Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 135517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
I was given no time to complain or refuse as I was rushed into my bathroom, where the lighting was decided to be perfect. The next thing I knew, I was being made up while someone else was doing my nails and yet another worked on my feet.
My hair was next, and then it was time for the casual floral dress that fell all the way to my ankles. when I looked at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t believe how good I looked. It had been ages since I’d seen the girl in the mirror looking back at me.
No one would believe the effort that had gone into making me look so casually relaxed and beautiful; even the sparkle in my eye had returned, adding to the glow the makeup had given me. I looked at myself from every angle, pleased with what I saw, and choked back tears when I caught my friend’s reflection in the mirror.
“You ready?” She’d gotten dressed in the other room with the help of the same team and looked stunning as usual. We were quite the contrast; she with her blonde shoulder-length wavy hair and me with the wild brunette curls down my back that had been my signature look forever.
My makeup, though understated, was fun, especially my apple-red lips, but other than that, it was hard to tell that I was wearing any makeup at all, which is what I prefer. That girl next door look was popping, and I felt feminine, sexy, and alive, all things I hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
“Yes, I’m ready.” She held her hand out to me, which I took, and we barely had time to say goodbye to my aunt and uncle before I was whisked out the door. When Rachel called after us to ask where we were going, Sydney just answered with a terse, “out,” and we were gone.
“I forgot to ask, where are we going?”
“Mr. Chow, of course.”
“Wait, what?” I almost jumped out of the moving SUV with her driver at the wheel.
“Take your hand away from there. It’s gonna be fine.”
It’s one of the most popular places in the city where everybody goes, and the paparazzi are bound to be lurking around every corner. “Listen to me, that single is kicking ass right now, and it’s only going to get better. This is your time to shine, not hide away anymore. The others are going to meet us there, trust me; you won’t even know that there are people around. Just keep a smile on your face. You look amazing, by the way.”
She held my hand the rest of the way there, and that helped keep me grounded, but I still wasn’t sure about this. When we pulled up in front of the famous eatery, I braced myself and took a deep breath as she instructed her driver to open my door while she saw to herself.
True to her word, as soon as my feet hit the pavement, I was surrounded by three of our very best friends in the industry, who all seemed to have been coached beforehand because they crowded around me as we headed inside with cameras going off around me and rapid-fire questions being thrown at my back.
Talk about jumping in with both feet. I drowned out everything but their presence until we were led to our table, where once again, they shielded me from the view of others, but it was hard to miss the whispers from the other patrons.
I don’t know what I expected, maybe for people to point and stare, but when I felt brave enough to look around, there was none of that. Some people smiled in my direction when our gazes met, and I smiled back; it was that simple.
The longer I sat there, the more relaxed I became until I was eating and drinking with friends I hadn’t seen since my mental breakdown. Sydney had been the only one I’d let get near during that time, or more accurately; she was the only one who refused to take no for an answer while giving the others updates as needed.
It was a lot like old times, and I only thought of him once or twice throughout the whole ordeal. I don’t think I breathed, though, until about midway through our meal. I wasn’t quite back to my old self, but it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be.
A few people dropped by our table to say hello and mention how nice it was to see me and how great I looked, and thankfully none of them were crass enough to mention my past.
One of the good things about Mr. Chow is the service. The waiter tipped us off to the growing crowd outside and led us out the back, where Sydney’s driver was waiting. All in all, it was a good night, but I was relieved when it was over, and I was able to go home and crawl into my bed alone.