Dressing Up

Sarah gasped as she heard her cousin's decision.

Her mouth and eyes grew wide as she stared at Violet. "So you have really decided about going on that date?" Sarah asked as she trailed after her cousin into the kitchen. She had walked into the bakery with a paper bag in her hand and had been pestering Violet with questions.

Violet nodded. "Yeah. I'm leaving as soon as I finish a few tasks," she said as she popped the last batch of green tea cupcakes into the oven. She then put a hand on her waist and raised a brow to Sarah. "Why are you here again? Are you so free as a trainee? Aren't you supposed to be training?"

Sarah decided to ignore her cousin's questions. She then glanced at Evan, who was filling the cupcake liners with chocolate cake batter using an ice cream scoop. Turning back at Violet, Sarah then asked, "Do you need our help to sabotage your first date?"

Violet waved a hand. "No. I'll be fine. I have promised my mom I'll be nice and play nice. So, I'm going to meet this guy first and see what he looks like. We're going to talk a bit before I decide what I want to do next."

"Should we come with you?" Sarah suggested. "Just in case you might need a backup if this meeting turns ugly."

"Thank you," Violet said. "But I think I'll survive."

Seeing that Violet had made her decision, Sarah was more at ease. Since Violet had decided, Sarah decided to support her decision.

Sarah grabbed one of the cupcakes in the rejected cupcakes tray and stared at the slightly ugly cake before she took a bite. "So, what are you wearing? You... are not going with that outfit, aren't you?" She asked, pointing to Violet's blue worn-out jeans, and grey short-sleeved t-shirt.

Violet snorted. "Of course not. My mom would nag me for hours if she found out that I went on this date in this outfit. I'm going to change into some dress I brought with me."

Even if she did not like this blind date, she was not crazy to show up in her jeans and t-shirt. Besides, she has been working in the kitchen in this outfit. Her body sweat and she was not comfortable in it. 

"Really?" Sarah's eyes brightened as she wondered what was her cousin planning to wear later. "Can I look at what you're wearing?"

"Sure. It's in my locker. You know my passcode."

Sarah went into the changing room and took out the dress from Violet's locker. It was a long-sleeved, black-printed smock dress with black French laces along the hem. She hung the dress back into the locker and went to the kitchen. "You're going to wear that black dress in that closet?"

Violet nodded. "It was the most decent outfit I could find given the time. What is wrong with that dress?"

"You're wearing black," Sarah deadpanned.

"Yes," Violet nodded. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't be wearing that dress?"

"People wore black at funerals," Sarah said. Her hands were on her waist. "Because black is the color of gloominess. People shouldn't be wearing black on the first date."

"I don't mind wearing them," Violet said with a shrug. "It's not like I am going to dress to impress. Plus, I thought black was supposed to be chic?"

"Most of them, yes. But your dress doesn't look like one. I mean, what's with the frills? Where on earth did you get that dress anyway?" Sarah sighed when her cousin pouted. "Look. You're a happy person. You should wear something cheerful. Something that matches your mood."

"Well, I think black suits my mood right now," Violet muttered to herself. "Going to this date feels like attending a funeral to me."

"Wait a minute..." Sarah reached for a paper towel on the counter and wiped some buttercream off her hands and mouth. She then rummaged through her paper bag and pulled out a dress. It was an ankle-length ivory dress with a baby pink daisies belt. She placed the dress on the clean kitchen top and pulled out another baby pink cardigan with a small flower brooch on the left breast from the paper bag. "I knew that this was going to happen. So I prepared this for you."

"Wait. Why do you have that dress with you?"

"When you told me that you're going to this date, I knew that I need to prepare you a backup outfit."

Violet looked at her incredulously. "What?"

"I can't trust you and your fashion sense. Look," Sarah took a step towards her. "I may not agree that you decided to go on this date, but I cannot allow you to make this fashion crime. Anyway, pink goes really well with you, Violet. I really think that you should be wearing this one."

"I already have one dress," Violet pointed out. "I don't need another one!"

"You're not going to step out of the bakery wearing that! You could wear that gloomy dress at my funeral. Not on this date. Not on any other date, ever," Sarah argued. "What do you think, Evan? This one is much prettier, right?"

Evan looked up from his cupcakes and studied the dress in Sarah's hand. "I'm not a fashion expert." He said with a shrug. "But, yeah. Sure. I bet you would look good in that one. It's colorful and cheery. And I thought you're a fan of pink?"

Violet eyed the outfit and held her hands up to surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll wear it."

"So… what are you waiting for?" Sarah said. She shoved the outfit back into the paper bag and pushed Violet towards the locker room. "Go and change now!"

"Now?" Violet protested. "But I have a few more cupcakes to work on!"

"Evan and others could take care of that," Sarah said, thrusting the paper bags into Violet's hand. "You said that you have less than thirty minutes before this meeting. You surely don't want to give a bad impression on your first date, do you?"

Violet took the paper bag reluctantly. She walked to the locker room, took a quick shower, and changed into Sarah's selected outfit. She applied some powder, eyeliner, and pink lip gloss. All eyes were on her when she walked out of the changing room.

"Not bad," Sarah said, as Violet walked towards them in Sarah's chosen outfit. "I always know that I have a better fashion sense than you."

Violet scoffed at her opinion. However, she did agree that she looked pretty in that dress. The light makeup made her look radiant.

"I have to go now," Violet said. "I don't want to be late. Evan, I trust you to take care of everything while I'm not here, alright? If there's an emergency, you can call me, or find me in Frosted Cafe."

"Alright." Evan nodded.

"Have fun!" both Sarah and Evan chorused.