Love vs. Payne (4 page)

“No way!” Alice said as she finished straightening her fire-red hair.

“There is no way we’re letting you go out like that.” Gwen chimed in, putting the final additions on her makeup. The two girls stalked towards Gia with that look in their eyes.  

Gia was ready to run for the door.

“Why? It’s the same people we see every day in class, what’s so special about them tonight? Are they going to suddenly grow personalities or something?” Gia asked, but they were both past the point of listening. For years they had been dying to get Gia out of those baggy clothes, take that braid out of her hair and give her a full make over.

Alice walked towards Gia wearing a lime-green, snakeskin-print, mini dress that highlighted her emerald green eyes. She wore seven inch, platform heels that would make her the tallest person at the party and enough fake-bling to blind anyone standing close to her. Alice had been a full-fledged fashion-ista by the 3rd grade. While the other kids were worrying about recess, Alice was worrying about the new dress she wanted. She especially loved the party clothes, the smaller the better and with her slim, 5 ft. 10 frame, she always looked like she just stepped off the runway. Her green eyes shined as she sat Gia in the chair and lifted the flat iron.

"I've been waiting to straighten these curls since the 9th grade." Alice said, and then went to town on Gia’s mass of dark curls. When she was done, Gwen and Alice smiled with delight, clapping their hands like little kids, while Gia rolled her eyes.

Gwen was wearing an expensive taupe dress, the sandy color complimenting her chocolate toned skin. She wore nude shoes that were covered with different sized gold chains that made an annoying sound when she walked. Her thick chestnut hair hung in long waves down her back and she topped the classy look off with long, brown feather earrings and a dainty, gold necklace.

“My turn.” Gwen smiled, holding up her makeup brushes like a gunslinger.

Gwen was the five-foot robo-tician of the beauty world and the queen of extensions. Her robotic technique was precise, flawless and creative. When Gwen was done, she smiled then swung the chair around so they could see her work.

"You outdid yourself this time," Alice smiled, "she looks like a movie star! I have the perfect dress to finish the look!” she squealed as she ran over to her closet. After a few moments, she ran back with a pink, rectangular shaped, scrap of material in her hand.

“What is that?” Gia asked pointing an accusing finger.

“A dress.”

“That’s not a dress, that looks more like a legwarmer. I am not wearing that.”

“It stretches.” Alice assured her, stretching the tiny pink dress. “Just try it on, please! If you don’t like I’ll find something else.” she encouraged her and Gia frowned as she went to try on the dress. She had no more then put it on when she heard them coming up from behind.

“You look amazing!” Alice cried out in elation. Gia cringed as she looked at herself in the mirror, the tiny dress clung to her curves indecently and she felt over exposed.

"I can't wear this," she said.

"You have to wear it!" Gwen said.

"You look perfect!" Alice smiled ear to ear.

"I look naked." Gia answered.

"That's the point." Alice laughed.

"I'm changing."

"No way, I forbid it!" Gwen objected jokingly.

"Come on Gia, you can put the baggy jeans back on tomorrow, it’s just one night.” Alice pleaded.

Gia looked at herself again in the mirror, she did not even recognize the reflected girl in the itty-bitty, pink, strapless mini.

***

Marko Myers, Maddox’s best friend since kindergarten, was known and loved for throwing the best parties in town. He was also known for fighting with any partygoers foolish enough to touch or damage his beloved mother’s expensive décor. Every year he threw three different parties, one for back to school, an elaborate one for Halloween and one at end of the year. However, none of his parties would ever be able to top his pre-graduation party, this was the last party he would ever throw while in high school and he had gone all out.

His theme for his last party was ‘blackout‘, which meant everyone had to wear all black. Marko had ordered enough food and liquor for the entire school to get drunk, but instead of having a good time, he was still running around making sure people were not touching his mother’s stuff.

Maddox was ready to leave, he was sick of trying to dodge the cheerleading squad and if that was not bad enough, Paige was there. He could not tolerate one more night of her hanging all over him, she was obsessive as well as possessive and just plain mean. Maddox was rich, but he did not brag and he did not base his worth on his family’s financial status, unlike Paige. She never fooled him with her sweeter then pie, good-girl act, he knew what she was all about and saw his financial status in her eyes every time she looked at him.

