Last night’s events gave Odette hope and motivation to continue her search for the perfect dress. Nevertheless, the boutiques seemed to loom like monsters, waiting to devour her. Mainly because she was doing this on her own. Beth was occupied with her studies and personal life. She was probably busy with her new boyfriend. Whatever it was, Odette decided to go shopping on her own. Apparently, it wasn’t a good idea for her ego. Some of the employees mistook her for an older woman, which was extra shameful since she now wore contacts. It had to be the clothes, but she had not gained enough confidence to stop wearing her cardigans and long skirts completely.
To add to the stress, the search for the perfect makeover experts for her transformation had been disheartening. Some even suggested plastic surgery, including nose and boob jobs. None of that was for her. She didn’t dislike her nose, and her boobs had the right size. Plus, her parents would lose their minds if they returned to find their daughter with a new face or silicone breasts.
After two days of dealing with beauty consultants, she could understand how some people developed eating disorders or worse. Why was it so hard to do a few tweaks?
Instead, she aimed her energy at finding the perfect dress. Visiting all of the known stores didn’t help. She came out empty-handed. After seeing how the elves dressed and danced at a real ball, she couldn’t find anything stunning enough to wow Carl and have a shot at being his girlfriend.
Odette was so focused on the search for the right outfit, she didn’t notice a group of university students entering the establishment. She picked three dresses that might be a good match and headed to the dressing room.
“I want to try on the brand new shoes you have reserved for me in the back,” a voice rang out that made Odette’s blood run cold.
Her luck couldn’t be so bad that she had to run into Chastity Hill, the boastful head cheerleader, and Carl’s ex. That girl took personal pleasure in bullying anyone she deemed inferior. The rumor was that she broke up with Carl because he was too soft on losers. Chastity was as vapid and mean as they come.
Odette tried to keep her mind on the dresses she was trying on. The first was a strappy eggshell-colored dress that made her feel like all she needed was an ice-cream cone. Then, her stomach rumbled. She had skipped lunch due to the nervousness about coming here alone. A decision she was quickly regretting now that she was a whole bag of nerves and hungry. An unfortunate combination, since she had to hide until Chastity and her goons were gone.
The second dress was pink with ruffles that actually looked great. It seemed to hug her form well and add color to her pale complexion. She could almost imagine the shoes bringing up a version of this dress to go meet her elf friend. The one who thought he would die of loneliness. Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, she checked the price tag. The dress was costly. Luckily, she could afford it with her emergency credit card.
The third dress was green and bulky. She felt like an overdressed actress, playing mother nature. It looked nice on display but was clearly not the one for her. Still, it had lovely designs of roses and vines from the waist down. For now, she was satisfied with the cute pink dress.
“I want to see if this skirt makes my ass look fat,” a female burst into the dressing room. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she apologized and went into a different stall.
Odette was stunned silent. The girl wore a cheerleading uniform, and Odette could only pray the clothes she had hung up on the side would go unnoticed. Once, a cheerleader broadcasted that Odette’s dress made her look like a zebra. The teacher told everyone to be quiet, but the damage was done. She heard neighing behind her all day until she left the campus.
It soon became apparent that she had to come out. She was brave enough to put on magical shoes and travel into another realm, so facing the mean girls of her college couldn’t be that hard.
Odette walked out with her chosen dress in hand.
“Stacey, you were right. It’s her.” Chastity cackled. “What do you have there, Charming?”
“A dress. Could you move, so I can pass?”
“Are you in a hurry? Do you have somewhere to be?”
“No. I’m heading home after this.”
Chastity sneered at her and looked her up and down.
“May I pass?” Odette insisted, unsure why the cheerleader was analyzing her.
Chastity stepped aside and folded her arms. As Odette moved forward, something cold and sticky was poured onto her head. Her scream echoed throughout the store.
Chastity’s voice brushed her ear. “Stay away from Carl. He’s out of your league, bookworm.”
Odette’s world shattered around her as the shop assistants rushed to her, and Chastity sauntered to the exit with her gang behind her.
“Miss, are you okay?”
“Who was responsible for this?”
Odette didn’t know how to react or what to say. The guys were still there, laughing while the shop assistants demanded an explanation. Someone gave Odette a towel. Her eyes stung with tears, but she refused to cry.
By the time everything was sorted, it turned out that a guy from Chastity’s classroom had dumped his drink on Odette as a prank. Probably under Chastity’s instructions. After the group paid for the damages, the store forced the guys to leave. The dress had been ruined, and there wasn’t another one that she could buy. There was also Chastity’s threat which made it clear that she’d make Odette’s life miserable if she tried to get near Carl.
Odette’s confidence dissipated, and she decided to go home and hide from the world in the only place she felt safe—Edrahil’s world.