I don’t get the chance to reply, she’s off talking again. “Actually, I’m going with Cinderella. There’s no way I’ll be able to get in and out of that suit. I’m an excited pee-er. You know what I mean?”
“Well then, meow…”
She laughs, and it’s like a squawk. My eyes go round in shock at the noise, only making her squawk even louder.
“Come on, kitty. I’m doing your makeup.” She nabs my hand and drags me into her room.
The chaos continues to weave mischief into our night even before we leave Mel’s room. Like she insisted, Melanie helps me dress and does my kitty whiskers, but her costume won’t zip because of her ginormous boobs. I hadn’t really noticed them before, but now that I’ve seen them they’re impossible to ignore. She looks at ways to make it work, but it’s a lost cause.
I feel bad, because I’ve been wearing the catsuit for a good hour, so it reeks of my sugary sweet cookies and cream scent.
“I guess we should have tried them first,” I offer. “Do you want me to give it a quick rinse?”
Wrapped up in a towel after changing in the bathroom, I hold the catsuit out for her and she rolls her eyes.
“No chance. You know your scent is incredible, right? It suits you. I’m sorry, but no washing it off. Who knows, it might help me get lucky.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me suggestively.
“I doubt you need any help in that department.”
We trade costumes, and I slip back into the bathroom to change. No one has ever said that I smell nice. As I zip up the cheap costume, I feel a million times better despite smelling like a tangerine. Her compliment, and the Cinderella dress—which feels more like me—has me feeling lighter than I have in a long time.
Of course she looks like a supermodel in the catsuit. It looks like her body was poured into the neon yellow fabric. She redoes my makeup then slides a lace face mask to cover the top half of my face. After she finishes with mine, I help her with hers.
Another first is added to my list of things I love about being away from home: bonding with someone I’m prettysure I’ll never see again. It gives me hope that one day I’ll find other women who will be my friends. Brody made it near impossible for me to trust any of the girls back home. He made it painfully clear that all the girls were only talking to me as a way to get to him. I knew it, I guess their reminder was another dent in my armour. One I didn’t need. I wasn’t popular, and I came to terms with that. It’s not something I want, even now, but it is really nice spending time with someone who knows nothing about my past, and who seems to still want to be a friend.
She steps back, and slowly walks around me, tugging the waist down and fluffing up the tulle skirt. Ending up in front of me, Mel rests her hands on my shoulders.
“Let’s go fuck shit up. Tomorrow we go back to being who we’re meant to be, but for the next however many hours, pretend you’re living the life where no-one is watching your every move.”
I tip my head. “How so?”
She rolls her eyes and chuckles. “Act like one of the leads in one of your books.” She pops a hip and holds her fingers to count off her argument. “Firstly, they’re usually princesses in disguise. Second, they have a shitty past chasing them down. Third, they always meet their perfect matches at the most unlikely of times. Four, five, six and sometimes seven is the part where shit gets hard and you try not to give up hope, you get so close to giving up but then…”
I flick my eyebrow up expectantly, waving her on to her big reveal.
“The happy ever after! Don’t ever forget that part either. It comes!” It looks like she has more to say, but we get interrupted by a car horn. “Ride’s here! Let’s go.”
I get what she’s saying, and I’m loving the direction she’s aiming for. I’m sure it will work for her, and I’ll adapt what Ican, but I’m not as free spirited as she is. No matter how hard I try, I’m not sure I ever could be either.
We arrive at the concert, and I’m consumed by nervousness. This isn’t me. At all.
Mel is eating up the pavement in her excitement and it takes her a minute to realise I’m not behind her. She swings around, narrowing her eyes. “Simona! What are you doing?”
I shake my head and smile because the distance between us has given me a chance to settle everything she stirred up. I suspect she has that ability on any day though. She’d be wonderful in a blizzard; she’d make you believe it was sunny outside.
“You go. This is actually enough for me. And yes, that sounds strange but, hand on heart, today and spending the last few hours with you has been exactly what I needed, but I’m done.”
“You’re not coming? The countdown is literally about to happen!”
“Which is why you should go. I’ll walk back through the way we came, and I’ll grab a taxi or an Uber.”
“Really?” She rushes back. Concern colors her face.
“Honestly. I had the best day. But now I want to go back to the hotel. What we did today, and tonight, has been a dream come true, but I know my limits.”
She swoops in quickly for a hug. “I’m using the argument that you’re a grown woman and have a voice as the only reason I’m not begging and pleading with you to stay.”
Her words are like a whack to the chest; the air rushes out of my lungs at her compliment. After a steadying breath, I find the words I want to say. “I will remember this for a long time, Melanie. Thank you. Now go!”
