"To Marianne Evans, the newest member of our family. We hope you'll enjoy your time here with us." Mr Harrings cheered, raising his mug of coffee, seeing that it was only eight in the morning and he found and I quote 'coffee to be better toast givers than champagne'.
I awkwardly nodded and mumbled my thanks to all the random people coming up to me, congratulating me on becoming DH's latest recruitment. In the midst of all the unfamiliar faces, I noticed Iyanu practically running up to me before tugging me in for a hug.
"I knew you'd change your mind." She said excitedly, shaking me side to side. "Oh I'm so freaking glad you agreed to do this."
"So am I." I replied as she released me. "It's the first time I've ever done something because I genuinely wanted to do it. I feel great." By the end of my little confession, Iyanu's small smile transformed into a big, toothy grin. She let out a squeal and hugged me once more.
"We need to celebrate!" She yelled.
"That we must indeed."
We both turned to the source of the masculine voice, only to be met with Thomas. Forever making himself relevant, that one.
"I have an idea." Iyanu said, smirking. She tugged on Thomas' sleeve, making him bend so that the height difference between the two was decreased. Being the little midget she was next to him, she still had to stand on her tiptoes just to whisper whatever it was she wanted to say into his ear. When she pulled away, they both looked at each other in approval, then looked at me.
"No." I said, shaking my head. "I don't know what it is but no. Not with those looks on your faces." They looked like a pair of crazy scientists, looking at their next experimental victim. That victim being me in this case. They both looked at each other again and shrugged. Before I could even question their weird telepathic connection, I was thrown over Thomas' shoulder and carried out of the building.
"This is kidnapping!" I screamed, banging on the brick wall in front of me that was his back. "Well technically I'm not a kid anymore but you know, adultnapping. I'M BEING ADULTNAPPED HERE PEOPLE, SOMEONE SAVE ME!!"
Just when I thought a bystander would come to my rescue, I was thrown into the backseat of a car, landing right next to Iyanu. I shot her a 'you'll wish you were never born when I get around to you' look. Thomas got in after me, taking the seat on my right as if nothing just happened.
"Take us to the mall please." He told the driver. I looked up and recognised the pair of eyes looking back at us through the rearview mirror.
"Hey Ronaldo." I greeted him. He responded with a nod, his expression not changing. "Ronaldo, they're adultnapping me and you and I are sort of, kind of buddies right? Help a homegirl out here and drop me off anywhere but their requested destination." I said, giving him a thumbs up as soon as he looked back at us.
"And how are you planning on getting out of the car when you're wedged between us?" Thomas asked, not even bothering looking away from the window.
Good point. But little do you know about me mister. I didn't waste fifteen years of gymnastic classes for nothing. I could easily jump over the seats between us and Ronaldo's and maneuver my way to the passenger's seat, then escape from that door in ten seconds flat. Pfft, I could so..
"Ria."
"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me that?" I sighed.
"Yeah." Thomas replied, poking me in the cheek. "But I like it, so I won't. Ria, Ria, Ria, Ria, Ria.."
My right cheek was beginning to feel numb thanks to his index finger. I repositioned myself in my seat so that I was now facing Iyanu and my back was facing him. Even though I made it clear that I didn't feel like socialising with him, he kept on poking me in the back with his finger, calling me by that annoying nickname on repeat. I glanced up at Iyanu and she looked as amused as ever.
I guess I can't count on her for help.
***
Half an hour later, we were parked in the underground parking lot of the mall. We got out of the car and rode the elevator to reach the ground floor. It soon came to a halt and we stepped out of it. I looked around at the almost empty mall, questioning what on earth I was doing here so early.
Iyanu looped her arm in mine and began to lead the way. "You're probably wondering why you're here." She said, practically speaking my mind. "Well," she glanced over her shoulder and winked at Thomas, "we're going to give you a makeover!"
I stopped dead in my tracks at the sound of the word. "Make... Over?" I repeated.
