Diary of a Vampeen

by Christin Lovell

  “Ugh,” I groaned. “I’m going to be sick.”

  “You’ll be fine Lex, I promise. It’s only one night. Now stay still so I don’t mess up your eye liner. It’s black and permanent,” she ordered. When she finished the application to her satisfaction, she released me. “Open em’.”

  I obeyed, fluttering my lids a few times. “O.M.G. Lex. You… Wow! You belong on a magazine cover. Now smooch em’,” she pressed imitating the move she wanted me to emulate with my lips. I obliged as she moved the liner along my lips with strict attention to detail. I didn’t feel the pencil slip one millimeter. She rolled the neutral rosy pink over my lips commenting, “They are going to die when they see you.”

  “Am I done yet?”

  “Let me do your blush and then you’re done,” she droned robotically with slight annoyance. She quickly brushed the powder across the apples of my cheeks.

  “Finally,” I smirked, standing to peer at myself in the mirror. My jaw dropped when I caught my reflection. “Holy cow! Is that really me?” I turned back to Mel with an astonished yet appeased look.

  She smiled smugly. “Told you perfection takes at least twenty minutes.”

  “This is beyond amazing Mel. You really out-did yourself. I didn’t even know you could do this so… well… perfectly,” I noted, praising her work as I gloated in the mirror.

  My eyes stood out with a smoky effect that played up the honey in my brown hue. The shadow held specks of gold inside the silver, grays, black, and blues to compliment my dress perfectly. My cheekbones were accented with just enough rose, but subtle enough to not know it was blush. My lips were flawlessly plump. The pink appeared almost sheer adding sufficient color against the liner to not be lost yet putting the fullness of my lips on display. My skin glowed a soft honey but still blended against the paler shade of my neck. It was all dramatic, displayed my beauty in a way I’d never thought possible. I looked done-up, over the top in some areas yet far from gaudy. Nothing was overdone. For once, I was forced to see the beauty I’d always carried for what it was – hidden perfection.

  I was startled by a tap on my bedroom door, so engulfed in Mel’s magic that I didn’t hear the footsteps ascending.

  “Lexi? Mel? It’s Kellan.”

  “Don’t come in!” Mel yelled running to barricade the door. She hit it with a resounding thud.

  “I was just coming to let you know I’m leaving. You’re aunt and her friends are here. They’ll be up in a minute,” he announced.

  “Ok. Thanks,” I called. “See you later.” My heart dropped knowing he was just outside my door, yet I couldn’t see him for hours. Another realization hit me. He could hear us the entire time. He must have heard my revelation about him in the bathroom with Mel. Surely if I could hear his quiet pacing downstairs, he could hear my talking upstairs. I suppose it was too late for regret or caution.

  He didn’t reply; he just silently descended down the stairs as three sets of shoes clunked upwards past him. “Bye Kellan,” my aunt said in passing, yet I heard no acknowledgement from him.

  Aunt Claire knocked quickly but didn’t waited for a response before barging in, “I hope you’re descent and if not, they’re gay.”

  Chapter 24

  The next two hours were spent on my hair. I never knew one could spend that much time on it. The guys, Javier and Ryan, had brought directors chairs to primp and style us in. My aunt was already dressed for the night. She wore a scoop neck coral dress paired with nude peep toe heels that somehow worked without seeming too summery. Her hair fell in a neat stack with small waves that flipped under ever so slightly at the ends. - She conversed with the stylists while Mel and I caught up on school gossip and her progression with Caleb.

  “Flawless. You are definitely the queen of your own ball,” Ryan stated slightly awed over his masterpiece.

  “Am I done?” Relief washed over me. In the hours I sat, though I didn’t fidget, I missed motion, movement. Plus, despite trying to drown out their conversation, my sensitive ears wouldn’t allow for it, and I was over Ryan’s client, Janet, and her extra marital affairs. I hopped down in one swift, graceful leap and moved into the bathroom to evaluate his work. My aunt and Ryan followed.

  “Wow. I love it!” I gasped. “I could kiss you Ryan!”

  “You wouldn’t be the first client to,” he winked.

  “Amazing.”

  “I definitely agree. It’s fabulous Ryan. You really outdid yourself. Lexi’s hair is perfect,” my aunt gushed approvingly.

