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"N-no," I sputter. "I'm being—"
"Do you have a photo?"
Now my cheeks must really be two ripe tomatoes. Is she psychic or something?
Yes, I don't dare say. Several, actually. Fully shirtless. Some show even more than that. All of which I've totally been meaning to delete. But it just... slipped my mind. Yeah. Funny how that happens. It's not like I've been staring at them for the past five days or anything.
Because that would be weird.
"No, Mei, I don't have any shirtless pho—"
"Actually, wait." She winks, obviously aware I'm keeping secrets. "I want it to be a surprise when I come to the party tomorrow."
My eyes bulge, but then quickly shrink back to their normal size. I shouldn't be surprised. Despite her hectic schedule, Mei never misses a party. "I'd love for you to be there. I'll ask Hayden if it's okay."
"Pfft." She waves a hand through the air, flashing her acrylic nails. "No need. I'll just show up."
I raise an eyebrow. Imagine possessing that level of confidence... "Are you sure? You won't know anyone, and I'm assuming I'll need to stay glued to Hayden's hip most of the night."
"Oh, I'm definitely coming. You summoned me for a makeover—which I've been waiting years for, by the way. I wouldn't miss seeing the results for anything."
I curse beneath my breath. Does everyone have a problem with the way I dress?
Grumbling a long line of protests, I glance down at myself, and for the second time in one morning, I think I look more out of place here than that Victorian painting on the wall. Except, even that finds a way to blend in because of its riches and elegance, while I'm like the sloppy pottery hidden in my room.
Maybe I could go for a little polishing...
"Don't make that face, Juliana. It'll be fun!"
My face scrunches more. "Trying on clothes after clothes after clooooothes, all day. Yeah, sounds like a hoot."
"Don't knock it till you try it."
"You know, I've always hated that phrase."
Her nose wrinkles, mirroring mine. "I kinda do, too. But it's true. I'm sure there's something you're looking forward to."
Mischief bubbles low in my gut, widening my lips into a feline grin. "Oh, there is one thing."
Her eyes narrow. "What's that?"
My hand sinks into my pocket, retrieving something cool and metallic that I dangle in the air. "Hayden gave me his keys."
Remember when I felt insulted by a dessert menu?
Well, the prices in these designer stores are so high, they don't just insult me and my lowly social class. They make me sick. And quite honestly, I think I would be sick, physically, all over these floors and clothing racks, if it wouldn't land me into a debt I couldn't afford for the rest of my life.
"How does it look?" Mei's cheery voice floats above the door of my changing stall. And by stall, I mean full-fledged beauty room, equipped with three full-length mirrors, a velvet chaise lounge, even an adjustable lighting dial.
Zipping up the back of the black mini dress, I approach the largest mirror barefoot, running a hand along the wool material now kissing my skin. Gold-tone buttons dot along the front, crossing thick stripes of white, before tapering off at the polo collar.
Honestly, it fits me like a glove, and I don't have any complaints, yet I still answer, "It looks fine."
"Fine?"
"Yeah, fine. Like—good. It looks good."
"That's what you said about the last five dresses."
