"Sit still!" Leanne said, her words clipped with exasperation.

Maura squirmed on the toilet seat. "We're going to be late if you don't hurry up. You're not even ready!"

"My hair and makeup are done," Leanne replied, coiling a swath of Maura's hair around the barrel of a hot iron. "And it'll take me exactly two seconds to put on my dress. Besides, we don't want to be the first ones to show up at prom. Haven't you ever heard the term fashionably late?"

"I still don't understand why you insisted on curling my hair," Maura said. "It's already curly."

"We're going for waves," Leanne said. "Not ringlets. Ringlets are so nineties."

"Whatever. It all looks the same to me."

"Apparently."

Leanne unwrapped Maura's hair from the iron, letting it fall in place at her temple. The residual heat caressed her cheek with warmth before dissipating, like a kiss. "Well, you can stop your complaining now," Leanne said, viciously yanking the plug from the electrical outlet. "You are all done, my friend. Take a look at yourself. Let my talent wow you."

Maura stood in front of the bathroom mirror, slowly turning her head from side to side as she admired Leanne's work. "Fine," she said begrudgingly with a smile. "I suppose it looks nice."

Leanne grinned. "Of course, it does. Just like I said it would, right?" She handed Maura a can of aerosol hairspray. "Now, apply this liberally while I get dressed."

After Maura had sprayed her hair, she removed her dress from the hanger and stepped into it, pulling the silky blush-colored fabric over her hips and holding it in place at her chest. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and stared at the elaborate temporary tattoo Leanne had insisted on applying to her entire right arm, from wrist to shoulder.

"We need to dispel that goody-goody image you've got going on," Leanne had said. "At least for one night." Maura had to admit it did look pretty cool. Maybe she'd get a permanent tattoo when she was legal.

Maura made her way back to her bedroom, arms still braced around her chest to hold up her dress. "Zip me up?" she said to Leanne.

Leanne turned her back to Maura. "Only if you do me, too."

After they had slipped on their heels and jewelry, they stood side by side in front of Maura's full-length mirror, Leanne's arm draped around Maura's shoulders. "Colin is a doomed man," she commented. "It's amazing what a little contouring and highlighting can do. Not that you need it. You've got perfect skin," she added with a hint of jealousy. She leaned forward to examine a new pimple that had erupted on her chin overnight. "Is it noticeable?"

"It's fine," Maura said. "Hey, I'm sorry you couldn't find a date. I thought for sure Mike Donohue would be available."

"That womanizer?" Leanne said, applying another layer of concealer to her chin. "I hear he's taking, like, three girls. Besides, I don't need a date when I've got you, right? I appreciate you letting me be the third wheel. I promise not to cramp your style."

Maura laughed. "I don't exactly have any style to cramp."

"Well, I'll be sure to let Colin have all the slow dances," Leanne said. "I just wish things could have worked out with Luke. I am completely intrigued by that guy."

Even though Luke had attempted to speak to Maura several times since the incident at the movie theater, she'd gone out of her way to ignore him. Frankly, she didn't understand why he continued to hang around. If he was what he claimed to be, why didn't he just flutter away to this alternate faery universe he called home and back to the queen he called mother?

Even more annoying than his persistence, however, was Evelyn. Maura had seen Luke's sister spying on her from dark corners and behind trees; she really wasn't very good at being inconspicuous. Evelyn had even shown up a few times at the theater, though she never approached Maura. Leanne's dad was a cop. Maura considered telling him about Evelyn—maybe she could get a restraining order—but she figured she was just being paranoid. Evelyn had never actually done anything to her, after all. She was just strange. Still, sometimes the fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled like some unseen person was watching her. She found herself looking over her shoulder a little too often these days.

Leanne waved her hand in front of Maura's face and Maura blinked, realizing her attention had wandered and that Leanne had been saying something to her. "Colin's here."

"Huh?"

"He just pulled into the driveway."

Maura blinked again and went to the window in time to see Colin getting out of the car. He closed the door and stood for several seconds checking himself in the reflection of the driver's side window, smoothing back his sandy hair with his hand.

"Damn," Leanne said appreciatively from over her shoulder.

Maura grinned. "I know, right?"

