03. the virgin suicides

                                    

                                          






AS SUSANN-ROSE TRIES ON THE DRESS LOTTIE PICKED FOR HER, HER FACE TWISTS INTO A JUDGMENTAL FROWN. Susann-Rose turns to look at the dark-haired girl who is giving her a confused smile from her bed. "What?", Lottie asks shrugging confusedly, "I think you look hot!"
"I look like I belong to the Virgin Suicides book", Susann-Rose says with a frown and turns to look at herself in the mirror again. Lifting her arms up and down and poking and pulling the fabric of the dress. "Well, change your name to Lisbon, because you look amazing. And it would be a crime to let you walk out of this house wearing anything else than that", Lottie hypes the girl up and walks up to her. She turns the blonde around and takes a good look at her face. "I think you need to wear lipstick, she says thoughtfully. Susann-Rose sighs and gives the girl a small smile. Lottie walks over to her vanity mirror, picks out a brownish-red lipstick, and hands it to the blonde. 
"It feels stupid to go to this party. Knowing Allie is in the fucking hospital right now", Susann-Rose sighs as she applies the lipstick, instantly agreeing with Lottie's vision. Now the white sundress, with small red flowers doesn't look so childish, but actually very pretty and feminine. 
"Yeah, I know. But I think it's important we think about something else for one night", Lottie says, and sprays hairspray on her bangs. "Do you ever hear how insanely gorgeous you are, Bunny?", Lottie says with a grin as she catches the girl staring at herself in the mirror. Bunny looks at the girl over her shoulder and shrugs. "Sometimes."


As Lottie and Bunny arrive at the party, it's already crowded in the woods. Bunny glances over at the bonfire, instantly going through the horror scenarios that involve the fire spreading and killing everyone. Lottie snaps the girl out of her trance. "You okay?", Lottie asks and looks at the girl with a smile. Lottie understands Bunny's neurotic tendencies like nobody can. Bunny nods and smiles at the girl. "I seriously need to keep an eye on you", Lottie says jokingly and puts a protective arm around the blonde's shoulders, "or some guy is going to come up and snatch you away." Bunny laughs at Lottie. Lottie is good at that, making Bunny laugh.
"Hey Hopper!", Ethan King yells to the girl. A guy who famously had a thing for Bunny during freshman year, and who now asked the girl to prom but was turned down. Bunny smiles at the dark-skinned boy who walks up to the two. "See, already", Lottie says lowly, making Bunny giggle a bit. 
"I just wanted to say congratulations", Ethan says and touches Bunny's arm softly with a charming smile. Bunny gives a genuine smile back. Ethan is a nice person, his ego is a little too big, but truly his intentions aren't malicious at all. "Thanks, Ethan", Bunny says and looks over at Lottie who awkwardly looks around. Ethan also seems to be staring at the taller girl, trying to nonverbally ask her to leave. 
"Well", Bunny breaks the silence, "we were actually gonna go and get a drink-"
"Great, let's get you a drink!", Ethan jumps in and puts his arm around Bunny's shoulder, stealing the girl from Lottie. Bunny gives Lottie a panicked look, but the taller girl is just as shocked at the boy's boldness. Bunny sighs in defeat as the boy drags her to his friends, introducing her like she hasn't gone to the same school with these people for this whole time. Most of Ethan's friends are really sweet to Bunny, congratulating her on the win and praising her playing. A few of the girls seem annoyed by the attention Ethan is giving Bunny, but Bunny isn't annoyed by it. She knows it is not personal. She's about four beers in before PJ is brought up. 
"You're PJ's sister right?", a guy named Cooper asks. His hair is an odd sand color and shaggy. It reminds Bunny of Natalie's haircut. 
"Yes", Bunny says and brushes her hair behind her ear, nodding awkwardly. She always grows weird when someone brings up PJ. Maybe it's because everyone always expects twins to be super close to each other. But the truth is these people probably know more about PJ than Bunny knows, and it makes her really sad. She wants to be close with her brother, but ever since high school started he has completely shut her out.