The Girl Inside (Raura)

Chapter 7: Beauty Hurts

Laura's POV

I wake up in the hotel room I spent the night in to an empty, motionless silence. This is the first morning in a while that I have woken up in a bed other than my own. All dimensions of the room are larger than my room at the Lynch's, but everything is so foreign, this one room is a mansion and I'm a floor tile. It's a pristine setting of marble and glass, but in the surroundings I can't help to feel dirty at lying to Ross.

He doesn't know what I'm going through for him, he doesn't know anything about my plan. And for how long I've been wanting to prove this to him. 

I drag every muscle I have out of the clean, white sheets into the bathroom. The cold water I splash to refresh my face doesn't bring back the times when Ross was the best friend I used to laugh with 24/7. I'm in the present, where he has a girlfriend whom he doesn't know anything about. 

Today is the day I change myself into Courtney. She's almost the opposite of me, I have no thoughts on why Ross has fallen for her. If I know my best friend's character better than anyone, I know what his type of girl is. It's a girl who isn't afraid to be herself, to have fun, to dance like a chimp trying to climb an invisible rope. Courtney is an undeniable witch casting her spell to gain a reputation. Her witchcraft has taken over Ross' subconscious and he's too blind to see through a plain as day transparency.

I continue to carefully brush my hair and apply minimal makeup because I'll be having my makeup done today with ten times the intensity of what I'm doing now. And after today, I won't be seeing myself in the mirror the same way I always have. 

After I dress myself in a simple, loose, white crop top with ripped shorts, a necklace, and flowing curls, I'm out of the hotel's lobby and walking in low-heeled sandals to my makeup appointment.

I managed to get an appointment with one of the best makeup artists in Hollywood. I hear she only does makeup for celebrities or for movies, but Rydel was able to book me an appointment. Rydel insists Helen would be able to make me the vivid image of Courtney with ease. And I don't ever dare question Rydel's opinions on makeup. 

The salon strikes a familiar aroma when I enter through the glass doors to a semi-busy room. "Excuse me, I'm Laura. I have an appointment with Helen at nine o'clock."

"Oh yes, that's me. Follow me right this way, Laura," the middle-aged woman trails me to the chair farthest from the entrance. I sit in the black chair and give my reflection one last look. "Your friend Rydel tells me exactly how you want your image. And after I finish, I'll give you step by step instructions so you can uncloak and re-apply my masterpiece at any time."

The corners of my mouth lift up into my last smile. Helen reaches for a concealer brush from her set-up and I'm underway. The darkening of my eyebrows and the contouring takes at least two hours, although Helen insists the elongated time period is only because she needs to explain the technique along the way. Hours pass and I see the transformation progress into Courtney, with almost exact facial features. I can barely tell the difference between Courtney and myself.

"Remember what I have instructed you, Laura. You're free to go. I hope everything works out!"

"Thank you!" I exit the salon in my authentic Courtney masking to see the city in the same way as when I had left it. My face feels a bit stiff from the high concentration of makeup, but it loosens up on the commute to the hair parlor. Behind the mask or without the mask, I am able to view people and nature the same way as before. On the walk, I pass by a glass window showing me beauty that is only skin deep. I bet this is what Courtney sees as well. 

The hair salon is full of women and teenagers, probably none of which are getting anything like my makeover. My chestnut brown, ombré hair is to be temporarily dyed to black with some hair extensions, and parts of my hairline will be trimmed.