Makeover? Me? As in, make me over? As in makeup me? Me and makeover? Change? Me?
"Are you calling me ugly?" I deadpanned, giving her an icy, cold look.
"Oh my god no, of course not!" She objected, shaking her hands in front of her in denial. "We just thought since you're starting a new chapter in your life, you might want a new look too."
Hmph, makes sense. But I don't like change. I don't want a makeover. But then again, I do want to step out of my comfort zone and experience life differently..
"Are you done debating with yourself Ria? We don't have all day you know." Thomas chuckled, ruffling my hair.
"Guys and hair god damn it!" I yelled, running my hand through the mess Thomas just happened to make even messier.
"And that's one of the main reasons why I shaved it all off." Iyanu said, pointing at her head. She wasn't completely bald; the roots of her hair were slightly visible, but it suited her so well I couldn't even imagine how she looked before she had shaved it off.
"What do you mean by that?" Thomas asked, looking very curious.
"About what?" I asked back, oblivious to what he was talking about.
"What you said." He replied. He looked at me, waiting for an answer but I never gave him one.
"You see I have short-short-short term memory loss. I don't remember what I said so, you either remind me or drop it." I said, not looking at him because I already knew what was coming.
Thomas burst into a fit of laughter, so loud that the few shoppers that were in the mall at the time all looked our way. I began to walk away from him faster. He was reeling in too much attention.
I don't do attention. I am allergic to attention. I like my life on the sidelines, it's more comfortable than under the spotlight. I do not need this right now. And to think that my life was so normal before I met..
"Marianne please, slow down."
I stopped speed walking as soon as I heard her voice. Iyanu was still linked to me by the arm and I hadn't even noticed that I had been dragging her behind me all along. She looked out of breath and only then did I look back to see Thomas' silhouette almost thirty feet away from us.
Damn I walk fast.
"Yeah, you do." Iyanu gasped, bending and clenching her knees in an attempt to catch her breath. I didn't mean to say that out loud. She looked up and glared at me, I mouthed a 'sorry' to her, holding back from laughing because I knew better.
By the time Thomas had reached us, he was wiping at the tears in his eyes. "Ria, you make my day." He said, slinging his arm over my shoulder. It was right then when I noticed how he always had this scent that I couldn't really pinpoint.
Mint and Lemon? Vanilla? Nope, not vanilla. But definitely mint and something. Ergh, people who smell good are my weakness.
"Can you guys stop acting all lovey dovey and get in here already?" Iyanu asked sounding fed up, but the expression on her face showed otherwise.
When I realised what she was implying, I moved away from Thomas' side that I somehow found myself engulfed in, much more than I thought I was. Thomas didn't take offense to it and just chuckled, removing his arm off of me.
I noticed that we had not just walked into a store and in fact, were in a hair salon. Before I could even think of running away Iyanu pulled me to a seat in front of a mirror and called over one of the employees.
"So, what do you want done today?" The middle aged woman asked, running her fingers through my hair. All I could do was shrug because I was the last person on earth who knew anything about beauty and fashion. Why on earth did I join a modeling agency again?
"Something bold and fresh." Iyanu described her image for my 'perfect look' to the hairdresser.
"Different." Thomas added. "Something she wouldn't choose for herself. We need to pull her out of her little shell, you see?"
The lady grinned at Thomas and faintly nodded. "I understand."
"Oh and here." Iyanu said, pulling two rectangular things out of her bag and handed one to me.
"Are these.. Eye patches?" I asked her.
"Yeah." She casually replied while placing the one in her hands over one of my eyes. "I kind of stole them from my brother this morning." She reached for the one she had handed me and began to peel it. "He has tons, he won't even notice they're gone. See you in a few!" She placed it over my second eye and everything went pitch black.
***
Approximately an hour later, mostly spent consistently moving from one chair to another and telling Thomas off for poking my cheeks or taking my shoes off, Iyanu said I could finally take my eye patches off.
