Chapter 2
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦
“More than a womaaan!” Evan sang, or shrieked, along to the song playing.
“Stop butchering this masterpiece,” Regulus ordered, shooting Evan a look. Evan ignored him, taking his hands.
“Regulus, you’re more than a woman!” He sang. Regulus pulled his hands away, glaring at him sharply. Evan just laughed.
“Evan, put some trousers on, please,” Pandora said, putting her hand up to block Evan from her view. Evan only had on his dress shirt. He didn’t listen to Pandora, instead grabbing a biscuit and sitting on his bed.
Barty and Dorcas danced around the room, twirling over to Pandora and Regulus. Barty spun Dorcas around ungracefully, sending her tumbling into Pandora.
“Barty!” Pandora shrieked as she and Dorcas toppled over. Barty fell to his knees next to them, the three of them all shaking with laughter.
Regulus stepped over them, making his way to the mirror. He observed his outfit. High-waisted black trousers, black mesh top, and a black sequin, cropped blazer with lace trimming on the hem and wrists. He stared dissatisfied at himself. He’d thought it looked good when he picked it out, but he was beginning to rethink it.
“Guys, I don’t think this looks right,” he said.
“Why?” Pandora asked. “You look nice.”
“You look hot,” Barty added.
Evan got off his bed and came over to Regulus. He sipped his chocolate milk, glancing him up and down. He set down his glass and rubbed his hands together.
“You do look hot,” he agreed. He opened Regulus’s blazer, exposing his mesh-covered chest. Regulus instinctively covered his chest, but Evan moved his arms away.
“You need some jewelry,” Pandora told him. She rifled through her jewelry box, searching for something to complete Regulus’s outfit.
“Where’s that one necklace you have?” Dorcas asked. “The diamond one with the emeralds.”
Regulus knew what she was referring to and went to find his own jewelry box. He retrieved a long, white gold necklace with a pendant covered in diamonds and two little emeralds. Dorcas took the necklace from his hands. It was long enough that she could wrap it around twice, making it look like he was wearing a shorter necklace too.
“Look how pretty,” she gushed.
“Very handsome,” Evan said, patting Regulus on the shoulder.
Pandora found a few rings and a bracelet to finish off Regulus’s look.
“There,” she said, admiring their work. “You look perfect.”
“I feel like it's too much,” Regulus admitted. He twisted the rings on his fingers, adjusting them.
“Too much hotness, maybe,” Barty said.
Dorcas pushed both of them out of the way so she could look in the mirror. “Okay, move, fools. I need to do my makeup.” Pandora joined her, pulling out her makeup bag. Evan lingered near the two girls.
“Evan, for Merlin's sake, please put some trousers on,” Pandora begged.
“Fine,” Evan begrudgingly agreed. “They're just hard to button, so I didn't want to put them on til we were ready to leave.”
Barty, who'd been avoiding staring at Evan, was very relieved as he watched him slip into his trousers. They were black like his shirt, with several buttons going above his waist.
“What in the high water are those pants,” Barty chuckled at Evan's high, high-waisted trousers. They looked as if they should button up to his chest.
“What?” Evan frowned at him. He fumbled with his buttons. “I told you they were weird.”
“No, no, they're not,” Barty cut himself off with a laugh.
“It's not funny,” Evan scowled, still struggling to button his trousers. Regulus came over to him. He swatted his hands away and made an attempt at his buttons. When he finished, Evan let out a pained breath. He went back to Dorcas and Pandora.
“Much better,” Pandora smiled. She looked at Evan, who was watching her intently as she did her makeup.
“What do you want?”
“Nothing.”
“Why are you staring at me? You're making me uncomfortable.”
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly, rubbing his arm.
“Here,” Pandora rubbed some of her face lotion into her palms and began rubbing Evan's face. “Have some lotion.”
Evan accepted it, letting his sister rub her fingers all over his face. She used another lotion and rubbed it underneath his eyes. Evan giggled at the cool sensation.
