A to Z

Chapter 19- Chanel and Her Va-Va Voom

Chapter 19- Chanel and Her Va-Va Voom


For the rest of the week, I searched for Aiden, yet he was nowhere to be found. I needed to talk to him. I could have easily gone to his house but he just so happened to live with Alex. And if Alex wasn't at home, Helen would be and although she never said anything, she had an all too knowing look on her face and I knew she was mentally making room for me as her future daughter-in-law.

I guess I would see him on Friday in History anyway but I wanted to tell him sooner. It was wrong for me to have made plans with Alex before sorting things out with Aiden. I could see that but now I had left things splintered with Aiden for almost an entire week.

I had to tell him before Saturday at least.

Although I had no right to be and I tried to squash the part of me that felt so, I did feel a smidgen of hurt. I had tried not to think about it and forget about it but I couldn't. Why hadn't he tried to contact me?

He either didn't care or knew about Alex and I. I wasn't sure which one I preferred.

However, when Friday came about, Aiden definitely entered the class yet decided to sit 4 rows to my left, so far away, I could barely see him. I tried to crane my neck but I only managed to catch a glimpse of his arm. The few times I caught a quick look at his face proved nothing. He didn't look sad, angry, happy... Nothing. Eyes straight ahead with precise, every 5 minute note taking.

He didn't look at me once.

And that told me everything I needed to know. It hurt, of course it did. But it was for the best. It was for Alex.

I had no right to be hurt anyway.

So that was the end of that. It had ended so abruptly. So sudden and quick. There was no fight, no confrontation. Not even an argument. And that was good. Wasn't it? Was it wrong for me to be expecting anything different? Wrong for me to find one last loophole? Wrong for me to want him?

Yes, it was. It was. But even with Alex constantly on my mind, there was more than enough room for Aiden to linger.

***
It was Saturday afternoon and I felt terrible. Since that weeks Thursday, I had been a coughing, sneezing, snotty mess. My nose was red and dry, throat scratchy and hoarse and eyes sore and tired.

I'd only gone and caught a cold.

The worst thing was having to reschedule the date with Alex. All week I had been worrying about it and preparing myself, all for nothing. I didn't know whether I should be relieved or even more anxious.

Alex was very understanding and sweet. Maybe a little disappointed but that was expected since it wouldn't just be a case of rescheduling for the next Saturday. With the upcoming wedding in just 3 weeks, (Christmas Day to be precise), there would be no time for a whole evening alone.

So there I was. Lying like a bedraggled, old sock in my bed.

The doorbell rang four times and I heard my dad's footsteps as he went to answer the door. I heard him talking to whoever it was with a warm tone in his voice for quite a few minutes and I zoned out, not in the least bit curious as to who it was. I was far too busy feeling sorry for myself.

My door opened and I expected to see my dad, delivering a mug of hot chocolate that he'd promised me 2 hours ago. Instead, I was surprised to see Chanel.

"What are you doing here?" I said, my scratchy throat aching in protest.

"Lovely to see you too." Chanel replied, rolling her eyes. "But I'm here to fix you up a little." She had a bright twinkling in her eyes. I didn't like it.

"Fix me up? For what?" I reached over for my glass of warm, honey and lemon water to sooth my aching throat a little.

Chanel had her hands on her hips. "For your date of course!" She sighed loudly and disapprovingly before pulling off her purple, fingerless gloves elegantly while I choked on the water not so elegantly.

Chanel didn't seem to notice.

"Right. You pop in the shower and I'll get an outfit together."

"The date's off. I'm sick remember." I groaned, sinking back into my bed. My head was now pounding. It seemed that the simple conversation with Chanel had already worn me out.

"See that's where you're wrong." She trilled, snatching the duvet away from my hands. I protested in painful, grumbling noises.

"Zoe. Just trust me. You need to look presentable and if you don't listen to me now, you'll never forgive yourself."

I didn't reply for a couple of seconds, still shielding my face with my left arm. Eventually, I sighed dramatically and reached my hand out for my mug of water. I had it placed in my hand almost immediately and I gulped it down quickly before crawling put from under my many blankets.

"Good!" Chanel seemed to feel it was appropriate to praise me like I was a dog or something. I gave her my most deadly look but she didn't look the slightest bit fussed. She was all smiles and conspiratorial winks as she not-so-gently ushered me into the bathroom.

As I got in to the shower, shivering and naked, I heard Chanel shout from my bedroom.

