Nail Polish

I remember biology class in grade 11, for some reason she was there even though she was a year older. Maybe she was held back, she was always missing school to work. She wasn't in my class anyway. She must have been dropping off a late assignment or something.
Her nails were painted nude and it was the first time I saw that colour nail polish- or the first time I noticed it anyway. Her hands looked so chic, beautiful yet understated. Classy. I must replicate this. I remember looking for the exact colour for a long time. Every time I went with my mom to the grocery store, looking in the beauty section. I was very particular that it be the exact same colour. Not white or cream or metallic.
People always said I looked like her younger sister. I loved it, she was a working model at sixteen, 5'11" and skinny as hell with a heart shaped face. I specifically remember hearing once that she was missing a day of school to be in a Chanel show. I was more than impressed, I wanted to be just like her. I would settle for little sister analogies.
Now I realize my city did not have Chanel fashion shows. If anything it was a "presentation" in a department store. Around graduation I remember hearing something about her and New York but I am pretty sure she never went.
It all turns into a cliche, coming from a troubled family all her earnings went to mortgage payments and groceries. Her younger brother sold drugs at the transit station. I am pretty sure he was stabbed once--he tried to sell me drugs one time as I left the station. Her father wasn't around, (jail?) I idolized her. I thought for sure she would be famous, at seventeen fame was success.
She has her own kids now and lives in the city we grew up in. I always remember that nail polish though, I bought some the other day.