I could hardly believe my little scheme was working. At least, so far. I'd been able to leave Bailey's birthday early without offending her and without my parents knowing... and carrying only a slight bit of guilt with me as I went.  

On the way to Autumn's house, I'd already decided I would just be honest with Bailey about what happened tonight with Jem. To prevent my guilt from becoming even worse. No more lies where I could prevent them. Whatever happened, happened, and it'd likely be nothing. 

If only I could tell my racing heart the same. I was only on my way to Autumn, not even headed towards Jasmine's party yet, but I was already close to trembling.  I hoped the final preparations Autumn had in mind would calm my nerves a little.

But ringing Autumn's doorbell was also a nerve-wrecking feat that made my stomach feel jittery. After allowing myself a few deep breaths, I finally went for it, and pressed the doorbell. 

The door got answered a few moments later by a woman who I recognised from the pictures in the hallway. This had to be Autumn's mom, although she looked a lot less organised and neat than she did in the picture. Her brown hair was a coupe bird nest, she had a pencil behind her ear, paint stains on her shirt. 

She smiled at me.

"Hello!" she said. "You must be Autumn's friend, Celia."

I nearly breathed a sigh in relief. That went one-thousand times better than it went in my head. I was glad Autumn's mother didn't appear to be half as intimidating as her daughter.

"Hey, that's right," I said. "I'm Celia, nice to meet you." 

"Come on in! She's upstairs."

"Uh, thanks." 

I stepped inside the hallway and was surprised that Autumn's mother already walked off and slipped back into the living room. My mom would've been subjecting the new friend to a third degree interrogation, but Autumn's mom left me to my own devices. 

Luckily, I already knew the way. I took off my shoes and walked up the stairway. Autumn's bedroom door was open, and so was one of the other bedrooms' door. I peeked inside and saw a brunet guy sitting at his desk with headphones, playing some shooter game. He was also in the family picture. That had to be Autumn's brother. 

I snuck past his room without saying hi. He seemed very into his game, and I already felt like I was intruding just a tad, walking through Autumn's house alone. 

A few moments later, I arrived at Autumn's door. She was sitting at her desk as well, with headphones on like her brother. Except, she had a steaming cup of tea standing next to her. She had her knees pulled up to her chest, wore pink pyjamas, and seemed entranced by a movie. 

I looked at the moving images on screen while I walked in, but I didn't recognise the movie. Then, the two women on screen suddenly leaned in and a passionate making out scene ensued. 

I froze halfway into the room feeling my cheeks flush a deep of red, but Autumn had already noticed me. She paused the movie mid-kiss and swung around in her desk chair, taking off her headphones. 

"Ah, you made it," she said casually. "Good for you. Let's get started." 

"Uh, yeah, I got away," I stammered, flushed all over when I glanced at the two women passionately kissing on Autumn's screen behind her. 

It made sense Autumn would watch romantic lesbian movies, honestly. I shouldn't be so surprised because why wouldn't she? She told the everyone she was into girls, and I assumed it included her family. Though, I couldn't assume they knew as well. 

"Don't look so shocked and scandalised, Celia," Autumn briskly told me, as if she'd been able to read my mind. "You know I'm a lesbian, and so does everyone else."

"Oh, no, I, uh, am not shocked," I poorly lied. "Just, uh, surprised, I guess." 

The truth was, I had secretly watched some lesbian movies myself. But I had always done it sneakily, under my covers in the middle of the night. My parents weren't like Autumn's parents. They would make a huge deal out of it, and force me to talk about it. I just knew I would end up being sat down in the living room and asked whether I 'wanted to tell them something?'  

"I guess your family knows too, then?" I asked Autumn, unable to contain my curiosity. 

"Mm," Autumn hummed in confirmation. 

She'd walked over through her closet, and rummaged through the drawer, taking out various items of make-up, and I even spotted some nail polish. 

"When I shaved my head, I decided to rip the bandage everywhere at once," she said. "It seemed easier that way. One excruciatingly difficult moment, against doing it over and over." 

Autumn pointed at her desk chair. "Sit down there." 

I did as she asked, facing away from the computer screen before I'd turn red all over again. But my brain was still reeling over her previous answer.

"Wait, you were nervous?" I asked, again, genuinely stumped. 

Autumn snorted and glanced at me over her shoulder. "What? You think I don't ever get nervous? Of course I do. I'm human too, though, students at Demont seemed to forget that sometimes." 

