sympathetically

"...why are you wearing makeup?"

I can't believe I forgot about the makeup! "I fell asleep during class and woke up like this."

"And the shirt?" I forgot about Bobbi's shirt too? I only remembered putting on my pants because that's all I had time for.

"I..it's for home-ec. We had to..sew...thing."

"Do you want me to help you take off your makeup?" She asked ignoring my awful lie.

"Of course! If I knew you were home I would've asked! Obviously!"

"Obviously." I think she bought it. "Come on lil bro."

"I'm the same age as you."

"Yeah, but you're lagging by ten months. Now sit." Michelle shoved me into her room which was right next to mine. I sat on a chair in front of her mirror with all the lights, I remembered that Bobbi had a similar set up in one corner of his giant closet. "Hold still." Michelle sprayed something on a napkin and wiped my face.

"M-Michelle."

"Yeah?"

"How did you know you liked Jason?"

"Well, he's very sweet to me, always makes me feel special, and has a great butt."

"And that's how you knew you liked him?"

"Hmm, oh. No. That first kiss on the Ferris wheel on our first date." She resumed wiping my face gently, "This...'prank' and the question wouldn't happen to be connected would they?"

"What? No. I-"

Michell suddenly gasped, "Who the hell hit you?!"

"Oh, someone took something I said the wrong way."

"Who?!"

"I don't know the guy's name. It all happened so fast. Look can you not tell mom and dad?"

"I won't have to, one look at your face and you're busted." I looked in the mirror and saw the large green bruise on my cheek and knew she was right. It was large and noticeable, it practically glowed neon! "Can I um, can I use your makeup?"

"You want to wear makeup?"

"I just don't want to deal with mom and dad over this. Please!" I begged.

"Go ahead but I'm not helping." Michelle sat on her bed and took something out of her bag and began reading.

I stared in horror at the multiple products and brushes and something that looked like it scooped out eyeballs. I tried to remember what Bobbi did but I couldn't remember a damn thing he did. I read some of the bottles and thankfully they had names. "The hell is contour?"

"Fine! I'll help." She through the stack of papers on her bed and took the stick labeled contour away. "I'm only doing this cause I don't wanna hear you try to come up with a lie again."

"I wasn-"

"Shh." She held my face and started dabbing at it with a sponge, it wasn't as pleasant as when Bobbi did it though. She spread the makeup on my face telling me everything she was doing so I could 'do it myself later'. I tried to follow along as best I could, in case I still had a bruise tomorrow. "Now, whoever this....person is,"

"There is no one!"

"I just hope you know you can always talk to me about anything."

"...I know." I turned to the mirror and I looked the same as I did this morning before school. It wasn't as...fun as before. But it hid the bruise and that's all that mattered. Right? "Thank you." I gave Michelle a hug that surprised us both. "For everything."

"Aw, that's what I like to see." Mom stood in the doorway smiling.

"Mom!" I pulled away from Michelle in surprise.

"Come on, dinner's ready."