A HOWL IN THE NIGHT: Chapter 21-25

A small, petite girl opens the door, her golden-brown eyes staring up at me in wonder. She is very slim, adorned in a mini-skirt and a low cut top, but so tiny she looks like a little girl. Her hair is a bright, dyed red, and her skin is a light brown color, probably generated from some tanning bed. She is pretty, though, with pixie-like facial features and pink, kssable lips.

“Hey,” she scans me slowly, crawling over every inch of me. Then she lights up, joy in her movements. “You’re really pretty!” she smiles, her voice peppy. She sounds like a cheerleader, yet I can’t find it in my heart to dislike the teen.

“Thank you,” I laugh, hoping to win her over, “I’m Mona, Ian’s girlfriend.”

“Really? I’m his sister, Lauren.” She goes wide-eyed, “he got lucky this time! You might be the only girl so far that is as hot as he is.” I narrow my eyes slightly. Did Ian hypnotize his own sister to be so adoring of him?

“Yes,” I try to get to the point, “in fact, I’m trying to find him right now. Do you happen to know where he is?”

“Ian?” she peers into the road, then back at me, “oh, he left. You just missed him.”

I choke back a laugh as I realize my plan is working perfectly. “Aw, that’s too bad,” I force a pout to my lips, “where did he go? Maybe I could meet him.”

Suddenly she grows pale, her hand rising to her mouth. Her lip trembles slightly, and her next words seem restrained. “He said he’s going to Sidney’s house,” she says softly, and then her eyes narrow. “You know her?”

“My boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend!” I exclaim with faked recognition, “why would he want to go there?” My mouth parts in a perfect, astounded “o” along with the girl.

“I’m sorry Mona,” her face grows resolute, “but Ian might be cheating on you. He does it all the time… I tell him not to! He never listens to me, though.”

I mold my expression into one of fury. “I need to catch him in the act,” I say angrily, all the while laughing inwardly.

“Yes,” she says, “but I think it is a party where you won’t be welcome.”

This conversation is going perfectly. “What if I somehow get a disguise?!” I ask energetically, as if the thought just popped into my head.

She brightens up also, “that’s a great idea! Come inside, and I’ll dress you in some of my clothes.” Swinging the door open wider, she ushers me inside. For a minute, my eyes are overloaded from all the luxury around me, but then they slowly adjust.

Dark, elegant couches lay beside a roaring fireplace, a marvelous set of stairs to the side. The main room is huge, accented by a very small pond filled with koi. A gorgeous chandelier hangs above me, crystals casting light along the ceiling. Lauren just walks past all this stuff as if it is nothing, starting up the stairs with the click of her heels. Even with her four inch heels she is about five inches shorter, and I am wearing sandals. However, she seems to wear an elegance, a dignity I feel that I may be lacking. This a rich girl’s aura, full of confidence and self-assurance.

I scurry behind her, rather curious to see Lauren’s room.

As we enter, I notice immediately that it is not a huge room. There is a beautiful, queen sized bed, accompanied by some nice dressers and a desk with a huge Mac computer. There must be more than this.

“This is pretty,” I try to get her to show off more so I can see the true splendor.

“Really? You think so?” she smiles like a puppy, “this isn’t even the best part, though!” I laugh as she leads me to another door. It is so easy to read a rich person’s mind.

She slides the door open to reveal a walk in closet about the size of her room, with sofas, TVs, and rows and rows of clothes. I stare at the racks, all labeled with the category they fit into. “I told Daddy I didn’t want a big room, but a big closet instead. And he got me one!” she claps her hands happily, and I get a basic idea about just how rich they are.

Leading me over to the party dresses rack, she calmly surveys me. “Most of my stuff won’t fit you, or will be very short. You will just have to try this stuff on.” Almost immediately she stacks a pile of dresses on me, and leads me to the huge “hall of mirrors”.

“Start now while I find you a suitable wig,” she commands, then disappears into another rack. I stare at the clothes, at my body, and back at the clothes.

Fun.

I slide each dress on, one after the other, wincing at how short each one is. If it is short on Lauren, then that makes it incredibly short on me. Some aren’t even past my butt, and others are like shirts.

I find a simple, yet seductive dress out of the pile, designed to reach right past Lauren’s knee, and slide it on. It fits perfectly, although the skirt hits mid-thigh. I decide to simply settle with that, liking the simplicity.

Lauren waltzes in with a dark black wig, straight and shiny. With a flourish, she pulls out a pair of black stilettos from the bucket by my side and practically throws it at me. “I think we are similar shoe sizes. Squeeze into it, okay?”

She pulls my hair back into a bun, placing the wig over it. It doesn’t look very real, but at least makes me look completely different. I watch myself in the mirror. This will just have to do…

“Thank you,” I offer her my best smile, “now, could you tell me where Sidney’s house is?”

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