The Long Journey Ahead

I felt so dirty with the outfit Casey picked for me to wear today. I didn't put the clothes on willingly either. The both of us were arguing in my room for half an hour over the clothes until I gave in because my throat was so sore. I did get a compromise though. She wanted me to wear stilettos shoes (a feat I had not yet accomplished), but I told her I was going to wear my Converses.

Aside from my comfortable sneakers, everything else I was wearing was far from it. I felt so out of place and strange with what I was wearing. Casey forced me with her own force into a light blue halter-top that was supposed to accentuate my breasts. In other words, boys like boobs.

If that didn't make me feel whorish, the black mini skirt did its job. Although black fishnet stockings sort of made me feel like I had some form of clothes on. Casey so boldly stated, "The ass is where it’s at. Not the boobs." Then she continued on to smack my butt.

"Stop complaining," Casey muttered while applying glittery black eye shadow over my eyelids. "You look sexy. If Frank doesn't even look in your direction, I'll take you for myself. Course, I'm not bi-sexual or lesbian so that'd be a problem."

I laughed causing her to make a streak of shimmering black down to the side of my jaw. "Sorry!" I squeaked.

"It's alright. This better be worth it or I'm knocking some sense into Frank."

I walked into work with Casey earlier than Frank. When we left the house, he was still in the shower. I really would have rather gotten to work on time instead of waiting for Damien to show up with a cup of coffee in his hands.

He walked up to us with a bewildered expression. "Jes...Why are you dressed like you're ready to go to, to, to-"

"Break some hearts maybe?" Casey finished for him. His expression stayed the same as he shook his head and opened the shop.

"Sure, break some hearts," he muttered so only I could hear. I snickered and flashed him a smile. He nodded his head, finally understanding why I was dressed this particular way. I swear if everyone here already knew about my feelings, why is Frank the only blind one?

I walked briskly to the counter, turning the cashier machine on, taking out the tattoo books, and placing them on the glass counter. Casey hip bumped me so she could reach for paper and pencil in one of the cabinets.

The bell atop the door rang, announcing another person arrived. I leaned over the counter, hoping it was Frank. It wasn't though; it was just Darren. He walked in with his shades adorning his face. Casey waved hello to him, as did I. He smiled to us both before he did a double take at me.

He strutted over to us. "What the hell are you wearing?" he hissed at me.

Casey rolled her eyes. I had a feeling she'd be doing that a lot today. "Clothes? Aren't you supposed to be smart?"

"Shut up Head Case." That shut Casey up. That's a really stupid nickname for her. Darren's attention never left my eyes. "Why are you all revealing?"

I blushed, looking at the counter. "This is, it's for-"

"Hey people! Who missed my sexy self?" Frank finally arrived! I nearly jumped with joy over the counter but Darren held me down, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"You are not letting him see you in that!" Darren hissed again.

This time I rolled my eyes. "Why not? I want him to like me!" I whined. I wish he never said he's like my older brother I never had.

"I get that but dressing like a whore is not the right way to make him like you! Put some clothes on!"

He threw a blanket at me, but it was too late. Frank walked over to us already. I was glaring at Darren but stopped when Casey lightly poked my rib. I hissed at her but she stared straight ahead. I followed her gaze and found Frank looking at me with this weird fascination in his eyes.

I refused to look into his eyes. I focused on his left eyebrow instead. I only did that because I realized I was being a hypocrite. I argued with Casey about what I was wearing but then when Darren was being protective, I changed my mind because I knew that I wanted to impress Frank no matter how much I didn't like the choice of clothing.

I had to stop being a chicken. I finally looked into his eyes, surprised he didn't go away. "Jes," he breathed, "you look beautiful."

"So you're saying she's never been beautiful before?" Casey retorted. I laughed internally. She was giving him a hard time on purpose and it was fun to see him panic.

"Well n-no. It's just that...she looks...different."

"What kind of 'different'?" she egged on.

He turned 12 different shades of red. He was now looking at his feet, deep in thought. "The good kind?" he said uncertainly.

Casey opened her mouth to speak again but I raised my hand at her. "Stop it, you're scaring him," I laughed. She rolled her eyes muttering I was no fun before she ran off to bother Damien.

I noticed Darren in my peripheral as I walked closer to Frank. His face was still as red as ever. I smiled at him. "Hi."

"Hey," he replied softly.

After work was over, Frank walked me home, even though we live in the same place. Casey stayed back to give us "time" to talk. She should've been with us. Every time Frank attempted to start a conversation with me, he would stop mid sentence and stuff his hands into his pocket.

Honestly, if he was only going to open his mouth and re-close it every time, wearing this get-up was not worth it at all.

We reached the house before we had any kind of talk. He opened the door for me, letting me in first. I flashed him a grin while taking my shoes off. He did the same and straightened up when I began walking to my room. I felt him grab my arm gently. I spun around meeting is gaze.

Our faces were less than an inch apart from each other. I could feel his shortened breaths. "You. Are. Beautiful."

I grinned closing my eyes and scrunching my nose a bit. "Thank you," I whispered, leaving him there to take off his other shoe.