Best Served Fake

nineteen // keep talking creeper to me

"No."

Cora gasped. "What do you mean no. She looks so pretty."

Isabelle shook her head. "She looks like a Mormon. A stunning Mormon, but still. It would be fine, because we are a non-judgemental crowd, except that we are trying to make Tommy Aster jealous."

The outfit that Cora had picked out for me was pretty; a blush pink silk maxi skirt that fell to my ankles, paired with a white, high-necked top with flowing sleeves. Her shoe selection was a delicate pair of silver heels, and while the outfit wasn't religiously conservative, it was far more mid-twenties winery attire than sexy teenage party.

The mirror in the corner of my room showed a girl who looked put together, responsible. The kind of girl you'd ask to a charity dinner, or to a classy date at a nice restaurant. I looked like a girl who wandered on the arm of a wealthy businessmen who wanted a trophy wife. Nice, of course, but not... unreserved depths of jealousy inspiring. 

I hadn't thought too deeply about my attire until yesterday, when Cora had asked me at lunch what, exactly, I was wearing to Rebecca's.

I'd shrugged and proclaimed that I'd find something in my closet.

Isabelle—who had miraculously disappeared from her own table and apparated in the spot between Will and Jameson to steal a few chips from Will's plate—had looked at me with glittering, excited eyes. "Oh, you have to wear something adorable. Not that you don't look adorable always. Wanna get ready together? I can come over. Cora should come too. It would be fun!"

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and I found myself nodding at Kai's sister before I even had the opportunity to consider her offer.

Kai had blanched at Izzy's words. "Get ready for Rebecca's together? Since when were you going?"

Isabelle had grinned. "Since Jake Bodrum invited me."

Jake Bodrum was a big guy in my year; a little douchey, but good-looking enough that people had let him get away with it. He always laughed loud, a deep, booming sound that always garnered attention.

"He's too old for you," Kai and Will had said in unison. They eyed each other with a small, serious nod of agreement. Will cleared his throat and continued. "You're far too young for him, you know."

Isabelle laughed and patted Will's head condescendingly. "But far too old to let you babysit me." She turned to me and said, brightly, "See you tomorrow afternoon, Valerie? Kai will give you my number."

Although Kai wasn't necessarily wrong that the meaty Jack Bodrum was too old for Isabelle, I couldn't deny that I was thankful for her presence when she emerged from my closet with a dark green mini skirt and a black crop top that I'd never been able to figure out, because it was nothing more than two triangles of fabric and a whole lot of black strips that tied elaborately around the body.

"This," Isabelle said emphatically, her eyes shining.

"Is that even a top?" Cora asked.

Isabelle looked to me hopefully.

I winced. "I mean, I did want to make a statement?"

Izzy brightened and tossed the clothes at me.

"Her boobs will fall out," Cora cried.

Isabelle grinned. "And wouldn't that be a statement?"

I had come to discover that Isabelle Delaney was a little bit crazy. If Kai was known as a bit of a bad boy, Izzy was going to give him a run for his money in her glory years. Because if Sydney thought Kai was the kind of guy a good girl could tame one day, I honestly couldn't imagine the same for Isabelle.