Chapter 1
ROSABELLE
“Didn't you get a D in that engineering class you took?” I ask Rie as she plays with the tail of my unicorn costume. I knew she tried out the class her freshman year of college because she’ll try anything.
“It was a D plus, so it counts as passing.” She says that, but the look on her face doesn't agree with her as she goes back to messing with the end of the tail. “I think I got it.”
She yanks on the tail a little too hard and I feel it tug at the backside of my costume. I almost fall over from the action but she helps catch me before I can face plant onto our living room floor.
“I think you should wear flats,” she teases, fighting a laugh.
“Crap. I didn't think about shoes! What kind of shoes do unicorns wear?” I glance around the living room like they could magically appear. “I don’t have hooves lying around.”
“Thank God because that would be weird.” Rie makes a grossed-out face that isn't helping right now. How could I have forgotten about shoes? I’m dressed to the nines with everything else for this costume. We worked on it all day yesterday so it would be perfect.
“I’m serious. I want to do this right so everyone at the office will like me,” I plead with her.
My new job hasn't been so easy. I don’t know why a few of the front office girls don’t like me.
I try to spark up conversations with them, but most won't give me the time of day. When I walk into a room they all stop talking like whatever they were saying was about me. There’s this clique and I haven’t gotten into it.
It’s worse than high school and I thought those days were behind me.
“I was sure your snickerdoodle cookies would work.” Rie shakes her head, not understanding.
That was a bust, too. I make the best snickerdoodles in the world, or at least that’s what people tell me.
I baked all night to take them in for the office breakroom.
The women informed me how many calories were loaded into my yummy treats and no one touched them.
You’d think I worked in the beauty industry or something and not in a call center.
I spend my day redirecting calls to the right departments, and although it’s a boring job it pays well.
I guess that’s what really matters when you need to pay your bills.
I go toward my room in search of shoes. “Watch it!” Rie shouts as she jumps out of the way so I don’t hit her with my tail.
“Sorry,” I mumble. This costume might have been a bad idea.
I’ve heard of company picnics but I’ve never heard of a company costume picnic.
I don’t know how I came up with the idea of dressing up like a unicorn but it sounded easy enough.
Unicorns aren’t real so there was some wiggle room to do whatever I wanted.
I thought a bodysuit with a tutu would be perfect.
Throw some glitter in there with fun makeup and a unicorn horn headband and bam!
Then Rie got the bright idea that I should have a tail and I was down with that.
She said she could make it for me, but she didn’t tell me it would shoot glitter.
I mean, that sounds pretty cool but way over my head.
“These?” I turn around to look at her and she’s holding a pair of pink Converse. What the hell? They’re pink and I won’t kill myself wearing them like the purple heels I was eyeing. I got them at a thrift store two months ago but haven’t had the moxie to wear them yet.
“Good call.” I take them from her and pull them on.
“Okay. So you just need to push this button whenever you want the glitter to come out,” she says as I finish tying my shoes to look up at her. She’s holding out a small remote and my eyes widen. “Don’t push it now. Cleaning up glitter is a mess.”
“Maybe I shouldn't use it then.” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth. I don’t want to get in trouble for shooting glitter everywhere. I want everyone to like me.
“Stop that. You’ll mess up your lipstick.” She points to my mouth and I let go of my lip. “You’re going to be outside so it will blow away.” She waves her hand dismissively and I take the remote from her.
She tucks a curly lock behind her ear that we colored to match my costume. I think about how weird it is to see her dressed up. I should be used to it because she does this every Sunday.
“You sure you can’t come?” I ask.
Rie is better at this kind of stuff than I am. She can make friends in seconds while I can be awkward and tend to get nervous and ramble on about nothing. Either that or I spill every detail of my life and overshare.
“You know my dad.” Rie rolls her blue eyes.
It’s Sunday and she’s never allowed to miss dinner with her dad.
It’s just the two of them and I’ve even gone a few times.
They don’t really talk to each other and it’s always somewhere super fancy.
I call Rie the black sheep of her family, but can you be the black sheep if there’s only two of you?
“Yeah, I know.” I let out a long sigh.
I get it and I can't say much. Her father owns the apartment building we live in. We only have to pay for the utilities. I guess you’d say we’re under his thumb somewhat, and although we could find a new place, this one is nice.
I’m saving my money in the meantime but I’m not sure what for.
I think it’s supposed to be college, but nothing is piquing my interest. I’m drifting and it’s unsettling.
It’s probably why I’m trying to fit in so much at my new job.
I’m lucky to have Rie as a best friend. I practically ran from my parents’ house when I turned eighteen and Rie did the same.
The only stipulation for her was she had to go to college.
Her father is footing the bill but isn’t too happy that she’s leaning toward art as her major.
She has time to pick what she wants since right now most of her coursework is basic classes she will need no matter what she chooses.
I, on the other hand, don’t have someone to pay for school, and my drive to do it is super sucking right now.
Rie thinks I need time to breathe and be free from my parents.
My home life was chaotic. Eighteen years living with my parents and I still don’t understand them.
At times they’re loving and other times they are just crazy.
I turn to look at myself in the mirror and realize I look like a cute hot mess.
“You don’t think it’s too sexy?” I ask, because I’ve never worn a bodysuit before.
Unlike the ladies at work, I eat the snickerdoodles and fill out all my womanly curves.
I think the bodysuit shows them off in all the right places.
Rie helped me pick it out and she always has a good eye for what will look good on me.
“No. Besides, people dress like big old sluts at costume parties.” She winks at me in the mirror.
I turn to the side to look at my tail. “This is pretty cool.” I give a little wiggle to make it shake back and forth.
“You look awesome, Rosa. You’re going to kill it. Is there a costume competition?” Rie smooths out her dress and double checks she doesn’t have any wrinkles.
“I don’t think so.” I try and think back to what Tiffany told me and I don’t recall anything about a competition. Only to dress up and bring a dish.
“Well, if there is one you’re so winning.” She smacks my ass, making me scream.
“That bodysuit is thinner than I thought,” she laughs, looking at her hand that just assaulted my butt. “Do you have underwear on?”
I shake my head. “It showed! It’s not like anyone will know I don’t.” No one is going to be trying to get their hands in my bodysuit. I straighten out my soft blue tutu.
“If you say so. Come on, I’ll drop you off on my way to see good old Dad.
” I follow her out of my room and she stops to put on her fancy heels.
The way Rie dresses up to see her father is so night and day to who she really is.
She’s always in yoga pants and giant sweaters or shirts that are covered in paint.
Unless it’s the summer, then she tends to just wear a sports bra.
“I’ll come by the picnic afterward,” she tries to reassure me when she sees my forlorn expression. “I’ll put some bitches in their place.” I laugh.
My sad look isn’t about going to the picnic alone or them not liking me. It’s for Rie pretending to be someone she isn’t every week.
“If I hold out that long. I might melt.” I open the door to our apartment and the heat hits me instantly. I hope this place has shade or something.
“You forgot this.” Rie grabs the fruit plate I prepared for the picnic. Lesson learned, no cookies. But you can bet your booty I’m bringing some cream cheese dip to go with this fruit.
Find out what happens next HERE!