I choose me.

Part 20: Magazine launch party

Once her body numbed, the icy ocean was magical. She let the water carry her and when she uprighted she was a fair way from the shore, and Crawford was standing at the water line with his long lensed camera, the beach was busy with early morning surfers. She made her way back and dug her hands and toes into the sand, light and peace filling her with the rising sun. They stayed out for hours, running, swimming, playing. By eleven Crawford said he had to eat, so they went to Gratitude Cafe on their way back. He got a giant falafel wrap and kale chips, she just got a green juice, he ate when they got back to their room.

"How's training going?"

"Bad." She admitted, "I have no energy because I haven't been eating, I have actually thrown up after forcing myself, I don't sleep and I'm on the go most of the day. Mulligan's grandson has been just wiping the floor with me every session." She took down huge gulps of the juice.

"This is a big fight?"

"Pretty big yeah, not title, but bigger than anything I've done in some time." There was a rapid banging on the door, Olivia knew that knock. Lola burst in a moment later with Helen and Abby, they were all primped perfectly already, Lola's curls were in rollers and she looked fabulous in a hotel robe.

"Ollllllivvvvvia!" She tsked. "You're not even showered!"

Olivia blew her a kiss, "We were playing in the ocean." Her gray eyes sliced through the both of them. "Up you go, we have pictures before the unveiling." Under orders, she took a quick shower and went back downstairs in a robe. They trio had transformed the living room in to a mini studio, Lola had the dresses hung up and Abby pushed her down on the couch and began putting medium rollers in her wet hair and Helen glared at her nails, "I think a deep v-neck would show off your chest split nicely." Lola held up a shimmering blue dress.

"No, long sleeves." Olivia coughed as Abby poofed powder all over her face. Lola was severely put off, "Long sleeves? It's L.A.!"

"Long sleeves." Olivia clenched her jaw. Her blonde, curly haired friend grabbed the white semi sheer number with sweeping sleeves and a flowing skirt, the bodice was fitted. "You'll be the centerpiece, well aside from the cover model who is a dude, even though it's Women's Health, sooo. You will be the bell of the ball."

"I don't want to be the bell of the ball."

"Your fans have been craving this Olivia. It's so exciting!" She clapped her hands together in joy. She could hear the clicks of Crawford's camera and then a knock at the door, he handed her a smoothie the size of her head.

"Avocado, peanut butter and kale." He gave her a wink and backed out of the circle. She took sips, but it didn't sit well as the acids went crazy in her belly. Abby turned the blow dryer on her until her hair was dry, once the girls finished her makeup and nails she went in alone and pulled the dress on, then Abby took her hair out of the rollers, it was so curly and bouncy, then came the pound of hairspray, she looked over it, nodded and sat down with a bottle of beer.

"You are so fun to transform, so boxy and manly to princess."

"Um, thanks?" She stood in the tall white heels, Crawford was in an all black suit, shirt and tie with a white handkerchief in his pocket, his hair was trimmed and slicked back, his face was clean shaven, she blushed just looking at him.

Lola couldn't contain herself and pulled out her phone, taking a dozen or more pictures. "Okay, ten minutes then up to the roof for pictures, I have to go get dressed." The crew left and it was eerily quiet. She looked at herself in the floor length mirror at the entryway, a stranger. She hated how small she'd become, not eating didn't suit her. She loved her hair though, shiny and bouncy, wild and curly. Her eyes were heavily lined, cheeks contoured and lips shiny. "I don't look like me."