Us Against the World

12. Aceline's Proposal

"What have I done?!"

I frantically plow through my closet, clad in only my underwear and cap from graduation. Despite having so many clothes (I got a great deal at The Salvation Army), I can't seem to find anything suitable to wear.

Riya watches me with amusement. She files her nails quietly, blowing on them every now and then.

"You agreed to have a good time with fucking Ezra Agent, that's what," she responds in disinterest. "Most girls would kill to be in your place."

"Yeah, well I'm not like most girls!" I step back and run a frustrated hand through my bangs. "I mean, god damn it, Riya! Why did I let my emotions take control of me?"

"Everybody does that when they're in the presence of a sex god," Riya says. "Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Oh, you're damn right I'm beating myself up over it," I snap and toss some clothes on the bed. "I-I mean. Look at me!" With a scoff, I gesture to my near-naked body.

"I'm looking," Riya yawns. "And I see a beautiful young girl who's just snagged the hottest date tonight."

"It's not a date."

"Then what is it?"

"It's a...a..." I'm stumped, but I don't want Riya to know that, so I turn my head indifferently and scoff. "Whatever. Maybe he wants to be friends?"

"Keep telling yourself that, cuz," Riya snorts. "That'll be on your grave."

"That's not funny."

"It is to me."

"Argh!" I slam the closet door shut. "I have nothing good to wear! Everything's old, too big, or torn! I'll be the laughingstock of the dance...actually I'll be that regardless." I plop on the bed and rub my forehead. "You know what? I should just stay home. Chandini will be by herself anyway. God knows she'll have a party while we're gone, or invite Spencer over and have sex with him."

"She could," Riya agrees. "But who cares? It's our night! A night of drinking, partying, and hooking up before we hit the real world!"

I shake my head. "Maybe you guys are supposed to be birth sisters," I grumble. "What happened to limiting Chandini's freedom?"

"It's one night. Put the cameras up or lock her in her room," Riya says. "I don't care. I just want you to move your ass so that we can get to the party."

"I'm not locking Chandini in her room."

"Geez, don't worry about me," Chandini mutters as she passes my open doorway. "I'm going to study with some friends and sleep over."

"You're going to - what?" I peer at her around Riya's frame. "Study? Sleepover with girls? Chandini, is this you, or an alien version?"

She stops walking and stares at me with a deadpan expression. "It's me, dumbass," she says curtly. "I need a good grade to keep up my application for fashion school. So laugh at me all you want, but I'm going to study and sleep over with my girlfriends, and you're going to get your lazy butt up and go to that party. Capiche? Capiche?" She walks away, leaving me staring after her with my mouth loosely hanging open. Did Chandini just grow up?!

"There, now it's two against one," Riya says, dusting her hands. She points to the pile of clothes on the floor and bed, waiting for me to get up and find something to wear. Like a child, I clench my jaw and cross my arms over my chest, turning away defiantly. She sighs and after a few moments, the mattress dips with her weight beside me.

"You don't want to go because everyone will be looking at you, right?" Riya knows me better than anyone else and I don't want to admit it to her, but she's right. I don't need to, though. She knows the answer the moment my shoulders loosen.