[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: RED RUBY DA SLEEZE~ NICKI MINAJ]
As the seconds hand stroked seven, the bell to the flower shop dinged when the door was pushed open. Lily, who had fallen asleep while reading, jumped up from her chair, startled by the sudden noise.
"Tori?" She called out her friend's name.
Victoria, who held a heavy shopping bag, twirled her keys in the air. "Girl, you're just something else. Who doesn't get hyped up when they are going for a party, and here you are sleeping. What a beautiful life you have." The young girl murmured.
Lily reached for her phone and checked the time; it was indeed seven. When it comes to a party, Victoria would never be late, Lily sighed.
"What are those?" Lily pointed at the bags Victoria was holding.
Victoria shook the bags, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Let's go find out!!" She shouted.
Lily didn't know how it happened or when, but the next moment she found herself inside Victoria's car; they were on their way to her bestfriend's house.
"Do we have to make up?" Lily asked when they got to Victoria's house. It was a comfortable apartment with spacious rooms, it was just Victoria who stayed in her house.
Victoria didn't reply, Lily; she put in her password and pushed the door open. "Since you never make up, I'll do something classic for you. Go sit there." Victoria motioned, going to retrieve her makeup brushes.
Lily pushed her glasses up; she was the one who agreed to attend the party, so she was going to suck in anything Victoria did and obey all her instructions. Getting in the makeup chair like a lamb ready to be slaughtered, Lily picked up her phone but it was snatched from her hands almost immediately.
"No, no my dear friend. Today is not like other days, no phones, no books. You'll be very much aware of your surrounding. Yes?" Victoria asked, dropping the phone on the makeup table.
Lily watched her freedom fly away from the room, as she sighed tiredly. "Aye aye captain. But I need to tell Fred that I'll be coming home late." She remembered her brother.
Victoria waved her hands, "Always playing the mother role; you're still young chile. Breathe and don't always be a mother hen, Fred can handle himself!" The ginger-curled friend advised, getting herself ready to work on Lily's face.
"You have very beautiful eyes; if you work in the club, they would put you in the VIP to dry those Mogul's wallet." Victoria muttered while using an eyeshadow that complimented Lily's green eyes.
At intervals Lily found herself drifting to sleep, but it didn't last because of the movements in front of her face. It took them almost two hours to finish her makeup, and when Victoria was done, Lily felt her lower back ache.
"Presto!" Victoria exclaimed, "Here comes the princess!" She pointed at the mirror.
Lily looked at her reflection on the mirror. She almost did not recognize the person in front of her; when she raised her hand to touch her face, Victoria hit it off.
"Don't ruin my handwork, now let's get you dressed."
Lily sat there looking at herself; if she wasn't still in her body, she would have said it was another person. Her face looked all dolled up, like the mannequins she usually sees on her way to work, but she couldn't deny the fact that she looked beautiful. Just like the models she envied on the weekend commercials.
At exactly 9 pm, the girls were done with their dressing. With Lily putting on an off-white gown that latched snugly on her body, revealing the curves she never knew existed. The gown stopped at her knee, with her back fully exposed, then a black knee-high boot was used to complement it.
"I feel naked," Lily whispered, only to turn and meet Victoria wearing a small short that stopped on her thighs with a chiffon crop top that had small sleeves. Lily gulped back her words.
Victoria grinned, "Should we swap clothes, so you can feel less naked?"
"I'm good, let's go." Lily shook her head, reaching out for her glasses.
"And the last touch for tonight." Victoria fished out a small box from her bag, "You weren't thinking of using those lame glasses on this..." she pointed at Lily from head to toe, "Classic dressing."
Lily raised her glasses, "You know how bad my sight is; I have to use-" her words were cut short when Victoria pushed her to sit back down.
"Which is why I met with your doctor today; I got you contact lenses."
Lily was amazed at how prepared her friend was just for a party. Who in this world went extra miles just for a party? Victoria, of course! Lily sighed.
"All good, now let's move!!" Victoria advanced to the door, when she was done fixing the contact for Lily.
Lily blinked her eyes; she wasn't used to contacts but she couldn't complain else Victoria might chop her head off. Getting accustomed to the lens, Lily finally got on her feet and joined Victoria outside.
Inside the car, before Victoria kicked off the ignition, she said, "Listen carefully to what I'm about to say Lily, the club is a whole new world. If anyone should ask you your age, tell them you're twenty-five, you're done with school and you work in a fashion industry. You just came to the club so you could blow off some steam after the day's work."
Lily scratched her bunned-up hair slightly, avoiding her well-permed baby hairs, "Is the lie necessary?" She asked, a little confused as to why she had to lie about her life.
"Is the why? That you should ask" Victoria exhaled, "Like I said it's another world of opportunities or destruction. If you're perceived as a regular person you won't meet great men just random drunks, so follow my steps and get it right. Okay honey pie?" Victoria asked with a sweet smile.
Lily nodded, "Twenty-five, done with school and works in a fashion industry." She repeated, then she asked, "What about my name?"
Victoria hummed for a moment, "Use your name!"
"I'm glad I can keep my name." Lily muttered, relaxing on the car seat. She looked at her outfit one more time; now that she was seated, the gown pulled up, revealing her slender legs. Lily wished she had grabbed her jacket but it was too late because Victoria wouldn't let her come down from the car.
Victoria fired the car loudly, as she zoomed off with full speed. "To Shera of the night!!!!"
Lily held her chest, trying to act composed; it was obvious she was heading to war unarmed.
In the span of the moment and amid excitements, Lily forgot to call her brother, unaware of what awaited her at the club where she had never been before.