Choices

Part 1: Always Be Yourself

"I feel ridiculous."

Chelsea Ward stares at herself in the mirror. She stands there, nearly tripping as she shifts awkwardly, trying to stretch her cocktail length dress hoping to make it longer. She isn't used to showing this much skin and it makes her uncomfortable. She never wares anything above her mid thighs, or her knees even, and anything strapless out in public. Her hair isn't even used to being curled or styled in any fancy way, and her feet are not used to the high heels they are making her wear, either. She has never felt more awkward with herself than she does right now in this moment.

In the entire twenty-five years of her existence, she can count the number of times she has not been herself on two hands, and not surprising to her it has been because of her friends. They are desperate for her, and somehow that makes everything so much worse. They always make her feel like an ugly duckling when they do this to her. She has always felt like they were trying to pull a fairy godmother to Cinderella moment on her, and she does not like that, not one bit. She allowed it before because she hadn't seen the harm of for one night being what they thought she should be, but not tonight. No. Chelsea isn't going to put up with it tonight.

"I'm not going in this!" She grumbles, trying to turn around to face her three friends, without tripping. She gestures to her outfit, to her hair and shoes. Even the jewelry is too much. "What is the point of going on a date when you are not yourself?" She argues, making a fair point. "I know nothing about this guy, except that his name is Bryce Finley. I don't know what he does for a living, I don't know where he is from, and I don't even know if he really even wants to meet me."

Katarina smirks. "Blind dates are like that." She pulls her dark, slightly wavy hair into a ponytail. She is the most mischievous of all four of them, and Chelsea knows that it had been her idea. The other two might have gone along with it, but it has to be Katarina's idea to set her up...it always is.

Chelsea finds herself glaring at her supposed friends. "This wasn't my idea, and I don't even want to go. So if you don't want me to bail on this guy, you better tell me something about him, otherwise, this evening is going to be a disaster, regardless if I show up or not." Chelsea admits while kicking out of her heels and walking across the living room past her friends.

"She is right." Cheyenne agrees. "We have to tell her something, or they are going to sit there in awkward silence, and we all know it." Cheyenne points a knowing finger at the last member of the group, Kristine, and glares at her with her bright blue eyes, though Chelsea doesn't seen it. Cheyenne drops her hand just as Chelsea turns around to face them.

"Fine." Kristine states; shrugging slightly while folding her arms across her chest. "He is a great guy, and if you bail he will be crushed."

Chelsea shifts, both from the awkwardness of the dress and the oh-so-familiar conversation that they have had many times over. "Alright." Chelsea gives in a little. "I will go, but you better keep talking." She hisses in mock anger. The three other woman shares a look between them as though they know something Chelsea doesn't.

Kristine is the first to look back at Chelsea, and fumbles with her fingers through her red hair. "I can't tell you exactly where you are going. You have the address, and directions. That is all he told me to give you. He wants it to be a surprise."

Chelsea's face falls into what can be described as a Resting Bitch Face. "But you know, don't you? You know where he is taking me? You wouldn't let some random guy take me out into the woods right? Because that is the plot of a horror movie in the making." Kristine only nods, a wide smile on her face, showing her perfect teeth. "Let me ask you this." Chelsea gestures to herself, and how she looks in the outfit they put her in. "Would I honestly fit in at this place? Or would I look ridiculous there?" She feels she already knows the answer, because she already feels ridiculous. Any place that would require her to wear something this fancy, Chelsea would not have any fun at because she would spend all night concentrating on not making a fool of herself. The looks her friends give her only confirm it. "That is what I thought. I get that you are all married, or about to be married, and you miss playing dress up, but I can't take it anymore. I'm sorry." She takes a deep breath, finding her pride once more. "If I am doing this, I am doing this my way." She turns around, nearly falling from the heels, and stalks back into her bedroom to change.