Helplessly Aware

By Charlie burton

Chapter 5

TARA did a small twirl in front of her full-length mirror, an expensive looking dress clinging to her body. Her shoulder length, dark brown hair was parted down the center of her head and fell perfectly around her face. Her make-up was as though she’d walked straight out of a Cover Girl advertisement and her long nails painted a deep crimson.

“What do you think, mom?”

“It looks just beautiful, Tara, you’re going to cause them something to talk about.” Tara’s mom, who was a beauty specialist for Maybeline was sat on Tara’s large, neatly made bed, with a nail file carefully smoothing down her nails. “Now, cosmetics, how’s that looking at the moment? If you’re going to have the dress, you’ve got to have the make-up to match.” Mrs Palmer stood up and walked over to the ornate dressing table, placing her nail file down and scanning her eyes over the hundreds of different pots and bottles that lined the table.

“Oh, mom, I can’t wait! It’s going to be absolutely amazing tonight! And to think ‘NSync are going to be performing live,” she gushed, running her hands down over the black silk.

“Hmmm, I think we need to go shopping. I know just what we need.”

“Let me just change out of this and then I’ll be down straight away.”

Her mom left the room, her high heels clicking against the polished wood floors. Tara slipped out of the short black dress and hung it back on the hanger and laid it out on the bed, standing back to admire it. She rifled through her long walk-in closet trying to find something to wear, finally deciding upon a mini magenta pink Gucci skirt, a delicate white tank top, a white chenille cardigan, and a pair of Gucci sandals. Tara grabbed a little black bag and her wallet, carefully brushing her brown locks and applying an extra coat of lipstick. She checked her eye shadow and made sure her foundation was still smooth, and then she was ready.

Tara and her mother climbed into the silver Mercedes SLK convertible and slowly pulled out of the grand drive, the tall black iron gates opening and closing behind them, securing in their beachside mansion. It was a stunning building; the front had two large pillars, regal windows, and well-manicured flowerbeds full of exotic colors. Tall palm trees rustled their leaves in the gentle sea breeze and the Miami coastline stretched out just beyond the white fencing that separated plush grass from soft sand.

The CD player came to life and classical music filled the car, Tara screwing her face up.

“Aw, mom, do we really have to listen to this?” she moaned.

“This is my car, I choose what we listen to. In your car you can have your own choice of music.”

“Mom, I have a reputation you know, what would everyone think if they knew I was listening to classical music? This is the twenty first century your music is dated. Can’t we at least listen to the radio?”

“If that will stop you moaning, of course.”

Tara pushed a button and the classical music stopped, the radio bursting to life. “Oh I love this song! Everyone at College loves this song,” she exclaimed, beginning to nod her head to the loud music.

* * *

Grace reached Blythe only slightly later than she had wished, and she found her friends house easily, set on a small community road. Alyx ran out of the house and greeted her with his normal beaming smile.

“Heya babe, how are you?” he exclaimed, jumping into the Jeep next to her, dumping his bag over the seat and pulling on his belt.

“Good, you?”

“Cool, caught up with some old friends, etc. Howz the guys?”

“They’re cool. Off to some gig in Orlando tomorrow night. They were tryin’ to persuade me to come but I said, ‘hey – art – work, you know what that means’.”

“Hmm, tell me about it. Jeez, you turned down an offer to go to a hot party in Orlando, most people would give anything for that opportunity. Mind you, most people would give anything to be as close with ‘*NSync’ as you are.”

“Hey, I’ve been practically best friends with Justin since I wuz little, I can’t help that!”

He gave her a boyish grin. “I’m only teasing, get on and drive babe, we’ve gotta be back at College.”

She half pouted and tried her most serious glare at him, but it didn’t work so she just drove off down the road.

Grace unlocked the door to their room and they both stumbled in, tired from the long journey and the late nights that spring break always brought. Alyx dropped his bag and fell to his bed, sighing loudly and closing his eyes in pure relaxation.

“Jeez this feels good,” he moaned, stretching his arms out above his head and smiling contentedly.

“Yeah, you won’t be saying that tomorrow when we have to go off to this art show in the afternoon and I’m gonna head off early down to the beach to get some drawing in.”

