Infinity and Beyond

7 - Couldn't Be Happier

Emily

Since I'd had my hair cut it had, naturally, become a lot more difficult to put it up. In previous shows I'd done, if I had to have it in a bun or certain similar style they'd either give me extensions or a wig. Extensions were definitely preferable over an itchy wig that got hot after twenty minutes under the spotlight, but neither of them were great. It made me intrigued as to what they'd do for this show, especially as it was much bigger and longer than all the others.

They didn't tell me what it would be before they did it. While I had a couple of workers on my hair I had a make up artist sat in front of me at the same time, not that long before the show started, so even if I wanted to watch what they were doing I couldn't really. I just had to sit patiently and wait with curiosity as they went about their job.

I also didn't know exactly what I was wearing. I'd been measured and asked to try on different things but was yet to see the full outfit, although I knew already it wasn't anything special or extravagant. So this was yet something else I had to wait for, although I wasn't kept waiting long. The instant the hair and make up artists were finished someone else came along and lead me over to the clothing rail, where my outfit was hung up in a protective bag. She took it out for me and got it ready, holding it up for me to step into - as uncomfortable as I'd been about my body a year or so ago, changing in front of strangers had become somewhat of a routine and certainly helped me overcome my insecurities.

Once it was on she fastened and adjusted it, altering a few things in a couple of places before smiling at me and announcing she was done and I was ready. I thanked her then nervously walked over to the full length mirror, feeling my breath almost taken away from me when I looked. Because honestly, I'd never seen myself more pretty. My hair was in two flawless buns, small, neat and symmetrical, with a faint glitter spray on each. My make up kept up this theme in a subtle way, with a pale base eyeshadow and a neutral shimmer covering it, topped off with a darker eyeliner, and my face was caked in foundation as usual. It was lightened, though, by an ever so slightly glittery highlighter and blusher and a baby pink lipstick.

Although by far my favourite part of my look was the outfit. It was a white leotard with pink lace up around my neck and attached to it was a floaty skirt made of a few very thin and light layers of silk that, cleverly, was a solid colour at the top but nearly see-through at the bottom. The top layer was pink, then underneath this was a lighter pink, and at the bottom was a mix of baby pink and lilac. The pink was the shortest layer and they got longer as they went down but only at the front - there was an inch or two between the bottom of each layer and it didn't reach my knees, but at the back it was just the pink layer which reached halfway down my calves. The gradient of both the material and colours made it flow seamlessly from my waist down, but also fitted effortlessly with the rest of the look. It was slightly unusual - nothing I'd seen before - but stunning and I secretly hoped that maybe, just maybe, I'd be allowed to keep it at the end.

I almost went to put on my used and slightly tatty pointe shoes when a stylist came over and reminded me of the shoes I had specifically for the show. I slipped those on instead, not that there was much difference - they were just newer and the ribbons had the subtlest hint of purple to them. When I tied them up, the look was finally complete.

And it was at this point the nerves kicked in.

"Are you okay, Emily?" the stylist asked as I lowered myself back into my chair.

"Yeah, fine," I answered. "I could just do with some water, please, if that's alright?" She nodded and went off to fetch me some, in which time Jack walked into the room, also in his costume.