I Have but Two Faces

We started visiting a therapist once a week to talk about what happened and how to continue our lives. With each day mom was getting a little better. She was able to walk short distances, she was remembering more about the past, and if her progression continues she might be able to stop going to physical therapy in about six months. We're all relieved that no complications have happened so far and pray that nothing will set back her progression. If she's lucky, she'll be able to start going back to work for a few hours at a time. She is very excited about the idea of finally being productive again.
Uncle Aidan decided that since mom was doing so well, he would return to Ireland after Zane and my graduation. He'll keep in touch and invited us to visit Ireland again, this time for a better reason. He told us he'd show us all over and tell us about the family history; Zane and I are psyched.
Zane has decided to continue with his plans to go to Briston School of Engineering. He couldn't give up the financial aide he received from the school and mom told him if he didn't go she'd disown him. We all know she'd never do that, but it was enough to make Zane call up the school and formally tell them he'd be attending their school in the fall. He promised that he'd visit at least once a weekend each month and help out whenever he was needed. I could tell he was wicked pumped about going; there was a new light of excitement in his eyes. His fighting with dad even decreased since going to the therapist and deciding to go to college.
What's happening with me, you may be asking? Well, I haven't had another attack and I feel a lot less stress even though I still have so much to do before graduating. I however, decided to take the year off to make sure mom and dad were okay and help with the bills until mom was able to work again. I talked to Markov's Culinary Institute about my situation and they told me to just reapply next year and they should be able to give me the same aide they did this year. I was eternally grateful to them and thanked them many times. Although I am a little bummed about not going off to college like most of my friends, I am still happy with what has happened so far. And before I knew it April had ended and it was the night of prom. We seniors got the day off to do whatever and a bunch of us were hanging out together.
"I'm so excited about tonight!" Lyla gushed. She was technically going as Micky's date since she went to the public school. "I get to do everyone's hair." That included both males and females.
"Not mine." I commented as I blew up an alien.
"Why not?" She pouted.
"I'm not going to promenade and I have work."
"So do I." Zane raised his hand.
"Ooooh the elusive job that none of us knows about." Lyla wiggled her eyebrows.
"Will we ever find out what it is?" Sven asked.
Zane and I looked at each other and he shrugged. "How about tonight after prom?"
"Yay!" Lyla and Sven cheered together.
"Kat, did you bring my dress?" I turned around and asked.
"Yes I did. It's in my car." She smiled.
"Wait! You're wearing a dress!?" Lyla gasped.
"Don't get use to it, but yes. I thought this was one of the few events where a dress should be worn." I replied with a laugh.
"Oh I can't wait to see this!" Lyla clapped while everyone else nodded their head.
"Are you going to wear your lip rings?" Marco asked.
I debated the thought. "Probably not. I'd be asked to take them out anyway. I'll just put clear ones in."
"What about you Zane?" -Marco
"Yeah, I'll probably wear studs though instead of rings." He grinned. "I don't go to this school." I was taking Zane since I was one of two girls in our group that actually went to the school. I didn't care though since I wanted everyone to go. It was going to be me and Zane, Lyla and Micky, Luke and Chels, Kat and Sven, and Marco was going to go 'stag,' even though his girlfriend was going to be there.
3:30pm came around to fast and Zane and I said farewell to our friends until later tonight. Kat quickly gave me the dress she made for me and then we drove to the studio. I brought in my zipped bag of dress, since I would be changing here, and went straight to my dressing room. I looked at today's outfit and as usual approved of it. My shirt was a long sleeves button up that had a steampunk edge to it. The buttons were cogs, the shoulders had straps held down by cogs, there was a chest pocket with a cog detailing above it, and finally a chain that connected the pocket to the middle button. My pants were a bit tighter than usual. They were all black with criss-cross webbing with eyelets on the front, front pockets with draw strings, and back pockets that also had webbing. I really liked the pants and how they fit. I laced by shin high black goth stompers and then I threaded my black belt that had bondage rings on it through my left hip and back loops and then let it fall down my right hip. Once satisfied with my outfit I walked out to the infamous chair.
"Hello, Az." My makeup artist greeted.
"Hey, Clare."
"So this is your last shoot?"
"Yeah." I was a bit sad at the idea of that. I've been here so long , it was like a second home.
"Well, lets go out with a bang." She winked and got to business on my face. She naturally paled my skin, gave me heavy eyeliner, black lips and shadowed under my eyes and a little on top. Last she gave me a chain that connected my tear duct to the corner of my eye and then the excess chain hung down to the end of my cheek bone on my left eye. The way she detailed it, the chain looked like a tattoo. It was marvelous! "Do you like it?"
"Yeah, it's wicked cool." I smirked at the chain.
