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"Wow, outrageous!"
Kimber squinted at her reflection, a delighted look on her face. "I look
so totally different...miles older than twenty one! This is so cool, Stormer!"
The two girls had long since finished their shopping, secluding themselves
in Kimber's bedroom to explore their new purchases and experiment with hair
and makeup.
"You look great. Kinda scary, but it suits you." Stormer laughed. "Now
all you need is a hairstyle to match."
"No problem!" Kimber grabbed her hairbrush, pulling her hair back into
a high ponytail and twisting a band into it. After spritzing it liberally
with hairspray to make it fluff out, she cast her companion a questioning
glance. "Well? How do I look?"
"More of a Misfit than I do." Stormer admitted. "You know, I never had
a friend when I was in high school to do all this kind of stuff with. I'm
so glad that we can be proper friends now, Kimber...it's a lot of fun just
hanging out and being silly adolescent types instead of worrying about the
grown up world of music."
"You never did?" Kimber looked startled. "Stormer, you're one of the sweetest
people I know - how come?"
"Too shy." Stormer looked embarrassed. "I wasn't bullied, but most people
left me to myself since I never had anything to say."
"Well, you're not shy now, so guess the Misfits did something for you."
Kimber dimpled, and impulsively she hugged her companion. "Besides, it's outrageous
to have a friend who's about my age who I can behave like a total kid with!
Since I was nineteen I've been with the Holograms and much as I love them
to death they're all like my big sisters, except maybe Raya. Sometimes big
sisters can be a major drag."
"Big brothers too." Stormer smiled. "But they mean well."
"Oh, I know." Kimber nodded. "But sometimes it's cool just to mess about
like a teenager again." She looked impish. "My friends and I would cut classes
some afternoons and hit the mall to get the best sale bargains before the
after school rush. I love the Holograms but I do miss those days. Most of
them are off at college now."
"I never had the guts to cut a class." Stormer admitted. "I graduated top
of my grade and I was already one grade ahead of my age group - I mean I
was seventeen when I finished school. After that Mom died...and Craig went
to Europe, so if it hadn't been for the Misfits I don't know what I'd have
wound up doing." She grimaced. "Being some meek and mild typist or something
probably."
Yeuch." Kimber pulled a graphic face. "Bo-ring!"
"You're telling me." Stormer nodded. "So I'm happy enough with how things
worked out in the end! Even if sometimes I'm scared for my life when Pizzazz
drives!"
"I think the whole world is scared when Pizzazz drives!" Kimber laughed.
She eyed herself once more in the mirror, then, "Hey, and if I'm now a Misfit
lookalike, we totally have to make you into a Hologram type!"
"A Hologram?" Stormer looked startled, then she grinned, shrugging. "Well,
okay then. I s'pose that's fair. I don't know that I've the clothes to match
that kind of look, mind you."
She sat down in the chair in front of the mirror. "Guess this means my
lightning bolt and slashes are history, huh?"
"Yep, you got it." Kimber nodded her head, reaching for one of the cotton
wool balls and covering it with lotion. "Close your eyes, okay? You won't
recognise yourself when I'm done!"
"That's what I'm afraid of!" Stormer joked, obediently closing her eyes.
Kimber snorted.
"Don't be like that." She scolded, working quickly. "I used to do makeovers
all the time when I was in highschool. Practically every sleepover my friends
and I had, in fact. I'm practically a professional at this stuff!" She paused,
eying her friend critically. "You know, you look really really different
without your Misfit makeup."
"I know I do." Stormer agreed. "Not one bit tough and Misfittish, huh?"
"Nope, not at all." Kimber agreed. "You look cool, though. You're really
pretty, Stormer."
"You think so?" Stormer blushed. Kimber grinned.
"Sure do." She agreed. "And when I'm done you're gonna look even more outrageous
than ever!"
Deftly she redid her friend's makeup, this time more in the style of a
Hologram, in pink and yellow with little gold stars on her cheek.
"Okay, you can look."
"Wow...that's me?" Stormer gaped. "I look so different! Is that what you'd
have done to me if I'd ever joined the Holograms?"
"Yep." Kimber grinned. "What do you think?"
"I like it." Stormer nodded. "I just wish I had an outfit to go with it."
"It sucks that you're taller than me, else I'd lend you something." Kimber
responded. "But we can do your hair..."
