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"I don't know why you're trying, I'm hopeless"
"You are not" Silena insisted as she dragged Clarisse into her fancy ass bathroom. She had finally given in and promised her friend she would go to the Valentine's Day dance but now she was beginning to have second thoughts.
"I mean you have a date and everything"
"Silena the only reason Chris asked me is because he waited till the last minute and knew I wouldn't be going with anyone else"
"I'm sure that's not true. You two are literally best friends"
Clarisse rolled her eyes at her friend's overly positive attitude. Although her words did make her feel better about the whole thing.
"You know I'm right" Silena drawled over her shoulder as she turned Clarisse to face the overly large mirror.
"Sure but you're definitely my best friend, not him"
"You can have more than one you know" Silena called as she moved to start gathering her hair tools.
Clarisse knew she was probably right about Chris being her other best friend. But calling him that put him on the same level as Silena and that felt wrong in so many ways. Silena was simply more. She was the person Clarisse was closest to and definitely the person she trusted the most. They'd been with each other through so much shit that calling anyone else her "best friend" seemed unfair.
At least that's what Clarisse told herself. Deep down somewhere she was beginning to suspect there was another reason she didn't want to compare Silena to Chris.
"Alright let's start!" Silena's excited voice startled her out of her thoughts. That's for the best anyways. She couldn't afford to be thinking about things like that tonight.
"Are you sure you can do this" Clarisse asked hesitantly
"Babes I literally have curly hair. You're in good hands, don't worry"
Clarisse felt her cheeks heat slightly at the pet name. (Which was absolutely stupid because Silena called everyone things like that) She blinked for a second before realizing Silena was still waiting for her permission to start. She took a deep breath.
"Yeah I know it's just no one's ever really been able to make my hair look nice.......I trust you though"
Silena grinned and got to work. Clarisse was immediately surprised by how nice it felt to have someone do her hair. Her curls were one of the many traits she'd inherited from her absent father and her mom had never really learned how to take care of them. Clarisse didn't really care, her hair had been short most of her life anyway. But now it was growing out and she would appreciate it looking nice on special occasions. That and Silena loved doing hair. She practically begged Clarisse to let her style it.
So here she was, in Silena's huge bathroom getting her hair done. And she fucking loved it.
Of course the fact that it was Silena doing her hair certainly helped.
Clarisse tried very hard to pay attention to what the other girl was doing. But she was lost pretty quickly. Silena's hands worked steady and fast. Scrunching her hair, defining her curls, and weaving the top bits into some sort of fancy braided shit. It was a bit magical.
And maybe Clarisse was struggling to keep up because the was looking at Silena instead. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed and her tongue stuck out the tiniest bit as she concentrated. It really wasn't Clarisse's fault that she looked absolutely adorable when she was focused.
"Done!" She exclaimed suddenly, meeting Clarisse's eyes in the mirror. If she noticed her starring she didn't say anything. "Do you like it??"
Clarisse examined her hair style in the mirror. It was some sort of intricate braids that went into a half up half down kind of thing. It looked really fucking good. She looked over to find Silena watching her with a hint of nervousness in her expression.
"It's beautiful. I honestly don't think my hair has ever looked this nice"
Silena's face broke out into a grin. "Told you I was good at this"
"Never doubted you"
"Mhm sure. Now let's get changed and then I can throw a bit of makeup on you. Just a little something to highlight your already beautiful features" She winked and walked out leaving Clarisse alone in the bathroom.
She actually had to stand there and recover for a minute. Silena's words had sent her brain into a bit of a panic.
Is she flirting with me? Of course she is, she's fucking Silena she flirts with everyone. Focus. You both have dates to a fucking Valentine's Day dance. Guy dates.
She took a deep breath and grabbed her clothes. She and Silena were around the same size so she was borrowing one of her friends dresses. It had been a causal suggestion but it was suddenly starting to feel like a bit of a big deal.
People share clothes all the time, it's normal, it's fine. Stop freaking out.
The dress itself was relatively simple. Sleeveless, and deep red in color. It stopped a little shorter on Clarisse since she was taller and hugged her just a bit tighter. She didn't really mind though, it looked nice. Especially paired with the heart patterned tights she'd been given to wear with it. Since apparently you can't go to a Valentine's dance without wearing something heart related. (at least according to Silena) She was very grateful that Silena was letting her wear her nicer lace up boots instead of heels. It made very little sense to Clarisse that you would go to a dance in shoes that were definitely hard to dance in, but she also didn't care enough to argue the point.
Almost absent mindedly she slid into a sitting position on the bathroom counter. She was sure Silena would be back in the room shortly, but she wanted a nice place to perch and wait. Plus she was standing the whole time Silena was doing her hair and it was getting annoying.
As if summoned from her thoughts Silena suddenly knocked on the door.
"You can come in"
The door to the bathroom opened and Clarisse's breath caught. Silena was wearing a light pink shiny dress about the same length as Clarisse's. It had thin straps that tied into bows and fit her like it had been specially tailored. She had paired it with the same heart tights as Clarisse but in white.
