Elena on the other hand was preparing herself for the to-die-for event. She never put on too much makeup as she believed she was beautiful regardless of what format she presented herself to the world. Brains and beauty! There went the foundation below her eyes-just around her cheeks. She added some red contrast above her eyes using the eye shadow applicator. Not long after, she decorated her lips with some red lipstick and a contrasting red lip liner to put a nail on the coffin around that gorgeous face.
Her only sibling, little sister Caroline, had been seating on her bed all the while as she helped Elena choose what to wear. Caroline was in seventh grade at a nearby elementary. She had her own perks to contrast her sister's look. She had blonde wavy hair and her eyes were sky blue in color. She was skinny too; all the same, she was pretty.
"You look so... beautiful!" Exclaimed Caroline analyzing her sister from head to toe.
"Thank you, little sister," Elena replied with a slight grin. "And so are you."
"But I don't get it. Why don't we actually look alike? You know… like sisters?"
Elena sighed before she turned around to face her. "For the millionth time Carr, it's called genetics. Mom and dad are mom and dad, and we are just duplicates of their genes. I've told you this a couple of times."
"I know… but I wished that you had blonde hair like mine, or I had black like yours… I'm pretty sure neighbors would be envious that we would look alike."
"You're amazing just the way you are…" Elena said, digging her hands in Caroline's curly hair, "and I wouldn't want you in any other way." Her little sister smiled for a while before she noticed their mother who was by the door watching them.
Caroline took her to leave as Lynn got in. She also possessed Caroline's characteristics from the hair to the color of her eyes. Elena just seemed to have inherited her looks from her father. Lynn was in her mid-forties and seemed to have never aged out of her age bracket or got out of shape. She was as slim as Caroline but relative as to her own age.
"Oh, good morning mom." Greeted Elena. It was seven minutes past the hour mark of eleven.
"Good morning sweetheart," she replied as her eyes maneuvered across her daughter, a bold smile showing up by every second of her gaze. She folded her arms.
"So when is this party of yours starting? Caroline has been telling me all week of how you were so eager for it."
"It starts at two. I'm surprised that you are inquiring about it now."
"Forgive my manners. I thought that you were bluffing about it." Elena shook her head, chuckling. "I...um...I just want you to take care of yourself you know. If I can recall correctly, this is the first party that you've ever attended Elena. Things happen at parties. Bad things. So, I just hope you can take care of yourself."
Elena never attended the so-called 'parties'. She didn't go to Prom, Halloween, Christmas, even the Easter ones. She wasn't that interested in all of them. Well, except the ones that she went to with her parents at least. She had watched a lot of movies though. And those with wild parties in them sure cemented to her of how parties looked like. Drugs, sex, games, karaoke, beer, fights, dancing, naked drunkards in between; she had an idea of what she was attending.
"Mom, I'm a big girl now, taking care of myself is not a major issue."
She'd repeat the same words somewhere in the future.
"Seriously, I did not raise you all these years just to see your life go to waste. So promise me you'll continue being my daughter, the good Elena that I know." Said dear mom, in a soft tender voice.
Elena chuckled as she hugged her mom saying, "I promise mom."
"So two o'clock. Doesn't that seem too early?" Asked Lynn tidying up some loose strands of Elena's hair.
"Not really. You know we have to hear some speeches from the class' leaders who will be present at the event and later on watch some film about the greatest moments the university has achieved this year. It's just a school tradition."
"Great speeches huh? So will that fancy lad Lance be there?"
"Yeah. In fact, he is coming to pick me up." She pampered her lips as she looked at the mirror in front of her.
"That lad! He is so focused, goal-oriented, and even handsome. I'm still wondering why you show interest in Ethan and not him. He is literally a full package." Teased Lynn.
She knew her daughter well enough. She knew of Ethan with Elena. From the time they were still in high school. He knew less of Lance except for his famous story of how he had invented a certain device to help counteract health problems among people. And how he was an orphan. That alone was enough to sway her attention to him and not Ethan.
"Ethan's not too bad for himself mom. I've known him for many years, you've known him for many years. You know how good he is."
"He's good okay. But Lance is better."
Elena frowned. She didn't want to continue the argument. She knew what she believed in and no mother of hers was going to change her mind. Elena almost dated Lance once, she also nearly kissed Ethan some evening seven years ago. She had been in a state of mind of whom she had to choose since. For all those years! They both showed interest in her in their own unique ways. Lance was a bragger, Ethan was a lover. Nevertheless the circumstances, she hoped that she'd know what to do when the right time came.
"It's okay dear. You do what pleases you." She finally gave in to her daughter's submission.
Elena smiled a bit.
"Go have fun. Enjoy yourself. And also take care of yourself, Elena."
"I will mom..." she said, curling her hair at its end. "I will."