Beauty and a Cheat

Getting Ready for a Ball

I combed through my dark brown hair in front of the mirror. The brush caught in the tangles repeatedly, and I winced. What I wouldn't give for a good bottle of conditioner right now.

I stopped attempting to brush my snarled hair, and moved on to my makeup. A nice thin layer of foundation to cover up the little blotches of acne that could not be conquered. Black mascara to enhance my brown lashes. And star fruit lipgloss in case I got lucky at the ball tonight.

What?! Immediately, I scolded myself. This was not a fairy tale. This was my life. Stuff like that couldn't happen to me.

The ball I was attending would be mostly grown ups, I assumed, as this was my mother and father's celebration for the new business they had opened. It was a very successful new take on lotion, which supposedly enhanced your skin tone.

We were already filthy rich because of my dad's expertise in dermatology and entrepreneurship. I was upset, because I didn't want people automatically thinking of me as the spoiled brat. To be honest, I don't really care about my parents' money. They're not proud of me for not caring, but I just don't think it's a healthy lifestyle.

I attempted to brush my hair again, only becoming successful after half an hour. I looked at myself in the full length mirror of the marble bathroom. Deciding I looked okay in my purple satin number, I left the bathroom.

Suddenly, I heard a loud shriek.

"YOU CAN'T GO TONIGHT LIKE THAT!!" Ruby, one of our maids, yelled, coming straight for me.

"Why not?" I demanded. "I think I look fine!"

"No, no, no. Your hair is much too simple, and more makeup!"

I groaned. "Why? I don't need to look like a fashion model! It's a freaking BALL. It doesn't even sound right!"

Ruby just shook her head. "And that dress," she said in disgust. "It covers you from neck to foot. You look like a nun! More skin, girl!"

"What?" I yelled in indignation. "I don't want anyone to think I'm. . . Desperate!" I shuddered. Girls at my school were experts in this field sometimes.

"Well, that just implies that you're trying too hard," Ruby said wisely, lowering her diamond studded glasses at me. "Let me fix you up so you can shine tonight, and how about I'll let you sneak out tomorrow."

My stomach jumped. She would actually let me get past my parents so I could see my friends from school?

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I squealed, hugging Ruby's waist, her blond curls getting in my face.

Ruby was my favorite of all the people my mother hired to clean the house since she couldn't get off her lazy butt and do it herself. Ruby, a middle-aged lady who was in life for the thrills, had always supported me when I wanted to get away from my snobbish life. Since my parents forbid me to leave the home at all times, occasionally Ruby would give a white lie here and there to let me go get fresh air. It was always nice to know I could count on her, even if she was a little spunky.

"Now, now," she said, separating me from her. "We need to make you look stunning tonight to make a good impression on your father's colleagues in order to get funding for his business. Who knows, there might even be a cute boy there," Ruby winked.

I snorted. "Rubes, first of all, what boy on this planet would want to go to a ball? This isn't a fairy tale! Second of all, no hot guy would notice me." I sighed, picking at my cuticles.

"Rubbish," Ruby scoffed. "Your confidence just needs a little boost. Let's go to my closet and see how we can fix you up."

We crossed the tiled, elegant hall across the balcony that looked down at the gigantic living room. Finally, after walking through the ridiculously long corridors, we reached the maids' quarters.

"Okay. I am SUPER excited to show you all the new dresses I made!" Ruby rattled off. "There's like, so much you can do with the right materials!"

"I'll take your word for it," I replied. I had always marveled at Ruby's skills of making clothing. She had designed all of my church and prom dresses. I didn't have a single store-bought outfit, which was pretty ironic considering the wealth of my stuck up parents.

We opened her door, which was painted pink with a star on it, which made it totally stand out compared to the other plain white doors. I followed Ruby past her tiny living space, which compromised of only a twin bed, a sink, a bathroom, and a mini kitchen. Near her bed at the opposite end of the room was her closet. I had been in there before to try on numerous outfits, but I was feeling excited to see what new clothes she had for me, even if I wasn't allowed to wear my purple dress.

She opened the bronze doorknob and we walked inside. Ruby's closet was HUGE. It was built that way because Ruby had had the money to hire men to add on to it a long time ago. There were millions of clothes on every wall, in colorful stacks. I mean seriously, there was enough outfits in there to last a girl her whole lifetime.

Ruby started walking near the left side, hunting for the apparent dresses that would save my social status, or something.

"Aha!" she cried out. "Eureka!"

I backed out of the closet, bracing for the impact. Sure enough, Ruby came out with a whole bucket of dresses that looked very revealing, from what I could tell.

"Ruby," I said irritatedly. "I like that you design clothes for me, but couldn't I wear a dress that doesn't make me look like I want to hook up?"

"Oh, hush. They're not as bad as they look," Ruby said, placing the bucket on the bed. "Here," she said, giving me a flashy red strapless dress that reached the floor. "Try that on, and we'll see how they go."

After a harsh two hours of trying on dresses, I finally decided on a black sparkling dress with spaghetti straps and a knee length hem. Ruby handed me a transparent sash to complete the look.

"And now let's work on that hair," Ruby said, grimacing.

"What?" I said defensively. "You try combing through it! It's unstraightenable!"

But I knew that Ruby was a hair goddess as well. She managed to not only straighten my brown locks, but curl the ends and pull back my long bangs to create a prom look. After only a half an hour, she combed her fingers through it and stepped back.

"My makeup is FINE," I said before she could even mention it. My head was starting to get sore from the brushing she had tortured it with, and it was making me extremely grumpy.

Ruby grinned, and looked me up and down. "Perfecto! All you need is a man and you'll be set."

Um, no thank you. I had never tried to get a boyfriend, and I certainly wasn't starting now. But the important thing was, now I could go to the ball without my parents criticizing me. I was ready to face all the people who would be there. I looked presentable and not succeptible to anyone. Or so I thought.