The idea that they matched in some way made Clarisse ridiculously happy. Silena had a way of doing that to her, making her happy about things she normally didn't care about.
"You look absolutely stunning" Silena said, bringing her back to the situation at hand, "Red is definitely your color"
Clarisse felt her cheeks turn pink and rushed to change the topic
"Um thanks...you uh wanted to do my makeup right? Are you going to be able to do it from here? Should I move?"
"Don't worry love, you're perfect right where you are"
Love. Perfect. God this girl was actually going to be the death of her.
Silena then walked over and examined her face for what felt like an eternity. Clarisse actually thought she might explode.
"Mm the lighting's nice here too" she finally decided and then stepped back to gather her makeup supplies.
Clarisse spent her little time away from Silena trying desperately to calm down and actually breathe correctly. Unfortunately for her, she didn't get much of a chance because Silena was back in a flash. An eyeliner stick perfectly posed in her hands.
"Close" she directed. Clarisse just stared at her.
"Your eyes darling"
"Right"
Her eyes drifted closed as Silena shifted towards her. She'd love to say the situation had no effect on her. But that would be an extremely false statement. She almost stopped breathing when Silena grabbed her face and moved it to a better angle. In reality, it was the hair situation all over again except somehow even better.
Clarisse didn't know how to do makeup and she'd never cared enough to learn. But it made Silena happy, so she went along without complaints. What Clarisse had failed to realize was how vaguely flirtatious the experience of having someone else do your makeup could be. She hadn't comprehended just how fucking close Silena would have to get to her. She hadn't considered the gentle brush of makeup across her eyelid or the soft palm steadying her cheek. And she definitely hadn't anticipated the soft mummerings of compliments that escaped Silena's lips. Compliments aimed at her. It was too much and not enough at the same time. And Clarisse had no clue what to do other than sit back and enjoy it.
"Your eye makeup's done. Do you want anything else?"
She opened her eyes to Silena looking at her with a slight mischievous glint in her eyes.
"I was think about putting on some blush, but I'm not sure you need it" The girl glanced very pointedly at Clarisse's clearly very flushed face.
What the fuck am I supposed to say to that.
"It's not my fault that dress looks amazing on you"
Sure yeah that was smooth.
Silena just grinned, "Just admit you like me doing your makeup already! There's no point in denying it"
She leaned forward, her hands suddenly holding the counter on either side of Clarisse. Her face tilted up to look at her. She was close. Closer than she'd been before, staring up at Clarisse with those goddamn blue eyes. It made her want to close the very little distance between them. Said eyes suddenly flicked down to her lips and then back. Either she had the same thought, or she was messing with Clarisse. Her heart sank when the realized it was probably the second option.
I mean why would Silena be genuinely flirting with her? It didn't make sense. She was going to the dance with Charles fucking Beckendorf. Something she knew other girls dreamed about. They would be dating soon if they weren't already. Silena and Beckendorf would be the picture perfect couple. How could they not? It was a fact Clarisse had come to accept, even if it still made her heart ache a bit.
She could deal with the minor flirting. Silena was a flirty person it certainly didn't mean anything. But she felt something else in the girl's intentions tonight. They were teetering on a line. Neither of them moving or speaking. And it was driving Clarisse insane.
I can't do this. I can't just sit here while she's looking at me like this.
"Just shut up and finish my makeup Beauregard. We're gonna be late"
She noticed a quick flash of disappointment across Silena's face and tried very hard not to dwell on what that meant.
The girl obliged though and went back to shuffling though makeup products.
See? It clearly wasn't a big deal. It doesn't mean anything. Calm down.
When Silena turned back her easy smile had returned. She brushed makeup across Clarisse's cheeks, one hand holding her chin so she could tilt her head when needed. Despite all of Clarisse's previous thoughts she found herself once again enjoying the fuck out of this experience. How could she not?
Silena didn't say anything else for a while. But she had started humming a bit which turned into occasionally singing a couple words. It took Clarisse a minute to place the song but once she did she it was a fight to not burst out laughing.
This girl. She's doing my makeup for a Valentine's Day dance and singing fucking Lover by Taylor Swift.
Clarisse wasn't sure how in love she had to be to recognize a goddamn Taylor Swift song by soft hums. But clearly this whole situation was a lot more serious then she thought.
Suddenly Silena stopped, holding up a tube of lipstick hesitantly.
"Is it okay if I use my lipstick on you? I don't have to, it just perfectly matches your dress so I thought-"
"Yeah that's fine" Clarisse answered quickly. Maybe a bit too quickly, she noted after seeing Silena's face slide into another smile. She uncapped the lipstick and leaned forward again. Clarisse recognized the shade, it was one of her favorites on Silena. She couldn't help but stare at the other girl as her full concentration fell on Clarisse's lips. She felt the lipstick slide on, and a blush rose in her cheeks as she imagined the same product touching Silena's lips.
We basically just kissed. I mean indirectly, but like that has to mean something right?
She forced her unhelpful brain to shut up as Silena pulled away and capped the lipstick.
"Done," she said simply but her voice was soft. "Do you want to see what you look like?"