Bracing myself for all possible worst case scenarios, I peeled off both patches at once but kept my eyes shut. After taking a deep breath and letting it out, I slowly opened my eyes.
Thomas and Iyanu were standing on either side of the chair I was sitting on, staring anxiously at my reflection in the mirror, waiting for some sort of response from me. "So?" Iyanu asked, failing at containing her excitement.
"It's blonde." I replied, raising a hand and picking at my now shoulder-length hair.
"More like a bleached, light ombre but sure." Iyanu shrugged, crossing her arms. "Okay you might not like it 100% right now but wait until we get you some really cute outfits that make the colour pop. You'll thank me later."
She thanked the hairdresser that had worked on it and so did I, before walking out of the little salon.
Iyanu took the lead, seeming to know exactly where she was going, not bothering to inform us on her plans.
"Do you not like it?" Thomas asked, walking in step with me.
"I don't know." I replied honestly. "It's.."
"Different?" He continued.
"Exactly." I sighed, turning the corner Iyanu had just turned.
Thomas gave me an apologetic look. "If there's anything I know is that Iyanu is someone who follows her instincts and they've never driven her wrong before. Just trust her, okay?"
I trusted her indefinitely.
As if her name being said triggered some sort of alarm in her, she looked back at us and waved before heading into a store. We walked into it right behind her and if I had to describe the store in one word it would have to be this:
Pink.
It was so overwhelmingly pink, it was as if a pink unicorn had just vomited all over the place. If there was one colour I despised most in the world, it would be pink. Come to think of it, I don't think I own a single pink piece of clothing.
"How's this?" Iyanu asked, bringing a hot pink dress into my field of vision. I shook my head faster than you could say instant noodles.
"This?" Thomas asked, holding a baby pink blouse to his chest, posing. I shook my head again, laughing at the silly face he was pulling. Was he trying to look seductive or constipated?
"You know what?" Iyanu came from behind a rack of clothes and seated me on a chair in front of the dressing rooms. "Stay put, we'll be right back." And with that, she and Thomas left me, alone.
Just like any other lonely situation I found myself in, I grabbed my phone and pretended to look busy. I skimmed through my apps to see what I'd kill my time with.
"Can I help you?"
There goes flappy bird, plunging to his death.
"Screw you!" I yelled, looking up to meet a pair of very blue eyes.
"Erm, the bird. Screw the bird. Because it died. Not screw you. Not that I wouldn't screw you. I mean, you're totally screwable but I just.." I managed to stop mumbling when I heard him chuckle.
Save me from myself.
"I'm sorry." I apologised, rubbing my temple. "It's just, I tend to babble on when I'm nervous."
"So, I make you nervous?" The employee asked, not even a tad bit bashful.
"Nah, I'm always nervous. So, yeah. How's life?"
Shoot me.
His eyes twinkled as he laughed again. "I came over to see if you needed help with anything."
"We're back!"
Saved by Iyanu.
"Here, try these on." She said, walking past the employee, completely obliviant to his existence and chucking the pile of clothes on me. Thomas on the other hand happened to notice him and eyed him strangely.
"All of these?" I asked, already bailing on the idea that clearly required too much effort.
"You lazy turtle." She said, shaking her head. She grabbed a hoodie, tank top and skirt and held them in her hand. "These first, chop chop."
I looked up at Mark, the employee who's name tag I happened to notice, pleading to him with my eyes to save me from the situation. He threw his hands up in mock defeat before whispering 'good luck' and walking off. Thomas plunged into one of the seats and got his phone out.
Great, I was officially on my ones with the fashion beast.
***
I don't even know how long I had been trying outfits on for but something told me that by the time I'd be leaving, the sun would no longer be up in the sky.
"I'm done." I said, sitting next to Thomas and the pile of clothes I had tried on.
"But you haven't tried on all of them yet." Iyanu reminded me. Oh I knew I wasn't even halfway through with the pile, I just couldn't be bothered anymore.
"Iyanu, I really appreciate you doing all of this for me but I'm tired and all I want to do right now is go home and sleep."