“How do my brows look?” Dorcas asked them.
“Wait, they actually look so good,” Pandora said.
“Really? Thanks.”
“Yeah, I don't think your eyebrows have ever looked so good. Do mine.”
“Okay.” Dorcas put her hand under Pandora's chin, tilted her head, and started on her brows.
“Ooh, do my eyebrows,” Barty said.
“No, go away.”
Barty pouted at this rejection. He stuck his tongue out at Dorcas.
“I'll do yours after,” she said. Barty perked up at that.
“Oh, I forgot to shower,” Barty announced.
“Seriously, Barty,” Evan groaned. “There's not enough time to shower.”
“Sure there is. I'll be right back.” Barty dashed out of the room, leaving his friends shaking their heads at him. There was no doubt they'd be late for the ball now.
Dorcas and Pandora continued doing their makeup, with Evan still watching them. Pandora let Evan use some of her things like her rose water face mist and highlighter.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” Evan asked, holding out the highlighter.
“Here,” Pandora took it out of his hands and brushed it on his face. She brushed some on his collarbones too.
“Look how beautiful,” she gushed at her brother.
“That's so pretty,” Dorcas complimented.
“Guys,” Regulus called. He was sat on the floor pulling off the loafers he'd just tried on. There were several pairs of shoes surrounding him. “I don't know what shoes to wear.”
“Oh yeah, me neither,” Evan said, joining Regulus on the floor. He took notice of Regulus’s socks, which were white with lace trim around the top.
Evan laughed, pointing at Regulus’s foot with his own. “What are these ballerina-ass socks you're wearing.”
“Ballerina- whatever!” Regulus tucked his feet beneath him. “Leave me alone.”
Evan smiled at him and picked up one of his shoes. “What size shoe do you wear?” he asked, wiggling his foot around in Regulus’s boot.
“Ten, eleven,” Regulus answered.
“What?” Evan gasped dramatically. “I wear a women’s seven.” He shook off the boot and walked off in search of his own shoes.
Barty burst into the room, only wearing his trousers and a towel around his neck. “I just took the fastest shower ever,” he gasped.
“Cool, can you help me take this boot off?” Regulus asked, sticking out his foot. Barty knelt in front of him and tugged hard at his boot.
“Ow! I said my boot, not my whole leg!”
“Sorry, mate.” Barty stuck his fingers inside Reg’s shoe in an attempt to force it off.
“You know what, maybe you should just wear these to the ball.”
“I can't,” Regulus whined. “I can barely walk in them.”
“Well, you'll have to deal with it cause those aren't coming off,” Barty said. “Besides, they look good with your outfit. That's most important.”
“Regulus?” Evan said, “Can I borrow a jacket?” He was holding about four different suit jackets in his arms.
“You don't have your own?” Regulus said, irritated at Evan for going through his clothes. Although, he was used to that by now.
“I don't like mine. It's uncomfortable,” Evan said.
“Oh,” Regulus said, hesitant to let Evan wear any of his nice jackets. “You don't have a different one?”
“Not one that matches.”
“Yeah, fine,” Regulus sighed. “Whatever one you want.”
“Thanks, mate.” Evan spread the jackets on the bed, deciding which he should wear.
“Ev, why is your outfit so boring?” Barty asked. He looked over Evan's simple, all-black outfit with disapproval.
“It's not boring,” Evan defended. “It's cool, look.” He gestured to his shirt, unbuttoned at the top to reveal his chest. “It shows off my chest hair,” he said proudly.
“What chest hair?” Barty looked at his chest in search of this chest hair he was positive didn't exist.
Regulus hobbled toward them, trying to get his other boot on. “I don't see anything,” he said.
“There's a bit,” Evan insisted.
“Yeah…” Barty was sure there wasn't, but if Evan wanted to believe he had chest hair, who was he to say otherwise? Evan frowned at them.