**********

"It smells like a locker room in here!" Leanne yelled over the thumping music as she fanned herself with her hand. It had to be a hundred degrees on the dance floor, with everyone pressed up against each other, with barely an inch to move and no space to breathe. "I'm going outside. Wanna come?"

"We'll meet you out there soon," Colin said before Maura had a chance to reply.

Leanne glanced at him before her gaze shifted to Maura. "Take your time," she said with a knowing grin, winking before she turned and danced her way toward the exit, arms in the air and hips swaying to the beat. Maura saw Mike Donohue sidle up to her before they both disappeared out the door.

"How about some punch?" Maura said.

Colin put his hand to his ear. "What?"

Maura laughed, still bouncing up and down to the frenetic beat of the music. "How about some punch?!"

"Sounds good!" Colin yelled. "I'll get it."

Maura nodded and watched Colin eel his way through the crowd before wandering off to one of the vacant tables set up along the perimeter of the dance floor. Colin had taken off his jacket and undone the top buttons of his white dress shirt. His bow tie hung loosely around his collar, and his hair stood in messy, sweaty spikes. Maura thought he never looked so good. They'd been going hardcore for over an hour now and she could feel sweat beading at her hairline and blisters forming on the heels of her feet. She sat down and kicked off her shoes under the table, stretching out her legs and wiggling her toes.

As she waited for Colin to return with refreshments, she scanned the dance floor. She hadn't gone to junior prom last year and thought she would miss her senior prom, too. Her mom was right, though. She needed to lighten up, remember what it was like to have fun. Remember what it was like before. She shook her head. No, she wasn't going to think of her dad tonight. She wasn't going to˗˗

"Hi, Maura."

She blinked at the sound of her name, her focus returning to the present moment. "Evelyn," she said. "Hi."

The girl stood awkwardly before her, shifting from one foot to another. She seemed unsure what to do with her arms and hands, and she wouldn't meet Maura's eyes. "I just . . . I wanted to say I'm sorry. For everything."

Maura stared at Evelyn, not entirely certain she wanted to accept her apology. "Thank you," she said at last with a sigh of resignation. "I appreciate that." When Evelyn made no move to leave, she went on. "Uh . . . did you come with someone?" she asked, noticing the girl's short aqua-blue chiffon dress with a fabric flower at the waist. Her pink-tipped hair was pinned back. She hadn't ditched the Converse, though. Only traded them in for a different color. "You look nice," Maura said.

Evelyn's cheeks flushed. "Thank you. I came with a boy named Mike Donohue." Her voice went up at the end, as though she wasn't sure of his name. "He said he was going to get us cake, though I haven't seen him in a while."

"Maybe he went to the bathroom," Maura said, making a mental note to throttle Mike the next time she saw him.

Evelyn nodded. "Oh. Right."

Maura felt suddenly sorry for the girl. "Do you want to sit down?"

"Yes, thank you!" Evelyn said, her sullen expression brightening as she pulled out a chair. "I saw you dancing with someone. He's really cute. Is he your date?"

Maura raised her brows. "Do you really want to talk about my date?"

Evelyn put up her hands in mock surrender. "I'm done trying to get you and my brother together. I promise!"

Maura gave her a look, not quite believing her. "His name is Colin," she said. "We've known each other a long time. We're good friends."

Evelyn nodded. "Well, he seems nice."

"He is."

They lapsed into silence after that, each of them watching the dance floor. Maura finally spotted Colin at the refreshments table. He had the drinks in his hand, but he had gotten held up by a group of his friends.

"Dare I ask if Luke is here tonight?" Maura wondered, just for something to say.

Evelyn grinned. "He is. I made him come with me."

"Every guy's dream."

Evelyn's brow puckered. "What?"

"Taking his sister to prom, I mean. That's every guy's dream." When Evelyn still looked confused, Maura added, "I'm being sarcastic."

"Oh," Evelyn replied.

Colin returned then and handed Maura one of the cups of punch. "Let's find someplace a little quieter," he said, his eyes darting to Evelyn.

"Sounds good to me," Maura said, standing. She turned to Evelyn, trying not to notice the dejected look on her face. "Well, see you later."

Evelyn nodded. "Yes. I'm sure I'll see you later."

*****

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