Purpose ❆ Benny Rodriguez

19 | eve

12/29/2015

chapter nineteen ;
EVE

♡

"HELL NO."

　As I attempted to move my head away, Ivy grabbed my chin and held my head steady. She fixed me with wide eyes. "Kayla." Her voice held a warning. "Let it happen."

　"Oh, my God," I whined, letting my head droop. "Why are you doing this to me?"

　Ivy's eyes were hazel – a mix of green and a golden brown, reminiscent of Benny's. And as beautiful as Ivy was, with her dark, glowing skin and perfect ringlets, no one's eyes could compare to Benny's.

　"It's your turn. You and Skylar look about the same skin tone – think she'd let me borrow her makeup?"

　I rolled my eyes so hard, they could have striked. "I don't want anything that has touched her face touching my face."

　A smirk formed on Ivy's lips – for once, they were not painted yet. After she did my makeup, which is what we were fighting over now, she would do her own.

　"I wouldn't mind if Luke touched my face . . . if you know what I mean." Ivy wiggled her perfect eyebrows, and I stared at her in disgusted horror.

　Eventually, I managed to say, "No. I don't know what you mean. And I really don't want to."

　As if the topic had never come up, Ivy pressed her lips together, studying my face. "You don't really need any foundation. Your face is clear. And your freckles are cute. Okay – that makes it easier, I guess. And we should just put the dress on first."

　"Ivy," I groaned.

　The girl's hand was still tucked beneath my chin, and she pulled my face upward. "Let it happen."

　

♡

　

Initially, I had expected the makeup process to be a lot more uncomfortable. But Ivy, even as a sixteen-year-old, was a pro. She finished with me in an extremely short amount of time, despite her precision.

　Beaming, Ivy steered me to the bathroom mirror. The silky red dress Elizabeth had given me for Christmas hugged my curves, but I was not as insecure as I'd believed I would be. After a summer of constant activity and eating healthier, my stomach had shrunk exceptionally. And my face – even without airbrushing my freckles and imperfections – was . . . beautiful, really.

　I'd never considered myself beautiful before. It was a wonderful, alien feeling.

　Ivy grinned triumphantly, pressing her pink fingernails to her mouth. "Do you love it or do you love it?"

　A laugh escaped my throat. "I love it. How did you do this?"

　Black eyeliner lined my eyes, ending in sharp wings. My eyelashes were longer, curlier, and did not look caked with mascara. Deep red coated my lips, which looked fuller and sharper than normal. Only the pink of my cheeks was familiar – I don't think that was a product of makeup.