He was ready to leave the party when he looked up to see Gia and her two friends walk through the front door. Then he saw them being stopped at the door by one of the cheerleaders who was there to enforce that everyone wore black.

“You have to wear black.” the cheerleader said haughtily.

“We can go change real quick and come right back.” Alice said.

“Come on, we’re already here, just let us in.” Gia said in irritation.

“I can’t do it, Marko would never allow It.” she grinned. Then all of them looked up to see Maddox’s large frame walking over to them, he looked at the cheerleader with his brows raised.

“They’re not wearing black, Marko said I can’t let them in under any circumstance.” the cheerleader explained to Maddox.

“Let them in.” Maddox said.

“Alright,” the cheerleader smiled from ear to ear, watching Maddox walk away before she turned back to Gia with a frown, “go ahead.”

“Um, isn’t Maddox your sworn enemy?” Alice whispered.

“Yes.”

“Then why did he make sure you got in the party?” Gwen asked.

“Who knows,” Gia shrugged, “he’s probably up to something.” she said, but her friends did not buy it for a minute. As much as Gia tried to hide it, they knew she had a very strange relationship with her enemy.

Maddox stood back watching her, he could barely believe his eyes, Gia was wearing a scandalous dress that hugged her tempting curves. Her raven hair was done in loose curls that fell down her back and she was even wearing makeup. He looked around to see that every guy at the party was instantly on alert and watching her as well. He was ready to brawl, although he honestly could not blame them, she looked amazing and was by far the prettiest girl at the party. He watched his teammate Chase walk over and hand Gia a drink, his pretty-boy smile already in place.

"Welcome to the party, I'm glad you could make it," Chase said with a big smile.

"Thanks." Gia said taking the cup then walked away with her friends. Chase had always liked Gia, since grade school, but she was never interested in him. He never took her rejection well and was one of the main ones that had started some vile rumors about her. Maddox had to be careful with confronting Chase, since their fathers were friends. Nevertheless, he let him know that spreading malicious rumors about females was an act of cowardice and Chase immediately recanted.

Gia could feel Maddox’s eyes beckoning her as she stood there, trying to avoid looking in his direction.

“Girl, this is my song!” Gwen exclaimed.

“Let’s dance.”  Alice smiled, but Gia shook her head.

“Go ahead.”

“Aw, come on Gia!”  Gwen pleaded but Gia shook her head.

“No.”

“Fine.” she pouted before she and Alice went to dance with the rest of the exuberant crowd.

Out of the corner of Gia’s eye, she watched Paige run over to Maddox and possessively wrap her arms around him. Gia could not stand Paige, she was a conceited two-faced bitch who thrived on drama and created problems for everyone around her. She also knew that Paige had been the one spreading the new rumor that Gia was giving oral sex in the bathrooms for cash and that she was pregnant by one of three different guys. To Gia, Paige was no more than a gossiping, bleached-out slut who used her head cheerleader title as a shield of defense. Who was she to talk about anyone else? Paige was the only girl stupid enough to humiliate herself by trying to lay claim on Maddox, especially since everyone at school knew that she drove him nuts with her stalker-like fixation.

Gia had to hold back her laughter as she watched Paige hang all over Maddox, trying desperately to get him to kiss her, but he wanted no part of it. Gia was not sure why, but seeing Paige all over him was bothering her. She knew she should not care, he was her enemy after all, but she just could not help it. Of course, it did not help that he looked so damn hot tonight, and she could tell, that he had not even tried. His dark hair looked like he had just raked his fingers through it, he had stubble on his face and his shirt was not all the way buttoned. She waited until Paige went to go get him another drink and despite her better judgment, she walked over to him.

"I see you're enjoying time with your wife, how sweet." Gia’s comment automatically pissed him off, she knew how to get under his skin like no one else. He absolutely, 100%, no doubt about it, hated it when Gia called Paige his wife.

"You look like a slut." he frowned not wanting her to see she had pissed him off yet again.

"How original of you, speaking of sluts," she pulled the little red bow out of her little pink purse, "I dare you to call your little girlfriend a slut,
while
you pour your drink over her head." she said as she smiled a smile so wicked that he was not sure whether he wanted to slap her or kiss her. Seeing Paige come towards them, Gia turned and walked away but stayed close enough to watch.