Our Promise

I awake to the sound of my phone ringing loudly. Sighing, I lift my head up and glance around my room trying to locate the stupid device. I spot it on my bedside dresser and I reach out and grab it. Mary's face is on the screen and her number flashes a few times. "Hello?" I mumble, laying my head back down on my pillow.

"Get up! Meet me outside in five."

The sound of her loud voice instantly makes my head throb. And what does she mean meet her outside in five? I glance over at the clock hanging on the wall and it is 9 o'clock on the dot. "I don't think I can, Mary. I am still sleep and it's early." I whine.

"No. Meet me outside in five." Without a goodbye, Mary hangs up the phone and leaves me to my thoughts. I have no idea who gets up this early and bothers someone. I take my time, in no rush, to get out of bed and go into the bathroom. Flipping on the light switch, I stare at myself in the mirror.

I go through my normal routine to get ready. Face. Teeth. Shower. Hair. Getting Dressed. I decide to put on some gray shorts and a graphic tee along with some flip flops. My phone begins to buzz again and I frown. "I'm coming!" I snap, jogging down the steps.

"Okay. Hurry up."

As soon as I open the front door, I spot Mary sitting in her car. When she sees me, she grins broadly and motions me over. "Why am I out here so early?" I moan, opening the car door and sliding into the passenger seat.

"Because." She says, backing out of the driveway carelessly. I stare at her waiting for her to continue, but she doesn't. The car turns to the left and I squint my eyes, not familiar to where we are going.

"Mary. Where the hell are we going?"

Mary continues to ignore me. She turns on the radio, and Ladies Love Me - Chris Brown feat. Justin Bieber blasts through the stereo. She begins to sing/rap along to the lyrics and I toss my head back in laughter and join in with her. I stop singing once the car comes to a halt in front of an expensive looking building.

There are tons of glass windows, and the walls are painted a light pink with white, glass words spelling 'Veronica's Hair Salon'. I glance over at Mary and she is grinning at me with a look of accomplishment in her eyes. "Why are we here Mary?"

"Oh. This is my aunt's hair salon. I usually get my hair done today, but I'll let you get an entire makeover. Then we're going to the spa." She says, swinging her door open. I stay put in the car, not understanding what's wrong with my look. Why do I need a makeover? "Get out." She says, walking towards the entrance.

"No. I am not getting a makeover."

Mary sighs and walks towards me. "Don't think of it as a makeover. Just going out and prepping yourself. Everybody does it!" She exclaims, crossing her arms as if she is proving a point. "Stop being difficult, Selena. C'mon!"

I glance at myself in the sideview mirror and I don't look that bad. Yea, my hair is in a ponytail and my face is pale. So what. I reluctantly get out of the car and follow Mary into the hair salon. Only a few people occupied the space in here.

A lady is sitting behind the desk that you see once you first walk in. She has her hair in two braids and a yellow headband is on her head. She looks a little like Mary, so I guess this is her aunt.

"Hey, Veronica." Mary says, leaning on the counter. "This is Selena, the one I told you about. I think she is a little...nervous." She says, pulling her lips into a straight line.

"No. I just don't think I need a makeover!" I protest.

Veronica laughs. "Relax, honey. Everyone gets a makeover once in their lifetime!" She scans through some sheets of papers in her hand and then quickly stuffs them under the desk. "Come here. Do you know your hair texture?" She motions me over and when I walk over to her, begins running her fingers over my hair.

"Not really."

"Straight. Silky." She mummurs under her breath. "Ok, c'mon. Mary go and check on Kayla and see if she needs any help." Mary nods her head and walks away quietly. "You have good hair." Veronica says leading me through some doors and into a room with a few chairs, magazine racks and a television.

She points to a high chair and I go and sit down. "Thanks."

"I'm going to wash it, and condition it. And how about a little dye?" She asks, fumbling around with some of the products next to her. Veronica glances back at me to see my reaction and I just stare at her as if she is slow. Dye? Me? Never.

"No. I've never thought of that, and my dad would kill me."