“I have chest hair.”
“If it makes you feel better, I don't have chest hair either,” Regulus said.
“It doesn't,” Evan retorted. “And I have chest hair. You guys are just dumb.”
“Okay,” Regulus grinned at him. Evan huffed angrily, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Barty, come here,” Dorcas called. Barty went to her so she could do his eyebrows like he'd requested earlier.
“You have really thick eyebrows,” she pointed out. “I love people who have really dark eyebrows and, like, light eyes.”
“What,” Pandora chimed in, laughing. “That's so weird.”
“It's not weird,” Dorcas said. “You like weird guys.”
“Hey,” Pandora said, giving Dorcas a sharp look. “No, I don't, shut up.” Dorcas laughed at her friend's defensiveness.
Pandora reached past Dorcas to grab her hairpins, accidentally knocking over her cup of brushes. “Oops.” Pandora went to pick it up, but one hand was busy holding her hair, and the other was full of pins. “Whatever, I'll clean that up later.”
“Dora, you look so good,” Regulus said. Her dress was a turquoise-blue color gown dotted with pearls. The mesh straps fell off her shoulders.
She smiled at him, unable to speak due to the hairpins in between her teeth. She was pinning up her curls into a half-bun. She put little pearl-like decorations in her hair.
“It's so cute, I love it,” Dorcas squealed. She still hadn't put her own dress on. She had pinned her curls up in a big bun on top of her head.
“We need to get dressed,” she told Barty.
Barty was already half-dressed. He only needed his jacket. Pandora assisted Dorcas into her dress. It was a long, flowy dress in a gorgeous cream color. It had full, flowing sleeves that looked like a cape. She swayed her arms, making the sleeves swish around.
“Look how cool,” she said, beaming at her beautiful dress.
“You look so pretty,” Pandora said, admiring the breathtaking dress.
“You're gonna make all the other girls look at their own dresses and throw up,” Barty said.
“Uh, thanks, Barty,” Dorcas smiled slightly at Barty's odd compliment.
“Barty,” Evan said, “why were you calling my outfit boring when yours is just a black suit?”
Barty smirked at Evan, but before he could say anything, Regulus let out a surprised shriek.
“Ahh! Why? Oh my god, Barty!” he screamed.
The others, who were standing in front of Barty, didn't see any cause for Regulus’s distress. Pandora walked over to him and let out a surprised yelp.
“Barty!”
“My eyes!” Regulus cried. “I'll never be able to unsee that.”
“You'll be seeing it all night,” Barty said.
Evan and Dorcas moved to stand behind Barty, curious to see what they were freaking out about.
“Oh, uh, wow,” Dorcas said, eyes fixed on Barty’s backside.
Evan stared slack-jawed. He uttered an unintelligible sound.
Barty’s plain black suit jacket was actually backless, exposing his porcelain back. Evan dragged his eyes downward, following the freckles down to the dip in the small of his back. He was wearing a thong with crystals adorning the exposed strap.
“Why exactly did you do this?” Regulus asked, holding his hand over his eyes.
“I think you look great,” Dorcas said.
“I'm pretty sure they won't let you in,” Pandora informed him.
“That's why I have this.” Barty put a long black coat over his suit. He held his arms out, showing off his brilliant idea.
“You're welcome to stay far away from me tonight,” Regulus said.
“I'm sure you'll be plenty distracted by Potter,” Barty teased.
“Ooh.” Pandora slapped him lightly on the shoulder. “James is gonna love your outfit. He'll be drooling on himself all night.”
Regulus hid his face in his hands. “Shut up,” he mumbled.
“Aww,” Dorcas cooed. “He's getting flustered.”
“I'll murder you,” Regulus threatened, but the pink blush on his cheeks took the edge off it.
“Alright, calm down, lover boy,” Pandora giggled. “Let's go, I don't want to be late.” She pulled on her long, pearly gloves that matched her dress and headed toward the door. The rest of the group followed her out.
