Goodbye Normal (20 page)

She made herself lay at the center of the bed and when she turned to the left she imagined the bold, snotty model and then turning to the right she envisioned the bossy, overprotective witch.

Each one represented the two diametric lives she had been living. Since she was not in any kinda of a dilemma zone with the guys, she decided to entertain the flirtatious one she was creating and probably play bad girl, cool girl.

Came Friday morning, Zoe stood outside the hospital parking lot waiting on Liz. The doctor she saw with Gigi’s help had prescribed a few antibiotics and urged her on a number of not dos and to dos. Other than that her jaw was fine.  Sunglass, hot pink top and pair of jeans were just perfect for a shopping afternoon. Gigi had made it clear that if all goes well tomorrow, on Sunday there will be an introductory ball for both her and the humeleons. Members of the association always dress up on such occasions. With this afternoon underway, she planned to hit two birds with one stone. Finally tell Liz her bizarre situation and shop for the perfect gown. She was not looking forward for the former but definitely the latter. Liz came shortly after with a cheerful smile on her.

“Hey girl” Liz said looking delighted.

Zoe smiled back at her warmly “Hey” she said while gliding into the car.

“You been there long?” she asked pulling out of the driveway.

“Not really” Zoe said twitching her nose while putting on her belt.

“How have you been?” Liz asked casually.

Zoe sighed “I’ve been great”

“What were you doing in the hospital” Liz asked supported by a brief glancing.

“Nothing important, just stupid checkups.” said Zoe.

Liz swerved her eyes from the road “You’ve been feeling sick lately?” her voice rather soft with care.

Zoe nodded faintly “yeah, headaches.” 

“I so hate those…so sorry.”

“Thanks. So how’s George?” Zoe asked, wanting to concentrate on another topic.

“Mom doesn’t want me to date him.” she said sharply, as if it was such an ordinary thing to say.

Zoe slewed to her instantly “Seriously…” she asked.

“She says he is too modest and boring. And that I should date ambitious, groomed guys and some more characteristics that I don’t give a shit about.  It’s not the first time we agree to disagree. She has never liked any of the guys I dated so it doesn’t bother me one bit!” she said with a hint of bitter laughter in her tone.

Zoe stared at her. Liz was the sister she never had but the best friend she will always have. Stories of her and her mother’s constant disagreement, which were mostly based of social welfares, were not a surprise. But then she want about to let that intrude on the perfect day ahead.

 “I’ve missed you.” Zoe muttered her voice filled with her own share of emotion.

“I too silly, today is strictly bff’s plus shopping day. We shouldn’t let nothing distort our schedule”

“Not even sweet George?” Zoe gagged.

She shook her head “not even honey George” Liz replied strongly.

Liz pulled back an irritating strand of hair from her face back to her ear.

“What are we starting with? Is it gonna be heels or gowns? And by the way you haven’t told me the purpose of this gown you’re excited about.” she inquired briefly shooting a glint at her.

“Will tell you about it later, I love your jumpsuit I don’t think I’ve seen it on you before.” she replied sharply.

It truly was a pretty black short jumpsuit, although her ground intension was to dislodge her from her gown’s reason discussion.

“I got it when I went shopping with mom.” She said, then jerked her neck abruptly with a bingo face “Yes that’s right!... we should totally ambush glamour! Glamour has got some real good stuff this season” she informed enthusiastically.

Zoe frowned “Are you out of your mind I can’t afford glamour? Dresses there could cost my car” she exclaimed with an extreme exaggeration.

“It’s not as pricey as it used to be. Some of their pieces are on sale; I even got this on sale… forty percent off” Liz persuaded.

“That’s perfect!” she admitted thoughtfully “but…shit! Do you think with its reputation we will still be lucky to find good stuff?”

Liz bit her lower lip “Yes. The sale advert is special for a specific number of clients, and mom is among the fortunate so I’ll purchase whatever we pick with her name then you’ll pay me half the price.”

“You don’t have to do that”

“I insist. Remember I told you will get you another graduation gift, this is it!”

Liz had bought her a gorgeous purse for her graduation but it had evaporated in thin air.

“Lucky me,” Zoe bragged “what will I do without you”

“Face it girl, your hopeless without me” Liz wagged.