"I'm glad." She smiled down at me. "I'll go let Michael know I'm done."
"Kay, thank you for everything." I was going to miss her. She's been doing my makeup since I first came here.
"You're most welcome." She left and soon Michael walked in.
"How are you, Master Azrael?"
"Good. And yourself?"
"Sad, but good."
"Sad?"
"You're leaving, you were my first ever model."
"Aww." I pouted and tried not to let a tear be shed and mess up Clare's work.
"Well, let's get to." He started on my hair and I waited to see what he was going to do. He spiked the back and whooshed forward the front so it partially covered my right eye. He streaked it with rust color so it matched by shirt. Once he finished, he spun me around so I could see myself.
"You're awesome as always!"
"Thank you, thank you. Well, I'll see yeah."
"Bye, Michael." An assistant brought me my accessories: Toxic green contacts, rust colored lip rings, steampunk goggles for around my neck and a steampunk earpiece. Once everything was in place I walked out and saw Abbadon waiting.
"Ready?" He asked.
"Always." I replied. We walked over to the photographer and found that it was just us today. We took a bunch in an old fashion room set up. Finally we did one last photo.
"Alright over here." We followed the photographer to the "white room." It was just the place where instead of decorations, it's just a sheet of white as the background. Zane was given a microphone and the cord was wrapped loosely around his right knee and left ankle. Then they handed me a guitar. I marveled at it and I swear I almost drooled; it was so gorgeous! We took a bunch of us goofing around with the props. The one we ended up liking the most was the one where Abbadon had his feet shoulder length apart, his knees lightly bend, he was leaning over so his eyes were looking up at the camera, he had the mic in his right hand and the cord in his left, and it looked like he was shouting into the mic. I was angled so my right side was up stage while my left was down stage pointing left, my feet were apart, my knees were also bent, I was leaning almost against Abbadon, and it looked like I just played a cord. I was smirking at the camera and my eyes were narrowed. Our photographer approved of the picture and told us to change out of the clothes and meet him back here in a half an hour; the prom started in an hour and a half.
I scurried to the dressing room, washed off the make up, took out my lip rings and contacts and stripped off my guy clothes. This was going to be weird. I've never walked around this place in female clothing, especially not a dress. I twitched a little before putting on my big girl panties and slipping on the dress. It had a square neck line, the main color was a deep red that had swirls and leaves, black satin took over on my sides and my biceps, it laced from my stomach to the bottom of my breasts, it was floor length, and the sleeves belled out. It was so beautiful and I vowed that if I ever needed a dress I was going to call Kat, she was a freaken genius! I clasped my red choker around my neck and walked out of the dressing room. I was surprised when Clare and Micheal ooo'd and awwed at me.
"Michael! Clare!" A deep blush covered my cheeks.
"You look so beautiful!" Clare clapped and jumped.
"More than beautiful." Michael smiled. "Ready?"
"For what?" I squeaked.
"To get your makeup and hair done of course." Michael laughed.
"You're going to do it?"
"Yep, so sit and relax." I did as I was told. Michael did my hair fist since he needed to wash out the color he put in earlier. He covered me so I wouldn't ruin my dress. He braided six small braids in my hair with red ribbon entwined in them and then gently curled the rest of my hair so I had soft waves. Once finished, Clare took over. She did a light foundation that matched my skin perfectly, gave me soft red lips, light black eyeliner, mascara, pink blush and black smokey eyes. When she spun me around to look at myself I gasped in surprise. I did not look like me.
"Holy Shit! Is that me?" I leaned closer to get a better look.
"You can dress her up, but you can't take the sailors mouth away." Micheal shook his head with a laugh. "By the way be careful leaning over."
I looked down to see cleavage greeting me. "Oops." My cheeks deepened in color.
"You best be going, photographers waiting." Clare winked.
"Thank you for everything. You two are the best!" I hugged each of them and walked out. "Looking good." I winked at my brother. He was in a stereotypical penguin tux with a bow tie.
"Is that you, Az? I don't recognize you! That's a beautiful dress."
"Thank you. Compliments of Miss Kat." I spun.
"Alright, I want you in the same positions as the one we just picked out." We nodded and replicated the positions as best we could. Instead of steampunk mic and guitar this time they were regular ones. He took a few of those and then said, "One more. Hold each others hands as if Abbadon is escorting Az. Now Ab, gently bend at the waist and look up and Az curtsey. Hold your hands up to about shoulder level." We did as we were told and smiled as kindly as ever before. They were thank you smiles. "Great. It has been a pleasure working with you two for the past two years." We shook his hand and thanked him. "You best be off, your prom's about to start." We looked at the clock and than said a final farewell to everyone as we ran; with giant smiles plastered on our faces.