Ingrid wasn't quite sure why she had hugged Flynn. After all, they weren't the best of friends, but they weren't the worst of friends either. Maybe it's because she had imagined Daniel in his place. Maybe it's because she was inspired by the natural beauty that the gazebo showcased. Maybe it's because she was overwhelmed. In the end, the hug still happened, and she couldn't change that.

Ingrid stalks away as fast as she can from Flynn, who quickly follows; she throws herself down onto the gazebo floor, putting her knees to her chest. "I'm such an idiot." the girl mutters, closing her eyes. 

"Ingrid, are you okay? Do you need a drink of water? I can go get some if you want."

"I don't know if I'll ever be okay. You know my weakness now; you're going to tell Daniel and now I'm going to die of embarrassment. He'll probably laugh and think it's a joke. Daniel doesn't like me, and he'll never like me. Maybe if I try to be more girly and wear dresses and makeup, he'll leave that witch Lexie for me. Oh, who am I kidding? Daniel's out of my league, and besides, he thinks I'm dating you!"

"Do you really doubt me? Ingrid, you may think we're not friends, but during these past few days, I've learned a lot about you. You obviously care a lot about your feelings for him, and I'll respect that. You've got to trust me, okay? We have a week and a half left of summer school, and if you want to stop talking to me after it, then fine. But I want to make the most of this. I want to get to know you, Ingrid. No matter what, I'll still be there for you, even though you think we're not friends. I care about you, and you just as soon wouldn't even shoot a glance at me. I just want to be your friend, and you keep fighting me on this. I thought the gazebo would bring us together, but it apparently didn't. Please tell me what's on your mind. I want to help you, but if you keep wedging us apart, I don't know if I can help you." he answers, sitting down next to her. 

Ingrid glances over at Flynn, tears dotting her eyes. "Just take me home. That's where I want to be right now."

"Ingrid, please just let me know what's really wrong. I know you're worried about this, but there's something else on your mind. Just tell me."

"Take me home, Flynn. Please, just bring me back. That's the best thing you can do right now." she answers, standing up. "You don't need to worry about me, I'm fine. Just keep this a secret, please. Don't tell Daniel I like him, okay?"

Flynn sighs, standing up as well. "Fine. If you won't tell me what's wrong, I can't pry it from you. I'm just trying to be a good friend."

"You'd be the best friend if you'd bring me back to my house."

"Let's go, then."

Ingrid gets out of Flynn's truck, Flynn driving off in a rush. The ride back to her house was silent, and she didn't feel bad about it at all. She walks up to the door, only to have it be opened from the other side. Her older brother Hunter stands on the other side, a grin on his face. "What if I told you that there was a party at Daniel Jefferson's tonight?"

"How do you know about this? You already graduated, like, two years ago." Ingrid mutters, pushing past him in order to get into the house. She plops down onto the couch, curling up into a ball. Hunter follows her, sitting on the opposite side.

"Rosemary told me. She seemed really excited to go to it, since Chance's hosting it." Chance Jefferson, otherwise known as the new college baseball recruit for Florida State, was throwing parties left and right before he had to leave for Florida in August. According to Hunter, Flynn's sister, Rosemary, was in love with him, but he wasn't aware of it. Rosemary told Hunter everything, since they had a few classes together and seemed to always run into each other. They had become good friends, and although Hunter was in a long-term relationship, it almost seemed as if he liked Rosemary as well.

"So? It's not like you're actually going to it." 

"What if I told you I am? And what if I told you that you're coming with me?"

"You can go. I'm not going with you."

"Yes, you are. I was able to team up with Rosemary and we were able to buy you a dress and heels. She'll be coming over in a few minutes to help get you looking stunning."

"Hunter, this isn't some kind of Cinderella story. There's no Fairy Godmother to transform me into the most beautiful girl in the world. Besides, can't I wear something more....casual? This isn't exactly my cup of tea." Ingrid scoffs, raising an eyebrow.

"How about we meet in the middle? You're still going to the party, but you don't have to wear the dress and heels."

"Really? You're really going to let me wear my sweat-"

"No sweatpants. I want you looking nice. Rosemary will help you with that, even if you don't want to wear the dress and heels. She'll do your hair and makeup, or whatever you girls do. You will go to that party a different Ingrid. Don't you have any inclination to want to become a girl that wants to date and wear makeup? Don't you like a guy? A girl? I don't know your preferences, but for once, I want to see my little sister not being a total tomboy."

"Okay, for one, I don't have that much makeup, and I barely know how to use it. Second of all, why would I tell you who I like? And lastly, I'm pretty sure I'm straight."

"I was just wondering, you don't need to lash out at me." Hunter answers, getting up from the sofa to open the door for Rosemary, who enters with a makeup bag, a dress in a bag, and a box of shoes, preferably the heels, all piled in her hands. "Hunter, can you go get the hair stuff in my car? I'd have gotten it out as well, but just look at me. Kind of a disaster, if you ask me."

Hunter nods, rushing out to her car. Rosemary places the makeup bag and the shoe box on the kitchen counter, turning to Ingrid. "It's time to make you look even more beautiful than you are already."

