PERMANENT - Leonardo DiCaprio

Chapter 31 - The Big Reveal

Friday 7.30pm

I sat in the dimly lit dressing room as Dan applied the last of the make-up to my face in front of the mirror. My hair was already slicked in a neat thick bun at the nape of my neck, already back to its original chestnut brown colour, and I sat in my dressing robe, waiting for the dress to arrive.

"Honey how you feeling? Film's finally gonna be shown to the people. That must feel amazing." Daniel questioned. I hadn't realised how much I actually missed him in the month that I spent back in Santa Monica after coming back from filming, and how his gossiping always made my day.

"I can't believe it's happening. I mean....shit....here I am in my own dressing room waiting for my designer dress for a premiere of my film. It's unbelievable really." I never imagined this is how my life would've turned out, and it still felt incredibly surreal.

"Yeah I bet. How's your family reacted to it so far?" He asked again "You know, just fame in general." He clarified, or maybe he just liked the sound of his own voice. Either way, I loved him for it.

"Well, my parents are proud, obviously. I think they see it as another job more than anything though. And my brother....well he'll tease the shit out of me whatever job I do," I laughed at the conversations we'd had over the phone. "I think it's mostly my friends that are star struck about the whole thing." I replied honestly.

"And what does Jake think about it?" Daniel quizzed curiously, and I nearly choked on my own spit. Of course, Dan didn't know me and Jake were no longer a thing (thank god), but it still made me feel uneasy that Jake was brought up - he was the last thing I wanted to think about before my first red carpet event.

"Yeah me and Jake," I shook my head "we're not really a thing anymore." Dan stopped what he was doing and stared at me, his mouth agape.

"Oh shit," he resumed to putting the make-up on carefully "Well, not that I didn't see that coming-"

"What is that supposed to mean?" I interrupted, a slightly amused tone to my voice that indicated I wasn't actually mad - just curious.

"Oh come on Pen, I told you from the very beginning to ditch Jake. You just wasted your time. And it's not like we can't see the sizzling chemistry you have with Mr DiCaprio." Dan sniggered.

Now it was my turn to stare at him with my mouth gaped open in shock. "That is not true, that's not why we broke up. It's not even-"

"Oh Leo you're so funny," Dan imitated a high pitched girly voice with a giggle at the end, so I punched him lightly on the arm.

"I don't sound like that, you ass." Dan once again chortled to himself and stood back a step to admire his work. "God damn. Your face always was a pleasure to work with. Look at that." He spun my chair towards the mirror so I could look at myself. I really did look good - Dan was a genius. I guess make-up artists were called artists for a reason.

He had done my make-up every day in Rosarito for filming, but it was always very light - this was something else. It was more intense and sexy, a bronze smokey eye with a matte dusty rose lipstick. Quite frankly, I was in awe of myself.

There was a knock on the door, and me and Dan both turned to look at the source of the sound. "I'll get it." Dan said as he hurried to the door. A woman that I recognised, but didn't know well enough, entered, with a hanger, off which hung my beautiful Emilio Pucci brown silk dress.

Excitedly clapping my hands, I rushed over to it, slipping off my robe when the woman and Dan exited, and putting it on.

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