Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane 1)

"Whats it like, being popular?" Kate hadnt meant to ask the question; it just slipped out.

"Youll see. But youll stay my friend, wont you?"

Kate laughed at that. "Very funny. Hey, that sort of burns. "

"Really? That cant be good. And some of your hair is falling out".

Kate managed not to make a face. If going bald was the price of being Tullys friend, shed pay it.

Tully reached for the blow dryer and turned it on, blasting Kates hair with heat.

"I got my period," Tully yelled. "So at least assface didnt knock me up. "

Kate heard the bravado in her friends voice and saw it in her eyes. "I prayed for you. "

"You did?" Tully asked. "Wow. Thanks. "

Kate didnt know what to say to that. To her, praying was like brushing your teeth before bed, just something you did.

Tully clicked off the dryer and smiled, but she looked worried again. Maybe it was the smell of burning hair. "Okay. Take a shower and rinse it out. "

Kate did as she was told. A few minutes later, she got out of the shower, dried off, and got dressed again.

Tully immediately grabbed her hand and led her back to the chair. "Is your hair falling out?"

"Some is," she admitted.

"If youre bald, Ill shave my head. Promise. " Tully combed and dried Kates hair.

Kate couldnt look. She closed her eyes and let Tullys voice meld into the whine of the dryer.

"Open your eyes. "

Kate looked up slowly. At this distance, she didnt need her glasses, but force of habit made her lean forward. The girl in the mirror had straight streaked blond hair, parted with precision and dried perfectly. For once it looked soft and pretty instead of thin and lank. The white highlights showed off her leaf-green eyes and the hint of pink on her lips. She looked almost pretty. "Wow," she said, too choked up with gratitude to say more.

"Wait till you see what mascara and blush can do," Tully said, "and concealer for those zits on your forehead. "

"Ill always be your friend," Kate said, thinking shed whispered the promise, but when Tully grinned, she knew shed been heard.

"Good. Now lets go on the makeup. Have you seen my razor?"

"What do you need a razor for?"

"Your eyebrows, silly. Oh, there it is. Close your eyes. "

Kate didnt think twice. "Okay. "

Kate didnt even bother to hide her face when she came into the house. That was how confident she felt. For the first time ever, she knew she was beautiful.

Her dad was in the living room, sitting in his La-Z-Boy. At Kates entrance, he looked up. "Good Lord," he said, clanking his drink down on the French provincial end table. "Margie!"

Mom came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. She wore her school-day uniform: striped rust and olive polyester blouse, brown corduroy bell-bottoms, and a wrinkled apron that read: A WOMANS PLACE IS IN THE HOUSE . . . AND THE SENATE. When she saw Kate, she stopped. Slowly, she untied her apron and tossed it on the table.

The sudden quiet brought Sean and the dog running into the room, tripping over each other. "Katie looks like a skunk," Sean said. "Pee-ew. "

"Go wash your hands for dinner," Mom said sharply. "Now," she added when he didnt leave.

Sean grumbled and went upstairs.