I lowered my gaze. I had to admit I'd been among the students who forgot about her being human. Autumn had been the popular girl. The prom queen. The object on a pedestal. The person everyone knew and loved to hate for being so popular, for not giving them the time of day though she owed nobody her attention, for... sometimes no reason at all, except her existing and being so damn pretty. Sheer jealousy. 

And even after Autumn had willingly 'dethroned' herself and tried to have a quiet life, people still wouldn't just leave her alone. Except, now they hurled words of abuse instead of compliments. For not living up to expectations. 

"Celia, lift your chin and close your eyes." 

Autumn walked towards me. She had a bunch of makeup in her hands, which she unceremoniously dumped on the desk behind me. 

"Uh, right." 

I did as Autumn asked and closed my eyes. 

I couldn't even begin to fathom all the things Autumn was smearing on my eyelids, cheeks, lips, and face. I mean, I knew foundation existed, and mascara, and eye shadow. The basics. But that was it. 

My mom didn't wear makeup and had never taught me how to do any of it either. I had never bothered watching the YouTube tutorials, but I started to understand why those videos could be an hour long. 

I felt Autumn's breath on my face every time she leaned in, and I could only hope she didn't notice how my cheeks flushed every time her finger brushed against my skin for any reason. I hoped she couldn't hear my heart thumping against my ribcage. 

If I'd told the Celia from one month ago that she'd end up sitting in Autumn's bedroom, with Autumn hovering a few inches away from her face, she would've laughed at me. Yet, here we were. Life could throw some incredibly weird curveballs. 

I ignored the vague pang of disappointment in the pit of my stomach when Autumn finally leaned back. 

"Done," she declared, giving my face a satisfied nod. "Go take a look." 

"Alright, thanks," I meekly replied, rolling the deckchair to the mirror. 

I nearly gasped when I saw my face. I hardly recognised my reflection. The girl in the mirror was... so much prettier. Somehow, it looked like my cheekbones were higher, my nose slimmer, my red lips fuller. And my eyes. God. Autumn had gone for what I believed was called smokey eyes, but not too exaggeratedly, and it looked like I had cat-eyes. Quite sexy, though, I internally recoiled from using that word to describe myself. 

"Wow, you made me look like a whole other person," I complimented Autumn, tilting my head side to side. 

"That was kind of the point, right?" Autumn tilted her head to the side, side-eyeing me. "To turn into a new person." 

"I suppose..." 

I went back to staring at my reflection. Who knew even I could clean up alright if enough makeup was thrown at my average-ass face. I actually looked like I belonged at the club with Jasmine, Jem, and the others now. 

"Ah, shit!" Autumn swore. "My tea's gone cold." 

I looked at Autumn, who stood at the desk holding her cup of cold tea with a wrinkled nose, in the mirror reflection.  

Autumn was a natural beauty, even when making a funny expression. She wasn't wearing any make-up right now and when I compared my reflection to hers, she still beat me by a landslide. She could go to the club in her damn pink pyjamas and still get people chatting her up for sure. I wondered if she missed the attention at all. 

Autumn suddenly looked up, catching me stare at her reflection in the mirror. I darted my eyes away.

"Go put on your dress and heels while I make some new tea," she instructed. "It's nearly ten already. Fashionably late is fine, but you can't arrive too late. Everyone will be drunk already and that'll make entering more awkward."

I laughed nervously.  "Franky, I don't know if anything could make me feel more awkward right now. I never went to one of these parties before."

Autumn had some mercy on me, and shot me a small smile. "It's fine to feel nervous. Just don't show it to them." 

"Were you..." I hesitated. "Ever nervous at these parties?" 

Autumn thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No," she said. "Not really. But I can't say I enjoyed them either." 

"Why not?" 

Autumn shrugged. "I enjoy watching a lesbian af movie with a cup of piping hot tea much better. I only danced and drank because that was what I was supposed to enjoy." Autumn paused, then smiled at me. "And it feels pretty damn good to say that out loud."

"Ah, I understand that," I said. 

"What?" Autumn's eyes sparkled playfully. "You understand enjoying watching lesbian movies better?" 

My eyes went wide. "Oh, I uh," I stammered, making Autumn laugh.

"Relax. I'm only teasing you," she said, walking over to her bedroom door. "I'll be downstairs for a sec. Good luck tonight, Celia. And remember: don't drink too much. Slow, small sips."