Yanking a wide-toothed comb through her tangled hair, Havilah Sverrir grimaced. She had just finished up her shower, and the foggy mirror was no help to her as she attempted to tease out the numerous knots in her dark hair. She grunted, a sharp pain tearing through her scalp as she grappled with the comb.
"Naomi!" she called out for her roommate, hiking the hotel towel higher. "I need some help! The comb is stuck in my hair!"
"Again? Dammit, Avi! Haven't you heard of conditioner?" With a loud bang, the bathroom door burst open, revealing the tall, slender form of Havilah's friend. She wore a loose shirt and a pair of sweatpants, her silky hair still damp from her own shower. "Let me do it."
With a quick grin, Avi obliged, somehow still surprised at the speed and grace with which her friend eliminated the snarls and smoothed out her unruly brown mane, even though she had seen it a dozen times.
"There," Naomi let go of her friend when she finished, shaking her head in exasperation. "You know, you're gonna have to do this on your own once you go to college."
"I know, I know," Avi sighed, exiting the steamy chamber, the tiles slick under her bare feet. "It's just so difficult."
Rolling her eyes, Naomi sent a light punch in Avi's direction, laughing when the brunette ducked with ease and stuck out her tongue. "Get dressed as fast as you can. It's only an hour until pickup."
Forty-five minutes later, Avi secured the last hairpin. She looked at her reflection, almost as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing, her hand shaking as she touched the intricate braid that lay on her shoulder, small glass beads in the shape of white flowers sprinkled throughout the strands.
With slow, calculated movements, she stood up and stepped backwards, to see herself better.
"Oh…" she breathed, taking in the girl that stood reflected in the mirror. "How did you do this, Naomi?"
She turned her head, looking over to where her friend stood, beaming. A vision in pink, Naomi simply shrugged, the soft, shimmering satin of her gown forming a climbing set of roses, each petal covered in tiny seed pearls, like tiny dewdrops. Her dark skin glowed, and she almost seemed to float as she walked over to Avi, her bare feet peeking out from under the hem.
"I just helped pick out the dress. The rest is all you." She put a hand on her friend's shoulder, gazing into the mirror with her. They stood in silence for a moment, before Naomi gently nudged Avi, grinning mischievously. "Go on, twirl. You know you want to."
Avi giggled, stepping backwards and raising her arms before spinning in a circle, her dress rippling, the light blue fabric the color of a creek at the start of spring, icy on the surface, but with a deep, shifting blue hidden underneath the layers of frost.
Suddenly, the phone rang, causing them both to jump in surprise. Naomi dashed over and picked up the receiver, putting it to her ear.
"Hello? Oh, hey, Miss Hartwell. Avi and I just need to grab our shoes. We'll be down in a second," She nodded, picking up her heels and clenching the phone between her cheek and her shoulder as she began looping the dainty straps through their corresponding clasps. "Yeah, yeah, we'll remember to bring our pocket dictionaries… Mm-hmm. See you in a bit."
Following Naomi's lead and slipping on the pair of ballet flats she had picked out, Havilah absent-mindedly threw her sketchbook and pencils into her purse. Slinging the strap of the bag over her shoulder, Avi stood and followed Naomi to the door, switching off the lights as they entered the bland hallway of the hotel and made their way towards the set of elevators, cheeks pink with excitement.
The elevator music was slow and calm, contrasting sharply with the racing of Avi's heart.
This is going to be amazing! She thought to herself, the butterflies in her intense enough to cause her to squirm. Going to such a fancy event in Stuttgart, of all places! I can't wait to get there!
The ride to the gala seemed incredibly long, and Avi couldn't help but feel impatient, drumming her fingers on her thighs, and staring out the window at the bright neon signs that blinked at her as the car flew past them. Her classmates chattered with one another, laughing and shoving each other playfully, but Havilah couldn't hear them. Her mind was moving too fast, translating words from English into German, figuring out ways to start conversations, the greet the people she would meet, to ask about the things she saw.
"What do you think, Avi?" Naomi's melodic voice shook her from her reverie, causing her to blink as she attempted to ground herself.
"Uh, what was the question?" She asked, blushing in embarrassment.
"Whether you think Stuttgart is better than Munich."
"Oh," she paused, considering. "I mean, I love them both, and it's been really fun to see what they have to offer, but I think I prefer Munich. Y'know, because of its history and everything."
There were a few well-meaning boos from the others, and someone pretended to box her ears, but she dodged the blow, grinning and laughing along with the others. They were still arguing good-naturedly when the car stopped, prompting Havilah to open the door and leap onto the sidewalk, her classmates tumbling along behind her.
The air was crisp and cold, a small wind brushing her cheeks as she took in the enormous building. Warm, golden light shone out of the windows and onto the street, reflecting off the tiny pools of rainwater that had collected between the cobblestones from the previous night's rain. Large banners hung down, announcing the museum's upcoming events in large, blocky script.
Avi made her way up the steps, taking in the rich, elegant clothing of the other patrons, and listening to the soft music that drifted out of the door. With one final step, she was over the threshold, and bathed in the warmth of the room. She stared at the stained glass windows, and watched waiters step nimbly over the feet of the guests as they delivered champagne on silver trays. Like a twig floating on a stream, she was ushered through he crowd, drifting along compliantly. Someone raised a glass in her direction, nodding in approval, and she smiled.
For once in her life, Havilah felt beautiful.
