You've Got Me, Right Where You Need

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY” Liana shouted at me, whilst running into my room and jumping on my bed. Id been awake for a while, I just couldn’t be bothered to get up this morning. I do love that girl but sometimes she can really disrupt my sleeping pattern. Well disrupt it more than it already is. I lifted my head from under the covers to see her sitting on top of me, looking stunningly beautiful even at this early hour.

Another reason why I hated being alive. All my friends were absolute babe magnets. When I was with them I felt as if I looked like a hairy fisherman. Liana was model material. She had long black hair that was always silky and perfect and right now was no exception. Her eyes were light brown, and her skin was perfect. I don’t think ive ever seen her with a spot. Liana also had plugs and a full sleeve on her right arm, giving her that unique look that made her more attractive if it were even possible. We met in collage and clicked right away. We moved in together because our jobs were close together.

I gave her a quick hug and thanked her before she handed me over a pile of letters and a small white box. “The present is from me” she smiled with a look of pride on her face.

“I thought I said not to get me anything?”

“Dude, it’s your 21st, don’t be stupid” I shook my head before opening her present first. Inside was a sliver necklace with a little white enamel cupcake charm on it. I couldn’t help the smile that made its way onto my face. “I saw you looking at it when we went out the other week”

I looked up at her and her smile mirrored my own. I had been looking at it, and it surprised me, cause to be honest, im not one for jewellery. Admittedly im a sucker for bracelets, but never something like this. But I had developed an attachment to it for some reason, it was different and I liked it, but it was something I would never buy myself. I thanked her and gave her another hug before open the mountain of cards in front of me.

There was one from my parents, both sets of grandparents, my brother, all my aunts, uncles and cousins, there was even one from Ella-May. After opening them all and emptying their contents I had a nice wad of cash on my bedside table.

“So what are you doing today?”

“Work” I sighed and crawled out of bed. Ella-May had given me the day off but I refused. I would have only sat at home anyway.

“Oh well, were all going out tonight” Liana smiled and clapped her hands excitedly. Liana, Zahra and my beast friend Charlie had promised to take me out to a club tonight. I wasn’t so keen on the idea, but everyone wanted to go so I gave in. “But first, im taking you for breakfast, so hurry up and get changed birthday girl”

It never takes me long to get ready. Im not exactly a `fashionisa`, I just wear whatever’s clean. Girls my age are usually so into having the latest thing or wearing the newest fashions. I guess it makes them feel included in something. I find the whole thing a little weird, I mean why spend huge amounts of money on something that you wont wanna wear in a few months because it will out of style? My usual style is jeans a tee. I will not conform to suit the masses.

I pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a plum coloured v-neck tee, and slipped on my vans. i decided to leave my hair as it was so I was ready in about 3 minutes. Liana on the other hand was putting her face on, so I just stared out my window, watching the clouds roll past until she was done. “Can you help me put this on?” I asked, holding up the necklace she gave me. She smiled and when she had fastened it into place we made our way out.

Liana worked in a tattoo and piercing shop, and just next door to it was a little tea shop. It was nothing special, but it was never too busy which I liked. We grabbed a table and ordered two fry-ups. Liana offered to pay for both but I refused. Just because it was my birthday, it didn’t mean everyone had to pay for me. In my mind it was no different from any other day. We ate quickly so we would both get to work on time, and by the time I actually was at work Zahra still wasn’t there. I opened up and found a note taped to the desk.

Out on a business call
Should be back around one
Ella-May

I took my seat and looked over the books. There was nothing particularly interesting happening today. A few magazine shoots and such, but nothing major. About five minutes later Zahra rushed in.

“Is she here yet, did she see me?” she asked panicked, trying to smooth out her hair.

“She’s on a business call. She won’t be back till about one”

“What? I ran all this way and she’s not even here?”

“Why are you always late?”

“My bed loves me so much, it never lets me leave” I giggled lightly before picking up a magazine that had been place on the desk. Ella-May had obviously restocked. I grabbed the latest copy of kerrang cause the last one I read had been bearable. “Oh violet, happy birthday” Zahra squeaked and handed me a big pink envelope. I shut the magazine and set it aside, making a mental not to read it later. Inside the card was £20 and lots of glitter.

“Thank you” I smiled and gave her a hug.

“No problem. So what are you wearing this evening miss?”

“I have no idea yet” she laughed at me, and then helped the person that came into the reception. The day passed smoothly and when Ella-May got back she sent us both home early. I texted Charlie telling her to come and see me right away cause work was finished. When I got home, she was just walking up the street, with two massive bags.

