“Well, there is this little thing called the internet. Also if you don’t keep quiet and let me work, I will paint you like a clown.” The way Lizzy was taking it so seriously made Rory chuckle. She just closed her eyes and ran an image of all the money she had made in her head again. This is how it must feel to live without worry.
When Lizzy was done, Rory could not believe what she saw. She looked stunning. It was subtle, natural makeup, but Lizzy just knew how to accent Rory’s best features. The cheeks, the brows, the hair, everything was perfect.
“Oh Lizzy, my Lizzy. This is amazing!” Rory said.
“Thank you. This is the least I can do for you,” Lizzy smiled.
“I feel so bad putting on that hideous dress with such good makeup.”
“As you yourself told me, it’s just one day. Let’s just get this over with and we can get back to our nice, beautiful life in Montcove. I, for one, can’t wait,” Lizzy sighed.
“Amen, sister. Amen.” As she slipped the dress over her head, and Lizzy zipped it up, she was thrilled that it closed. And it didn’t look quite as bad as she’d feared, though it wasn’t the most comfortable.
Rory decided not to travel to the church with her sister’s entourage. Every moment away from Tara and her parents was a relief and she didn’t want to spoil her good mood.
As Rory and Lizzy entered the room the bride’s party had been assigned, all they heard was Tara’s voice, ordering everyone around. She was still getting last-minute things fixed and was an absolute nervous wreck. Rory had never seen her like this before and knew enough to get out of her sister’s way.
“Could’ve come even later,” Tara said sarcastically, as she spotted Rory.
“Hello to you too, sis. You seem to be in a chirpy mood.” Rory smirked, making Tara roll her eyes.
“Not today, Rory. Not today, okay? Please!”
“Stop bothering your sister and go do something useful instead,” Rory’s mother said from behind her. Even today, she has to pick on me. Whereas otherwise, such comments made Rory frown, today she just grinned. She was in a happy place and nothing could destroy that.
As Rory went to sit in one corner, wearing the ridiculous dress, she pulled out the phone and checked her sales page again. T-shirt sales had been increasing steadily and she realized that she had plenty of money to live comfortably for the next few months. Rory smiled as she thought about how she was going to fulfill all the orders. This is a welcome challenge, she thought.
“What are you smiling about?” Lizzy asked her, visibly uncomfortable in the surroundings.
“Well…” Rory paused.
“Well what?”
“I finally sold a whole lot of T-shirts,” Rory excitedly whispered in her ear.
“Wow. Really?”
“Yes. See.” Rory showed her the phone.
“Oh my God, Rory! I’m thrilled. Finally, things are happening for you. Oh my God! This is so awesome.” Lizzy hugged Rory, but was careful enough not to spoil her hair or the dress—that one Rory was so worried about fitting into.
“Isn’t this the T-shirt Arsen wore at that gig?” Lizzy asked.
“Yes,” Rory replied sheepishly. She didn’t want to even think about Arsen, let alone say a kind word about him.
“That was nice of him, don’t you think?”
“Whatever, Lizzy, I don’t think he was knowingly doing me any favors. He probably didn’t even know what T-shirt he had on. You know how these rockstars are. They couldn’t tell you what day it was if you asked them.”
“But Arsen isn’t like that.”
“They’re all like that. They don’t seem like that, but they are. Have you not learned that lesson by now?” Rory was getting slightly irritated.
“Yes.” Lizzy blushed. “Still, I don’t think Arsen is like the others. I bet he wore that T-shirt purposely.”
Rory chose not to reply. Arsen Ford was out of her life for good and as for the T-shirts that she had sold because of him, she considered them a thank you for all the things she did for him and his band while they were in Montcove.
With Lizzy constantly busy typing into her phone, Rory decided to wait out the hours quietly without getting in anyone’s way. She sat in a corner, and when they were told to head out for the wedding ceremony she followed obediently and did as she was told.