Breath of Life -- 2021 Version

Chapter Three

It was the day of the game and everyone was excited. It was exactly like I had seen in movies. A majority of the students had spirit-ware on. The football players all had their jerseys on, other athletes wore their letterman jackets in support, and some girls had blue and gray makeup on.

Jenny had Brad's number written on her face and was wearing his home jersey over her uniform. She had taken a long, plastic pom-pom and made it a part of her hair. When she saw me, she handed the other pom-pom that she had for me to carry around.

"I have some blue eye shadow," She told me as she dragged me into the bathroom.

"Oh, I don't know if that's a good idea." My father was not a fan of flashy eye makeup, or flashy makeup.

"Why not?" She pouted.

"My father wouldn't like it."

"Yeah, but you're not going home until after the game, right?" I nodded, "I always have makeup wipes with me, we'll wipe it off before you go inside. Deal?"

I thought about it for a minute, Tyler had convinced my father to let us be fully a part of a Friday night football game, probably because his Freshman team had won their game last night. It meant we would all go to dinner at a local restaurant after school before driving to the town where the game was being held. He even convinced my father for money for this.

"Okay, but I need to make sure my father doesn't see me like this." I argued.

"Done!" She held out her pinky to swear. Another thing I'd seen in movies, but had never done.

I took her pinky with mine and closed my eyes. Jenny happily put the blue eye shadow on and put some glitter on my cheeks too.

"Open your eyes." She said and leaned back, staring at her work. "Awesome!" She smiled, "Your right cheek looks a little puffy though."

Panic set through me and I went to rub my cheek.

"No!" She yelled and I stepped back as a reaction. "Sorry!" She said calmly. "Don't touch your face. There's glitter there."

"Oh, right." I put my hand down. "I guess I've been sleeping on my book this week." My book? I've been sleeping on my book? Where did that lame excuse come from?

"Girl, tell me about it. AP classes kick my butt, I fall asleep on my textbooks all the time." I let out a breath of relief that Jenny bought and understood that lie.

"Right!" I smiled in agreement.

"You're beautiful." She told me. "I mean it, honestly."

I let that sink in for a moment. I wasn't sure if I had anyone ever call me beautiful and be sincere about it, let alone another stunningly beautiful girl such as Jenny. "Thank you."

"You seem surprised." She smiled and her dimples were seen.

I couldn't tell her that no one had said it to me before and I opted for the alternative, "Coming from you?"

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"C'mon, have you looked in the mirror?" I asked her.

She took me seriously and turned to look into the mirror, "every day."

"Jenny, you're stunning." I informed her.

"Oh?" Her humbleness shook me. "I guess."

"I'm serious. You are the most beautiful girl in this school." I argued.

She shrugged, "If you say so!"

"You don't see it?"

"It's not that I don't, I don't put a lot of weight on it. There are other things more important than what's on the surface. It's what is inside that counts anyways. You can be beautiful and have a cold heart. I'd rather be the one with a warm heart, despite my outward appearance." She packed up the makeup that she had used on me.