We're now at Sophie's family-owned boutique salon, dragged here without a word after I agreed to their crazy idea.
Luckily, we don't have class today. Jhea skipped her class because she was a rebel, and they claimed they had nothing better to do.
Right now, one of the staff slathering all sorts of mysterious chemicals on my hair, trying to tame my dry and curly locks. I'm completely clueless about this stuff, just hoping they know what they're doing.
I'm starting to regret saying yes to this makeover. They're doing all sorts of crazy things to me, and I can't tell if they're actually trying to make me look better or just torturing me for fun.
After they finish with my hair, they shift their focus to my face. I think they're trying to make my skin look brighter and more radiant.
Hours pass by, and finally, they're done. Jhea and Sophie cover their mouths in shock when they see me.
"Oh my gosh, Mira, you're stunning!" Jhea exclaims, clearly excited.
"You have to see yourself in the mirror," Sophie says, about to turn the mirror towards me, but her mom stops her.
"Oops, we're not quite done yet."
My eyes widen at her words. Not done yet? After all this time and all the things they've done to me, it's still not over?
"Oh right, you need to dress up too!" Sophie says.
"Do we really have to? Auntie, it might end up costing me a fortune here in your boutique."
"No worries, dear. What's the point of being friends with my daughter if not for these perks? It's all free." Her mom replies. Auntie is really kind, unlike Sophie, who can be stingy sometimes. It's a bit embarrassing, but I go along with it.
They take me to the dressing room and start dressing me up. When they're done, they look at me as if they've seen an alien.
I furrow my brow. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You're drop-dead gorgeous, Mira," Sophie says, unable to take her eyes off me. They all seem amazed as they gaze at me. It piques my curiosity.
"Can I finally see myself?" I ask them. They immediately drag me to the nearest mirror. "Look at yourself, Mira," Jhea says.
I couldn't believe my eyes. Who is this girl staring back at me in the mirror? This transformation is unreal. "Is this really me?" I questioned, feeling like I was in a dream. It's a bit overwhelming to see myself so different from my usual style.
Jhea playfully hit me on the arm. "Ouch! You sadist!" I exclaimed.
"What kind of question is that? Who else would be standing in front of the mirror?" She scolded.
That's when it hit me. I felt foolish for asking such a question. Of course, it's me standing in front of the mirror. How could I have doubted that?
I gazed at my reflection, taking in the drastic change. I could hardly recognize myself. I couldn't help but admire the person staring back at me. Maybe I should have listened to them earlier when they suggested I fix myself up. I used to think I was content because I had a boyfriend before. But little did I know, there was still room for improvement. I wonder how Liam will react when he sees me now.
Before we left, Sophie's mom gave me some new clothes. I initially hesitated to accept them since everything today was already free, including what I'm wearing now, but I couldn't refuse her insistence.
After we headed out, we decided to make a quick stop at the mall near Sophie's boutique.
We arrived at the mall and I couldn't help but feel uneasy. Everywhere we went, eyes were following us. Sure, I knew my friends were attention-grabbers with their beauty, but now it wasn't just them being stared at, it was me too.
"You okay, Mira? You seem a bit off." Jhea noted as she sipped her drink.
"Well, it's just that there are so many people staring at us," I muttered, keeping my gaze low.
They both burst into laughter at my comment. "What do you mean 'us'? They're all looking at you." Sophie teased, causing my irritation to spike. I wasn't used to being the center of attention.
"You'll get used to it, Mira. Don't worry." Jhea reassured me.
"I sure hope so." I responded tersely. Is this what it's like to be beautiful, to be constantly under the public eye?
"Wait a minute, Sophie, why are you so engrossed in your phone?" Jhea changed the subject, pointing at Sophie's phone.
Sophie looked up from her phone, seeming puzzled. "Huh? Did you guys say something?" she asked, acting clueless.
Jhea playfully threw a water bottle at her. I couldn't help but laugh at Sophie's reaction. "Jhea! You're such a sadist!" she complained, clutching her head.
"Why are you so glued to your phone? It's like you're not even here with us," I chimed in.
"I was just chatting with Ace. He said—" She was cut off by another notification on her phone. "They're coming here."
"Who?" Jhea and I asked in unison.
"Ace and Ken."
"They're not with Liam?" They both looked at me as if I'd said something wrong. Actually, I had. I covered my mouth when I realized what I'd said.
"I knew you would say that!" Sophie responded, laughing.
Jhea sighed. "How long are you going to be hung up on that guy?" As long as I want, Jhea. Don't be so judgmental.
I was about to change the subject, but Ace and Ken arrived just in time. Liam wasn't with them. I felt a twinge of disappointment. "Wait, why are there only two of you? Where is Mira and who is this new chick you're with?" Ace asked.
"It's me, Ace. Don't you dare call me a 'chick'. Do you want a punch?" I retorted.
They stared at me for a few seconds. "Mira? Is that you?! Seriously?!" Ken exclaimed in disbelief.
I shot them a sharp look. Wow, so dramatic. "Yes, it's me!" I shouted back.
"I didn't recognize you. Just earlier, you were so plain, and now, wow!" Ace remarked, his gaze fixed on me.
"You actually made her realize." Sophie added, sounding proud of her boyfriend.
"Because of Ace? Dude, what did you do?" Ken asked in confusion.
"Mira had a wake-up call because of Ace's words. He gave her advice even though she didn't ask for it." Jhea explained.
"Wow, man! When did you become an adviser?" Ken teased. Ace just rolled his eyes at him.
"I hate to say this but thank you for helping me step out of my comfort zone. You boosted my confidence."
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just naturally handsome." What does his good looks have to do with anything?
We chatted and hung out for a while, and I must admit, it was actually nice spending time with Ken and especially Ace. Ace turned out to be quite a sweetheart. He's friendly and clearly serious about Sophie, despite their whirlwind romance. He even made an effort to befriend Jhea and me, all for Sophie's sake. And Ken, who I initially thought was standoffish due to his quiet demeanor, proved to be the most talkative and playful among us when you get to know him. I got to see their different sides, and they're way nicer than I initially thought. Maybe Liam is the only bad apple among the three. I was probably biased because he helped me last night, leading me to assume he was kind.
Why, of all people, did I have to fall for Liam? Someone who can't appreciate me as his friends do, someone who is a bully, a total jerk.
I want to stop liking him, I really do, but I can't seem to let go of my feelings for him.
I was brought back to reality when Ken spoke up. "Oh, look who's here." he said in the middle of our conversation.
I turned around to see who he was referring to. Immediately, our eyes met. He was staring at me, and I found myself doing the same.
Suddenly, my disappointment vanished because I finally saw him. Liam is here.