~~~
“What to wear, what to wear,” Sirius muttered, going over the multiple outfits he'd picked out. “Ahh, ahhh,” he let out a yell that evolved into an odd singing scream.
James danced over to Sirius, singing along to Bowie playing from the record player.
“What's wrong, Sirius,” he asked, a smile playing across his lips.
“I don’t know which outfit to choose,” he whined.
“I like this top.” James pointed to a sheer, midnight blue top with a starry pattern.
“Ooh, yes. That one has the matching cape.” Sirius held up the long cape that had the same print as the top.
“That would look so good,” James encouraged.
“Good cause I need to look the best,” Sirius said. He scrunched up his face. “Is that bitchy? Whatever I need to.”
He began undressing, tossing his t-shirt on the floor. He pulled his top over his head, struggling to get into the sleeves.
“Help me, I'm stuck!”
James tugged on the top, causing another exclamation from Sirius.
“Careful! It's delicate.”
“Alright, chill, mate.” James managed to carefully get the top onto Sirius. Sirius walked over to the mirror to examine himself. The sleeves were cinched at the wrists with little ruffles drawing attention to his hands. It was see-through, so he'd have to wear something over.
“My waist looks so tiny,” Sirius said, dragging his fingers up his waist. He puckered his lips in the mirror, batting his lashes at himself.
“This would match,” James said, holding up Sirius's blue corset.
“Ooh, perfect,” Sirius said excitedly. He took the corset from James and put it on. “Help me, James!” He called too loudly, considering James was standing right next to him.
When James finished, Sirius rushed back to the mirror to check himself. “Is it cute?” he asked, turning to check himself from different angles.
“So cute,” James assured him.
“Ugh, I should've done my nails blue,” Sirius groaned, holding his black nails against his top.
“At least they match your trousers,” James said, bringing Sirius his black trousers.
“Guys, do I look weird?” Peter asked. He was wearing black trousers and a white, satin top with ruffles on the chest.
“No, mate, you look great.” James took Peter’s bow tie from his hands and tied it for him. He adjusted Peter’s ruffles and gave him a pat on the arm. “Perfect.”
“Do I look like an old man?” Remus spoke up. He had on a black suit with red lapels and a plain button-down with a black ribbon tied around his neck. “I feel like a professor.”
Sirius looked him over, nibbling at his lip. “Professor Moony,” he said in a coquettish voice. “Please, don't give me detention.” He twirled Remus’s ribbon around his finger.
Remus leaned in close to Sirius’s face. “Behave, and I won't.”
Sirius’s eyes widened in shock, his cheeks reddening. He pulled away from Remus so quickly that he nearly tripped over his own feet.
James and Peter shared sickened looks.
“Anyways,” James dragged out his words. “Come on, Peter, let's do your hair.”
James combed through Peter's hair haphazardly, with no intention of a proper style.
“What are you doing to me, mate?” Peter whined.
“I don't know!” James cried in frustration. “I don't know how to do hair.”
“Obviously,” Peter muttered.
“Well, fine then, do it yourself!” James threw the comb down angrily.
“Peter, stop bullying James,” Sirius said.
“I'm not bullying him, he's destroying my hair.”
“Well, what did you expect from a man who looks like that?” Sirius gestured to James’s unruly curls.
“Hey!”
Sirius and Peter laughed, dodging the shoe that James threw their way.
James made his way over to his bed, where his suit was neatly laid out. It was a deep red, velvet three-piece.
“Aw, my trousers are wrinkled,” James whined. “They were in my trunk.”
“They're not that wrinkled,” Remus said, smoothing a hand over the trousers. “They're fine, there's like one wrinkle.”
“Yeah, whatever,” James muttered, slipping out of his sweatpants to put on his suit.
“Oh my god, they don't fit!” James cried as he struggled to pull his trousers over his thighs. He managed to slip them up, but it seemed they didn't want to button over his waist.