Carefully she removed her friend's clasp and flower, setting it down on
the table. "Those belong to Stormer of the Misfits, so you can't use them
in your Hologram look." She explained, dimpling. "But..." She grabbed the
brush, running it through her friend's thick curls. "A barrette each side,
like so...and there. Welcome, Stormer of the Holograms and Kimber of the
Misfits!"
"We look crazy." Stormer giggled.
"Hold that thought, I've a camera here somewhere." Kimber rummaged through
her drawers, finally coming up triumphant. "Ahah! Here it is. Now, if I sit
this on the shelf here and set the timer...we should both be able to get in
the shot together!"
"Ready when you are." Stormer nodded.
"There." Kimber set the camera down, hurrying to join her friend. "Say cheese!"
"Cheese!" Stormer laughed. "This morning has been so much fun, Kimber."
"It has. We definitely have to hang out more often." Kimber said decidedly.
"When Pizzazz is back, we'll be back on runthroughs again too, though."
Stormer reminded her. "I hope we can still...Kimber? What's up?" As a look
of consternation crossed Kimber's pretty face.
"Oh hell, the practice, I totally forgot!" She exclaimed. "What's the time?"
"Ten past two." Stormer glanced at her watch."
"Eek! It started ten minutes ago! I have to fly!" Kimber grabbed her manuscript,
hurrying down the stairs. "I really need to get my clock fixed, it's been
playing up all week, and I totally let it slip my mind."
"But don't you girls usually practice here?" Stormer sounded confused. "I
don't hear anything."
"Recently we've practiced at Starlight Music." Kimber shook her head. "Jerrica's
been so busy that it's the only way we've been able to squeeze in practices
and all the paperwork she seems to think we need to do." She grimaced. "And
I'm late."
"Want me to drive you? Be quicker than you calling a taxi." Stormer offered.
"And the roadster isn't here."
"You're a lifesaver, thank you." Kimber nodded, as they hurried down the
main staircase and out of the front door. "Oh, I hope Jerrica won't be mad
at me...it's the third time this week I've been late."
"I'm sure she'll understand. Your clock's broken, after all." Stormer reasoned,
unlocking her car and slipping into the driver's seat. Kimber sat down in
the passenger seat, pulling a face.
"Yeah, you'd think so, wouldn't you?" She asked. "But she's in a ratty mood
all the time at the moment. Total permanent PMT I swear. I don't have a clue
why, maybe it's because she works so hard. But when I told her about the clock
being bust she told me to get a watch and that was that." She frowned. "And
now I remember, Aja did offer to loan me her spare one but I forgot to ask
her for it last night...so I doubt Jerrica will be willing to listen to me
make more excuses. Like I said, big sisters can be a drag."
"Well, you didn't do it on purpose." Stormer pointed out.
"I never do." Kimber looked sheepish. "I just lose track of time sometimes.
You know, it's just so boring when you have to keep your eyes glued to the
clock every ten minutes. Anyhow, Jerrica is getting to be a pain. I even heard
Aja call her Ms Hyde last night, when she and Raya were talking out on the
patio. It's screwy being a Hologram at the moment."
"Crazy being a Misfit, too, though for once Pizzazz has bowed to group opinion."
Stormer replied. "Not that her commitment to the truce has really been tested
yet. I hope it never will be. I don't think I could go back to us being foes
again."
"Me neither." Kimber admitted. "Heck, I'm starting to like Jetta and Roxy
some, too. I think we've come too far to turn back now."
"I sure hope so." Stormer pulled to a halt outside Starlight Music. "Here
you go. Good luck and catch you later, huh?"
"Count on it!" Kimber replied, haring out of the car and into the building,
her hastily gathered manuscript under her arm. Stormer watched her go with
a chuckle. Kimber was always a lot of fun to hang out with.
"Stormer!" A voice from above attracted her attention and she glanced across
the road to where the big black and glass structure of Misfit Music stood.
"Stormer, come an' give us an 'and, will ya?"
"Hi, Jetta!" Stormer grinned up at the dark girl who was leaning precariously
out of a top floor window to attract her attention, seemingly unaware of the
dangers of doing so. "I'll be right up!"
And, Kimber and the Holograms forgotten, at least for the time being, she
headed into the music company to join in the quest for missing files.