"Remember to use the heat damage repair and protect shampoo!"

I sighed loudly as I imagined what Chanel had in store for me.

***
Wrapping a long, white-ish grey towel around me, I left the bathroom. My mouth felt minty and strange because I couldn't taste much but I did feel a lot better. A lot of the steam had cleared up my blocked nose and all of the medicines I had taken had finally started to work to their full effect. I felt cleaner too and considerably less germ-y.

"Finally," Chanel got up from my green bean bag and shut the lid of my laptop, throwing it onto my bed. "You're out."

I waited expectantly for Chanel to leave while she waited expectantly for me to get dressed.

"I need to get changed!" I protested indignantly.

Chanel let out an exasperated puff of air but turned her back to me, tapping her foot restlessly as she waited. I hesitated for a second or two but then quickly pulled on my underwear and wiggled into the cream top that Chanel had selected. She'd also chosen a skirt for me to wear but I quickly pulled on a pair of deep red jeans instead. I made a 'hng' noise, letting Chanel know she could turn around.

She looked me up and down when she pursed her lips disapprovingly. "Put on the skirt instead."

"It's the middle of winter! I'm already sick as it is."

Chanel made a tutting noise but decided to let me get away with the jeans only to critically look at my chest and shake her head. I shrugged my arms over my chest defensively.

"Do you have a push-up bra?"

"What?" I cried indignantly. "Why?!"

Chanel didn't reply, just made her way to my dresser and rummaged through it.

"What are you doing?" I asked Chanel.

Again, she decided to ignore me but as I made my way towards her, she shouted out triumphantly.

"Here." Between her fingers, she held out a completely see-through orange bra. Really, it was just orange lace, a bit of wire with two straps and a couple of hooks, not really a bra at all. She shook the scanty piece of fabric up and down, telling me to take it. "Put this on."

Chanel had officially gone crazy.

I stared at her incredulously with a little bit of disgust thrown in but she just rolled her eyes.

"Wear it over the bra you already have on, stupid."

"So you want me to wear two bras and I'm the stupid one?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Just when I thought Chanel was normal...

Chanel sighed. "Just for a bit of..."- she searched for an appropriate phrase- "... Va va voom, you know? If you wear another normal bra over that one, it'll be too obvious buuuut," she dangled the orange thing, "this should do just fine! It won't look too obvious but should still improve the assets." She wiggled her eyebrows at the word 'assets'. I just stared at her, completely dumbfounded.

"Why do I even need to wear two bras?! My boobs are fine!"

Chanel tittered and bent her head slightly, almost sympathetically. "You don't need to. It's just a little something...extra! There won't be a noticeable size difference and I'm not saying you're lacking in that department but trust me, it'll help!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Zoe, I will tackle you and superglue this to your boobs if you don't."

I had known Chanel for far too long to not take it as an empty threat. Grudgingly, I snatched the bra from her hand and turned my back to her.

"Why did you even buy that thing?"

"I didn't. My aunt Lily bought it for me." I answered irritably. I wished then, more than anything, that I'd thrown it away.

I pulled my top back over my arms and readjusted the wires of both bras so they sat comfortably on my body.

"See! It makes such a subtle difference and no one will even know!" She said approvingly.

I hated to admit it, but she was right. It wasn't uncomfortable or constricting like I'd thought it would be. It was still tight but not in a bad way and in actual fact, it felt a lot more supportive and even I could see the benefits of the double bra.

I didn't answer but Chanel knew she was victorious. She just motioned for me to sit down while she plugged in my hair dryer.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" I asked her wryly.

Chanel bit her lip and stopped for a second, as if thinking to herself then shrugged.

"Well I'm not meant to tell you but I've already ruined it anyway." She grabbed my hairbrush and softly ran it through my hair. I let her.

"Alex is going to come pick you up at around 7 to surprise you and take you on a date. He's got a whole load of stuff planned-don't ask what, I won't tell. He doesn't know I'm here and he won't like that you know but I couldn't just let you open the door looking like a slob. I told him that but he said it wouldn't matter if you were in your pyjamas or whatever but I know it would matter to you." Chanel rolled her eyes, probably thinking of how clueless boys could be. "I mean it's your first date! You have to look perfect. You'd never forgive me if I didn't tell you!" She smiled then turned on the hair dryer, drowning out my speech.

It was sweet, Chanel's idea. She didn't want me to regret not being prepared for my first date with Alex, despite it being a surprise.

