Summer of Like // Farleigh Start x OC

6: We Built Cool; We Made Up Style

The black tie dinners are the one thing I don't think I'll get used to - the rest of it, the lounging about and the swimming in the lake and the day drinking, just feels like a regular vacation, but the black tie dinners... there's something about dressing Venetia dressing me up like a doll that is a sharp reminder of the differences between us.

    There's a contemplative look on her face as she holds up two floor length dresses, one backless, black and sequined, the other a deep blood red with a large slit up the leg. I watch as she holds one under my chin, and then the other, eyes squinting as she imagines what I'll look like in each one. Finally, she comes to a decision. "I think the black."

    She hands me the hanger the dress is on, and walks back into her closet to return the red one to it's proper place. I begin to strip out of my daywear, tossing it at the foot of Venetia's bed. It's lucky that we're the same size - otherwise I'd have nothing to wear to dinner.

    "What should I wear?" She calls from the interior of her closet.

    "Whatever your heart desires." I call back, taking the dress off the hanger and stepping into it. I pull the fabric up over my hips, ignoring how the sequins scratch through the lining. I toss the halter straps over my shoulders, and press a hand to my front to stop the dress from totally falling down. "Will you come tie me up, V?"

    Venetia slinks out of the closet with a grin. I gather my hair up in my other hand, and turn around, holding it out of the way so she can tie the straps. I resist a shiver as her fingernails gently scratch my skin, and her breath ghosts over my ear. "Anything for you, Evie." She purrs.

    "Not like that, you pervert." I laugh.

    "But you'd still let me?" She says, finishing off her bow.

    I drop my hair and turn to face her. "Would you want to?" I cock my head, a teasing grin spreading over my lips.

    Venetia - true to form - blushes a deep red the minute I turn her flirting around on her, and she giggles, retreating back into the closet. "Pink or blue?" She asks.

    "Pink suits you better, I think." I say, turning to look at myself in the mirror on her wall. The dress fits me well enough, even if it does cut a bit low in the front and the sequins make it a little itchy. I fluff my hair as Venetia comes back out of the closet, now dressed in a baby pink silky dress. I grin at her reflection. "Give us a spin."

    She makes a show of turning around, posing for invisible paparazzi. "You like it?" She asks, slipping on a pair of silver pointed heels from the mess of shoes on the floor. "It's last year's Chanel spring collection."

    "It's real pretty, 'specially on you." I say honestly, toeing through the loose shoes in search of a matching pair. The first I find are a pair of black strappy things with a short enough heel that I won't have to be worried about tripping over myself in front of everyone. "I really think you should look into modeling after you're done with school, V."

    She grins, smoothing down her hair in the mirror. "I couldn't. I could never live up to Mum's career."

    I wiggle my way into the shoes, and secure the straps. "All good?"

    Venetia gives herself the once over in the mirror. "Enough." She says, turning back around to me.

    I offer her my arm, stooping into an exaggerated bow. "Shall we?"

    Venetia giggles, and swats my arm away. "Stop it."

    I grin, and follow her out the door and down the hall, away from our rooms and towards the dining room. The walk is short, and at this point familiar enough that I don't have to keep track of the turns we take in hope of finding my way back to bed afterwards. Our heels clack in sync across the hardwood floors, signaling our arrival to the rest of the family.