Page 23 of Eye of the Beholder
“This will be fun!” she says. “I love makeovers.”
“I know,” I say, grinning. “I was banking on that. I was thinking tomorrow night. Are you doing anything?”
“I am now,” she says with a smile. “I should be home from student council in time.”
I thank her again and leave her room, heading for my own. I pull out my phone and find Mina in my contacts, dialing her number as I flop down on my bed. The springs squeak, and I still use the same pillow I used ten years ago, but it’s the most comfortable thing in the world.
“Hi,” Mina says when she answers.
“Hi. Tomorrow should be good,” I say, staring absently at my ceiling. “But I have a question.”
“Okay,” she says, sounding almost offensively suspicious.
“Well, it’s more of a proposition.”
“I’m nervous,” she says, and I smile.
“It’s not a scary proposition,” I say, sitting up. “I was just thinking, if you liked the clothes and you wanted to try doing makeup stuff—you know, pretty stuff or whatever—”
Suddenly my door bangs open, and Lydia comes marching in.
“I’m sorry, Cohen, but you’re so bad at this. ‘Pretty stuff?’ Give me the phone.”
I watch her, my jaw dropped, as she takes the phone from me. “Hi, Mina,” she says cheerily into the phone. “It’s Lydia.”
She’s silent for a second and then says, “I’m good! Listen, Cohen mentioned that you’re—”
I make “shut-up” motions with my hands, but Lydia just frowns at me and then starts talking again.
“I want to give you a makeover,” she says, cutting to the chase as only Lydia can. “Before you say no,” she says quickly, “just listen. Cohen says he owes you for tutoring him and that there’s a guy you like.” Lydia sits on my bed, looking utterly at ease. “Now, while there is much more to you than your looks, men aren’t usually very aware of things like that at first. You need to make him interested in getting to know you. Usually the best way to do that is to catch his eye. You’re naturally beautiful, but I think it gets hidden sometimes because your style is so understated. I’d love to help you highlight some of that beauty.”
I just sit there, feeling a mix of incredulity and relief. Lydia sounds like she’s negotiating a business transaction, but I’m glad it’s her instead of me.
Lydia nods as she listens to whatever Mina’s saying. Then she says, “I know. And if you don’t want to do this, of course you don’t have to. And I wouldn’t want you to feel like you’re changing yourself for a man. But let me ask you this: Do you feel like you would just be doing it for him? Or does part of you want to do it for yourself? Because if it would just be for him, then I agree. Don’t bother. But ifyouwould like it, then what’s there to lose?”
She’s quiet again, and then she beams. “Great. I’ve been eavesdropping on Cohen, and you guys are doing tutoring stuff tomorrow? You can come over here. I’ll see you then!”
Still smiling, Lydia hands me the phone, stands, and waltzes out of the room, closing the door behind her.
“Uh,” I say into the phone.
“She’s persuasive,” Mina says.
“More persuasive than me, probably.”
“You told her about Jack.” It’s not a question.
“I did,” I say, feeling nervous. I should have thought of that; girls don’t like people talking about their crushes. “Because I wanted her help. I really want to try the teaching thing. But…I should have asked. Sorry,” I say sheepishly.
I’m surprised at how I’ve latched on to this teaching idea. But it would be cool to teach someone how to do something, even if it’s just teaching her how to get Jack to ask her out. Plus, I really hate feeling like I’m getting charity, and if I don’t dosomethingfor her, that’s how this tutoring thing will feel.
“It’s fine,” she says. “But no one else, or it won’t be fine, Cohen.”
“Understood.” I hesitate, and then I say, “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Mina. If you’re going to feel like you’re being forced to do this, it’s not worth it. I do want your help tutoring. If you just want me to pay you with money instead of all this stuff about Jack, I can.”
I cross my fingers, waiting for her response, but there’s only silence. Finally she speaks.
“I do want to do it. I want to be more social. I want people to know I exist. I’m just…scared. And not very good at branching out.” She hesitates, and then, her voice small, she says, “And what if we do all this and nothing changes? What if I’m still just Wet Willy?”
