Title: All that Glitters - Part 4b
By: Miki
E-mail: aya_mina@hotmail.com
Rating: G
Genre: Romance
Standard Disclaimer Apply
I threw back my head and laughed. Darien reached out and
tugged playfully at a strand of my hair.
"I guess if I want to become a director, I have to get
used to working with all kinds of people," Darien said. "No
matter how weird they are."
"Are you still talking about Mina Boyson?" I asked.
"No, I'm talking about you," he teased.
"Who, moi?" I said, grinning. You've got to be kidding."
"Come on," he said, guiding me into Trent's. "Let's talk
to Setsuna. She'll decide whether you're weird or not. Be
prepared," he warned. "She always agrees with me."
He led me to the cosmetics department and signaled the
saleswoman behind the counter. She was about thirty, dark-
haired, and very attractive. She beamed when she saw Darien.
"Why, Darien, I haven't seen you in a long time," she said.
"You used to come in all the time with your dad and Mr.
Trent." Then she got a sly glint in her eye and said, "My, how
you've grown. And I see you've got a new girlfriend. How does
your old girlfriend, Raye, feel about this?"
My stomach flipped over when she said that, and I
glanced up at Darien. He seemed as surprised as I was that
Setsuna had mentioned Raye.
There was a long, awkward pause and he laughed a little
nervously. "Raye's fine," he said. "Uh, Setsuna, this is
Trent's new Golden Girl, Serena Montgomery. I thought you
might work with her a little. You know, choose the right
colors for her and show her how to emphasize her eyes. We want
her to look her best for the camera."
"Oh, sure," she said, smiling, "I'd be glad to."
"I think I'll take a look around," Darien said, taking a
step backward, looking very uncomfortable. "I'll be back in alittle while."
"Okay," I said in a soft voice, watching him hurry away.
Why did Setsuna have to mention Raye and ruin
everything? His girlfriend was the last person on earth I
wanted to think about now.
Setsuna turned back to me. "That kid gets better-lookingevery time I see him."
"Tell me about it," I said. She sighed. "If only I were fifteen years younger."
Even older women are attracted to Darien! I thought.
"I think I embarrassed him a little, asking him about
his girlfriend." She chuckled a little. "Teenagers." Then she
turned to me. "Now," she said, smiling, "let's see what we cando for you."
I wasn't really in the mood for a makeover now, but I
didn’t exactly have a choice, I listened dejectedly to Setsuna
as she told me how to apply the blush, eyeliner, and mascara
so that my eyes became the focal point of my face. After a
half hour of listening to Setsuna and trying several shades of
base, eye shadow, lipstick, and mascara, I looked in the
mirror on the counter at the final results.
"Wow, I look fantastic!" I blurted out, then covered mymouth with my hand.
Setsuna laughed and clapped her hands. "What a nice
response," she said. "Most women would think they'd be
boasting to say something like that. But since I'm the one who
helped you to create the effect, I really like to hear that!"
She paused and studied our work, just like a painter
evaluating her canvas. "Yes," she said, "you really do lookwonderful."
I sure did look different. It's amazing what a good
hairstyle and makeup can do to emphasize your best features.
My eyes looked sparkling and dramatic, but not overdone.
"Think you'll remember what we just did so you can apply
your makeup before you shoot the commercials?" Setsuna asked.
"I think so," I said. "Thanks, Setsuna, for all the time
you gave me. I really appreciate it."
Setsuna shrugged and smiled. "Hey, I'm just doing myjob!"
I looked over my shoulder. "I wonder where Darien is," Isaid.
As soon as I spoke, I caught sight of him walking toward
me out of the young men's department. He approached me, a
little stiffly, I thought, and smiled. "Yes, that's good," he
said. "Setsuna, you did a nice job here."
"Nice?" I blurted out, then grinned. "Not sensational oreven glamorous?"
He nodded, as if he hadn't heard me. "That's just whatwe're looking for."
Setsuna smiled. "Good, I'm glad you like it," she said.
"I think Serena looks beautiful." Darien nodded but didn't say anything.
So speak up. Say something nice.
"Thanks again, Setsuna," I mumbled, barely able tocontain my disappointment.
"Ready to get some clothes for our first shoot, Serena?"
Darien asked. "By the way, you'll need to be available the day
after tomorrow in the evening to tape the first two spots. Mr.
Trent wants to get some commercials on the air right away."
"Oh, sure," I said, watching his face for a trace of the
warmth that he'd shown me before Setuna made the comment about
Raye. There was no real friendliness there now, just courtesy.
That gnawing pain in my chest that I'd felt earlier in the daywas back.
Is that what a broken heart feels like? I wondered. Then
I scolded myself. How could you have a broken heart? You
hardly know this guy. You only met him a few days ago.
Sammy had told me that Darien was just a guy like any
other. I had to remember that!
I waved goodbye to Setsuna as we started over the juniordepartment.
"I think you should wear a dress for the first spot,"Darien said.
The junior area was crowded with racks of blue jeans,
sweaters, skirts, blouses, and a few spring items that must
have just come in. Darien walked toward the far wall, where
there were rows of dresses. He snapped his fingers and pointed to a deep rose-
colored dress hanging near the fitting rooms.
"That's good," he said. "Try this one on."
I was startled. "Really?" I would never have chosen it
for myself, but I wasn't sure why. The dress was made of a
light, flimsy fabric--not at all my type of thing.
I looked through the dresses on that rack, found size 7,and took it down.
