High School Hangover Read Free Page B

like this together. I try not to let the memory of the last time creep into my mind, but it does anyway. It was right after the divorce was final and Mom whisked me away to a day spa for a treat, only to suggest halfway through our hers-and-hers body wraps that she wanted me to legally change my last name to her maiden name. The woman purposefully bought me a body wrap so I couldn’t storm away. Needless to say, I refused.
    We fought so hard about the name change. I had already given up my father, I wasn’t about to give up the one thing of his that I had left.
    “You have the most beautiful eyes,” Mom says, sweeping shadow on my lids. I just smile and fight back the urge to tell her that they match Dad’s.
    It’s not that I won’t miss her because I will. Sometimes I still feel like a little kid because I just want my parents to get back together. I don’t even know what happened. There were no shouting matches, or tawdry affairs. One day they were in love, and the next day they weren’t. At least that’s how it seemed to me. Maybe they had years to come to terms that it was over between them, but it was news to me, and I’m still mourning.
    “Okay, look up,” she says, carefully brushing mascara onto my virgin lashes. I have no doubt that I will wipe half this crap off my face as soon as I walk out the door, but I’m going to let her have her fun.
    “I want you to come see me in Tennessee as much as you can,” I say, needing to clear the air about my choice of colleges. Mom’s hold on the blush brush she just picked up tenses.
    “I know you want to be close to your father, but it isn’t too late to go somewhere around here,” Mom stresses, tears welling up in her eyes.
    “We’ve talked about this. It’s what I want.” She just doesn’t get it. Her parents live with us, she gets to see them every day of the week.
    “Of course I’ll come see you,” she perks up, surprising me. “But is it okay if we don’t spend every day of the next two months talking about you leaving?”
    “Deal,” I agree. Wow, it feels like maybe she is finally starting to accept my decision. Instead of relief, I almost feel trepidation. I push it down, reminding myself that I’ve made the right decision.
    Mom brushes my newly curly hair out and it cascades down my shoulders. I’m not much of a girly girl but I do hope that all of Mom’s work gets Leo’s attention tonight.
    “Erika told me there’s an entire weekend of graduation parties. I want you to spend the weekend with her,” Mom springs on me, and then blasts an aerosol cloud of hairspray around my head so I’m forced to keep my mouth shut.
    “I already packed a bag of cute outfits and everything you’ll need. I want you to take this one weekend and really live like an eighteen-year-old.”
    I wait for the hairspray cloud to dissipate to respond. “You are so weird. You want me to spend all weekend partying with people I’ll probably never see again?” I ask, amazed, but also a little freaked out. The idea of one party was bad enough, but an entire weekend of parties? I’m not sure my social skills are up to this challenge.
    “Just humor me,” she says, helping me slip into the green dress. She zips up the back as I slip my feet carefully into the black heels.
    “You know people are going to be drinking, having sex, and doing God knows what else,” I tell her.
    “I trust you to use your best judgment,” she says turning me around so I can see my reflection.
    Holy crap. How in the world can a dress, some makeup, and a different hairstyle be responsible for the image looking back at me? I can’t fight the giant smile spreading across my face. I might actually have a chance at Leo looking like this. Still, I feel sort of self-conscious wearing a sleeveless dress so I slip my white cashmere cardigan on top of it. Mom just rolls her eyes but doesn’t say a word.
    Erika beeps her Jeep horn from the driveway. Mom snaps a quick picture of me with her