Naomi Grim by Tiffany Nicole Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

hands away.
"I know how to do my own makeup."
    Roxy lifted my chin and
looked into my eyes. "Really? Do you know how hot you would look with a
smoky eye, red luscious lips, and chiseled rosy cheeks?"
    Okay, maybe I didn't know
how to do my own makeup. When I went out with Hunter, I had simply slapped on
some purple and pink eye shadow, red rouge, and pink lipstick. Hunter seemed to
like it, although we had spent most of our date in the dark.
    Before I could refuse, Roxy
and Paige went to work on my face. Ashley had no interest in my beautification
and read magazines on Roxy's bed.
    Paige put something on my eyelid.
"You have beautiful skin. You don't need foundation or concealer."
    I didn't know what either of
those things were, but I muttered a thanks.
    Roxy began to pull at my
eyebrows with tweezers.
    "Oww!" I whined.
    "I know it hurts, but
well-shaped eyebrows will totally bring out your eyes. Beauty is pain."
She continued to pluck unmercifully.
    I held my tongue as she
powdered my face and painted my lips. Finally they were finished and Roxy let
me look in the mirror.
    I looked . . . better. The
more I looked at myself, the prettier I felt.
    "Like it?" Paige
asked.
    I nodded.
    "Great," Paige
said, grabbing a handful of my hair. "Now let's start on this hair."
    I'd had enough for one day.
"No, I really have to get home now," I said, grabbing my backpack off
the ground.
    For some reason, Ashley
stood. "I'll give you a ride home."
    "No, thanks."
    "How are you going to
get home?" Roxy asked.
    "I'll walk. I don't
live far." That wasn't entirely true. I really wasn't sure how to get home
from Roxy's.
    Ashley eyed me suspiciously.
"Why? Why would you walk when we’re offering you a ride?" Now all the
girls were eyeing me.
    "I could use the
exercise, that's all."
    Ashley looked at the other
girls. "See? See what I mean?" Then she got way too close to my face.
"I think you don't want us to know where you live. I can't get anything
out of your brother."
    Roxy frowned. "Are you
in the Witness Protection Program or something?"
    I shook my head. Great. I
couldn't be the one to blow our cover. Keira and Bram were already expecting me
to screw things up.
    "Fine, you can give me
a ride."
    It was okay. As long as they
didn't come in, everything would be fine.
    A dark-haired woman was
putting groceries away in the kitchen when we came downstairs.
    "Hey, Mom," Roxy
said.
    "Hi, girls."
    Roxy looked nothing like her
mother. "Mom, this is Naomi. She just moved here."
    Her mother looked up.
"Hi, Naomi. Nice to meet you."
    "Thanks.
Likewise."
    She grabbed a carton of
eggs. "Listen, once your parents settle in, I'd like to meet them."
    "Uh . . . sure," I
answered.
    "Mom thinks she's some
socialite who has to introduce everyone to everyone," Roxy said, pulling
me toward the door.
    Her mother laughed.
"Later, girls."
    We piled into Roxy's car. I
sat in the back with Ashley, who stared me down the entire way home. I tried my
best to remember the directions. Once we passed Kennedy High, I knew exactly
how to get home.
    "You live a little out
of the way, Casper. There's no way you were going to walk home," Roxy
remarked.
    I wished they would just
drop the subject. "I didn't want you going out of your way. I know how
expensive gas is." That was something I had learned in my studies.
    Finally, we pulled into the
yard. I think I opened my door before Roxy had come to a complete stop. I
didn't want to give anyone the chance to ask to come inside.
    "Is Bram home?"
Ashley asked.
     I cringed. "No."
    "How do you know? His
car's here."
     I wasn't good at lying on
the spot. "He's not here," I said firmly. "Thanks for the ride.
See you guys tomorrow."
    I climbed out and closed the
door before they could say anything else. I breathed a sigh of relief when I
heard Roxy's car pulling out of the driveway.
    Inside, Keira, Bram, Dorian,
and Josh sat around the table having dinner. I stood at the door, waiting to be
bombarded with questions about where I'd been, but