Zoe threw her an eye “The little important detail your forgetting there is that, it actually applies with Newton’s third law of motion”

“Are you kidding me?” Liz said with sheer bewilderment. “Do I look like I remember a thing about that dreadful subject…you may as well translate that very foreign language”

Zoe half laughed “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”

“Nerdy nerd” Liz glared.

She smirked “Mom would have been proud”

“She surely would.” Liz agreed “instead of using those brains when you should have, here you are referring then to your stupid opinions”

“I wasn’t that bad in class.” Zoe defended.

Liz pursed her lips “it’s hard to admit but I kinda miss school.”

“Yeah, I hear you.” She simpered.

Glamour was sparkling colorfully by afar. The glass boutique had reputable fashion standards known all over town. It had a number of strong competitors; nonetheless it was a niche in its forte. Their spirits were enlightened by the elegant couture pieces displayed by the front. Their roused spirit got them lurching into the store with sheer excitement.

After a thorough inspection and assessment of a mind blowing amount of dresses, they eventually came down to three pieces.

A full length Monaco blue strapless dress. A short poppy red sleeveless dress and the last pick was a high low heavy beaded black gown. Fired up by their choices, they got to the changing room and Liz sat outside her compartment goofing around with the internet on her phone. She sat in between a large mirror by the wall and a cloth stand for cloth trials. Zoe had decided to begin with the poppy red gown.

“So” Zoe began as Liz slued her regard attentively to the pink door “yesterday I went out with the ghost you’ve been seeing.”

Liz grimaced “It really was him?” Liz asked disappointedly.

“Yeah” Zoe chortled soundlessly “It’s been a week or so.”

“I was really hoping he was a look alike.” Liz sounded disappointed “You’ve been going out with him for the whole week?”

“No, I meant he has been around for a week.”

“I seriously don’t understand what you see in the guy.”

“He is just fine.” She said desperately “what I don’t understand, is the why you insist on hating on the poor guy. He could be as sweet as Georgy poggy you know.” she gagged. Zoe wanted to add that you are your mothers daughter but knew better not to.

“In your dreams, why are you taking so long… am getting impatient.”

“It takes patients to get rid of skinny jeans.”

Liz rolled her eye knowingly “so how did it go with our gorgeous model.  The one we SHOULD waist time talking about.”

“Did you really have to add that?” Zoe said a miffy nerve alarming. She suppressed her irritation with a sigh “It was yesterday actually, he came home when it was raining already.”

“Who does that?” Liz said aggravatingly.

“I thought so too. Apparently he is a man of his words…” She explained “to top it up he made us a very tasty dinner.”

Liz’s mouth dropped “You’re not serious.”

“Voilaaa” Zoe announced as she came out of the changing room. “I am serious. He made a scrumptious shepherd’s pie.” she grinned.

“Lovely” Liz commented on her gown. Her voice didn’t sound as lovely. “You look good, I give that 5.5”

“5.5?” Zoe asked astonished, while assessing it on the mirror. It really wasn’t that bad, she would have probably given it a 7. Although it was a little too flirty, wasn’t formal and it didn’t accentuate her body as she wanted.

“Yep, now try on this one.” Liz beamed and handed over the Monaco blue “I bet it will show off your eyes.”

“Can’t wait to have it on” She cheered walking to her small cubical.

“The texture feels so smooth.” Zoe obsessed.

 “I sure have good taste” Liz said taking all credit.

“I saw it too.” Zoe cried.

“But I saw it first.” Liz reminded her.

“So we both saw it.” said Zoe, not willing to back down.

Liz’s concentration was back on her phone, when she was done she sat back on the bench with arms crossed on her chest.

“Anyway…I so veto out Chris and so so so vote in Josh. You shouldn’t even think about it.” Liz advised.

“Problem is Josh doesn’t date, until he finds the one!” Zoe said, coming out of the cube with a noble attitude. It automatically came with the dress she was wearing.

“Holy shit! with that dress your every guy’s the one.” Liz clapped gleefully.

“Your quiet the stylist, I must say it’s stunning.” Zoe muttered staring at her image on the mirror. The beautiful gown was flawless on her skin. She actually felt glamorous. Posing around it felt like it was tailor made especially for her. As Liz had guessed, it did work miracles for her eyes. The color of the dress was a catalyst to her sparkling blue eyes.

