HBIC: Head Barbie in Charge

28 - Have a Ball

THIS WAS IT. The First Annual Barbie Ball and only the grandest of the grand were going to be in attendance. It was going to be like a bug zapper the way that all of these fly ass chicks were pulling in one by one with their dates, showing off the flyest fashions that only the average girls could dream of looking good in. Of course, none of them looked as good as Bunny. She wore a gorgeous strapless pink gown that ballooned around her with her hair pinned up in an elegant bun. The only missing piece was the love of her life—Max. She had finally rid herself of Xavier but now found herself in Maxwell's place, waiting for him to complete his end of the bargain. She was stuck in the most compromising situation she had never expected because she didn't want to take Alyson's man from her after she had gone out her way to do such a charitable act for the Gamines. Her need to do good was preventing her from being with the person she cared about the most. Could she ignore her own feelings in order to do right? Max was going to leave her regardless. Bunny had never before cared this much about what anyone thought. Now she found herself trying to change what everyone thought. Just because she was known to pop heads with sharp glass bottles didn't mean she wasn't capable of changing herself for the better.

She couldn't allow all of that to hang over her head. Tonight was about giving back and the Gamines were about to receive an early Christmas present. She exited the elevator and headed down the hall to her hotel room, gaining the attention of an awestruck maid coming out of another room. She stopped at the room with the number 328 on the door, slid her card through the slot, and entered. What met her was nothing short of amazing. Her hands flew to her face as she watched the girls twirl around in their gowns. Jazz had gone from frumpy to sassy, with the azure blue mermaid dress Bunny had picked out for her. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail with spiral curls just as she had imagined. As for Noonie, Kim must have had magic fingertips to be able to restore her weathering edges, or at least brush her baby hairs accordingly. Her new dreadlocks were pinned up in front while the rest hung down her back. She stunned in a green sequined dress that trailed behind her. "You girls look amazing!"

Noonie smiled graciously. "We surprised ourselves."

Bunny couldn't stop staring but broke her focus long enough to turn to Tammy, who stood in her slinky pink dress with her hands humbly folded in front of her. "Thank you, Tammy, you did an amazing job."

Tammy looked to the floor. "It was the least I could do."

"Bunny, is that you?" she heard Kim call from the bathroom.

Bunny tilted her head just enough to see Kim entering the main room in her pink dress, but her head was turned toward the bathroom and she looked to be conversing with someone else. "Come on, you look great," she insisted.

She heard two boisterous footsteps followed by another surprise. Vita in a navy pantsuit and loafers with her chin-length hair freshly washed and styled. "Vita," Bunny said faintly, "you made it."

Vita said nothing, only nodding her head swiftly. She looked like such a gentleman which was more than Bunny could have asked for. Noonie looked at her and then at Bunny. "She came at the last minute. She wanted to be here for you." Awkward silence filled the room as Bunny and Vita stared at each other.

"Okay," Kim said as she pretended to read the digital clock on the nightstand. "We had better get down to the banquet room. I'm sure our guests are getting restless."

Bunny nodded firmly, and the Barbies and Gamines headed for the elevator.

The lobby was generally empty, allowing the girls to make their way to the banquet room without making too much of a commotion. Kim and Tammy entered the room, causing their guests to applaud them as they took the stage. Bunny stayed with the Gamines as they all peeked from behind the door. It wasn't exactly the Ritz-Carlton, but the girls made the best of Bunny's budget, leaving the cream-colored theme as is and lacing the room with pink accents instead—ribbons draped along the walls and pretty bouquets on the tables. She spotted the football players at the reserved table in front, and because the Valley Girls wanted desperately to put their stamp on the event, they had contributed enough of their hand me downs to earn a table up front as well. Her eyes quickly glazed over Ally and Max, and she instantly became flushed with envy. Tonight was the night he had agreed to do away with her, and Bunny, having finally made her choice between him and Greg, highly anticipated it.