SO FAR OUT THEY’RE IN #2
Now my closet has been cleared, and all my fashion options are Mia-approved. My hair was cut, and I’m using product that makes it wavy rather than unruly. My eyebrows have been painfully reshaped. I’m applying my new make-up daily.
I’ve been practising my flirty dialogue with Annie.
Although I was pledged to secrecy, I immediately went home and confessed the whole scheme to my best friend.
We decided that I should undertake everything: the makeover, the education on all things Viktor, the campaign to attract him.
And when that failed—which we both agreed was a certainty given my inexperience and his prior dislike—I’d still get to be part of Alpha Z.
Although Annie still doesn't approve of the sorority, she understands that it's my dream.
Last night I had a brainstorm. Maybe if I look completely different, Viktor won’t even recognize me. I still have no chance of succeeding, but at least I can spend enough time with him so the Revenge Squad will know that I tried my best. My biggest fear is getting rejected at first sight.
Tonight, Mia will straighten my hair and I’m going to wear purple contact lenses. If I look different from the woman who disabled him in the library, I’ll have half a chance.
But that hope doesn’t stop me from feeling extremely nervous.
Keep your head still or I’ll burn you, commands Mia. I sit straight and immobilized.
She circles me, crimping my hair from different angles. There’s no mirror, so I measure my progress from the expressions on her face. Her forehead furrows when I’m not up to standard and the corner of her mouth lifting means success. I like Mia best because of all her kindness to me.
While Mia’s doing your hair, I want to go over flirting again. Because it looked to me like you didn’t get it, Angelica says. Everyone is in Mia’s room but Des, who had an executive meeting.
I can’t nod, so I blink my eyes in agreement. She’s not wrong. Angelica is the scariest and most critical one here.
Think of flirting as verbal foreplay, she begins.
I blush immediately. I’ve never imagined any kinds of foreplay outside kissing.
You want to do things that make a guy think about having sex with you. So, draw his attention to your body. Play with your hair, lick your lips, smooth out your jeans. Then she glares at me since I’ve been unconsciously acting everything out. God, not all at once.
I sit on my hands.
And remember, Viktor doesn’t like anything that comes too easy. Women who are too available bore him, she states.
Jordan frowns. What’s the point of being unavailable once you’re actually together? If you can’t go anywhere with him, he’ll just ask someone else.
Angelica releases a long-suffering sigh. Oh my god! Am I going to have to explain every little thing to you too? The most important thing is to have an elusive soul.
I know both these words, but not together. What is that, exactly?
Don’t be too eager. Even when you finally agree to go out with him, you keep an essential part of yourself untouchable. He has to be unsure of your feelings, your heart. That’s what will really make him fall.
Jordan whistles in admiration. That’s so deep and wise. I wish you had told me that before I dated him.
Angelica sniffs. I did. I warned every single one of you, and nobody listened.
Mia is now putting some product on my hair, so I can ask something I’ve been wondering about. Why didn’t they believe you? Then maybe he wouldn’t have hurt all of you.
A voice rings out. That’s easy to explain.
Every head turns towards the door, except mine because Mia is back to follicular torture. Des is here now.
Each of us thought that we would be different. We’re used to getting the men we want, so we assumed that we were smarter, hotter, or sexier than the previous one.
She sits down on the side of her bed and points at me. But that’s where you’ll have the advantage. You’re not going to fall for him. Because you already know exactly what he’s done.
Angelica mutters, And you realize that he would never have even looked at you without everything we’ve done here.
That’s a little harsh, Mia chides. I thank her silently.
But I’m familiar with the concept of breaking down someone’s ego to make them susceptible to learning, so I’m not really offended.
Besides, she’s right. I would never have considered going out with Viktor because he’s genuinely out of my league.
I’m not sure if it was part of Destiny’s plan, but everyone here has privately told me how Viktor hurt them.
He broke up with Jordan just before a big group date with her friends.
He broke up with Mia when she asked him to attend an Alpha Z formal, and the very next night she saw him dancing with another woman at a party.
She cried for three days straight. Angelica told me nothing about her own breakup, but said that he kicked Des out of bed, naked. That’s diabolical.
