Whatever It Takes

“Ari, do you know where my eyeliner is?” Marissa called as she stuck her head out from inside the hotel washroom. “Here” Arianna responded as she picked up the black kohl eyeliner and threw it to her, “mine finished so I borrowed yours”. “Obviously” Marissa laughed as she caught it mid-air and stuck her head back in. Arianna turned and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. “So what’s the plan for tonight?” Marissa called out from the washroom as Arianna adjusted her dress. “I don’t really know to be honest. We have the supper party to go to and then I think my cousin is taking us out with all her girlfriends”. Marissa walked out from the washroom, “Ouu like going out out? To a club?”

Arianna laughed, “Yeah I guess, I didn’t really ask for details”. Arianna’s phone buzzed from the nightstand. She reached over and grabbed it, looking at the screen quickly. “Lisa said that they’d be here soon,” she told Marissa as she grabbed her black clutch and gave herself one last look in the mirror. “You look so good, like usual…”Marissa told her as she put on her black pumps. “You don’t look too bad yourself” Arianna replied as she turned to look at her friend.

Marissa embodied the definition of being pretty without trying. She was simple and sweet, but turned heads without even trying. Her long straight dark auburn hair was a contrast to Arianna’s long wavy brown hair that had golden highlights throughout it. They had been best friends since high school and had grown up together like sisters ever since. Aside from their hair, they could have been twins. Both weren’t exactly tall (standing between 5’1 and 5’3, Arianna being the taller of the two), but were slim and toned with curves in all the right places. Their personalities were quite similar as well as they were both shy, although Arianna was bolder and more outgoing than Marissa. Guys noticed them whenever they walked into a room, making it hard for either of the girls to have any other girl friends aside from each other. Because of it all, they grew closer and realized boys were so much easier to get along with them girls anyways.

“I feel like a boy standing next to you” Marissa commented as she stood beside her best friend in front of the mirror. “Oh shut up, you do not” Arianna replied as she looked at her friend’s outfit. Marissa, being the more conservative one, had chosen to wear liquid black leggings with a white sheer top that was cut in a V in the front and flowed loosely around her arms. Arianna had told her not to wear a tank top underneath, but Marissa refused. That was another difference between them; Arianna could be daring like that when it came to clothes. “Yeah ok, easy for you to say”, Marissa continued as she looked toward her friend. Arianna had chosen a silvery blue and black bandeau dress from FCUK that hugged her body in all the right places with strappy black platform stilettos. “Stop it and let’s go have some fun!” Arianna replied as she grabbed her coat and threw it on and made her way out the door with Marissa.

They stepped outside the hotel and say Lisa waiting for them in her car. Lisa, a Chicago native, had married Arianna’s cousin a year before and they had become close every since despite their age gap of 5 years. When Lisa mentioned she was headed back home for a friend’s birthday, Arianna and Marissa packed their bags and joined her. As they walked towards the car Arianna couldn’t help but gaze around her. Chicago’s downtown bright lights lit up the night sky and the night air was the perfect blend between warm and cool with a crisp breeze that came around every so often. Inside her butterflies grew as she had this sudden feeling that tonight was going to be amazing.