“Help me!”
Remus stared at James, his mouth pulled back in a frown. He shook his head and waved James’s hands away.
“Don't breathe for a second,” Remus ordered.
James did as he was told.
“Why is this so fucking hard, mate,” Remus grumbled.
“Don't be mean to me, help me.”
“I'm trying!”
After a minute of frustrating struggle, Remus successfully buttoned James’s trousers.
“Thanks,” James breathed. He put on his waistcoat, which proved to be a much easier feat.
“Do I have to wear a shirt?” James wondered out loud. He didn't think it really mattered. It's not like he wasn't wearing anything at all, he was just going to show some chest.
“Eh, it's fine,” Sirius said. “You look sexy.”
“Why thank you, Sirius,” James said, giving Sirius a little bow. “You look lovely tonight.”
“Thanks, but I still need to do my makeup.” Sirius returned to his favorite spot, in front of the mirror.
“I look so dead,” Sirius complained. “I desperately need a powder so I don't look like I'm dying.” Sirius swiped his concealer under his eyes in an attempt to look less like he was headed for the grave.
James joined Sirius in front of the small mirror, grabbing his highlighter. He dusted his face with a warm gold shimmer.
“Ugh, why are you so hot?” Sirius whined. He tossed his makeup brush down dramatically on the dresser.
James looked at him, surprised at this random outburst. Although, Sirius's dramatic antics shouldn't really surprise him by now.
James looked through Sirius’s makeup scattered on the dresser. He picked up a dark eye shadow palette. “Why don't you do a blue eye look to match your outfit?”
Sirius perked up at the suggestion. James opened the palette to examine the shimmery powders. “I like this one,” he said, pointing to a deep blue glitter shadow.
They did Sirius's eyes together, doing a sharp eyeliner look with a bit of blue glitter surrounding his eye. He blinked at himself in the mirror, then turned to Remus.
“Do I look hot, Moons?”
Remus looked up at him from where he sat on the floor. He stared wide-eyed at Sirius, not uttering a word.
Sirius looked absolutely gorgeous. The blue glitter made his eyes sparkle like stars. His ebony hair fell in waves over his shoulders. His outfit accentuated all his best features, his waist, his collarbones, his pretty, slender hands.
Peter leaned over to whisper to him, “Close your mouth, mate.”
“I-” Remus tried to speak, but no words came out.
“Are you guys almost ready?” Peter changed the subject, much to Remus’s relief.
“I need better light,” Sirius announced. “Does my outfit match my face?”
“You look great,” James assured him.
Sirius and James joined Remus and Peter on the floor. Remus was putting on two big pearl necklaces.
“Mate, what are those necklaces?” James laughed.
“They,” Remus hesitated, adjusting his pearls, “They were my grandmother’s. She gave them to me.”
He said it so softly it made James feel bad for laughing before. “They're beautiful,” he told him.
“I think they're really cool,” Sirius chimed in.
“Thanks, guys,” Remus muttered, fiddling with the pearls around his neck.
Sirius shuffled through his own vast collection of jewelry. “What should I wear?”
“Do you really need jewelry?” Peter asked him.
“I…guess not,” Sirius said slowly, shedding the rings he'd already started piling on his fingers. “Is that too much?”
“Hey,” James cut in, “nothing’s too much when you're Sirius motherfucking Black.”
“Yeah,” Sirius grinned. “That's right.” He put on a few dainty silver rings and his dangly moon-shaped earrings.
James topped off his outfit with three chunky gold necklaces.
“I need my boots!” Sirius yelled, scrambling up to retrieve his shoes. He put on the heeled boots and sashayed around the room. He'd been strutting around in those boots for the past week, trying to break them in.
Sirius added the finishing touch to his outfit, the long, flowing cape. He twirled around, grinning at the way his cape swirled around him.
