Open Heart {Under Revision}

Chapter 20- Into the Water

It was the eve of Dr. Heller's farewell party and everyone was given an early leave. The party was to be held in atrium and I heard they were directing patient and working personnel transportation restricted to elevators and ramps and were closing off hallways in atrium floor. And I...was getting ready.

Since past two hours.

"Sienna! I don't think people will notice if each individual eyelash of mine is curled or not!" I protested to my friend who was keen on picking single threads of eyelash and curl them like confetti.

She remained steadfast, "Yes they will. Eyelashes are secret fetishes of people! They love it."

"I'm not supposed to uh, promote fetishes of people! I'm supposed to bid Dr. Heller farewell!"

Sienna tilted my head and peered closer, "There will be so many people of really fucking high positions. You should be the one who would be drawing all eyes."

I made a face, "You know I don't like attention."

"Well you have to live with it because you are sensationally a very beautiful girl." She twisted her lips derisively, "Your eyes, your face...heck, even you have a great figure."

"I am hardly five feet tall!"

"Men like small women." Her eyes twinkled, "Michael got attracted to me because he thought I couldn't exist in first place."

And she was two inches taller than me.

I groaned, stretching my limbs and winced as I remembered that I have been perched in front of my dresser for past one hour. It took thirty minutes to put on my dress (which I purchased from mom's generosity), next thirty to curl and style hair and now, almost an hour had passed and yet Sienna wasn't satisfied. Thankfully, the party was yet to start and if my friend just satiated herself enough, I could make it in time.

And boy, I was nervous.

Sienna was right. There were going to be a lot of people—doctors of Edenbrook and outside and making an impression upon them would only bring blithe for my career.

"Alright. Look at yourself now." Finally, she was done and raised me up from chair. I had my back to mirror because she wanted me dazed. When I turned to mirror on dresser and finally saw me...I—

—was stunned!

My eyes widened, not believing that it was me.

Okay. That was definitely not me! Nope. Nope. Not at all!

Heck...was that me? Did my doppelganger come from another dimension or something?!

My gown was a ravishing shade of merlot-wine red, each expanse of its lovely stretch nestling my skin completely before flaring out to pool near my legs. It had sleeves made of merlot-mesh material cuffed near my elbows while the surge of skirt flowed down like a satiny waterfall from my waist and with each small movement, the brush of fabric folds created lithe rustling sounds. I grew concerned about the posterior design which covered my back only in a translucent membrane, going low to my waist. And also about the neckline which slightly exposed my cleavage. Not much, but enough to spread a flush of red on my pale skin featured by V-shape plunge. I chose the same high heels I wore that day at party and wondered about my stance throughout the function.

Sienna wanted to let me let my hair spill open but I decided against it because then it would be too much. My long hair was lifted into a crown braid updo (Sienna did it. Trust me, the only updo I know was crow' s nest) where the braids started from nape of my neck and moved ahead from the sides to cross front of head and again reached back to the point it started. My hair cast hues of red and iron-brown colouring on each turn of braid. The long length provided easier management and with couple of pearl pins, the style remained fixed to suite well with my dress.