Phoenix: The Beauty in Between (A Beautiful Series Companion Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page A

flinging clothing around her room as she
tries to find the right outfits for us to wear. “Here, this one
will be good for you.” She throws a gold sparkly top at me that has
only one shoulder. I won’t be able to wear a bra with it, which
sucks because I’m fairly busty.
    “Do you have
something with sleeves or shoulder straps? My boobs will fall out
of this one.”
    “No! That one
will look awesome! We’ll leave your hair out and make the curls all
glossy. Just tuck your strap in on one side. You’ll be fine.”
    With a bounce
of my shoulders, I do as she says and put the top on, wearing it
with my dark jeans and a black pair of Tahlia’s wedge heels.
    Half an hour
later, we have our hair and makeup done, and we’re waiting for
Tahlia’s ‘uncle’ to come and pick us up.
    “Should I be
feeling something by now?” I ask her, realising that the little
pill has made no difference at all.
    “Yeah, you
should. Here take another one.” She hands me another pill, and I
drop it down my throat, not anywhere near as nervous as I was the
first time.
    Within seconds,
we hear a horn beep out the front of her house and race
outside.
    “So, how is
your uncle going to get us into a night club?” I ask as we make our
way towards the gunmetal grey VF Commodore that is still running in
the driveway.
    “I told you –
he’s connected. He’ll either have an arrangement with the bouncer,
or he’ll have borrowed someone’s license for us to use,” she tells
me quietly.
    Nerves skitter
through my belly as she opens the car door.
    “Go on, get
in,” she urges. I slide into the back seat of the car, and I’m
greeted by one of the most attractive men I think I’ve ever laid my
eyes on.
    “How’s it
going?” he asks, twisting in his seat. His deep-blue eyes sparkle
like sapphires as he looks at me appraisingly. “You must be Paige.
I hear a ‘happy birthday’ is in order.”
    “Ah, yes it
is,” I say timidly.
    “Well then
happy birthday!” he grins, winking at me. “I’m Jeff.” I nod in
response, feeling as though my face is burning under his gaze. I
imagine that I look nowhere near as grown up as I felt a few
moments ago.
    “Just a little
girl playing dress up,” I mumble to myself.
    “What did you
say?” Tahlia asks as she slides into the seat next to me.
    “Oh nothing.
Just talking to myself.”
    “You know
that’s the first sign of madness right?” Jeff points out with a
grin as he focuses on reversing the car. I blush again. “Are we
ready to dance?!” he hollers as we take off down the street.
    “Hell yeah!”
calls out Tahlia, leaning her head out the open window to let out a
loud whoop as we round the corner.
    The excitement
in the car is infectious, and I find myself joining in with their
yells and singing along with the songs that are now blaring out of
the radio.
    I'm beginning
to feel as though I’m floating on air as this warmth starts to
build inside me, and the music seems to entwine itself around my
body, like a wonderful warm blanket. The lyrics of the songs are
clearer and feel as though they're filled with a meaning that's
directed only at me.
    This intense
bundle of emotions is flowing through my body and starts to
overwhelm me, making it difficult to breathe. I let my head drop
against the back of the seat as my eyes begin to roll back. Never,
in my entire life have I ever felt this good.
    Every bit of
pain, every bit of hurt, every bit of longing, has drifted away,
and I’m smiling. Smiling genuinely for the first time in my living
memory.
    “I’m fucking
off my face,” Tahlia stage whispers at me, like it’s some massive
secret.
    “Is that what
this feeling is?” I wonder, suddenly understanding that it’s those
little pills making me feel this good. “It’s wonderful. I could
live like this.”
    Before I know
it, we’re in a parking lot, and Jeff is helping us out of the car.
“Jeez, you two are lucky I’m babysitting tonight.”
    I scrunch up my
face in frown.