“You look perfect,” James said. He slipped into his velvet jacket and put his own shoes on. “You guys all look perfect. Are we ready?”
Sirius linked arms with Remus and James, who took Peter’s arm in his free one.
~~~
“Mary, come on!” Lily called. “Just put something on.”
“I’m trying to decide between Abba and the Beatles,” Mary said. She was sitting at the record player debating which album to put on.
“It doesn’t matter. Just put on anything.”
Mary chose the Beatles album, setting the record on the player.
“Mary, am I doing your makeup?” Marlene asked. Mary looked up in surprise.
“I am doing it,” Marlene said resolutely.
“Uh, yeah, okay,” Mary agreed. Marlene immediately started gathering up her things.
“Why do you have so much stuff?” Lily laughed. “You have, like, forty blushes.”
“So I can have all the colors, obviously.” Marlene picked up three different shades as if to show Lily her point.
“Can I use this?” Lily asked, picking a bright pink one from Marlene’s blushes.
“Sure.” Marlene swatched four different colors on the back of her hand.
“Why is this so bright?” Lily looked closely in the mirror at her vivid pink cheeks.
“Do you want to mix it with something?” Marlene offered her hand, showing Lily the colors she’d mixed. Lily searched through the other blushes to find a shade she could mix.
Mary started rummaging through the other girl’s things, knocking a brush off the dresser in the process.
“Where’s my concealer?”
“Is this yours?” Marlene pointed to a makeup bag on the floor.
“Oh, yes!” Mary sat down on the floor, opening up her bag. Marlene sat down next to her.
“Why do you do your makeup on the floor?” Marlene asked.
“I don't know,” Mary shrugged. She looked at Marlene, and they both started giggling.
Marlene got started on Mary’s makeup, swearing she was going to make her look fabulous.
“I think your foundation is too dark,” Marlene said, swiping the creamy foundation on Mary’s hand. She grabbed her own foundation and streaked it across Mary’s hand. She mixed the two colors, creating a lighter foundation. She used her fingers to apply it to Mary’s face.
Lily knelt beside them and angled her head so they could see her contour job. “Am I sculpted?” she asked through her puckered lips.
“Yes,” Marlene answered very matter-of-factly.
“Here, use this,” Mary said, handing Marlene her highlighter.
“Move your bangs,” Marlene ordered. Lily handed her a headband for Mary. Marlene put the headband on for Mary, who adjusted it after.
“That headband is so cute,” Lily gushed.
“Do you need some serum,” Marlene asked Mary, picking up a bottle from her bag.
“Not that, that's hair oil,” Mary said, taking the bottle from Marlene’s hand.
By the time Marlene started on her own makeup, Mary and Lily’s makeup was already done.
“One time,” Marlene said as she began curling her lashes. “I heard a girl lost her lashes when she curled her eyes, and I'm scared that's gonna happen to me.”
Lily and Mary shared a look, clearly distraught over the prospect of losing their eyelashes.
Marlene didn't notice. “Why are my eyebrows so dark?” she whined, drawing out the last word. “Whatever. Here's the makeup.” She put her hands under her chin and pouted her lips. “It looks just like it does every other day.”
“You look cute,” Lily told her. Mary nodded her head, an absent-minded smile on her face.
“Why are you guys, like, the meanest people ever,” Marlene said. “You know you both look much better than me.”
“That is not true,” Mary protested. “You literally look so cute.”
Marlene gave her a closed-lip smile. “Thanks,” she said through her teeth.
“Did I do my lips weird?” Lily asked, pouting her lips, looking fuller with lip liner and gloss. “I look like a duck. It's kinda cute, though.”
“I have to do my hair,” Marlene announced. Lily and Mary also had to do their hair.
“Do my bangs look weird?” Lily asked. She let her hair fall in her natural waves and added a few tiny braids.
“What if I did, like, curled bangs?” Marlene wondered out loud. She just dried her hair and left it at that.
