Have You Ever Seen the Sun Rise at Midnight?

Natural

"Don't you think you're being a little self conscious? Just act natural." They finished quietly putting the final touches of makeup upon their carefully crafted and straightening their ruffled sleeve as they smiled back at you through the mirror.

"Oh." You drawled in a displeased deadpan watching them, "Act natural, should I."

"Yeah," their widening, bright grin was emphasized by their equally bright lipstick, "Sure it's not your usual style, but you have to put yourself out there and live a little sometimes. It shouldn't be too hard, just think of it as another usual day; you love adventures."

"Uh huh." You turned your back on them so your eyes wouldn't be drawn back to stare at them, your cheeks were tinted red already from when they had applied your makeup, but looking at the reflection that awaited you in the large mirror they stood in front of made you feel like your cheeks were on fire. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for your own near identical, albeit monochrome, but still matching version of the outfit. "Just another normal day, why should I be thinking too much about it?"

"Exactly."  They turned from the mirror to adjust your wig, their face to close to yours while doing so to be comfortable.  You looked away as they smiled, satisfied.

         "Just you and I.  Going to the mall together. As friends do. Hanging out. Nothing more to it.  Nothing strange."

         "That's the spirit." They grinned, "Don't look too much like I'm holding you at gunpoint.  You have to at least look happy."

         You stared back at them again, gesturing again at your outfit, "Yeah because I put on makeup and walk around like this everyday. How do you even stand to wear shoes like this." You gesture your displeasure down at the uncomfortable shoes, you'd heard people complain before but it really was a challenge to walk in them.

       "You'll get used to it." They held back their laughter, pulling you along, "Come on, I want to see if anybody recognizes you."

        You gave another annoyed tug at your borrowed clothes and muttered, "I hope not."

       This only made them laugh more, and you let yourself be led to the car, glancing mournfully in the mirror one last time before you left; two circus clowns stared back at you, one brightly colored with a large red smile, tugging behind it what appeared to be a more washed out version of itself.  You.  In pale grey spotted white jumpsuit, dark grey oversized shoes, and rainbow colored wig, paired with the copious makeup, faint pink blush and wide, clown smile you could not even recognize yourself.

       They grinned, widely and maliciously, because they'd spent summers as a clown for years and long since had lost any discomfort at the thought of dressing like that in public, "Don't worry, you look great, now all you need is a proper smile."

       Resigned, you let yourself be maneuvered out of the room.

Act natural. There was nothing natural about this.