“I’m going to land myself a God. Don’t any of you get in my way.” She threatens. The other girls nod like good little minions, cringing away from Amanda, but it’s the gowns they’re trying to put on that have me cringing. Amanda can keep the Gods for all I care. I just don’t want to put on some fru-fru gown with far too much puffiness.
Amanda glares at me before pushing past, muttering, “Move bitch.” With my cheeks heating, I duck into the nearest stall and just stand there, staring at the unzipped bag. I don’t want to even touch it, let alone put it on.
“Two minutes ladies.” That same feminine voice from earlier calls out. I sigh and unzip the bag just as the voice begins scolding two of the girls,
“No, Fiona, Mary, you must wear the gown chosen for you. It is colour coded so the Gods can choose you by colour. If you go out there wearing the wrong colours you will be mistaken for each other.”
I roll my eyes and then push the black fabric of the bag aside. A gasp leaves my lips as I pull the most beautiful black gown I’ve ever seen out of the bag. Its sleeves are short with a tiny frill at the end. The back dips so low that once on, it sits just above my ass and the length is perfect for me, reaching just to the tops of my knees. The material is so soft, I feel like I’m not even wearing anything.
I slip my feet into the wedge heeled sandals that I found in the bottom of the bag. I run my hands over the sides of the dress, marvelling at how smooth the lines are. My fingers graze an odd section just near my hips and I let out a startled laugh.
“Pockets in an evening dress. Now I’ve seen everything.” I giggle, pulling my phone and earbuds out of my pants pocket and transferring them over to the dress.
“Come on ladies. Time’s up. Get your asses moving.” That voice calls out once more.
I hesitate, my hand on the lock of the stall. I can’t do this. Maybe if I just stay in here, say that I’m sick or something, they’ll leave me alone. I stand there like a statue with my hand pressed to the back of the stall door.
I really can’t do this.
What if I say the wrong thing and piss them off?
What if I trip and accidentally stab one of them?
Don’t laugh, it’s possible; I read it in a book once.
“Come on, Ryx, I know you’re in there, the other girls saw you go in.” Eric’s voice fills the bathroom and I know I have no choice now. I open the door and peer out, trying to hide my body behind the door. “It can’t be as bad as Amanda’s pink gown; she looks like a poodle with taffeta.”
I close my eyes, pull the door back and step out. “Ryxa?” Eric’s voice makes my eyes fly open. His own eyes are wide as he stares at me. “Wow.” His cheeks turn a dark shade of red, almost as dark a red as they did when he ate that ghost pepper chilli thing a few weeks ago on a dare. I take the moment to check him out, he’s always been a looker, but in a black tuxedo he looks far more, dare I say it, God-like.
My best friend is gorgeous! What the hell am I thinking, standing here staring at him like a love sick fool. I tear my gaze away and stare at the door leading back out to the other room.Please let the building fall down. At least then I won’t have to go out there and make a fool of myself.
“Come on people, you don’t want to make the Gods wait.” I glance at the man standing behind Eric. He’s the feminine voice I’ve been hearing all this time? Colour me shocked, he looks like a macho man, with huge muscles and a beard, but that voice.Woah!
“Well, aren’t you a vision? I’m not sure making you late is such a bad move after all. Simply stunning. Come along dear, give me a proper look at you.” He twirls his finger in the air in the universal sign for spin.
I hang my head but turn on the spot. The hem of the dress flutters out around my thighs, making it look like one of those Latin dance dresses, but instead of making me feel good, it just reminds me of everything I’m now doomed over.
“Simply stunning, isn’t she?” The man asks, nudging Eric in the side with his elbow.
“Stunning.” Eric grunts, his lilting voice taking on a deeper tone as his gaze roams over me from head to toe then back up again, pausing far too long on my chest to be mistaken as anything other than what it is.
It takes me a moment to clear my head from the fantasy I’m seeing in front of me.
There’s no way Eric is ogling me right now. This really must be a nightmare.
“Let’s just get this over with already so they can choose someone else and we can go home.” I growl, grabbing Eric’s hand and shoving past the odd man with the feminine voice.
We’re the last two to enter the hall, which gives me the perfect reason to stop and stare at the hall’s new decorations. Okay, so I’m procrastinating but come on we’d just left here an hour and a half ago and it’s gone from a school hall with bleachers taking up half the space to a full-blown ballroom, complete with sheer fabric floating across the walls in waves and flowers covering almost every inch of available space.
Right down the centre of the room, going from one side to the other, is a table with pristine white silk. Cordoned off by a white silk rope barrier.
I scoff as I spot the gold wine goblets placed perfectly in the centre of each place setting. Leaning over into Eric’s personal space, I whisper, “Why did they set a table? It’s not like the Gods are going to eat during this stupid selection.”
“That’s where they’ll be during the competition. They’ll be taking notes and comparing them before making their choices. I told you all about this weeks ago when I began preparing for this part. We’ll be paraded across the stage, positioned at the podium where we have to answer their questions, do our talent portion of the competition and then we’re led off to the side to await their decisions.”
“What questions? Talent?” I hiss just as the principal steps up to the podium again. “Eric, I didn’t prepare for any of this.”
Eric doesn’t get a chance to reply as Mr Harvey starts speaking into the microphone, “Welcome ladies and gentleman, the Gods will be with us shortly, so please remain standing against the walls until they make their arrival.”