Across The Stars

Chapter 13.

A month later...

"I can't find anything to wear." I groan, throwing the last article of clothing out of my closet.

Mia sat on top of my bed, flipping through a magazine and paying no mind to my clear struggle to find something decent to wear to Austin and I's record release party.

After a month of trying to get our record released, we were finally able to do it.

I was a bit nervous given that hundreds of people were going to be at this party, celebrating Austin and I's success.

But also, the idea of people finally getting to know me as Anna Star added much more pressure to this whole thing.

"Just go naked." Mia shrugs. "I did that once. People loved it."

"Are you sure fucking your teacher was the only reason you got kicked out of school?" I tease.

"It was the only thing I got caught for." She says with a smirk.

"You seriously can't be my date tonight?" I ask, turning to pick up all of the clothes I had discarded.

"I wish I could. My mum called Astrid to check up on me and Astrid told her my work ethic could be 'better'. So now, if I'm not working at least twenty hours a week, mum will ship me off to boarding school."

"Are you serious?" I ask in shock. It didn't surprise me that Aunt Kat had her fill with Mia, but boarding school seemed to be a bit much.

"I wish I wasn't." She scoffs before getting off the bed. "Why don't we just go out and get you a dress?"

"I don't want to buy a dress." I groan.

"Annie, this is your first record release party!" Mia reminds me. "Your jeans and flannels aren't going to cut it. You need something that's going to show the world 'hey it's me Anna Star. Fuck everyone'. Okay, minus that last part perhaps."

"I was just going to wear the dress Austin got me for the concert."

"No way. That's too formal. Come on, Annie. Please?"

I roll my eyes before finally giving in. "Fine."

***

"Absolutely not." I say with wide eyes.

"Why not? It looks hot!" Mia says, her mouth wide open.

I stood in front of the mirror, turning side to side as I took in the sight of my reflection. I was wearing a skin-tight purple dress with slits just above my hips. The dress came down to my mid-thigh, and the sweetheart neckline perfectly accented the curve of my breasts. "This doesn't feel like something I would wear."

"It shouldn't!" Mia exclaims. "You're Anna Star now. Start dressing like her."

Mia was right. If I was going to my record release party as my new and improved self, it was time I started looking the part.

This is not something Annie would wear, with her perfect life and perfect boyfriend.

This is something Anna would wear, with her debut single and new life.

I think about how I would never wear something like this with Toby but imagine how he would react to it. Would he think I looked good? Or would he think it was too much.

I'm sure Austin would like it. He'd probably compliment how good I looked in it...

"Annie." Mia says, waving her hand in front of my face. "What do you think?"

The thought alone of Austin seeing me in this dress causes me to frantically nod my head. "I love it."

***