“Early? Morning? Uh-uh, I’m lying in. Art can wait till the afternoon.”

“Normally I’d say that too, but being around Justin, JC and the guys has kinda made me motivated to work.”

Alyx reached out and arm and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her down onto his bed and tickling her. “Well maybe next time I jus’ won’t let you go visit them – not if you’re going to be in anti-sleep mode!”

Grace giggled as his fingers gently dug into her skin. “You will not keep me away from them!” she insisted. “Not even the US army could keep me away.”

“Oh couldn’t it now?” he replied.

“Nope.”

Alyx stopped tickling her and she lay back sighing and slightly out of breath, a small smile etched into her face. “So why’d we never get it together?”

“Coz you’re my friend, and nothing else. Stop acting so desperate,” Grace mused, prodding him playfully.

“So you’ve never thought about it…truthfully now,” he asked, pretending to be serious.

“You were kinda cute when I first met you, and I guess I kinda crushed on you, but nothing serious.”

“Aw,” he whined. “But you’re so delicious, and you’re on my bed.”

“Really, well that’s not where I wuz a few nights ago,” she said, speaking before she had time to think about what she said.

“Oh, so tell all,” Alyx cooed, perking up at her comment. He rolled onto his elbow and looked down at her. “C’mon, you can’t tell me that much then leave me hangin’ here. Which one?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” she laughed.

“Justin, Joey, Lance, Chris…” Alyx began, reeling off the names.

“For your information it was JC, and it wasn’t anything intense…”

“You jus’ happened to end up in his bed…”

“It wasn’t like that!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, thaz what they all say,” Alyx replied nonchalantly.

“I’m serious! We were all watching a movie in JC’s room, and Justin and I were lying on the bed and I fell asleep. So JC just moved me into bed and went to sleep too. See, nothing kinky or passionate about that,” she persisted.

“Hmm,” Alyx pondered. “You and Justin, huh?”

“Alyx!” Grace screamed, trying not to smile and hurling a pillow into his face.

* * *

The mall was over crowded with people, many of them teenage girls choosing new outfits for school. There were also a couple of guys hanging around, checking out the girls and eating French fries at the MickyD’s. Tara knew exactly where she was headed, her mother did too.

“Oooh,” she squealed, seeing a delicate dress in a store window, coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of it.

“Tara, I thought we were here for make-up, big fancy do thing you’re going to tonight…*NSync?”

“Coming!” she replied, switching back to thoughts of the evening ahead and hair! What could she do with her hair?! “Hair! Mom, what do I do with it?”

Her mother sighed and looked back at her young daughter, stunning in her magenta skirt and white tank top. “Make-up first, hair later, okay?”

Tara pulled a funny face. “Eek, okay,” she replied. “I think a shimmery silvery grey for my eye shadow, a poppy red for my lips, a rouge for my cheeks and…” she hummed, “black for my lashes. Does that help you any?”

“Come along, get in the store then I’m sure they’ll have what you want.”

“Carli! Wait up mom, it’s Carli from school!” Tara saw her good friend and went rushing over, both of them embracing in a hug.

“What you doing here?” Carli burbled, standing back with a big grin on her face.

“I’m getting some make-up, dad’s got some huge party in Orlando this evening and he got mom and I tickets too. ‘*NSync are going to be performing live and jus’ hanging out!”

“Ohmygod! I’m so jealous of you! Look, I betta be going, Dan’s here and we’re supposed to be seeing a movie in about twenty minutes. Have a great time this evening though. Think of me when you’re chatting to Joey and JC and all the rest. Call me tomorrow!”

“I will. Bye!” Tara called.

“Are you coming, or do you want to forget the make-up thing?” her mom said.

“No! No, I’m coming. I just haven’t seen any of my friends from High school for ages.”

“What about the beach party the other week?”

Tara held her mouth open for a couple of seconds, trying to think of a reply. “Yeah…well…she was with Dan and I’d met some cute guy from Miami, besides, you don’t actually talk much at these parties, mom.”

“Oh really,” her mom replied, an eyebrow rising.

Tara grinned and pushed her mom into the white walled store with make-up set out minimally, white spotlights and a long curved wooden counter with three stools seated perfectly beside it.

* * *