Gia gave her an approving look. “She’s Weird Barbie! It’s Kate McKinnon’s character from the movie. She’s this old Barbie who’s been used and abused by the kids that owned her, so she’s all broken and scribbled on, and she does these ridiculous splits. Dr. Lind, this is literally my favorite costume I’ve seen tonight.”
Audrey grinned. “Thank you. I had fun with it.”
“You both look amazing, and very on brand for a queer party,” Gia said, motioning for them to follow her. “Come on. Arlen is at the photo booth, documenting everyone for Instagram. They’re going to love your costumes!”
“Oh, I’m not here to be photographed,” Michelle demurred, looking much more reserved than the woman she was dressed as.
“Please?” Gia implored. “We’re trying to get everyone, and it would be so great to include our faculty sponsors. We wouldn’t even be here tonight without you and Dr. Lind.”
“Come on, Dr. Thompson,” Audrey jumped in, using Michelle’s title in the presence of students. “We can pose together, as the two faculty sponsors. It’ll be fun. I saw the photo booth earlier. It’s all decked out with silver streamers and rainbows. Plus ... there are props.”
Michelle gave her an aggrieved look. “I don’t need props. But I’ll take a photo. Lead the way, Gia.”
“Yay.” Gia bounced on her toes. She had on a shiny red flapper dress, fringe dancing around her as she moved. “Arlen! I’ve got Weird Barbie and Anne Lister for you.”
Arlen peeked out from the photo booth, antennae wobbling on top of their head. They wore a shimmery green alien costume that was sosilly, it made Audrey giggle. It fit Arlen’s irreverent personality perfectly. They clapped their hands at the sight of Audrey and Michelle. “Oh my god, if this isn’t the perfect pairing! Ladies, come on in, and let me capture you.”
“Capture us?” Audrey teased. “Is this where we find out we’re about to be abducted to your home planet?”
Arlen made a series of beeps and clicks as they ushered Audrey and Michelle into the photo booth, acting out their role as an alien. “Feel free to accessorize as you see fit, and have fun with it. We can take as many pictures as you like.”
“Let’s do a standard pose first,” Audrey suggested, noting Michelle’s stiff posture. She probably needed to ease into this. Too bad they couldn’t serve alcohol at a campus event, because a glass of whisky might have been a big help right now.
She and Michelle stood with their backs against each other, facing the camera. Michelle crossed her arms over her chest, looking stern and intimidating as Anne Lister, while Audrey stood with one leg tucked behind herself so her fake leg took its place. She pointed it straight up in the air, then made a ridiculous face as if Weird Barbie had just done air splits for the camera.
Arlen laughed as they snapped several pictures. “Perfect, ladies. Those are fantastic. Dr. Lind, I feel like one of those tiaras would really suit Weird Barbie. Dr. Thompson, how do you feel about Anne Lister carrying a rainbow-striped boa?”
Michelle opened her mouth as if to protest the historical inaccuracy of such a thing, but then she glanced at Audrey, who was attempting to telepathically remind her that this was a student party, and the object of the evening was to make sure everyone had fun. “All right,” she acquiesced.
Before Michelle could change her mind, Audrey grabbed the boa Arlen was holding out to her and draped it across Michelle’s shoulders. Then she selected a bejeweled tiara and plopped it on her own head,careful not to make her wig slip. For this photo, she and Michelle smiled first at the camera, then at each other.
And then, for some reason she couldn’t fully fathom, Audrey grabbed the end of Michelle’s boa and gave it a tug. Michelle swayed toward her, andclick, Arlen caught the moment on camera.
Michelle put a hand on Audrey’s shoulder to steady herself, and Audrey almost dropped her spare leg, her heart was beating so fast.
“Love that,” Arlen called. “Audrey, take her right hand and pose like you’re dancing. I don’t know about you, but I’d give money to see Anne Lister dancing with Weird Barbie.”
“Especially Anne Lister wearing a rainbow boa,” Audrey said, playing along. She gripped Michelle’s free hand, and they swayed to the music, slowly spinning each other in a circle. And ... was that a smile on Michelle’s face?
As Audrey watched, Michelle’s lips curved and her eyes sparkled. They were dancing, really dancing, and Audrey wanted to live in the moment forever.
Michelle couldn’t believe it, but she was actually having fun. She twirled Audrey in her outrageous Barbie costume as Arlen captured the moment with their camera. As she stepped back, Michelle tripped over the hem of her Anne Lister skirt. She stumbled into Audrey, who gripped both of Michelle’s hands in her own.
Audrey laughed, and it was such a beautiful sound. Before Michelle realized it, she was laughing, too, still holding on to Audrey’s hands. They must look utterly ridiculous, but wasn’t that the whole point? Arlen seemed thrilled, and as Michelle glanced behind them, she saw that a crowd of students had gathered to watch her and Audrey’s antics in the photo booth.
Warmth crept into her cheeks, and she fought the urge to slink away, to lurk in the corner as she usually did. She was here to represent the university, to support the Pride Coalition.
“Yo, Dr. Thompson, you’ve got moves!” a young man whose name she didn’t know called out. “Who knew?”
“I knew,” she retorted with a smile. But now she noticed the line of students waiting for their turn in the photo booth. She tugged Audrey out of the makeshift box.
“That was fun,” Audrey said, sounding slightly breathless.
“It was.”
“Do you help out with this party every year?”
Michelle led the way to the refreshment table in back. “Not every year, but often, yes.”