Mary put on a lavender, pearly headband that went with the dress she was going to wear.
“My dress is so pretty,” she said. She picked up her dress, holding it up to show the others. “It's gonna look so good, oh, I better not get makeup on it.” She pulled the dress away from her face to check it. “Oh, good, I didn't,” she breathed thankfully.
Mary put her dress on, fitting the corset top around her waist. “Can one of you strap me in?”
Lily assisted Mary in tightening her corset.
“Make it tighter,” Mary said. “I don't wanna breathe. I'll hold my breath, you cinch it.”
Lily pulled it as tight as it could go. “Is that good?” she asked. “Can you breathe?”
“Can I breathe? Yes,” Mary answered. “Is it easy? No.”
“You're not, like, turning purple or anything?” The two girls laughed.
Mary turned around to face Lily. Her dress was a silky lavender gown with a square-neck corset top. Lily’s eyes trailed down her neckline to her chest on full display. Lily quickly averted her eyes, turning her flushed face away from Mary.
Lily directed her gaze at Marlene, who was putting on her outfit.
“Don't look at me, I'm naked!” she screeched. She wasn't even naked, she had trousers on. Lily went to put her own dress on.
“Oops, did I break it?” Marlene said suddenly. “I think it's fine.”
“Hurry up, guys,” Mary urged.
“Don't rush me!” Marlene cried.
“Hey,” Lily cut in, “You're the one who doesn't know how to use a clock.”
“I'm actually going to kill both of you,” Marlene said, but she was too focused on her vest for it to sound threatening.
Mary sipped her coffee, waiting for the other girls to finish. “I probably shouldn't be drinking coffee at night, but whatever.”
“Whatever,” Lily repeated, batting her lashes in a joking manner.
“I'm so hungry, but I think if I eat my outfit will explode.” Mary smoothed her hands down her silky dress.
“I can't zip this!” Lily cried. She reached behind her back and struggled with her dress's zipper.
“Here, let me help,” Mary offered. She took hold of Lily’s zipper and attempted to pull it up. It didn't budge.
“Okay, suck it in, we'll get this up.” Mary yanked on the zipper again. “It won't go. I'm using all my strength here.”
“You better not break it,” Lily warned.
“Your zipper is impenetrable.”
Lily made an exaggerated sad face at Marlene, who was watching this go down.
“It went up a little!” Mary cheered.
“Let me try,” Marlene offered. She got the zipper up in one go.
Mary stared at her in disbelief. “How did you do that? That's impossible.”
Marlene shrugged, giggling at Mary’s bewilderment.
“Marlene, let me see your outfit,” Lily said, turning Marlene to face her. Marlene was wearing a deep blue, pinstriped waistcoat and matching trousers. The waistcoat had a gold chain trailing from the pocket.
“You look so cool.”
“Thanks. Your dress is so pretty.”
Lily was wearing a long, pink tulle dress with long, puffy sleeves falling off her shoulders.
“Do you want a necklace?” Marlene asked.
“No, I don't think so.” Lily sprayed herself with perfume as a finishing touch. She smelled like a strawberry cake.
“Can I have some of that?” Mary asked. Lily sprayed some on Mary’s arm.
“Why do you smell so good, and I smell like nothing?” Mary complained.
“I just smell like soap,” Marlene said. The girls looked at each other for a moment before bursting into a fit of giggles.
“Okay, okay, are we ready?” Marlene asked. The two girls nodded. “Okay, wait, I have something for you.”
Marlene pulled out a bottle of firewhiskey from beneath her bed. She poured it into three shot glasses. She gestured at the glasses, grinning at her friends. “Thought it was appropriate for tonight.”
“I'm pretty sure this is the least appropriate time for this,” Mary said, but she took the glass anyway. The girls clinked their glasses together and downed the firewhiskey.
They all scrunched their face in a similar expression.
“Okay,” Lily breathed. “Let's go.”