Red Light Compulsion

Part 5; the transformation

I stood up and began composing myself. Blushing. My face was a bright shade of riveting red and my legs were lackadaisical and lifeless. I never knew what to do in these situations, but now I was the most clueless I have ever been. I placed the meal ticket gently on to the table and turned to face the door hoping I would get one last glance of him before tonight. He was out of sight but definitely not out of mind, not ever. "one foot in front of the other" I whispered to myself, desperately trying not to make a scene in front of the unknowing homosapien's surrounding me. The door was finally in reach and it felt like I was crossing some sort finishing line. "finishing line of my freedom of thought" I sniggered nervously, knowing there was a lot of truth in what I had just said. 

I was out of the door and placed in the middle of the daunting town where the only sound that filled my eardrums was smooth jazz, taking me back to the 1800s when romance might have been simpler and more contagious. I took the time to concentrate on each note and to be consumed by the beauty that was music. My watch screamed at me concerningly, the time had sprinted away like a thousand gazelles. It had been 2 hours and yet, it had only felt like 2 minutes. Admiring beauty had always heightened my senses and yet my perception of time had never had that advantage. The people seemed cheery and adorned by what was around them and It was time for me to snap back to reality to get ready for what I knew would be a night to remember.

The first stop; the hairdressers. I had always wanted to get a cut and perm, there would never be a better time to get one. The name of the salon was 'wild romance' which was extremely ironic yet so juxtaposing. I stumbled in, clearly looking out of place and walked over to seat myself on the soft brown suede sofa when a tall and enchanting lady approached me asking, "what can we do for you today beautiful and would you like a drink?" in a soft and humble voice. Nervously, I replied "I would love to get a perm please, and yes please, surprise me" which was completely unlike the indecisive woman I knew I was. My alter ego had taken centre stage and I was ready to transform into the woman I was conformed to repent. I had been changed by the passion growing within me, or maybe it was the cocktails at bakers and roasters earlier still invading my system.

She was back, gracing my presence once again. She hastily paraded over to where I was sat with a glass of Pinot Noir and opportunity. "A wine that represents you" she stated with sophistication. "How does this represent me?" I mumbled with inferiority. "Sleek and satiable with so much potential". I immediately started to blush, and avert my eyes away from hers. I had never been good with compliments from anyone despite how I came across. She got to work on my stubborn brown locks and in minutes I was already looking like someone else, not that I was complaining. My look before was deflated and decrepit, due to the self-hate and abuse I had endured to be considered 'a part of society'. 

Before I knew it, she was done and it was time to greet the new me. She spun me around so dramatically that I was taken back 15 years. "Voila" she exclaimed. Disbelief grabbed my body with a firm hand, its grasp was released and I fell in love. The woman that was stood in front of me was a soldier.  The things she had accepted, taken and never released; something no one should have to go through. However, she did it and she was stood right in front of me ready to get back up and fight again and disregard any selfish opinion that wasn't her own. I stood up, compromising with my alter ego that she could stay. "Thank you so much, you have opened up my eyes" I shrieked. She nodded and signed for me to come over to the desk to pay. She insisted to keep quiet and that the style was on the house. "I was once like you and I needed help, now you have the tools to help yourself. Don't tell anyone what I have just done." she stuttered with apparent emotion. I wrote my number down and insisted on repaying her in some way, possibly with a meal or a night out. She nodded again and it was time to enter the outside world once again. 

The walk home felt shorter than my new hair and after another blink, I was home. I glanced briefly at the time for it to read 1948, the number I had seen several times today all over the windows of abandoned shops and receipts. Was it a sign? I opened my wardrobe to find a dark green and satin dress. The sweetheart neckline was rimmed with delicate black lace along with the bottom of the dress. It was breathtaking. The card beside it looked menacing and yet intriguing. I opened it up for it to read "wear this tonight, it's in your size and the last of its kind. Don't let me down." I felt vulnerable yet my eyes swayed to the corner of the paper. The shock took over my system and not even a breath left my lips. 1948 was engraved into the card in a menacing manner. I felt uneasy and threw it on the bed. "was this a mistake?" I whispered while holding the dress up to my voluptuous body followed with a deep sigh.