Unfriendly Competition by Jessica Burkhart

glanced at our bedside clock. “If we get there on time.”
    â€œHow about I shower first, superfast, then you, and while you’re showering I’ll dry and start to flatiron my hair. We can get dressed and do makeup together.”
    â€œPerf. And accessories.”
    â€œDefinitely.”
    I grabbed my robe off my closet hook. “Be right out.”
    Inside the bathroom, I turned the water on steaming hot. I hadn’t been to a party with Jacob in a long time and certainly never anything this fancy or as an official couple. I wanted to look perfect. I opened the bathroom cabinet and pulled out the expensive, special occasion shampoo Brit and I used only once in a while. I put the bottles of Bumble and bumble Gentle shampoo and Super Rich conditioner on the shower ledge. I also felt a body scrub was definitely necessary—Bliss, in Blood Orange + White Pepper. It always made my skin supersoft and smell pretty.
    I undressed and hopped into the shower. I didn’t take too long, so Brit would have plenty of time and lots of hot water. Brit showered after me, and we both started getting dressed.
    â€œWe definitely need to put on our dresses at the last minute,” Brit said. “Otherwise, I’m sure I’ll get makeup or something on mine.”
    â€œMe too.”
    We climbed onto our beds and started doing our makeup. I applied tinted moisturizer first, then my fave CoverGirl foundation. I did my eyes next—lining them with my sharpened-down-to-a-nub MAC kohl pencil; the thin black line above and under my eyes made them pop. I wanted my makeup to be soft, so I used my dual eye shadow—Like Mink—from Clinique. It was dark brown on one side and shimmery, like sand, on the other. I dusted the lighter color almost up to my eyebrows and used my eye shadow brush to put a dusting of the darker color over my lids.
    â€œCan I use your eyelash curler?” Brit asked. “Mine’s being weird.”
    I tossed her the curler and she made her lashes flip upward.
    I coated mine with black mascara, then dusted my cheeks with my fave Nars blush. A few dots of concealer made red spots on my chin vanish and a dusting of powder over my T-zone took away any shine. I applied a coat of my special going-out gloss from Tarina Tarantino’s candy cameo line (thanks for the Sephora gift card, Mom!) and checked my makeup in the mirror. I looked as ready as I could be.
    â€œYou look so great!” Brit said. She gave me a once-over. “Wow. Your eyes look especially gorgeous.”
    â€œThanks,” I said, looking at her just-finished makeup. “You too. I love how you did your blush. You have super-model cheekbones.”
    Brit shook her head. “So not true, but thank you anyway.”
    We went through our box of shared accessories picked out earrings for both of us and a necklace for Brit.
    â€œYour charm bracelet is perfect, and it goes so well with the skinny silver hoops.”
    â€œAnd I love your heart pendant,” I said. “It hangs in just the right spot with your v-neck dress.”
    â€œWe’re going to be the hottest people at the party,” Brit said. She giggled. “Heather might kick us out.”
    I laughed. “Total possibility.”
    We blow dried and flatironed our hair until it was straight and smooth. After a coat of shine spray, it was time to grab shoes and go. Jacob and Andy were meeting us there.

12
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HEATHER!
    BRIT AND I ARRIVED AT THE BALLROOM, invites in hand, and handed them to the doorman slash bouncer-looking guy at the door. I thought Heather had been joking when she’d said we’d need the invites to get in. But she’d been serious. We’d never have gotten a heeled foot in the door if we’d been without the invitations.
    We handed the pieces of paper to a tall guy in a black suit and tie with an outstretched hand. He scanned our invites, almost as if he was checking to make sure they