“Do you understand how ridiculous this looks?” Alex grimaced in the mirror. Kerstin had gotten her “all dolled up”, so to say, in a tight black tank top with a low V-neck to show off much more cleavage than Alex was ever comfortable showing off. She had on a pair of dark, low cut “hipster” jeans that allowed her to reveal much more of her stomach than she would have liked. Kerstin pulled Alex’s shoulder length wavy brown hair back halfway and allowed her curls to loosely fall around her shoulders. She had never worn as much make-up as Kerstin had insisted she wore.
“You’re the one on a mission,” Kerstin laughed and shook her head. Alex had explained that Mr. Reynolds wanted her possible subject by the next morning. It was only another good reason to go out and get insanely trashed, as Kerstin put kindly.
“I know I’m on a damn mission, Kerst, but do I have to feel like a whore in the process?” Alex sighed, trying to pull down the tank top and pull up the jeans, only to reveal even more cleavage and feel discomfort in her crotch.
“Hey! Don’t forget these are my clothes you’re wearing,” Kerstin giggled, knowing her friend was only joking but still slightly offended by the comment. “And besides, if you want this to work, you have to look…normal.” She sighed. “No more glasses, no more baggy jeans and t-shirts with sneakers. You have to be sexy, Allie.”
“I can be sexy in glasses, at least,” Alex sighed and squinted in the mirror to feel adjusted to the contacts they had gone out to purchase earlier in the evening.
“I know that, but not while clubbing,” Kerstin sighed. “Just give the contacts and wardrobe a try for tonight, okay? I bet you will have at least three guys you’re interested in studying by the end of the night.” She rolled her eyes. Secretly she was hoping Alex would find an amazing man she just couldn’t hurt by writing down his deepest darkest feelings and she would pull away from her bookworm attitude.
“I hope so,” Alex muttered, not catching the sarcasm dripping from Kerstin’s every word. “So where exactly are we going?”
“It’s a big club off of 5th. It’s really popular and I love it there,” Kerstin shrugged. “You ready to have some fun?” She smirked at Alex. Alex nodded while biting her lip anxiously. She was nervous, herself, she wouldn’t be able to pull it off. She never was one to socialize.
“We just need to be home by a somewhat decent hour so I can type up a little bit of a journal entry and be prepared to call Mr. Reynolds tomorrow morning,” Alex explained as she slipped in silver hoop earrings Kerstin handed her.
“Hah, ‘somewhat’ being your key word,” Kerstin laughed under her breath. She pulled out a nice pair of black pumps and tossed them to Alex. “Put these on. They make you look incredibly sexy. Your legs will look magnificent.”
“How the hell am I supposed to dance in these?” Alex managed to muster after getting the shoes on her feet and wobbling around for a moment or two.
“You make it work, honey. Beauty is pain,” she winked as they headed for the front door. Tonight was going to be an interesting night.
As the taxi pulled up to the club, the girls got out and looked around. Alex was already disgusted. The music was far too loud, the people were far too wasted and the scene itself was far too much. She didn’t want to go through with this anymore. “Can’t I pick up a guy at a library or something?” She said into Kerstin’s ear so she could hear.
“Not an insensitive, egotistical one,” she smirked back at her friend. “Come on, it really isn’t that bad. Once you get a little liquor in you, you’ll warm up to the place. It’s actually what most people consider entertaining.” She said sarcastically.
Alex sighed and got into the long line of people. She pulled her ID from her wallet and waited to get to the man holding the velvet rope.
“Hey Kerstin, how you doing baby?” The burly man asked Kerstin. Kerstin smiled up at him and kissed his cheek politely.
“I’m good Parker, how have you been?” She smirked.
“I’ve been good, thanks,” he smiled back. “Who’s your new friend?” He winked in Alex’s direction. She nervously smiled, making only half of her lip curve up, giving an Elvis kind of impression. He frowned and shook his head.
“This is my roommate and best friend, Alex. Alex, this is a regular security guard here at the club, Parker,” Kerstin sighed, completely embarrassed by her best friend but also glad she could correct her.
“Nice to meet you,” Alex uttered politely.
“You too, sweetie. Ya’ll go inside and have yourselves a nice night,” the man nodded them in after glancing at Alex’s ID.
“Alex, don’t ever make that face again,” Kerstin said into her friend’s ear once they reached the inside of the club. Alex barely heard her; for one, she was too infatuated in the lights and dancing bodies. Two, she was completely unnerved by the fact that masses of sweaty bodies kept brushing up against her.
“What face?” She yelled back as the two girls crossed the inside of the club. Kerstin grabbed Alex’s hand and yanked her to a booth in the wall.
“That half smile, half frown. It makes you look like you’re disgusted with the person you’re looking at,” she sighed. “Just…be yourself.”
“I can’t be my damn self!” Alex yelled. This time it wasn’t just from the music. It was because she was so irritated with her friend. “Don’t you understand? That’s exactly who I’m trying to run away from right now!”
“Alex, you aren’t supposed to change as a person,” Kerstin said truthfully. “You’re supposed to change as in open up more and be more of who you are. Inside of you there’s a crazy, bubbly person that I used to see every day when we were younger. I know it’s still in you, Allie. You just have to find it.”
Alex sighed and shook her head, unsure of what to believe. Instead of arguing with Kerstin, she decided to scope out her choices. God knew there were enough men in that room she had to find at least one insensitive asshole. “Listen, how about you go get us some drinks. I’ve never been clubbing before, so I have no idea what the hell to order.” She muttered and ran her finger over the sticky table to avoid eye contact with her friend. She hoped Kerstin was right. She wished she could be outgoing and social like Kerstin.
“Okay,” Kerstin offered up a genuine smile and scooted out of the benched seat. Alex watched her leave. Kerstin wasn’t just socially advanced, she was beautiful. She had long wavy red hair just below her breasts and these bright emerald green eyes that made any man smile. She had been dating a guy seriously for a while. He was nice and Alex fully approved. Kerstin’s pale face was splattered with light brown freckles. She was very slender, but instead of the “skinny” look, she was much more athletic, unlike Alex. Alex had never spent more than ten minutes in a gym. Kerstin could spend all day if she wanted to.
Alex sighed and glanced around the club once more. There were a few hot prospects, but she honestly couldn’t tell which were taken and which were available for her scheming plot. She had yet to feel the least bit guilty, and instead watched as Kerstin returned.
“Try this,” she smirked with a wink.
“What is it?” Alex frowned and brought the glass up to her nostrils to smell the contents. She was never one for alcohol, but she honestly couldn‘t sense any liquor.
“It’s a simple vodka and cranberry juice. You honestly can’t detect the vodka, I promise,” Kerstin smiled. She, however, didn’t mention how drunk off her ass Alex would be after only a few -- since it was more heavy on the vodka. Oh well. The night would be rather interesting.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you for the reviews!! Chapter 4 should be out sometime tomorrow! :]
