Chapter 64
Mireya
Play - The Doll People by Sofia Isella
The gala
I hate seeing myself in dresses.
The feeling of being seen in such a vulnerable way makes my skin itch and the thought of everyone being able to see my scars almost makes me want to vomit on the spot.
How strange it is, to stop wearing dresses because someone loved the way they looked on you too much.
“The way the material flows around your waist looks so pretty, Rey!” Hayzel screeches as I turn around to look at her.
My best friend looks beautiful in the dress she’s wearing. Red and silky, her brown hair flows perfectly around her face.
She’s smiling and so happy that I let her pick the one I have on right now.
“Earth to Reya,” Hayzel says, bringing me out of my head.
“I feel like I look too squished in this, Hayz,” I say, looking at myself in the floor length mirror.
“Nonsense, you look beautiful in that one,” she tells me as I shuffle around, pulling at the fabric.
“We have this one, it’s a lovely floor length blue dress, its bodice is more loose fitted but it flares around the skirt to give it more shape and dimension,” the shop teller says, coming over holding up the said dress. “It’s less revealing but more sophisticated.”
I go to open my mouth but Hayzel beats me to it, “It’s perfect, she’ll try it on!”
She grabs the hanger from the teller who walks away looking pleased and shoves it at me. “Go on, go on Reya, try it on!”
The curtain is pulled closed and I’m left with no other choice but to try the damn thing on.
A few moments later I step out of the dressing room hearing a lot of compliments from both Hayzel and the shop teller. Hayzel flashed the credit card that Nana gave her for emergencies and paid for everything before pulling me away from the store.
The journey back from town wasn’t anything to comment on, I felt as if I dissociated from everything around me. I didn’t hear Hayzel talking to me. I didn’t hear the engine noise turn off when we arrived back at St. Ellesta.
I think I only came back when she pinched my arm and screamed that I needed to be more enthusiastic about this.
Tonight we have to succeed on that exercise, and can’t afford to fail, even if I don’t know how my body will respond to it.
Play - Female Robbery by The Neighbourhood
Hayzel is fluttering around the vanity table as she curls her hair.
“You look beautiful, Mireya,” she says, meeting my gaze in the mirror.
I stand beside her looking over my now straightened hair. “I should say the same about you, I like your hair like that.”
She smiles and pretends to faint from my compliment, “It’s like you’re flirting with me.”
I snort hiding my laugh as she adjusted her dress. “Vain much?”
“I mean, we don’t get to dress up like that every day, so yes,” she replies, turning back to me with a smile. “Also, because we’re still flirting, you wanna see something?”
I glance over my shoulder with my brows furrowed. “What are you up to?”
She grins at me before flashing her latest provocative lingerie set. “Had to put on my most scandalous set, you like it?”
I can’t help but double over to laugh, “Woman, it’s a damn charity gala, why are you wearing that?” I wheezed.
“Because we have to end up naked at the end of this, am I wrong?” She replies, shrugging and laughing before turning around, her dress hanging from her neck, “Look at how gorgeous it looks?”
“You know what ? It’s actually perfect,” I reply, giving her a high five. “Love to see you naked in my dorm.”
She leans toward me before putting her finger on my lips, smiling. “Anything for you.”
Before I can even reply that I’d love her to make a show, someone knocks at the door.
“Why is there someone naked in your room and why are you loving it, Mireya?”
Oh.
“It’s Hayzel, and you’re ruining our moment,” I yell back as Hayzel laughs, putting her dress back on.
“Reya! It’s Mister Caldwell, don’t talk to him like that… he’s my professor, woman,” she squeaks as I walk over to let Damien in.
I shrug before replying, “he’s my professor too, it’s fine.”
She stops for a second and looks at me confused, then she whispers, “Wait, why is he even here and why is he calling you by your name?”
“It’s a long story, Ms Wynn,” Damien says as he shuts the door behind him.
Blue wakes up from his nap next to the window, jumping down to smell the new intruder.
Surprisingly enough, Damien bends down to caress his head before looking up to us, “Is he not used to seeing me?”
Hayzel's eyes widened as she looked at me before mouthing, “Used to seeing him?”
I laugh before pushing her away, “Alrighty now, Hayzel is going to leave now so we can talk about the exercise, Mister Caldwell.” I lean toward her before whispering back, “Save the dance for later, and I’ll tell you everything.”
“Well…” Hayzel pretends to cough. “I’ll meet you both outside,” she says before disappearing behind the door.
Damien stands up now, and smiles as he scans me from head to toe. He’s about to say something when I put my hand up to stop him. “You don’t know my best friend like I do,” I say, in a low voice, before opening the door again.
Hayzel, who had the side of her face against the door, falls head first to the ground.
“I knew you would do that,” I say, helping her get back up.
She laughs and waves at Damien. “Okay now, I’m really leaving, I promise.”
I wait until I see her disappearing inside her dorm and that’s when I finally take in how Damien looks.
Black shirt, fitting him perfectly, no tie for him tonight. The tattoos on his arms are on display and I catch myself staring at them for too long.
“Mireya, can I talk now?” He says, pulling me out of whatever daydream I was in.
“Huh? I’m sorry, did you want to say something?”
He smiles softly as Blue climbs back to his favorite spot. “It fits you.”
“Yours is nice too… I mean the shirt, you’re obviously not wearing a dress,” I say, probably sounding stupid right now. But then I hear him laugh and before I can say anything else, his hand is on my waist as he pulls me closer.
“How are you feeling about tonight?” He asks softly.
“You didn’t need to come here to ask that…” I reply bluntly.
“I prefer face to face conversations.”
“Am I the one flirting now, Mister Caldwell?” I say curiously.
“No, I am,” he admits and I freeze for a second.
“Bold of you.”
“If you don’t want to do it you can refuse it.”
A small laugh escapes me before I can even hide it. “You know I can’t risk failing…”
“You won’t, I’ll make sure of that.”
I smile before turning back to the mirror. “I don’t want to get my professor involved in this. I can do it, trust me I’ve done worse.”
His chest is now against my back as our eyes meet in the mirror. “I don’t like when you say that.”
I turn back to him, our faces so close I can see every pigment of blue in his eyes. “Don’t look at me like I’m weak, I hate that.”
“You’re not weak at all. But if you need anything tonight, know that I’ll be watching you.”
Then he leaves like he didn’t drop a bomb.
He’ll be watching me.