Clarisse nodded as she reached over and handed her a small mirror. It probably would've been more convenient to just turn around and look in the huge mirror behind her. But that would also require moving from this position and that required moving away from Silena. Which she really did not want to do.
So she held the small mirror close to her face and examined what Silena had done. She had never imagined makeup as an art before. But after seeing the result of all those careful brush strokes she understood why it was something that took effort to master. The makeup on her face was relatively simple. All she had done was created a light smoky eye, dusted some blush and highlighter against her cheeks, and painted the lipstick across her lips. But it all looked stunning. She liked how Silena hadn't used the makeup to fully cover her face and make her look "perfect" or whatever. She simply used the makeup to tie her outfit together and draw some attention to her face.
She lowered the mirror to find Silena watching her.
"Whatcha looking at?"
"You"
"Heh admiring your handiwork? You did a great job Sil, I look gorgeous"
"You always look gorgeous, I just enhanced it a bit"
Her eyes widened like she hadn't actually meant to say that. Clarisse leaned forward just a bit, delighting in the slight pink tinge appearing on Silena's face.
"Do you really mean that?"
"What? Of course I do. Why would I not?" Silena looked at her like she genuinely didn't understand. Clarisse hesitated for a minute. She had promised herself not to get caught up in her feelings tonight. But things hardly ever went to plan when she was around Silena.
Fuck it.
"Did you mean the other stuff too?" She paused when Silena's head tilted in confusion, "The other compliments...and the flirting and well everything"
Silena's entire face seemed to soften. "Of course I did. Did you really think I didn't?"
"Well...kinda" Clarisse didn't know what else to say. There was a beat of silence.
"May I ask why?"
"I just didn't think you thought of me like that I guess? I mean you're going to the dance with Beckendorf and I don't know I figured you might ask him out there or something" Her voice got quieter when she saw Silena's face. The girl looked like she was a second away from bursting out laughing.
"What?! Why would you think that?"
"I don't know! I heard people say stuff about it!"
"I thought you didn't listen to gossip" Silena raised an eyebrow.
"Well I do when it's about you!"
"Fair" she shrugged then laughed "Oh god I can't believe this. I wasn't planning on asking out Beckendorf, I was planning on asking out you"
"Oh...."
Well that changes things.
"....really???"
"Yes you dumbass, why do you think I was so insistent about you coming to the dance?"
"I thought you were just trying to get me to be more social"
She laughed again, "Well that too"
"So Beckendorf and Chris?"
"They were in on it the whole time. They're actually the people who convinced me to go through with the plan. They were quite sure about you liking me" The gleam was back in her eyes.
"Wait wait. Let me just make sure I'm getting this straight" Silena gave her a look which Clarisse waved off with annoyance. "You set up a whole elaborate plan to take me to a dance, on fucking Valentine's Day might I add, and then you spent forever getting me ready and flirting with me just so you can ask me out?"
Silena thought for a moment then replied with a simple "Yeah"
"Damn you really are cheesy"
"Oh be quiet, you're loving this and you know it"
"Maybe..." Clarisse suddenly realized that at some point during this conversation Silena had flung her arms around her neck. She had no clue when that had happened. Probably while Silena was busy turning her world upside down. She also took note of the position their bodies where in. Silena was now pressed entirely against the counter. Which also meant Clarisse's knees were on either side of her hips.
"So now that we've got that cleared up" Silena's gaze focused back down to Clarisse's lips. In response she found her hands slipping around Silena's waist, pulling her a bit closer.
"You're gonna mess up my lipstick"
"Dearest do you actually care about the damn lipstick?"
Clarisse had meant to say something smooth and flirty back. But her brain had short-circuited after hearing "Dearest" and the only thing she could think of to say was, "Nope"
Silena giggled and she felt the other girls breath on her face. They were impossibly close now, their noses gently brushing against each other. Clarisse couldn't take it anymore. She was finally closing the distance between them when a knock on the bathroom door startled them both away from each other.
"Shit" Silena muttered
"Are you girls ready? Your dates are here and it's rude to keep them waiting," Silena rolled her eyes as her gaze shifted back towards Clarisse, "Also we really need to be leaving soon if we wanna get there on time"
"Yeah Dad we're ready. Be down in a second!" Silena sighed and turned to Clarisse, "Well guess we better get going" She held out her hand, which Clarisse took as she slide off the counter.
"So we're just going to go to the dance after all that"
"I mean yeah. I think I'll still ask you out officially there. Mostly so Charlie and Chris don't feel like their plan went to waste"
"Fine, but you owe me a kiss"
Silena was already halfway to the door but she turned after hearing Clarisse's comment.
"Oh don't worry dear, you'll get one" Her eyes sparkled in a way that told Clarisse she already had a plan. "Plus you're staying over tonight right?" She added slyly.
Clarisse raised her eyebrows as she desperately tried to ignore the heat rising in her face.
"You trying to imply something Beauregard?"
"Girls! Come on!" Silena's dad's voice called again.
"Guess you'll just have to wait and see" and with that she winked and slipped out of the door leaving Clarisse to follow.