Lindsay was up at nine in the morning on Saturday for a day of beauty with her mom and Sara. Her mom got money out of her dad and was taking her to the salon for a cut and a manicure.
She looked at the dress they picked out for graduation hanging on the back of her door wistfully. It was a rose-colored flower pattern. Her mother was so excited she could hardly contain herself. Her graduation party was planned for the weekend. Her mom didn’t want Everett’s funeral to over shadow her daughter’s big day.
Jace rolled his eyes after Sara and Deborah arrived. “You’re on your own, babe. I’m out of here. I’ll meet you back here at three.”
“Where are you going?” she asked with unease in her voice.
“I’m going to check in on Cam and see how the ghosts have been treating him,” Jace replied with a gleam in his eye. “If I know Artie and Sal they probably drove Cam out of his mind this week.”
Lindsay nodded and watched as her boyfriend walked through the wall. She was shaking her head to know so many ghosts wandered around Little Bend. Knowing that gave her the willies, despite his assertions they were harmless.
Within an hour Deborah and Sara arrived, both looking delighted to go to the salon. The downside was Cameron’s mother owned the only salon in town. Deborah assured her she’d keep an eye on Marianne if she was working that day. With it being graduation the place would be packed by noon. Even with appointments it would be a zoo up there.
They left and Lindsay started feeling excitement finally. Just knowing Jace would be there to share her special day with her was enough for her to allow the facial and massage her mother insisted upon.
Lindsay allowed herself to be pampered today, knowing what the night had in store for her. Tonight would be the last opportunity to get to Cameron. Jace was leaving to return to Oblivion tomorrow. A lump formed in her throat to think of him going back there. He assured her it wasn’t so bad.
They arrived in the nick of time, getting in right before the waiting area filled up. Lindsay was in the chair next to Sara when Rosemarie and her friends came in. They saw Lindsay and rolled their eyes, whispering and making comments behind their hands. She ignored them, smiling reassuringly at Sara as she got her hair trimmed.
“Don’t pay her any mind, Lindsay,” Sara warned her and eyed the girls with a disgusted expression. “After today, you never have to see them again.”
“Yeah, I won’t, will I?” she asked and smiled as she got up from the chair and went to the back of the salon to get her massage and pedicure. She was relieved she wasn’t anywhere near Rosemarie for the duration of their stay in the salon.
The nail tech worked in the back. By the time her pedicure was done; the girls were gone. She was relieved, not wanting their day spoiled with snooty girls from school. It stung to know everyone turned on her after Jace died.
While she got her facial and massage and reviled in the reduction of stress, she saw Rosemarie returned alone. She ignored her as she came in the back and sat down for her pedicure. Rosemarie looked over at her and looked definitely catty.
“I’m surprised you’re even showing up at commencements, Lindsay,” she noted with a smirk.
“Why? I earned it, Rosemarie. Trust me I won’t be paying you or anybody else any attention while I’m there,” Lindsay snapped and was grateful her massage was done. She sat up and returned to the dressing room to get her shirt back on, holding the towel around her chest.
“You might want to think twice before showing up,” she said as Lindsay came back out.
“You can have your little friends boo me all you want, Rosemarie,” she said as she advanced on her, glaring at her in disgust. “I’m graduating today whether you like it or not. I have just as much right to be there as anybody else, maybe more. Since I tutored half our class at some point; I’m sure they realize that too, so back off!”
Rosemarie’s smirk faded and her pretty face turned an angry red. “You’re going to pay for what you did to Cam! He lost the scholarship because of you!”
“No, he lost the scholarship on his own because he was dealing drugs!” Lindsay snapped. “You can blame me all you guys want. I don’t even care anymore. In another month I’m out of here, and never have to see you people again.”
Lindsay turned on her heal and left before Rosemarie had a chance to say another word. Deborah and Sara looked at her in approval as she joined them at the nail tech’s station. After the first coat of polish, her mother looked over with amusement in her gaze.
“You get that from me,” she confided as she looked down at her nails. “Good for you.”
“I’ve had enough, Mom,” Lindsay said as she selected a color of nail polish and watched as the tech buffed her nails and filed them. “I can’t wait for this day to be over.”
“You just enjoy this, honey. It’s your day and you earned it.”
Sara lowered her voice and bent near. “I overheard them saying they were all going to boo when you walk across the stage.”
“Let them, just shows their intelligence,” Lindsay said and rolled her eyes.
“I don’t know if I could be so brave, Lindsay,” the girl whispered and looked sad. “I know what you tried to do for Jace. I got a plan of my own today.”
“What are you going to do?” Lindsay asked and smiled as Sara had a secretive look on her face.