Dress up

"Kay, huh." She flinched back. 'Oh no.' She mouthed as her eyes came into contact with the speaker's. 

"Ms. Ryder. How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know you're going on a date and need Kay's help." She said. 

She chuckled. "Kay's my best friend." 

"I thought as much. It's your first time at my house, and you're inviting your best friend with your name? What? Do you think my boys would let her in just because Ms. Jazmyn said so?" 

She lowered her head. "I'm sorry."

"Does Shawn know she's coming?" Riele walked in. 

"No, I was going to tell him." She muttered. 

"Relax. You don't have to be this way around me, I'm just playing around. Your friend is welcome here. I came to check on you, see if you're settled in yet, and prepare for the date." 

"Oh. I'm nervous." She started.

"Cold feet—it's normal. You'll get over it." 

"It's why I called Kay. She helps me calm down and makes me less nervous." 

"I see. I should leave you to settle in." She patted her on the shoulder. She halted at the door. "I'll tell them you're expecting..."

"Kay. Kiyona. That's her name."

"Right." Riele walked out the door, shutting it after her. 

She took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. Riele had this aura; she could make you lose your confidence and feel intimidated, but still make you feel a lot better and happier. She could uplift your spirit and still make you feel downcast. 

She ran her fingers through her hair before walking over to the wardrobe filled with toiletries. She took out a towel. Stepping out of her clothes, she wrapped the towel around her body and walked into the bathroom. 

There was a shower and a bathtub.

She opted for the shower. She made her hair lather when the room to the door creaked. She turned off the faucet. "Hello?" She called out from the shower, her eyes still shut. 

The room was silent, like no one was there. She turned the faucet back on and continued showering. Her phone buzzed on the sink. She stepped out of the shower, dried herself, and wrapped the towel around her body. There was a packet of toothbrushes by the sink. She tore it open and took out one. She glanced at the mirror, then back at her phone, which was still buzzing. 

"Hey, Jazzie." Kay called out. 

"What did you say the name of the mansion was again?"

"Ryder's mansion. Where are you?" 

"I'll be there soon. I got lost around McCarthy's." She said. 

"Okay. Please hurry." She hung up. 

She got on with brushing her teeth. She glanced at the mirror again after returning her brush to the brush holder. She sighed and raked her fingers through her hair before walking out of the bathroom. 

She walked over to the dresser, plugged in the hair dryer, and sat in front of the mirror, drying her hair. She got up from the seat and walked over to the other dresser for some lotion. 

She grabbed the lotion. "Hey." Someone said behind her, causing her to flinch. She turned around to see who it was.

"Oh my God!" She yelled. "Shawn! What are you doing here? You could've knocked!" Her towel fell off her body. "Turn around!" She yelled. "Turn around!" She yelled again, lowering herself to the ground. She grabbed her towel from the floor and wrapped it around her body. 

"I came to see if you were ready." He said after turning around. "I didn't mean to scare you." 

"You cannot do that again. Please leave." She said it politely. 

"Sure. I'll see you in ten." He headed for the door. He bumped into Kay at the door. "You must be Kay." He said in a low tone. 

She paced up and down the room in annoyance. 

"Yeah, is she in?" Kay asked. 

"Hey," Kay says, walking up to her. 

"Oh my God, Kay, shut the door!" She yelled. 

"So, it's not just love at first sight, huh?" Kay asked. 

"Shut up, Kay." She sighed. 

"Why are you so feisty?"

"Shawn saw me naked." She started, and Kay burst into laughter. 

"I'm sorry," she said, trying to control her laughter, but she couldn't. "Why are you edgy?" 

"You think I'm edgy? Shawn just saw me naked!" She yelled. 

"Relax. I thought you liked him." 

"I do, but,"

"Relax, baby girl. It's only a matter of time till you get comfortable with him seeing you naked." Kay teased.

"Thank you, Kay." She said sarcastically. 

"You're welcome, even though I know it's sarcastic. Very soon it won't." She teased. "So, what am I here for?" She asked.

"I have a date with Shawn, and I have no clue what to wear." She said, applying some lotion. 

"Okay, where's the wardrobe?" Kay asked.

She pointed at a huge wardrobe at the far end of the room. "That's the wardrobe?" Kay asked. 

"Ouí, mademoiselle." She applied her roll on. 

"That's my wardrobe in three places." She looked stunned. 

"Stop groping over it and get me something to wear." She said politely. 

"Look at that." Kay said, staring at the clothes in the wardrobe. 

"Give me a color." Kay said. 

"Um, red, blue, black, I don't know." 

"And a length." 

"I don't know, Kay. Maybe short or mini?"

"Good." She pulled out three clothes from the wardrobe. "I've got all your choices. We'll make a pick from it." She said. 

"I hope I'm not stepping in a dress, only to step out of it and in to another." She raised a brow. 

"That's what you're going to be doing." Kay said, filing her nails. 

She scoffed. She put on her lingerie, grabbed the dresses from the cushion, and placed them on the bed. She took out the black gown.

It was a body hug, a mini gown, and had a small slit on the side, loosely bound together by two silver chains. It was a handless gown. It was in corset form and had an opening at the back. Kay fastened the ropes at the back together, then put them in to conceal the ropes. She walked to the large mirror in the dressing room and checked herself out. 

The gown had her all snatched up and looking sexy. 

"Yeah, I kind of like this one." She said, still checking herself out. 

She took off the dress and put it away. She wore the red one. It was a mini gown as well and had an opening in the cleavage part, the back, and the left side, from the waist to the hip. It had silver diamonds all over it.

"What do you think?" She said, checking herself out in front of the mirror. 

"No. Sexy, but no." Kay said. 

She sighed. "You know, I should really kill you for this stress." She stepped out of the gown. 

"Then, you wouldn't have anyone to give you a dress idea for your perfect dates." Kay chipped in.

"Yeah, I could replace you or just put on whatever." She says. 

"Replace me? How do you intend to do that when you hardly ever communicate with people? Put on whatever? That's your style. Boring." Kay said. "That's how you put on whatever and came to see your future mother-in-law. I mean, you're literally in a jogger, a baggy top, a face cap, and a sneaker. And you were supposed to go on a date." 

"What's wrong with baggy?" She asked. 

"What's wrong with baggy?" Kay mimicked. "Nothing is, but you don't get to dress like that when you're going on a possible date. I mean, thank goodness Shawn had a backup plan for your dressing." 

"I didn't know we would go on a date; I'd have worn something date-like." She said. 

"Something like a crop top hoodie and a cargo pant with a face cap and sneakers." They said it together.

"Yes, I know. That's not date-like, Jaz."

"It's perfect for an ideal date. I mean, it's comfortable and shows less." She checked herself out in front of the mirror. "What do you think?"

It was a royal blue off-shoulder long-sleeve mini gown with a wide opening at the back and openings on the sides, bound together serially by a set of gold chains. The hands, too, were slit and loosely bound together by a set of gold chains. 

"Hot." It's hard to choose between black and this. "So, since you feel your cargo pants and crop top hoodie are best for this date, why didn't you wear them, and why did you call me?"

"Well, apparently, they don't have it in the closet. If not, I wouldn't have called you." 

Kay looked at her like she was reading her thoughts and trying to get her to admit something. She looked away. 

"I'm not falling for that, Kay." She said, looking away. 

"So, which is it?"

"Admit it, Jazzie." 

"Kay, there's nothing to admit. Which is it? Black or blue?"

Kay peered at her. 

"Kay!" She called out.

Kay glared at her, waiting for her to admit it. 

There was a knock at the door. She hurriedly grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her body.