. “Tiff… come on. You have NEVER had a boyfriend. We are in HIGH SCHOOL. Start now.”
“With those freaks?! I don’t THINK so,” Tiffany retorted.
“So you think Brian’s a freak?”
“I didn’t say that. Brian’s my friend, he’s not a freak.”
“So you’re saying Nick and Kevin are freaks?”
“They aren’t freaks. I said those other guys were.”
“Well news flash- Nick is a freak.”
“Fuck you Cynthia. He’s one of my best friends.” Tiffany turned to her twin.
“Well then why are you HERE instead of THERE?”
Tiffany opened her mouth to respond, but she didn’t have anything to say. Why DID she come shopping with her sister?
“HA thought so. After today, you’ll have better friends.”
“Better than Nick, Brian, and Kevin?? Are you shittin me? They’re my absolute best friends!”
“Again, why are you HERE and not THERE?”
Tiffany stared at herself in the mirror and felt a wave of guilt. She had ditched her best friend to go shopping. Subconsciously, she tore off the top and grabbed her t-shirt.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going THERE. Fuck shopping.”
Cynthia watched her sister leave the dressing rooms. “You’ll regret this!”
“Not as much as I regret what I’ve done,” Tiffany muttered, walking briskly out the store.
She was thankful for not spending any money except for on a few cosmetics. She used some of the leftover cash to get the cab to the park Nick would be playing at. She knew he’d be there.
“Thanks so much,” she said to the young driver before exiting the vehicle.
Just as she thought, Nick was there, playing ball. With Brian. She hadn’t expected Brian. But then again, this was the first time she had canceled on him.
Tiffany walked up to the chain link fence and watched her two friends play. She sighed and walked to the door, and walked onto the court.
“Is it too late to add a player?”
Nick stopped, stood up and turned around. “Hey.”
Tiffany bit her lip guiltily. “I’m sorry.”
“I can’t believe it. It’s true isn’t it?” Brian asked. “You left to go SHOPPING.”
“I’m sorry Bri I just…I don’t know how it happened I… I’m sorry.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Brian asked.
“Nothing it’s just… my sister- she wants me to go to the Fall Ball and she’s making me try on all these hooker outfits and-”
Brian and Nick snickered at the bit about the “hooker outfits”.
“Well she did! She was telling me about getting all these clothes so someone would ask me to the Ball.”
“So someone would ask you to the Ball.” Nick stared at her straight in the eye (which means him looking down and her looking up). “So you want someone to ask you to the Ball?”
“I-I never said that Nick.”
“Well you wouldn’t have gone if you didn’t.”
“He has a point Tiffany,” Brian added.
Tiffany’s eyebrows knotted slightly as she stared at the ground. “I just thought it’d be nice.”
“So we’re not enough?” Brian joked, trying to lighten the mood.
“You know what I mean. You guys are the greatest…it’s just… ugh I don’t even know what I’m talking about!” she cried, throwing her hands up as she turned around. She slowly walked toward the benches as she rambled. “I mean…I’m in high school and I’ve never had a guy like me. I just… I don’t know.”
“I thought you said that boyfriends were for girly bitches, just like shopping,” Nick said, shaking his head.
“I know I said that but… I’m a girl too.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” Nick asked, still dribbling the basketball. “I would have understood.”
“I’m sorry. Forgiven?”
Nick smiled his crooked smile and let the ball drop, holding his arms out for a hug. Tiffany laughed as she hugged him, relieved he wouldn’t hold a grudge.
“Hey! Me! You forgot me!”
She laughed at his childish behavior and gave Brian a hug. She tensed though when he didn’t let go.
Brian snapped out of it and let go, and she could swear she saw him blush. For a fleeting moment she thought she had a chance.
“Hey c’mon! We got a game to play!” Nick laughed. “Me and you verses Brian.”
“What? That’s not fair!”
“Yeah it is- you would win anyways, c’mon,” Tiffany laughed, picking up the ball.
Brian rolled his blue eyes and agreed. “Time for you to go down.”
:+:
“Well when I said you’d win I didn’t mean you’d win!” Tiffany whined, handing her friend 5 bucks.
Brian only grinned, tucking away the newly earned 10 dollars. “Well you bet, I win, life is like that.”
“C’mon- my car’s around front. We’ll make Bri walk,” Nick snickered.
Tiffany laughed and ran with Nick to his Expedition, leaving the blonde to figure out what they were doing.
“Hey!” Brian cried, running after them. Small as he was, he even beat them to the car.
“How the hell do you do that?!” Tiffany cried, rolling her eyes.
“I’m talented.”
“And a walking miracle.”
Brian stuck his tongue out at her. “You’re just jealous ha.”
“Children, children. Stop this bickering and get into the car before I leave you both here,” Nick said, slamming the door closed.
They looked at each other for a second before both falling against the passenger door, calling out, “SHOT GUN!”
The blonde in the car watched them, his eyebrows raised thinking, ‘Idiots’
At last Brian claimed the passenger seat, leaving Tiffany to pout in the back.
Brian saw her face in the mirror and said, “Stop that- your face might stay that way.”
“I hate you.”
“You know you love me.”
“Yes everyone loves you Bri- you’re the captain of the basketball team. No one can resist you,” she said, rolling her eyes while she stared out the window.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You, my friend, are the most popular guy in all of school. That’s what I’m saying.”
“So? What does that have to do with anything?”
“Has anyone asked you or have you asked anyone to the Ball yet?”
“Uh yeah…a few girls…”
For a second she felt her spirits plummet, but she caught herself. “Oh. See? That’s what I’m talking about.”
“And the point is?”
“I dunno. I just wanted to point that out to you.”
Nick took a glance at Tiffany and shook his head. She was boy-crazy all of a sudden, and it worried him. For what reason, he didn’t know. Girls were too weird to figure out anyway.
:+:
Tiffany let out a sigh when she closed the door.
“Tiff! You’re back!”
“What do you WANT from me?” Tiffany groaned, heading toward the stairs a few feet away on her left. Her escape.
“I bought some totally cute outfits for you!”
“Go. Away.”
“Seriously! You’d like them!”
“How do you know?”
“They cover up more than that halter top,” Cynthia said, following her sister up the stairs.
“I’ll consider it.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Well, as it turned out, she kinda did like them. It was a few pairs of flares, and a few shirts, plus a halter- but not as bad as the one she had tried on.
Cynthia smiled triumphantly, then held out her hand, “Alright- pay me back.”
>>next