I let us in and made us both a cup of tea before collapsing on the sofa. I met Charlie the first day of secondary school. We sat next to each other in science and had been best friends since. We went to the same collage, but she was now in uni. Thankfully it was close so we could still see each other. “So then” I smiled at her, “what’s with all the bags?”

“Well, because I know you so well I figured you would have nothing to wear tonight, so my present to you is an outfit for this evening.”

“Charlie, you didn’t have to do that”

“Well I did, so open this one first” I sighed, put my tea on the table, and took the first present. It was wrapped in pink paper with a lacey pattern. I tore through it and inside was some red lacey material; I pulled it fully out of the paper and held it up. It was a dress. A red lacey dress. I haven’t worn a dress since I was 10. It had a sort of vintage vibe to it, and for a dress, I actually kind of liked it. I laid it across my lap and smiled at her.

“Charlie, I love it. Thank you”

“I knew you would, do I know you or what?” she asked playfully. She handed me another present. “You might not like these as much, but they are a must.” That could only mean one thing. Heals. Sure enough when I opened the box there were a pair of black heals sitting inside. They weren’t high. But not exactly low either. I laughed lightly before she handed me one more box. Inside this was loads of jewellery and make up. I set everything aside and gave Charlie a big hug

“Thank you so much Charlie.”

“No problem. Happy birthday VI”

We spent the next few hours catching up, and I answered a few calls from family, before Liana came home. “We should probably get ready” Charlie said and liana nodded and raced upstairs.

“Why? Zahra isn’t getting here for like 2 more hours” I asked confused. I only needed to put the dress on; it wouldn’t take that long surely.

“Make up? Hair? Hello that doesn’t happen in like two minutes.” Charlie joked. I looked over at the make up Charlie had given me and crinkled my nose.

“I have no idea what to do with all this stuff” I admitted to her. Id never really got the appeal of wearing make up. I didn’t really care for the stuff. I wore it once and it just melted down my face so I didn’t bother again. Plus I don’t see the reason as to why someone would make themselves look completely different. I knew I was stuck with this face, so I was just gonna have to put up with it, and no amount of make up or whatever else was gonna change that fact.

“Here, ill do it for you” Charlie smiled and I sat up. Charlie had always been good at doing make-up. She watched tutorials on YouTube and hat perfected them to a t and I knew she had always wanted me to wear the stuff. She was applying it for about 20 minutes when she told me to go look in a mirror. I walked over to the one in the room, but I didn’t recognise the person staring back at me.

Her eyes looked bigger, and her skin clearer, illuminated almost. It wasn’t too dramatic, but it looked nice. I smiled at my reflection before thanking Charlie over and over. I pulled the straighters out and did my hair quickly, whilst Charlie did her own make up. I left it down and straight, pulled over to one side. Usually I didn’t bother doing anything with it, but I thought I should make an effort. I grabbed all my things before running off to my room to get changed.

The dress fitted well and the top and was lose from the waist down. It was shorter than I was expecting, but I didn’t really care. No one would be looking at me when the three most beautiful girls in existence were with me. I put the black belt on and all the other bits of jewellery that Charlie had given me. I picked my black bag up from off the floor and chucked everything inside before going back down stairs.

I heard a wolf whistle from behind me and turned to see liana, dressed in a black body-con dress and heals, looking me up and down. “Well well well. Vi, im suddenly coming over with all these feeling for you.” I backed up as she came closer to me. I knew she was only joking but it still was a tad odd. I was soon backed up against the wall with no where to go, and Liana getting closer. She raced up to me and kissed my cheek. “You look fit babe” she winked, before walking off.

I shook my head, laughing and went too slipped on the shoes, but didn’t try to walk. Charlie walked in, wearing a dark purple floral dress, and smiled at me. “you look nice, how do the shoes feel?”

“I don’t know”

“go for a practice lap” as soon as she finished the door bell went. She simply raised an eyebrow at me expectantly. I tuned and walked carefully to the door. I didn’t slip or fall once so I was very proud of myself. They weren’t that hard to walk in anyway. I opened the door and Zahra was on the other side.

She was dressed in an electric blue, one shouldered dress and black heals. “vi you look beautiful” she said whilst hugging me.

“You too Z” we walked in and talked for about another half an hour before liana stood up and addressed us.

“Are we ready people?” Charlie and Zahra cheered but I jut laughed at them. We all stood up and made out way out into the great unknown.