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‘Mom …’ Park said painfully, but he didn’t move

His mo Park’s eyelashes

‘Open’ He did ‘Nice … close’ She did the other eye, too Then she added another line under his eye and licked her thue ‘There, nice’

‘See?’ she said, sitting back so that Eleanor could see ‘Easy Pretty’

Park didn’t look pretty He looked dangerous

Like Ming the Merciless Or a member of Duran Duran

‘You look like Robert Sht, prettier

He looked down Eleanor couldn’t look away

His mom swooped in between them ‘Okay, now close eyes,’ she said to Eleanor ‘Open Nice

… Close again …’ It felt exactly like having someone draw on your eye with a pencil Then it was over, and Park’scold on Eleanor’s cheeks

‘This very easy routine,’ his mom said

‘Foundation, powder, eyeliner, eye shadow, ht steps, take you fifteen minutes tops’

Park’sshow on PBS Pretty soon she was unwrapping Eleanor’s hair and standing behind her

Eleanor wanted to look at Park again, now that she could, but she didn’t want hi back Her face felt so heavy and sticky, she probably looked like one of the Designing Women

Park scooted his chair closer to hers and started bouncing his fist on her knee It took Eleanor a second to realize he was challenging her to a ga God Any excuse to touch him Any excuse not to look at him directly He’d rubbed his eyes, so he didn’t look painted any Eleanor didn’t have words for

‘That’s how Park keep little kids busy during haircuts,’ his mom said ‘You ’

Eleanor and Park both made scissors

His mom rubbed half a can of mousse into her hair, then blew it dry with a diffuser (which Eleanor had never heard of before but was apparently very, very i Eleanor was doing with her hair – washing it hatever, brushing it, tying in beads and silk flowers – was dead wrong

She should be diffusing and scrunching and, if possible, sleeping on a satin pillowcase

‘I think you look really good with bangs,’ his s’

There will never be a next time, Eleanor promised herself and God

‘Okay, all done’ Park’s mom was all smiles

‘Look so pretty … Ready to see?’ She turned Eleanor around to the mirror ‘Ta-daa!’

Eleanor looked at her own lap

‘Have to look, Eleanor Look, mirror, so pretty’

Eleanor couldn’t She could feel theh a trap door This whole thing was a bad idea A terrible idea She was going to cry, she was going toher

‘Hey, Mindy’ Park’s dad opened the door and leaned into the garage ‘Phone call Oh, hey, look at you, Eleanor, you look like a Solid Gold dancer’

‘See?’ his mom said, ‘I told you – pretty

Don’t look inin mirror best part’

She hurried into the house, and Eleanor hid her face in her hands, trying not toup She felt Park’s hands on her wrists

‘I’uess I knew you’d hate this, but I didn’t think you’d hate it this ’

‘Why?’

‘Because … you’re all looking atat you,’ he said

‘I knoish you’d stop’

‘She’s just trying to get to know you This is her thing’

‘Do I look like a Solid Gold dancer?’

‘No …’

‘Oh my God,’ she said, ‘I do’

‘No, you look … just look’

‘I don’t want to’

‘Look now,’ he said, ‘before ets back’

‘Only if you close your eyes’

‘Okay, they’re closed’

Eleanor uncovered her face and looked in the ht

– because it was like looking at a different person Soiant eyes and really wet lips Her hair was still curly, curli-er than ever, but caled

Eleanor hated it, she hated all of it

‘Can I open ?’

‘No’ Of course she was She was going to ruin her fake face, and Park’sher

Park opened his eyes and sat in front of Eleanor on the vanity ‘Is it so bad?’ he asked

‘It’s not me’

‘Of course it’s you’

‘I just, I look like I’ that I’ to be pretty and popular

It was the trying part that was so disgusting

‘I think your hair looks really nice,’ Park said

‘It’s not my hair’

‘It is …’

‘I don’t want your s’

‘Kiss me’

‘What?’

He kissed her Eleanor felt her shoulders fall and her sto in the other direction She pulled away

‘Are you kissing me because I look like someone else?’

‘You don’t look like someone else Plus, that’s crazy’

‘Do you liketo look like this again’

‘I like you the same … I kind of miss your freckles’ He rubbed her cheeks with his sleeve

‘There,’ he said

‘ You look like a different person,’ she said,

‘and you’re just wearing eyeliner’

‘Do you like me better?’

She rolled her eyes, but she felt the heat in her neck ‘You look different You look unsettling’

‘You look like you,’ he said ‘You with the volu is,’ Park said ‘I’ back I think she thinks this is the natural look’

Eleanor laughed The door to the house opened

‘A, I told you guys to wait,’ his mom said ‘Were you surprised?’

Eleanor nodded

‘Did you cry? Oh, I miss it!’