Ashley also helped me with my makeup, since I hadn’t brought any with me, and my hair, since I had no idea what I was doing with it.  At first, I couldn’t understand why she was being so helpful.  But as we got further into my makeover and she got more excited, I reasoned that anyone with the passion for fashion that Ashley seemed to have would jump at the chance to make over a fashion misfit.

“Ok, you’re done,” Ashley said applying a final touch of mascara.  She walked me over to the full-length mirror we had hanging on the door.  I was surprised by the person staring back at me.  For the first time in my life, I almost looked hot.

“Wow…” I whispered, looking at myself in the mirror.  Ashley was staring at me so intently that I could tell she was just as stunned at the transformation.  “Apparently, you can work wonders, Ashley.”

“I didn’t have to do much.  I’m sure you could pull anything off.”

I laughed at the joke, but stopped once I saw she wasn’t joining in.

“Well, I’m supposed to be meeting them now, so I guess I should be leaving.”

I grabbed the small gold purse and the matching bolero jacket Ashley had also lent me and started to leave.  But I paused at the door.

“Ashley, thanks for helping me.  I guess it can come in handy having you as a roommate sometimes.”

She smiled as I walked out of the room.

By the time I got to Karen’s room, Rebecca and Cindy were already there waiting.   Karen seemed genuinely excited that I had decided to come. 

“You guys look great,” I told them.  Everyone was wearing dresses, but I quickly noticed mine was the most revealing.  I guess that’s what happens when you dress from the closet of Ashley Davies.

 “Cindy you were right about that jacket,” I said, “it goes great with your outfit.”  She was wearing a black and silver striped mini tube dress.  The jacket I’d let her borrow was black with bell-shaped sleeves.  It blended so flawlessly with the dress they looked as if they were purchased as a set.

“Thanks!” Cindy said.  “Though I can’t take credit for the idea.  Karen actually told me about it this afternoon when we were trying on outfits.”

“So you guys ready?” Karen asked. “We should probably head out.”

Despite my uneasiness at having to wear an outfit I felt so uncomfortable in, I was happy I’d decided to come. Maybe Karen and everyone else would see that I was making a real effort to get more involved in the things they wanted to do.