ARABELLA • Alex Turner

TWO

~
FOUR MONTHS LATER

"Please, Arabella. He says I talk about you too much. He invited you because he wants to meet you. You'll love him, I promise."

   Arabella leaned against the doorjamb between her bedroom and it's en-suite, listening to her best friend ramble on about her amazing new boyfriend as she curled her hair in the bathroom mirror.

   She adored the girl–absolutely loved her to bits–but there was currently nothing she wanted more than a big mug of tea and her nice warm bed.

   "Soph, I would love to meet him. But I don't feel like going out today."

   Sophie stopped what she was doing and made eye contact with the brunette's reflection in the mirror, before turning and hopping off the counter. She padded across the room in her socks, coppery hair crammed with rollers.

   "Belle, my love, you know I would never force you to go out." She spoke seriously, gripping Arabella's sweatshirt-clad shoulders. "But you haven't felt like going anywhere in months. I'm just worried about you. Miles is lovely, he'll understand if you want to leave early."

   The concern plastered all over Sophie's face made Arabella feel instantly guilty.

   Ever since the whole Andrew fiasco, she knew she had become a bit of a hermit. It was no surprise really–she had been with the guy for two whole years of her life–but she hated not being able to move on. It was like she was stuck in one place while everyone around her moved forward.

   "Look, just let me do your hair and makeup. See how you feel when you're all dolled up. If you still don't want to go after that, I won't mention it again. Pinky promise."

   Arabella knew deep down that Sophie was right about needing to brave the outside world. It wasn't healthy to shut herself away like this, and she really did miss wild nights out on the town with her friends. But the beautiful blonde at the club that night had really knocked her self-confidence, and it was hard to imagine having even an ounce of fun when she knew that Andrew would likely be around town somewhere.

   She agreed to the proposition, however, for the sake of her friend.

   It was impossible not to smile when Sophie's steely eyes twinkled and she became instantly excited, dashing around like a headless chicken to retrieve everything she needed (and forgetting about her own hair in the process).

Arabella was ushered into the bathroom where her dark hair was neatly curled and secured in a half-up style with a pretty black ribbon. She was then redirected to the bedroom where her eyes were lined black, lashes caked in mascara and lips glossed until they shone.

   Sophie dug through the depths of her wardrobe with no shame, hell-bent on finding the perfect outfit for her best friend's first night of freedom. She pulled out a silky black mini dress with lace trim and a pair of black leather boots, along with a blazer to match.

   Once changed, Arabella finally moved to examine herself in the floor-length mirror propped up against her bedroom wall.

   Having not expected much at all, she was completely taken aback by the woman staring back at her. She looked hot. The dress was equal parts elegant and sultry, and it complemented her figure perfectly. The black liner around her eyes accompanied the catty eyelashes Sophie claimed to be jealous of at least twice a day. And the boots added a distinctive flair which just screamed her.

   For the first time in four months, Arabella felt attractive. Seeing herself looking her best again was like a breath of fresh air. The revelation brought tears to her eyes.