DOLL UP

Night came way too quickly for Laleen who wanted nothing but to remain in her soft bed. She stretched lazily as she willed her eyes open, the soft knocks on the door filling her with a bubble of annoyance.

"Who's there?" She mumbled in a sleepy voice as she rubbed her eyes.

"Hotel staff ma'am" a young woman's voice resounded from behind the door.

Forcing her body upwards, Laleen got out of bed and headed for the door.

Opening the door stood a young woman wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a knee-length skirt bearing a professional look. She smiled at Laleen as she spoke, "Mr. Degavon ordered that we assist you."

Laleen's eyebrows raised in realization. She almost forgot she had a dinner to attend to. 

It seemed like Mr. Degavon would be meeting her there. 

For someone who had watched every one of his dates up close, she was ready for anything. As long as she got to meet him.

Opening the door wider, she invited the young lady in, "Sure. Come in".

To her surprise, four other girls followed appearing from behind the first lady.

Laleen stared at them in confusion. 

"Why?" She whispered in surprise.

The four other girls visibly younger than the first lady giggled at her question.

"Of course, we're here to doll you up!" They chorused joyfully amidst their laughter.

Laleen blinked repeatedly, genuinely stupefied. She didn't understand.

***

Staring at herself in the mirror, she finally understood what they meant by 'doll up'.

"You look so beautiful" one of the girls gushed as she smothed over her makeup.

Laleen nodded, a bit dazed. She always knew she was beautiful. Back when she was still a princess, the villagers had told tales about her beauty. Stories she had deemed a bit exaggerated.

But looking at her reflection in the mirror now, she had to agree she was a bit blown away.

Taking a few steps back, she examined the dress she was wearing. It was a silk red gown stopping right at her knees and with a sweetheart neckline. 

The gown hugged her waist accentuating her curves and giving her a charming look. With her long hair let loose from its usual bun and combed backward, she looked ethereal.

"I do" she finally said after snapping out of her daze. Realizing something she tilted her head to look at the young hotel lady she had opened the door for, "Why is it that I get to wear all this? And from Mr. Degavon? I find that hard to believe".

This was the same man who took all of his seven date partners to a small coffee shop.

She smiled nervously as she replied with a direct tone, "I'm sorry I have no idea. We're just following orders"

Laleen could only believe her words. 

"When do I get to meet him?"

Looking at her wristwatch, the lady replied, "In an hour"

Nodding, she walked towards her bed barefoot. One of the girls noticed this and quickly brought the expensive shoes already prepared for her. 

"Let me" she offered as she rushed forward with the red eight-inch heel in hand. 

Laleen snapped at her, "Don't."

Did they think she couldn't wear her shoes herself? 

"But will she be able to wear such high heels? Isn't it too much for a local girl like her" she heard one of them whisper from behind only to be shushed immediately by the girl she was whispering to.

Laleen scoffed as the realization came to her. They think she's a local girl who can't handle such high heels.

Well, she'd have to agree that she'd never seen such high heels her whole life even as a princess.

But... would she be a princess if she couldn't handle a few more inches? Absolutely not! 

Swallowing her bubble of determination, she reached for the shoes from the girl's hand and began to wear them.

Wait... should she be wearing such high heels when she just injured her foot a few days ago?

"Oh well. It's all healed already". Laleen finally murmured in a moment of carelessness.

She so badly wanted to show these girls who's boss. 

Standing on her feet when she was finally done, she almost swayed for a moment. This was almost too much. 

She took a few steps forward, her steps firm and proper, polished with a refined elegance from all her years as royalty. 

The girls stared in awe, a bit shocked. They didn't expect the local girl from the news claimed to be the renowned Mr. Degavon's mistress to be able to walk properly in eight-inch heels.

Wasn't she supposed to be a local girl from, who knows, the slums? 

A smile crept up Laleen's face at their surprised faces. The shoes were pretty and complimented her red dress perfectly. She only took a few more steps forward when she felt a sharp pain on her right foot.

Oh no! Her wound.

With gritted teeth, she walked towards her bed and sat on it. Quickly pulling off the shoe, she examined the sole of her feet and saw a small tear.

Not enough to drip blood on the floor but it still hurt. She sighed in annoyance.

"Well deserved" she mumbled to herself. All because she wanted to prove something irrelevant.

Settling into the bed, she folded her arms like a spoilt princess, her true nature spilling out.

"I won't be wearing this" she declared. The girls broke into whispers at her words but the older girl immediately nodded in agreement.

With a professional smile, she offered, "How about I get you a pair of flats then? Will that be okay?"

Laleen immediately nodded. At least one of them was sensible.

A breath of relief left her lips when they finally left her room. An idea popped into her head and she immediately grabbed the remote on the bedside table.

She was hoping that the story about her had died down. After all, it had been a few days since the incident.

Opting for the news channel, she saw the very opposite of what she longed for. It seemed Amelia really took her promise to Laleen to heart. She was hellbent on ruining her reputation.

Laleen shook her head slowly as she stared at her innocent-looking face on the large screen. The exact opposite of the one she saw that day.

"She's still going on these stupid interviews and spreading even more lies" Laleen murmured with gritted teeth.

No. She'd had enough. Her only option now was to get Mr. Degavon to speak the truth. And then she'd make Amelia eat dirt!