  They stood behind me peering at the same reflection I observed. My hair fell in curls that weren’t tight but weren’t loose but somehow resembled a beach blown look. A generous portion at the top was gathered into a gold clip. It was a simple style yet my hair appeared perfectly tame, twisting and falling with a reflective shine illuminating a slight gold complexion despite its dark brown color.

  Most amazing was not one strand dared to pull out of place. The products pasted on were light, leaving my hair soft yet nothing moved. It all framed my face and complimented my make-up as if it were styled to all along.

  “Oh my gosh. I can’t wait to see you in your dress Lexi. I’ll got get it,” she offered. She stepped out of the bathroom to retrieve my ensemble for the evening.

  “Are you shaved, plucked, and waxed everywhere?” Ryan asked.

  “Umm… I should be,” I replied, caught off-guard. Truth was I hadn’t bothered to check. I scanned my legs meticulously before I lifted my arms and pulled back my sleeve looking in, “I’m good,” I announced.

  “And your girl parts?” he pressed.

  “Not that it’s your business but I’m clean there too,” I replied. Despite my desire to wait on sex, I still made sure to tidy up regularly just in case I lost control.

  “I’m a stylist Lexi; I do hair, and that’s not limited to the ones on your head. I’ve bleached, waxed, and styled the darkest of areas,” he stated with a swift shrug dismissing my defensiveness with a flick of his wrist.

  Ryan really wasn’t an intrusive person from what I observed outside this moment, and I knew he meant well in his pry. “I know you mean well, I’ve just never talked about… well that stuff… with anyone, not even Mel,” I noted.

  “I figured as much, but with how hot and heavy your aunt claims you are with Kellan… Well, I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t scared off by a jungle.”

  I chuckled, unable to keep a straight face over his choice of words. “Thanks for the concern Ryan.”

  “Anytime,” he smiled just as my aunt returned with my dress and shoes overlay with a pair of cream lace no-line panties.

  “Claire, you mess up her hair and I’m red booking you,” Ryan warned.

  “Red booking?” I questioned.

  “Ryan has a black book of VIP clients which is where I’m listed now. But he also has a red book of people he works with only if he’s bored or broke,” my aunt explained.

  “Oh. Ok?” I shrugged. My aunt’s acquaintances were nice, but reminded me very much of a Hollywood crowd in their arrogant tendencies at times.

  “We’ll be back in a minute Lexi. And no bra,” my aunt advised. “It has a built in corset.”

  I nodded and they closed the door. I heard them singing praises over Mel’s up-do outside. I undid the dress off the hanger and sifted into it from the bottom up to avoid a hair and make-up disaster. I slid the small straps up onto my shoulders; already the dress was hugging my silhouette from my hips down creating a gorgeous pear bottom. I put on the heels and called for my aunt, who I heard zipping up Mel’s dress from my room.

  She fastened me in with an awe-inspired gasp. I had to admit I never dreamed I could look so breathtaking, even on my wedding day. The dress pulled tight over every part of me, yet remained classy by design, not revealing too much though my cleavage jumped out a bit. Aunt Claire clasped a gold necklace around my neck with a single brilliant pearl. She gave me matching stud earrings. It was at the final result that I became speechless with her
. Exiting the bathroom door, silence fell over the bedroom as if the Queen of England had just entered. My parents stood beside Mel giving me the oddest stare; it was a cross between shock and awe.

  “Do I look okay?” I pressed. Their silence was killing my confidence.

  “You’re definitely not my little girl, yet you remind me so much of your mother at your age,” my dad commented in a breathless exhale.

  “You’re stunning sweetie. I feel like a peasant next to you. Gorgeous,” my mother added.

  “Don’t say that Mom.” I looked at Mel for the first time. “Oh my gosh! You look gorgeous Mel.”

  “Thanks, but it’s nothing compared to you. I’m okay with that though. You look beautiful Lex. Kellan is going to die,” she smiled sincerely.

  “I’m gay honey and you have me second guessing,” Javier announced.

  I chuckled, “Thanks.”

  “You ready everyone?” my aunt prompted. “The limo is outside.”

  “Limo?” I was surprised by the extravagance, but then again, Aunt Claire hadn’t exactly skimped on anything thus far. I don’t know why I thought this would be any different.