"Okay." She said. "But at least try this one last dress on." She held the little pink dress in her hand and it looked pretty decent from where I was sitting.
"Last one." I confirmed, getting up to take the piece of clothing from her.
"I promise." She said, sticking her tongue out at me. I took the dress from her hands and walked into the dressing room, pulling the curtain closed behind me.
For some reason, the dressing room didn't have any mirrors in it and once I was ready, I'd have to walk out to the mirrors that were placed outside, close to where I was sitting before. It would be awkward because people would get to see what you looked like before you could even approve of the outfit.
I felt like the dress was a great fit but I felt a bit subconscious leaving the dressing room. As soon as I stepped foot out of it, Thomas' eyebrows shot upwards and Iyanu gasped aloud.
"What? Is it that bad?" I asked, almost running back into the dressing room. I built up the courage to walk past them, straight to the mirrors. Let's just say my jaw physically dropped when I saw my reflection. I looked like a totally different person! And boy, did I look good.
"You are SO getting this dress." Iyanu assured me. Right then, a splash of doubt crossed my mind.
No doubt about it if I got this, people would look at me. People would notice me. And I don't want that. Do I?
"You look great in it and I think you should get it." Thomas stated.
"I second that."
Both Iyanu and I turned to look at Mark, who somehow happened to ease the building tension. I smiled at him and looked back at the mirror.
"I guess I will." I said. Without any warnings, Iyanu jumped on me, almost toppling me over if Mark hadn't appeared out of nowhere and saved the both of us.
"I think we should go." Thomas said, getting up from his seat. He walked over to the dressing room and grabbed the shirt and jeans I had been wearing before getting changed. Mark beat us to the cash register, apparently being the only person on shift that day.
Thomas grabbed a bag from beside Mark and put my clothes in them and before I could ask him about it, he picked me up and placed me on the table, right next to the cash register, as if he was purchasing me.
"You do want to wear that, don't you?" He asked teasingly. I rolled my eyes and tried my best not to laugh. A beep from behind me indicating to my 'purchase' was exactly what I needed to hear. I jumped off of the table, and faced my back to Iyanu so she could rip off the price tag.
"Here's your receipt." Mark said, showing it to us before putting it into the bag Thomas filled with my clothes. "Hope to see you again soon." I smiled at his politeness and said goodbye before walking out of the store.
On our way to the parking lot, Iyanu took the bag from Thomas. "Five seconds with your new look and you've already pulled."
"Huh?"
"He didn't ask for your name." Thomas snickered.
"Oh shut up, will you?" I punched him in the arm. I then turned my attention to Iyanu. "What do you mean?" I asked her.
"I mean, Mr Ocean Eyes was totally hitting on you, wasn't he Tom?"
Thomas shrugged. "Wasn't paying that much attention to the guy to be honest."
"Well, I was." She pointed out. "And I could bet my life that he wrote his number on that receipt." She began to look in the paper bag. "I mean, who the hell cares about receipts nowadays?"
"People who might want to return the things they bought?" I replied, earning an 'are you serious?' look from her.
"Bingo." She took out the piece of paper and unfolded it. She looked at it, then looked at me before handing me the receipt.
"You my friend, have pulled."
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A/N:
Super long chapter, I know with new thingies and lots and lots of change!!
1/ New cover. Okay, I won't change it ever again unless someone makes one for me (which will likely never happen lol).
2/ Our baby Marianne is as clueless as ever but aww, she's growing up and got a makeover. What are your thoughts?
3/ Polaroid pics? Okay so here's what's up. Seeing that I didn't cast the rest of the characters and just mentioned them a couple of chapters back, I decided to add Polaroid pictures of them at the end of every chapter, to help you guys imagine them better. I got this idea from shevvie so I dedicated the chapter to her. Check out her Royals series because her stories are my faves!
Marianne (Ria) Evans *right after the makeover*: played by Kat Graham.
Feel free to comment, vote, follow, whatever :')
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