She was 100% behind the idea of Alex and me and her eagerness and her excitement to push us together was infectious. Feeling better and getting in the spirit of first date feelings had me excited yet even more so nervous.

Chanel babbled and gushed about Alex and me while straightening over my braided hair for a wavy effect. It was a little uncomfortable but I managed to change the topic and so she was now angrily ranting about her mum. I listened and agreed with her, silently grateful that there was no more talk about Alex.

I was already anxious as it was.

After Chanel and I finished arguing about who would put mascara on me, (she won and almost poked my eye out) and arguing about lipstick (I won so did not have to put any on), I was finally ready. I did look pretty, I had to admit.

Chanel had done a beautiful job on my hair. It didn't look as if too much effort had gone into it since it was quite messy but it looked almost romantic with the flowy waves and the single French braid.

My makeup was a little more than what I usually wore but was kept soft and neutral which I liked. Chanel brought out a forgotten pair of grey boots from under my bed and threw a few grey and gold accessories over me, 'just to tie the outfit together.'

"Still think you should've gone with the lipstick." Chanel commented but she was smiling proudly.

"Thank you. You've done an amazing job." I said to Chanel and hugging her.

"I know!" She replied, squeezing me tighter. I laughed.

"Don't concentrate too much on the whole best friend thing, ok?" She murmured into my ear.

I didn't answer.

"Ok?" She repeated, but more insistent this time.

I nodded.

***
Sure enough, at exactly 7, there was a knock on the door downstairs. I heard my dad answer it but did not hear any conversation between him and Alex. I suspected them to be talking very quietly on purpose.

Although I was mentally freaking out, I'd never been so grateful towards Chanel. I was so glad she'd told me earlier even if it was supposed to be a surprise.

My heart was beating rapidly but I couldn't tell if the feeling was excitement or dread. I tried to remember if I'd felt anything like it before but I couldn't seem to concentrate on a fixed topic for longer than a second or two.

"Zoe. There's someone here to see you." It was my dad with a twinkle of a smile in his features.

I got up and exited my room, following my dad downstairs. I reached the door and there I saw Alex with a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Hey." He said, a large breathy puff of steam floated out of his mouth from the cold.

"Hey." I replied shyly.

Alex's cheeks went a mild pink and he held out the beautiful yet overwhelming bouquet. "These are for you."

"Thanks." I blushed. "They're beautiful." I held them gingerly, not knowing what to do with them.

Alex laughed and it comforted me because the noise was familiar.

"They're cliché." He commented.

I didn't know what to say to that because it was pretty confusing so I decided not to say anything.

"You look-" Alex stopped speaking and coughed awkwardly and I noticed his eyes slide slightly to my right. I turned around to look at what he appeared to be looking at when I saw my dad, still standing next to the staircase, watching us. Immediately, I turned bright red.

"Dad!" I hissed pointedly, motioning with my head for him to leave. He had a stern look on his face -one I hadn't seen in a long time- and I noticeably saw him send a threatening glare in Alex's direction.

I wanted to kill myself.

My dad had known Alex since we were toddlers and had treated him like his own son and now he was playing the overprotective, don't-hurt-my-little-girl-or-I'll-hurt-you card on him? What had the world come to?

Thankfully, my dad left with a final intimidating glare and I turned to face Alex again, bright red and abashed.

"Sorry about-" I started but Alex cut me off.

"No problem." And he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

There was a pregnant pause and I exaggeratedly played out smelling the flowers just to do something. They didn't smell of anything.

"They smell lovely." I had no idea why I even said that. It was as if I was taking cues from a script.

Alex's eyes crinkled up again. "They don't smell of anything."

"I know. I just said that because that's what they always say in the movies." I admitted truthfully.

Alex laughed and I did too and it wasn't so awkward anymore. It reminded me of how Alex had pretty much said the same thing when he'd broken my window with a rock.

"I'm here to take you on a date. I know you're not feeling great but I've put up special measures so don't worry about that. " His eyes sparkled brightly and he had the most heart-warming smirk on his face. "You up for it?"

I nodded before noticing that I was still carrying the flowers. With an awkward smile, I replied.

"I'll just take these in."

***

Hey guys! This was originally meant to include the entire date but if I did that, it would end up being about 10 pages long, so I decided to split it up.

I hope I made you laugh with Chanel after all the seriousness of the past couple of chapters and please do vote and comment! I'm trying to climb up the What's Hot list but I can only do that with your support, so please do help me with you votes and comments! :)