I raised my eyebrows. “There’s more?”
“Of course, there’s more,” Missy said impatiently. “Do you really think those glasses of yours match this dress?”
My eyes went wide for a moment. “No…no way… Missy…”
She whipped out a little contact lens container, and my hands went up to my glasses automatically. “I hate contact lenses.”
“Have you ever actually given them a chance?”
“I’ve worn them a couple of times… they’re annoying.”
Missy rolled her eyes at me. “Remove those glasses, please.”
“Do I have to?” I asked imploringly. “Seriously… I hate putting them in and taking them out… it feels unnatural.”
“There’s no gain without pain,” she said distractedly, as she grabbed the glasses off my face. “Now, come here…if you want I’ll try and put the contacts on.”
“No,” I said quickly. “I think I’ll do it myself.”
“Fine,” Missy said. “As long as you do it.”
I sighed and sat down in front of the small square mirror that we had bought two years ago. Missy had bought it specifically for applying makeup, and this was the first time I was using it.
“These are my contacts,” I observed as I opened it.
“Yeah, your mom dropped them off,” Missy smiled.
“You two have been conspiring behind my back?” I asked, not entirely surprised.
“We should have teamed up sooner,” she said. “I had no idea I had such a resolute supporter in your mother.”
It took me almost ten minutes to finally get the contacts in. I blinked uncomfortably for a moment, but the blurriness faded almost instantly, and I could see perfectly. Except this time, there was no frame around my eyes. I felt strangely naked, and the nerves started building slowly.
“Perfect.” Missy smiled approvingly. “You’re starting to transform.”
“I’m starting to get nervous.”
Missy sat down opposite me and opened up her makeup kit. There was a plethora of different cosmetics stowed away inside.
“I don’t really like makeup.”
“Don’t worry,” she said bracingly. “I’ll be subtle. You don’t need much makeup, anyway. You’re a natural beauty; I’m just playing up your natural assets, that’s all.”
I almost laughed at the natural beauty part, but I knew that would only earn me a glare. So I sat still and let her go to work on my face.
“Nat?”
“Hmm?”
“Relax,” Missy said firmly.
I tried to breathe, but it came out in a short nervous burst. “I just keep over-thinking, I guess,” I sighed.
“I’m only halfway done, and you’re already looking like a different person,” Missy pointed out. “I barely recognize you.”
“Um…okay?”
Missy laughed. “My point is that it’s almost like you’re wearing a mask tonight – a metaphorical mask. Think of it that way and draw confidence from the belief that no one will know or recognize you tonight. So, you can do whatever you want and say whatever you want. You’re free. You don’t have to be conscious of yourself because no one is going to know who you are.”