  “Of course. You need a grand entrance, remember?” she winked.

  When we arrived at the hotel, I was shocked by the scene awaiting. It was set like a red carpet event. Crowds of teenagers lined both sides of the hotel, roped off from a red carpet rolling from the street to the door. Security officers draped in black suits stood by the entrance. A gray suited Ryan Seacrest look-alike with a microphone stood by the road announcing my arrival as if I were a celebrity. I heard it echo over the speakers strategically dotting the hotel's exterior.

  "Wait, Lex!" Mel called as the door opened. She whisked out a camcorder. "You have to let me video their reaction!"

  "You were serious?" I was baffled by her eager sincerity.

  "Hell yea!" she said exiting the limo.

  I scanned the audience and quickly spotted the band of preps and jocks that I equally despised near the front. I was infuriated over how anxious they were to attend the party of a girl they deemed a hungry hippo. In a way, I was eager to vindicate myself as neither of those anymore, yet I longed to do it outside their terms and advances.

  Mel had the camera rolling and instructed the host to proceed.

  "And now, the star of this event, the teen queen of this evening and birthday girl herself, Lexi Jackson!"

  I heard the crowd pressing forward, my classmates craning their necks to catch a glimpse of me exiting the limo. Nerves twisted in my stomach, a faint feeling rushed over me in a second of self-doubt. I didn’t belong on the show Sweet Sixteen, yet that’s what was in front of me by design thus far. I took one last steadying breath.

  “Go on honey! They’re all waiting,” my aunt encourage. I nodded and exited the limo.

  A unified gasp spread over the crowd. "Is that really her? She lost oobers of weight," one girl commented. A guy in my history class said, "Wow. I so want to tap that now."

  I smiled and gracefully proceeded towards the door as quickly as possible ready to escape the embarrassment of being on display in such a manner. Near the entrance, I heard a male's voice call, "Lexi?!"

  I turned to see Jason, wide-eyed and nearly drooling over me.

  "Hey Jason," I said as if he'd never insulted or tortured me before.

  "You look… Wow! You look beautiful," he said pushing past a clearly miffed Jenny who was now glaring at me, piercing me with two blue knives.

  "Thanks. I'll see you inside." I turned back to the doors.

  Mel came running up beside me squealing, "Holy sugar plums Lex! That was so awesome! I got it all on tape! I knew he'd fall to bits over you now!"

  Her words came out as a double-edged sword. I knew she meant no harm yet she smashed a reminder in my face. Apparently I did look like a fat ogre before and now I'd emerged a swan. I was beautiful, appealing to most men, but for some reason I still found myself cringing insecurely inside. I'm a vampeen, yet my humanity still reigns supreme. I wasn’t ignorant to their changed expressions and rather sickened by their new-found lust. If you couldn't accept me before, then I would be a fool to allow you access now. But I suppose Mel was right; there's no harm in having a little fun with them.

  "O.M.G. Lex look!" Mel screamed.

  I turned just as the announcer began to speak again. "Wait, don’t leave us yet Lexi. You definitely will not want to miss your gift being driven in by your father, Stewart. Congratulations and Happy Birthday! You are the proud new owner of a Mercedes E350 coupe! I hope you're ready to rev it up!"

  I stared in awe. I was shocked to see my dad behind the wheel of a two door white car adorned with a huge red bow on the roof. He drove up as the limo left.

  "O.M.G. Lex! That, oh my! Wow! I love it, don't you?!" Mel exclaimed. She had flipped open the camera again to film my reaction and then my dad exiting the car. I heard the gasps in the crowd, voices, some jealous, abuzz over my gift.

  I walked down towards the car. "Is… Is this really for me dad?" I stuttered in shock.

  "Absolutely. Kellan helped me pick it out."

  "Oh my gosh. Thank you so much Dad!" I squeezed him tight caught up in the moment.

  "Told you she'd love it Sharon." I turned to see my mom and aunt standing nearby.

  "Let's look inside! You are so driving me to school Monday!" Mel squealed.

  "But I don't have my license."

  "You will Monday morning. Kellan has agreed to teach you tomorrow," my mother announced. "It's best I not have to lie to your father should you be a slow learner."

  "Thanks for the confidence Mom!"