“Super! Margaret’s genes had to contribute somehow, now let’s give this high low a shot” Liz said with a smirk, feeling pleased with herself.

Closing the compartment door Zoe said “But truth be told, I’m more comfortable with Chris, than Josh, its undeniable that he’s such a gent but still I really am fond of Chris.”

“You’re sick in the head, you get a sexy, hot, gorgeous, stunning model--”

“Slow it down Liz.” Zoe interrupted cautiously “one word can describe the dude”.

“Whatever, so as I was saying, you get the sexy, hot, gorgeous, stunning model,” she giggle sarcastically  “despite his no-dating mysteries which I presume are an invitations to a friend with benefits kinda thing, which to my opinion is super cool and your nut head decides to neglect him for a God knows what Chris! Do you realize how ridiculous you are?”

“I wasn’t trying to pick anybody, so stop categorizing them.”

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this, you are just too impossible to please. What goes on in that head of yours is an absurd…” she stopped after Zoe came out “wow that is quiet a dress…”

“Confusing huh.” she muttered looking at her salient reflection.

“A definite dilemma” Liz commented with a finger in her mouth.

“So which one are we picking?” she asked her eyes still adoring the image.

“I can’t pick. I so hate this” Liz cried, looking seriously helpless.

Zoe turned to Liz “Please help me pick,” she begged.

“You’re comfortable and in love with both dresses right?” Liz asked her.

Turning back to the mirror, she gave the question some considerable seconds then reached an ultimatum.

“Unhuh” she said, nodding her head vigorously.

“Good. I have an Idea, go to the car, and I will vote it out with the people in the store. Whichever they pick is then one we will take. So then it will be your surprise.”

“Genius.” Zoe clapped then bent over to place a kiss on her cheek “Excellent idea, am out.” she skittered away giggling to the compartment.

 Driving back home to Zoe’s house, they found a silver motorbike parked at Zoe’s drive way. Immediately after recognizing it, Zoe’s stomach made a fierce knot. Her poignant anxiety on which dress was picked hit a dead end. She noticed it as Chris’s bike, and that meant time for truth or dare had finally come. She had succeeded concealing her fears of telling Liz the entire time with help of the shopping excitement. Earlier on, she negotiated with her instincts and asked Chris to help out. She was still not sure if it was a good idea to tell her the news with Chris in their midst, but she couldn’t do it alone. She needed some kinda backup.

“Who’s bike is that?” Liz inquired.

“Christopher’s” Zoe replied nervously.

“What is it doing at you place.” she asked with a frown “don’t tell me he lives with you guys.”

“No. of course not.” said Zoe, gliding out of the car with her shopping bag.

“Whatever happed to girlfriends over bros Zoe?” Liz complained.

Zoe shrugged “Emergency calls!” that was the instant explanation she could find to describe their situation.

“What’s the emergency?” Liz wondered walking to the house behind Zoe.

“Let’s go in and find out.” She urged, grasping the door handle.

The memory of how Liz had reacted during the Channeler quest came back to her with vivid images. She closed her eyes at the thought and hoped she would take her news positively.

“Heeeey” Chris bellowed, with a positive attitude that Zoe wished she could borrow. She forced out a weak smile when she saw him.

Liz walked passed him like he was a bag of pees and went to throw her body on the love seat.

“Okeeey. He concluded, watching Liz’s back “Hi.” he smiled and hugged Zoe.

“Hi” she replied, her voice incredibly small.

 Dropping the bag beside a couch, she breathed “You don’t have to be so mean.” she reprimanded Liz with a dry tone. So much for opening strategy but she couldn’t help it. She thought that it was stupid and selfish of Liz to act that way. Was it just because in high school people called Chris a thief? or she was missing something subtle between them.

“It’s not your place to tell me how I should feel.” Liz shot back playing with her phone but not meeting her glare.

Zoe felt angry “That’s unfair Liz and you know, he has done—”

“Oh, you’re taking his side now?” Liz sat up glowering.

“What side…I’m—”she bellowed.

“Hey...hey…chill, come on.” Chris intervened “we have better things to talk about.”

“What do
we
have in common to talk about?” Liz asked Chris rudely.

Chris ran a hand over his hair nervously while Zoe’s face grew tense. Zoe stared at Liz wondering how to break it down.