"Not crazy colors...just like, a jet black...and some streaks." She holds out a bottle of dye towards me and I glance at it. I bite my lip considering getting my hair dyed. "The streaks could be-"

"No streaks, but I guess a dye will go just fine."

Veronica twists up her lips, but doesn't say anything more. Just like Mary. She plays around with her products some more before motioning me to the sink and having me sit down. After a few minutes, I feel her wrestling my ponytail out of my head and begin to wash my hair.

◘◘

Veronica holds up a mirror for me to inspect my hair. She flat ironed it, curled it and put in in a cute style. My hair color is totally different, and it makes my eyes stand out. When I turn my head, my eyes widen at the sight of a a blue highlight and I cut my eyes over at Veronica. "I thought I said no streaks."

"That isn't a streak, it is a highlight." She says, crossing her arms in defense mode. "It's cute and makes you stand out more. Plus, Mary said to do it regardless to your protests." She says, grabbing the mirror from my hand.

"I guess it's okay...but still."

Mary walks through the door and has a smile plastered on her face as she examines my hair, "You look different. It's cute." She reaches out and touches one of the curls and it bounces back at the touch.

"Yea. Why'd you tell her to put a blue highlight in my hair?"

"Because!" She exclaims, tossing her arms up in the air. "It's wild, different and something you never would have thought of." She says, raising her eyebrows. "Get over it, it's done. Now let's go." She grabs my arm and forces me out of the chair. "Bye Veronica."

"See you girls. And keep your hair up, Selena.'

"M...k. Bye." I toss my hand up at her before being pulled away by Veronica.

When we get in the car, Mary immediately starts up the car and pulls away. "I hope you like it, it's really cute on you." She says, turning the radio on without waiting on a response from me.

"Yea. I guess it's cute. Thanks." I say, glancing at myself in the mirror. Now Body on Mine by Chris Brown feat. Se7en is playing. I nod my head to the song and continue glancing at my hair.

◘◘

I point at a light color of pink nail polish. The lady who is doing my nails grab the polish and shake it up. Mary brought us to the spa so we could get massages, facials and mani/pedi's. I've never had any of those, so this is all new to me, but it all seems so perfect. My body isn't tense anymore and my toes look beautiful.

"I want to introduce you to some of my friends." Mary says, looking over at me. She has cucumbers on her eyes and green facial cream is smeared around her face. I raise my eyebrows, not realizing that's how I looked. I got my facial before my massage, so everything is already off my face.

Mary got her toes painted black and a French Manicure on her hands. "Okay. From BHHS?"

"Yea. They are on the cheer team."

I nod my head, glancing down as the lady start polishing my toenail. "Oh, could you do my baby toe white." I ask, grabbing the white nail polish from its position the wall. "That would be cute." I mutter, setting it down.

"Okay." She says.

The door creaks open and a teen around our age walks in. She is wearing a uniform though, pink and white dress with the Spa's name embroiddered on it. "Tea or coffee?" She asks, looking over at Mary and I.

"Tea." Mary says, extending her hand.

"Uhm...coffee." I mumble.

The girl hands me my coffee and a couple of sugar packets and then Mary her tea. I begin to make up my coffee to my liking, and then I toss the empty sugar packets into the trash. Taking a sip of the coffee, I glance over at Mary.

"They have been begging to meet you. Since you are the sister to the cutest soon to be Football player at LAHS."

I cut my eyes over at Mary and she is grinning to herself. "I don't know about all that, but is that the only reason? I mean...I don't want to be known by Lewis' baby sister."

"Hold still." The lady says, snatching my toe back and I scowl at her.

"Just hold still." Mary says, flipping her hair out of her face and leaning back. "And you are not known as Lewis' baby sister! Where'd that come from?"

"The fact that everyone brings that up to me." I spit.

"Oh." Mary looks down at her nails and begins to pick with them. She stops after a moment before sipping on her tea. "It's not like that though. You'll understand eventually." She mumbles, turning her gaze in front of her.