Chapter Text
“What about this?” Lydia, fourteen, twirls in a circle, her pink dress fanning out beneath her, her mouth stretched in a wild smile. “Adorbs, right?”
“You have got to stop saying that phrase before it becomes a habit,” laughs Lizzie, then stands up to examine the dress. “It’s cute, but don’t you think it’s a bit low cut?”
Lydia looks down and frowns, and suddenly her body feels awkward and exposed, but she wipes the frown off her face and shrugs. “You’re such a drag, sis. But whatevs. I’ll find something else.”
“You did look nice, though,” adds Jane, who is sitting on her bed, assembling a variety of makeup to aid Lydia in her plight.
“Hold on,” says Lizzie, and elbows Lydia out the way of her dresser. “I might have something.”
“Ew, gross.” Lydia sticks her tongue. “All your clothes are from dragsville. Do you even own anything that you couldn’t wear to a funeral?”
She gets another elbow in the side for her trouble.
Lizzie rifles inside a little more and then pulls out a silky summer dress that swathes in colour from orange to pink, patterned with tropical flowers. She holds it up against her sister’s frame and smiles. It suits her.
“Wow,” says Lydia.
“I’ve never worn it,” admits Lizzie. “It was a gift, but it’s not my kind of thing.” She presses the hanger into Lydia’s hand. “Go change. Keep it if you like it.”
Lydia smiles and throws her arms around her sister. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Shakily but with a smile, she ducks down the hallway to change and reappears within a surprisingly short time.
“Wow,” say Lizzie and Jane in unison.
“Do I look alright?” She twitches the edge of the fabric and then grins. “Do you think Jack’ll like it?”
“You look great,” says Jane. “He’ll love it. Hold on, I’ve got just the thing to finish it off.” And she’s gone like lightning before either Lizzie or Lydia can ask where she’s gone.
“It really does suit you,” compliments Lizzie.
“Thanks.”
Lizzie grins and then sets about picking up the array of rejected compositions on the floor, humming to herself quietly.
“Hey Lizzie?”
She looks up. “Mm?”
“Have you ever been in love?”
Lizzie smiles and then shakes her head. “No.”
She’s had crushes. Intense ones, even. A couple of boyfriends, a smattering of dates. But she’s never been in love. And it’s not something that worries her. She’s seventeen. She doesn’t need to be in love yet.
Lydia smiles, butterflies still flitting in her stomach. “I wonder what it’s like.”
Lizzie pauses in her task for a moment. “Me too, I guess.”
Jane wanders back in, a look of delight in her eyes, her arms full of various clothes and accessories. She hands Lydia a pink cardigan and gold necklace, and starts on working on Lydia’s hair, a look of utter focus in her eyes. Nothing could disturb her right then.
A few moments later, she steps back.
“Perfect.”
Lydia grins, full of elation, mixed with fear.