Am I going to the party with you guys? I ask.
Des shakes her head. No, it would be totally sus if you rolled up with all his exes. I’ve arranged for you to go with the other new pledges. It’ll be a chance for you to get to know them.
It’s a good reminder of my real goal: becoming a genuine part of this sorority.
Okay, time for the big reveal. Mia turns me around to face the mirror.
I blink. Is that really me?
My unruly hair is sleek and smooth for the very first time. I look like a completely different person—someone confident, coordinated, alluring. There's no way that Viktor will recognize me as his attacker from the library. For the very first time I believe that I can pull this off.
Wow. I smile at Mia. Thank you so much.
Des looms behind me. What about her make-up?
That’s a bit disconcerting since I did my full routine before I came over.
I’ll do her party make-up next, Mia says.
Everyone leaves to get ready for their own Friday nights, and Mia starts on my make-up.
She leans in close to apply mascara and speaks in a low voice.
I'm not the same as everyone else. I don't hate Viktor.
Of course I was unhappy when we broke up, but it's partly my responsibility.
He was always honest about only wanting a situationship.
Why does everyone blame him, then? It's something I've wondered, why all these women harbour resentment about relationships that haven't lasted more than five or six weeks.
The mascara wand stops mid-air, and her face turns dreamy.
It's because he's so good at making you feel special.
Like he really sees you. The places you go, the way he listens, and his physical side...
Her voice trails off, then she shoves the mascara wand back into the tube.
Her eyes snap back into focus. I'll tell you what I really believe: he wants to fall in love too.
There's a vulnerability about Vik. But something is holding him back—his own rules or his past. If he was just another fake player who schmoozes women to increase his count, none of us would spend five minutes with him.
But we can perceive what Vik really wants, even if he doesn't realize it himself. That's what makes him different.
Her words weave a spell, and for the first time Viktor is an actual person to me. I don't really want to hurt anyone, even if they deserve it, I confess.
Mia smiles at me. Honestly, I don't think Des's plan will work. She hasn’t thought this through. Don’t tell anyone, but one of the reasons I came on board was to make sure things don’t get out of hand. Especially now that you’re involved.
Because I’m this clueless bunker girl?
She giggles. Well, you’re very smart, but you are na?ve when it comes to men. This whole scheme is going one of two ways: he's not going to be interested, or you're going to fall hard for him.
I swallow. I hope it's not the latter.
Mia nods. Because that's going to hurt. Are you sure you want to do this, Evelyn?
I can't back out now, can I? You guys have all done so much work. Yet this moment feels like a turning point.
I guess. It would be fine with me, but Des and Angie are very determined. She shrugs. Okay, I’m going to share my secret beauty weapon with you.
Mia pulls out a tiny plastic case. It’s a paint palette from the dollar store.
I take out the paint discs and put in cosmetics instead.
She uses a tiny spatula to fill it with the makeup I’m wearing: cream eyeshadow, lipstick, concealer.
I’ll use setting spray, but check your make-up every couple of hours.
There’s a little remover here in case your eye makeup slides.
Seriously, if you’re dancing and sweating, things are going to shift.
This way you make sure you look as fresh as when you walked in.
Des breezes in. Is she all done?
Mia nods. She's a natural beauty, so I didn't overdo it.
I should feel warmed by her words, but my insides are churning.
Des pulls the towel off her hair and starts combing it out. She actually looks prettier, less scary without all her make-up. One big thing I forgot: your name. Evelyn sounds like a ninety-year-old woman.
It's my paternal grandmother's name, I admit.
You need something new and sexier, she snaps.
I like my name, I protest weakly, but Des talks over me.
Raven? Gloria? Ames? She throws out names randomly, and I wonder if I should be taking advice from someone named Destiny. My maternal grandmother would call that a stripper name.
My middle name is Muriel, I offer.
Worse and worse, Des says.
How about Evie? Mia pipes up. That's a cute name.
Des cocks her head as she looks at me. It's not sexy, but it suits you. More than Muriel anyway.
I nod. Might as well add a new name to the new me.