You asked to walk me home

But I had to carry you

And you pushed me in

And now my feet can't touch the bottom of you

-Pheobe Bridgers

M A R N I E

It was finally hitting 7 'o'clock in the evening as I exited the shower and looked at the beautiful dress that had been delivered like an hour ago along with my mom's Prada heels that I was borrowing.

I decided that I would let my hair air dry and if it ends up looking like shit I may straighten it.

I took out my highlighter palette and applied it all over my collarbones and then proceeded with my makeup. I was going to do a graphic white eyeliner to go with the silver.

Also, the dress has cutouts near my waist and has a high slit so either I go commando or... Or I don't know, I'll have to ask Val about it.

"Val! Val!" I yelled as I dipped the brush in the white face paint because I had run out of my white eyeliner.

"What?" She walked in with her PJs on and a thousand products in her hair.

"What underwear do I wear?" I say before realising it rhymes.

"Either nude ones or none at all," Val says and I sigh.

"Can you call Sadie from my phone? Leave it on speaker." I say and she nods before grabbing my phone.

"Here. Also, can I hang out with you? Until you leave?" She asks and I raise an eyebrow at her through the mirror and nod.

"Of course," I say as a matter of fact.

The phone rings and rings and rings. At the final ring, Sadie picks up.

"Hi sorry, it's a hassle to get to the phone. How are you doing?" She asks and I sigh.

"Good, I missed you. How are you doing?" I ask doing my eyeliner with precision.

"I'm great, dad is finally gonna get his prosthetic leg situation fixed. Zane is applying to universities. I'm going to cooking classes." She gives me all the info.

Another half an hour is spent with me and occasionally Val speaking to Sadie. I hang up after she tells me she needs to go cook dinner and look at Val.

"How's my makeup looking?" I ask. I had just gotten done with the eyeliner and added a couple of pearls on the bridge of my nose connecting the waterline to the waterline and then highlighter around it.

"Amazing. I can't believe you're so talented." Val sighs smiling and getting up before grabbing my dress.

"Come on you have like 20 more minutes before your ride would be here." She says and my face falls as I put my feet through the well she had created for me.

"Oh, I'm not going with Arthur," I mutter as she pulls the dress over my body slowly.

"What? Why?" She asks clearly surprised as we manage to not get me tangled in the straps.

I sigh before explaining everything and brushing through my now dry hair. I pick up the crystal epaulette and let Val clasp it in the back. Shuddering at how cold the crystals were on my skin.

"Let her explain what she can," Val says after a minute of silence.

"What?" I ask and she nods sighing.

"I get it, I get what you're saying. I understand what you're feeling. I'm sure it's horrible but you should let her explain. Just hear her out." Val says and I go silent.

I give her answer a thought as she helps me put the fake metal elf ears on. We apply hairspray and slip the front part down adding crystal clips and even though I feel as if I might be going all out. It's the St John ball.

"I'll drop you off. In dads Mercedes." Val smirks and my eyes widen.

"He is not lending you his car." I scoff and she rolls her eyes.

"Just wait and watch." Val bows down.

"Your highness." She finishes before giggling and prancing out of my room.

I sigh before checking my phone to see that I had like 3 missed calls from Ronan. Furrowing my eyebrows I call him back while running my fingers through my dress in the mirror.

"Sole." He simply addresses and I smile.

"Hi Ro. What's up?" I ask and I hear him sigh.

"I told you I'm going bald right?" He asks softly and I recollect the conversation.

"Yes you did," I start.

"Well, I did it." He cheers and my eyes widen.

"I thought you said that just because you were drunk." I gape and he laughs.

"Nope I did it, I'll send you photos." He says and I laugh.

"Alright okay, I'll see it," I say before we hang up.

"Mer!" Val knocks on my door before walking in. Holding the keys to dads car.

"No way." I squeal before hugging her. I get my heels on and we leave for the ball.

I'm about half an hour late but fashionably so.

As she drops me off acting like my chauffeur, opening up the door for me and getting her sunglasses on. In the night.

"Oh my God Val stop," I whisper smiling at some people I recognized.

Val laughs before waving at me and driving off. I clutch the skirts of my dress as I walk in. The entrance is grand. Large crystal chandeliers, and people dressed in extravagant dresses.

In the middle of the room, there are women dressed in gold little two pieces dancing. Their body is covered in gold paint.

In the corner, I spot Jackson dressed in a fantastical version of Thor and I decided to walk up to him.

I smell her before hearing her. My body tenses as her steps fall beside mine.

"I knew you would go for silver." She mutters leaning.

"Oh did you now?" I scoff continuing to walk. Never once looking at her.

"Yes." Art whispers her voice raspy and I finally turn my head around to look at her. Everything in my heart aches at her sight.

She looks so beautiful.

She looks so beautiful not being mine.

"If you don't mind me saying this, your hair looks amazing." She says her voice soft. I look her over.

She is in black fighting leathers. With a coat on top of it, silver accents. Silver fucking accents. Her low-lidded eyes lined with black and silver liner and her lips painted a maroon colour. Her feet are dressed in boots with silver serpents traveling up the heel and I take a deep breath in.

Arthur's body is dressed in jewels still, even if the character that she might have gone for is a masculine one. Her hair is straightened to perfection and a circle adorning the top, it's a different one. It starts in the back and ends at the front, the vines from each side almost close to meeting near her forehead.

I stay silent as she brings one hand over to my face. My breath hitches as her cold finger armours with stained fingers underneath brushes past my cheek and on the rougher cuts on the right side of my hair.

"Did you cut it yourself?" She asks whisper leaning down and I simply run my eyes over her face. It hurts so bad.

"How did you know?" I ask softly, scared that this is an illusion. That even a breath could break it.

"With your dominant hand being right, it's a bit rougher here." She whispers and my face flushes as I stand there, antsy.

"Oh," I whisper looking down. Hating myself for not yelling at her.

"You look beautiful." She whispers and I nod gulping.

"You don't look too bad yourself," I mutter nodding before stepping away.

"I need to go-" I start and she gives me a tight-lipped smile before nodding.

"Of course." She says and I nod before grabbing the skirts of my dress and hurrying away.

I can feel her eyes burning catacombs in my back.

marnies makeup:

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