Color Me Pretty

They don't see me yet, but they will, and I don't know how I feel about that.
    Kylie notices my strange look and follows my gaze. When she sees the two redheads approaching, bags swinging by their sides, lips smiling brightly, I think she knows. I've never admitted this to anyone, but my mom, sister, and I really do look alike. I turn away suddenly and start walking, moving quickly enough that I'm pretty sure they don't catch me before I hit the front of what used to be one of my favorite stores. I hide behind a chic rack of summer tees and try to breathe.
    Kylie follows me in and says nothing.
    “Sister?” she asks. I nod. “Mother?” Again, a nod. Kylie watches me for several minutes and even waves off the scores of sales girls that approach. “I have a story to tell you. Want to hear it?” I shrug, and my new friend smiles. “Let's go get lunch and I'll tell you over food.” She pauses. “But you don't have to eat if you don't want to. You just have to sit there and watch me eat.” So Kylie turns away and starts off in the wrong direction. I let her go for a second and then chase after, redirecting her back to the stairs that lead up to the roof garden.
    “This better be worth it,” I tell her, but she says nothing. I don't see my mother or Marlena again. I don't know what would've happened if they'd seen me, but I can't guess anything good. Nobody's stopped by or called since M's last visit. I'm starting to get the feeling that they're not going to. They are never going to be able to step outside their own comfort zone and accept that what happened, happened, regardless of how it started. And as far as Emmett goes … If they can't see the beauty brewing inside of him, then they're idiots. That's all there is to it. I try not to be upset about this.
    The Winged Ones is the most bizarre restaurant I have ever seen.
    The signs leading up to the roof, the ones drawn in colored pencil (by an admittedly talented artist) point up towards the landing and the hostess station where a girl with a pair of faux wings on her back shows us to a table near the railing. Below us, the city stretches out, cold and gray, before disappearing into the brown-green of the forest and the mountains. Behind us, the rooftop is covered, and I mean covered, in greenery, so much so that it's nearly impossible to see the other tables. I've never seen anything like it.
    The waitress comes by, wearing a pair of black wings this time, and drops off a pair of menus printed on recycled paper. Immediately, my mind goes to Emmett and I smile.
    “I can't wait to fall in love,” Kylie says, squeezing her menu tight and keeping her eyes downcast. Whoever this guy, this Dex was, he really hurt her, and I already hate him for it. But at least she's willing to try again. I'm so proud of her I have a hard time speaking. My pain recognizes hers, and I know how hard it'll be, but I also know that whoever falls in love with Kylie is a very lucky person indeed. “That's why I've decided to stick around, give it a shot.” She scans her menu, makes a decision and sets it on the end of the table. Me, I just sit there and stare at the words. They get tangled together and cease to mean anything. Sweat begins to bead on my forehead, and I have to force my lungs to pull in oxygen. If it wasn't so damn peaceful up here, I'd probably just give up. If I eat, will I lose control again and purge? I have no idea. It hasn't happened since the dinner with Ted, but that doesn't mean it can't. “That, and because of Madelyn.”
    “Older sister or younger?” I ask because I can't even imagine picking out a sandwich from this list. I set my menu on top of Kylie's and decide that whatever it is she's chosen, that's what I'm getting, too.
    “Older,” she says, and I smile sadly. It's nice to know we're both the little sister, that we have something that impactful in common, but definitely depressing to know that she's lost it. I think of Marlena and how much I hate her, but also how devastated I'd be if she were dead. “I wasn't really all that helpful when she was going through rehab and stuff. I mostly just … I tried to force her, I guess. My parents made her do things she didn't want to do, and I followed suite. I didn't think, and I just acted.” Kylie shrugs like it's no big deal, but I can tell that it is. Dex is not fully responsible for the circle of pain inside of her. There's at least a little bit of Madelyn in there somewhere. “And I got