"Come out when you have it on," Darien said.
"Anything you say, sir," I said, totally irritated.
Where was all of that charm Darien was so famous for? His
helpful hints were beginning to sound like orders. If this
kept up, I would soon have to ask Darien to stop treating melike a puppet.
I took the dress into a fitting room, took off my jeans
and blouse, and pulled the dress over my head.
"Wow," I breathed when I'd gotten it on. It was
beautiful! I stared at my reflection in the mirror and turned
one way, then the other, watching the dress swing gracefully.
The fabric draped over my body very nicely. It clung a bit to
my waist, which is pretty small, and made my figure look its
best. I felt so beautiful, so feminine, so--unlike anythingI'd ever felt before.
"Serena?" Darien's voice startled me.
I'd forgotten about Darien standing outside the dressing
room, waiting to see how I looked. I laughed and fluffed my
hair and walked out to meet Darien. He was standing self-
consciously over by the wall, probably feeling out of place in
a girls' department. I watched his eyes sweep over me and pause near my feet.
His mouth dropped open and he frowned slightly. I looked down
to where he was staring. Suddenly I gasped. I'd left my red-and-white athletic
socks on! And if that wasn't bad enough, there was a big hole
in the right toe! How could I have overlooked the socks? I
guess I was so overwhelmed by the beautiful dress that I just
didn't look below my knees. "Like 'em?" I said, smiling and wiggling my big toe.
Actually, I anted to crawl into a hole somewhere and hibernate
for the rest of the winter, but I didn't want Darien to notice
my embarrassment. I did a little dance and ended it with a
curtsy, holding the dress up a little above my knees.
Darien tried not to smile, but he couldn't quite pull it
off. "Great," he said. "Maybe you could wear those socks when
we do the commercial and we'll start with the close-up of your
big toe." Then his smile widened. "Be sure to paint your
toenail bright red to match the socks."
"You have an artist's mind! I said. "Great idea!"
We both laughed then and he shook his head. "The dress
id great. Take it off and I'll arrange to borrow it for theshoot."
"Sure thing," I said. Darien made the arrangements with the salesperson while
I changed, and he walked me back toward the fountain entrance.
"Well, thanks for meeting me here," he said. "I think
we're about ready for the first shoot." He grinned. "I'm
really looking forward to that. Dad and Mr. Trent will be
there and I'll get my first real experience working on a
commercial. It should be fun."
"Good," I said. "I'm looking forward to it, too." But
for different reasons, Darien Riley.
He handed me a slip of paper that read Friday, 7 P.M.,KIRQ-TV.
"That's the time and the place," he said. "Can you makeit?"
"Of course," I said. "No problem."
He grinned. "I can see you're a real professional. I
knew you would be. See you later." He waved, and walked toward
the mall entrance. I wanted to run after him, and talk to him
a few minutes, but I held back. I'd have plenty of time to
talk to him on Friday. If he came to the shoot on Friday, at
least I'd know he wasn't with Raye.
I didn't know what he thought about me, but at least he
thought my attitude was professional. I wanted to make him
glad that he and his father had chosen me. If I couldn't be
his girlfriend, at least I could have his respect andfriendship.
I looked at my watch. It wasn't quite eight o'clock. I'd
brought along $75 of my birthday money thinking that I might
have to pay for the salon visit. Now that I had all this extra
money, why not buy a new outfit to wear to school tomorrow to
go with my new hairstyle and makeup?"
I don't need Darien Riley for a boyfriend, I though.
There are plenty of other fish at Lincoln High!
I found a stylish skirt-and-sweater outfit on sale, in
the same deep rose color as the dress, and I paid for it with
my birthday money. I still had $20 left over, and had an idea
about how to spend it, but I wasn't sure I had the nerve to gothrough with it.
Finally, I gathered up my courage and took the escalator
up to the lingerie department. I'd never bought underwear
without my mother along, and I was nervous. But I figured that
at fifteen, it was about time I bought a bra by myself. I
looked at the bras on display, though I wasn't really sure
what I was looking for. Then a white-haired woman dressed in a red suit
approached me. "Can you find your size?" she asked.
"Um, well, yes, but--" I hesitated, not sure how to say
it. "Well, I'm looking for something that could maybe, well,
help me a little to, you know, look a little more…" I hurried
on, afraid she'd get the wrong idea. "I mean, I don't want
something that'll look as if I stuck socks in my bra or
anything like that, I just want to improve on what I've got."
I blushed and looked at her. "Do you know what I mean?"
She nodded and smiled just a tiny bit. "I think I know
exactly what you need," she said thoughtfully. She led me to arack.
"These bras have an underwire and a small amount of
padding. I think you'll like them."
"Wire?" I asked. "Don't they hurt after a while?"
"Oh, no," she said cheerfully. "I wear them all the
time, and they're very comfortable. They enhance what naturehas given you."
I took two different styles back to the dressing room
and tried them on. One was horrible; it made me look puffed-
out in front. But the other one looked great. I put my blouse
on over it, and there really was an improvement!
After I was dressed again, I paid for the bra and took a
bus home. I couldn't wait for tomorrow! The kids at Lincoln
High were going to see me with my great new hairstyle, makeup,
and clothes! I could almost hear the trumpet fanfare
announcing my arrival at school.
Introducing the new Serena Montgomery!
**************************************************************
I want to give a big thank to my sister for helping me with
this fic and also to everyone who had taken a little time toe-mail me.
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