  "You know I love you sweetie," she smiled.

  "Yea, I know."

  My dad handed me the keys. The moment they touched my palm Mel was dragging me towards my new gift.

  The exterior boasted a shiny, snow white finish still coated with a thin layer of wax visible only to my keen eyes. Eighteen-inch six-spoke alloy wheels set abase the curvature of the frame projected a design for speed as if the car was already racing down the highway.

  Inside, the seats were outfitted with gorgeous sleek black leather. The new car scent hit my nose immediately smelling of cleaning supplies and crisp leather. I instantly noticed the panorama sun roof followed by the exquisite walnut trim of the dashboard; centered was a fancy navigation system I would probably never master. Just above it though, a red iPod was attached to the dashboard. I recognized it as Kellan's immediately.

  "That's Kellan's," I noted aloud. I lifted it out of the docking station and a note fell.

  "What does it say?" Mel asked nonchalantly as she opened every compartment and compulsively touched every knob.

  Happy Birthday to the only thing I value more than music - my heart, my life - you!

  Love, Kellan

  "I hate to kill your tender moment, but these people are getting impatient," Mel interrupted my melting heart. Kellan loved his iPod, his music. He was always with it, always toting it around his arm. I wasn't expecting this yet it's better than the car. Now I could hear all the songs he passed his days with. Ever improving, I couldn't wait to listen to them in the car together.

  "Lex, let's go," she repeated.

  "Okay." I put the iPod back in place and tucked the note in the glove compartment while taking one last look around.

  I grazed my eyes along the black dashboard complete with satellite radio and many other dials Mel no doubt had messed with. The feel of the car was luxurious and it appeared to be built for thrill rides, nothing less than twenty over the speed limit. A surge of enthusiasm ran through me at the thought of driving the car. A feeling of empowerment jumped out at me from the steering wheel. There was no denying this was definitely the car of a vampeen.

  I slid out, delivered the keys back to my dad for safe keeping, and returned to the entrance with Mel.

  "I can't believe you got a car! I knew you were going to get one!" she shrieked as we entered the hotel.

  Mel abandon
ed me along the way leaving me to blindly search for the ballroom. Turns out I didn’t have to worry. Flowers and balloons marked the entrance as well as a large banner above the doors reading ‘Happy Birthday Lexi.’

  Inside the ballroom was Caribbean chic all the way in décor. It reminded me of an upscale resort. The far wall composed floor to ceiling windows revealing the ocean and sunset outside. The center contained glass pocket doors opening onto a cedar deck of black high-end wicker sofas and chairs with tightly knit plastic weaves. The coffee tables were presented with palm leaves and exotic floral centerpieces seeming drawn from the inner jungle plants of the Amazon.

  Within the ballroom, the ceiling was draped with a sheer teal chiffon material intertwined with white twinkle lights. Located to the right was the dance floor built into a black square with a teal 'L' monogram projecting onto the center. The DJ was in the corner scanning a stack of discs.

  On the left wall stood several buffet tables of sea food, chicken, sandwiches and other items grab-n-go style. Empty pineapples monogrammed with the same 'L' design filled the space between the platters. Like Halloween pumpkins they lit to life with votive candles inside and filled the room with a mild pineapple scent. A dessert bar was stationed beside it followed by a cake table.

  The cake itself was an extravagant art piece. It reminded me of a colorful five tier wedding cake. It took me a minute to piece together the resemblance: the cake was designed after my dress. It held a soft aqua fondant base with black lace on the first four levels. The top tier was cream with an exact wrap around teal bow holding a replica broach centered within. It wasn't until I saw the cake that I realized in absorbing the scene before me that the entire party was colored and designed via inspiration of my dress, no doubt on purpose by my Aunt Claire.

  Stationed next to the pocket doors was the bar. Its top was covered with red and blue drinks. The remainder of the inside center space flowed with round tables and the same sofas and chairs filling the patio. Every chair held a teal pillow monogrammed coordinately and the sofa cushions were the same light aqua. Exotic floral arrangements of red, coral, and pink were spread throughout. Each table was adorned with a silk teal or chiffon light aqua cover, reversed of the fabrics on my dress. It was all very matchy-matchy, but not overdone. It all worked cohesively without feeling thrown together.