"...Rosemary? I'm not wearing that dress and heels. I don't know what I'm going to wear, but Hunter really wants me to look nice for the party, and I want to respect his wishes. I'll let you make me up and put curlers in my hair and stuff, but right now we need to find a suitable outfit to wear." the other girl pipes up, a hopeful smile gracing her lips.

"Anything for Hunter; speaking of him, where is he? There's only about a million hair products in the box."

Ingrid's expression reflected her personality in the moment - perplexed. Her face was all scrunched up, her eyes staring at Rosemary in disbelief. 

"I'm kidding, Ingrid. There's not a lot in the box, actually - only the essentials. I was thinking of doing a simple updo, since your hair's almost always up in a ponytail or down in a big old mess. I don't know what's taking him so long, I'm going to go find out for myself. While you wait, go through your closet for me. Find something you'd feel comfortable in."

With those words, Rosemary was gone, leaving Ingrid to bury her face in her hands. She sighs, walking into her room. A tornado soon follows her, ripping her wardrobe into pieces as her clothes fly everywhere. She wasn't a girly girl, by any means, so the majority of her clothing was sweatpants and t-shirts, sweatshirts and jean shorts, and a few pair of jeans. The girl didn't own any blouses whatsoever, and skirts and dresses were completely out of the equation. Maybe she could borrow a blouse from her mother? Before her family was a trio, when her father was still here and they lived in a nice house, her mother would receive lavish blouses and dresses from her then-husband. Hopefully she still had some of the pieces in her closet. 

Ingrid, determined to find out, enters her mother's room, opening the closet. Her various work clothes hang on the clothes hangers; no sign of the designer clothes she once had. A box catches her eye, hiding in the bottom right of the closet. Inside, Ingrid finds a few skirts and dresses, along with heels and handbags. Sadly, there weren't any blouses in there. "What are you looking for, Ingrid? Oh my gosh, look at that dress!  You absolutely have to wear that. It'll bring out your curves. That green would look perfect on you. It's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen." Rosemary gushes, kneeling down next to the box as she pulls out an emerald-colored body-con dress. "I have the perfect accessory for it, too. You can have it; Jonah didn't mean anything to me anyway." She walks out of the room, quickly returning with a pearl necklace. 

"He didn't even realize I didn't like pearls. You'll look better in it, anyway."

"But what about shoes, Rosemary? There's barely any shoes in here."

"Look at those heels you have in your hands. Black goes with everything." Ingrid held a pair of black open-toed heels in her hand. According to Rosemary, those were one-of-a-kind. Together, paired with the pearls and the updo she had planned, along with some makeup to bring out her eyes, she would be the prettiest girl at the party. Of course, if it was to be held by Chance, that meant that Daniel would be there, and Lexie would be too. She highly doubted that she'd be the prettiest one there, what with Lexie being all over Daniel, but Ingrid remained silent, a smile lingering on her lips. Maybe she could prove herself wrong. Tonight would be a party to forget about what happened earlier at the gazebo. Tonight was a night to forget about who she was, a night to get lost in the music.

"Rosemary, is Flynn going to be there?" she asks through her closed bedroom door, slipping the dress on over her head. 

"Yeah, why? I know you two are getting along pretty well, what with the tutoring."

"No reason in particular."

If she could avoid Flynn at all costs, that would be perfect. It was a night for her, not a night to fight about what happened at the gazebo.

"Ready to show Hunter how beautiful you truly are?" Rosemary grins, handing a mirror to Ingrid, who looked like an actual girl for once. Her hair, normally loose and not brushed, or up in a low ponytail, was placed into an intricate updo, a few strands framing her face. The makeup accentuated her hazel eyes, and the dress brought her curves out. The only thing she was nervous about was the heels, but she'd soon take them off at the party once she started dancing. "Hunter, you ready to see the new-and-improved Ingrid Armstrong?" the older girl calls out, her grin widening.

"Should I close my eyes?" he questions, entering Ingrid's bedroom, where her makeover had taken place at. His eyes widen at the sight of Ingrid, the girl's face lighting up. "I'm honored to be your brother. You're so beautiful; all those other guys are stupid to not want to pay you any attention." Hunter whispers, hugging his sister. 

"Sorry for ruining this moment, but are we just going to have a happy reunion? Hello, the party awaits." Rosemary interrupts, now dressed in her own dress and heels. Her light hair was down in ringlets, a red dress and heels making her another girl to stand out from the rest. "Is Grace going to be there?" she then asks, biting her nude lip. Grace was Hunter's fiancee, and right now, she was at a summer camp, being a camp counselor to the young girls there. There was no way she could be attending the party while at camp.

"No, she's busy, as usual. I'm starting to think she's purposely doing this to me. Who needs her, anyway? I have two beautiful ladies on each arm. Let's just forget about tonight."

There wasn't any time to waste - the party was waiting for them, what with the red solo cups and music that blared from the DJ's stand. Everything would be perfect tonight, or so Ingrid thought. Had she known what would happen later tonight before she left, she wouldn't have even thought to go.