"Like this?" Rain panted.
"No," Lizzie held her hand over Rain's breasts. "You're too tense. Try relaxing a bit."
That night in the office, Rain tried her best to stand straight without seeming too stiff. "What's the point of wearing an undergarment that only causes shoulder pains?" She whined.
"It holds everything together." Ada mentioned as she sat and watched Lizzie help Rain.
"There's nothing really there to hold." Rain laughed at herself, thinking of how much she was learning from this assignment.
For a full day, Rain practiced her walking in heeled shoes. Ada instructed her to practice in them on her day off from treasurer duties. It wasn't so different from walking in regular shoes. The only difference was she was slightly elevated off the floor, but it felt a million times harder to walk in them without seeming mad.
Nonetheless, Rain kept those heels on for the entire day. She was determined to master this art. After the pain in her heels began to fade, the walking became easier and the balance came naturally. It was almost fun to wear heels.
Once she was back to work Rain wore an actual blouse, topped with matching hat. It was a tailored white shirt tucked under a burgundy skirt that stretched down to her calves. Fin sat by the door on her way in. He nearly fell off his chair when Rain breezed past the entrance, ignoring the jokes that were bound to make way from the other workers. It only made Rain walk taller and strut harder across the length of the room.
Lizzie and Ada were waiting for her near the back. Both ladies held a critical gaze at Rain as she strolled in without tripping in her new shoes.
"What do you think?" Rain held her hands and did a little twirl for her teachers, although she should've kept her surroundings in mind when doing so.
"How 'bout one more spin for us boys, Rain!" Someone whistled behind her.
Rain sharply turned around and caught sight of John Shelby. He stood amongst a few other men who laughed with him. This wasn't the first of his antics, just the first one since she changed her wardrobe. Rain scowled and held up an unkind gesture in his direction.
"That's not very lady-like is it?" He retorted.
"Fuck off, John!" Ada strained.
Rain leered at his smug figure for a moment longer before focusing her attention on Lizzie and Ada. They both brushed John's behavior aside, as if it were normal. "If only Esme where here." Rain spat, anger boiling in her.
"What difference would it make?" Lizzie mentioned before strolling over to Rain, her eyes seemed heavily drawn to Rain's chest.
"What?" Rain asked. Her self-assurance was suddenly lost.
"Where are your undergarments?"
Within the next hour Lizzie went out to buy a brassiere for Rain while she tended to her duties. Once all the men were gone from the office, Ada had Rain sport it on for them.
"Is there anything else I should know?" Rain asked, pacing back and forth, trying to gain some comfort in her new ensemble. "Some sort of trick to fake the comfort?"
Lizzie and Ada both laughed. Rain stopped pacing and placed both hands on her hips. "I'm serious!" she couldn't help but laugh at herself, "This is the most pathetic thing I've lost at, and I rarely lose at anything."
"This isn't a game, little Doll." Lizzie mused, joining Ada by the table.
"She's right, you've just got to embrace it. The clothes make you, not the other way around." Ada stated, as if she were quoting something.
"That could take all night." Rain exhaled, trotting around the office, trying to shake the stiffness out of her system.
"You know what would help?" Lizzie chimed with a mischievous expression.
Ada raised her eyebrows at Lizzie. The pair looked like they were planning a surprise kidnapping. Rain halted before her two coaches.
"I'm up for anything at this point." Rain said.
"Drinks!" They cheered in unison.
The Shelby pub was quite busy that night. Rain couldn't remember the last time she was allowed to set foot in a lively tavern. Walking through those decorative doors with Ada Shelby's hand holding her own was enough to set her invitation for life. As the music thundered moderately in the background and a vast crowd of murmuring voices made their way through Rain's ears, she quickly reflected on how drastically her life was changing.
The last time she was here, the bar was nearly empty and she wore men's clothing. This time she breezed by a sea of finely dressed men and women wearing a bloody skirt and heels.
Ada was presented with a cleared table. She placed her bag on the table, leaving Rain and Lizzie to sit around it. Rain tried mimicking Lizzie's posture, trying to make it seem effortless. She sat a bit taller and arched her back as she rested her elbows upon the table.
The chatter and music around them wasn't powering over their voices, but it was enough for Lizzie to speak a bit loudly in her ear. "You have to stop thinking too much, little Doll."
Rain breathed in deeply before letting it loose and relaxing her shoulders. She leaned back in her chair and placed one leg over the other under the table, it was a collected structure but comfortable. And Rain didn't have to calculate what she had to do with the rest of her body.
"See," Lizzie cheered before leaning in closer to Rain, "You've already caught someone's attention." She whispered.
"What do you mean?"
Lizzie casually nodded her head to the right, "Don't look too fast. Golden boy at the counter." She discretely said.
Ada returned with an ungodly number of shot glasses on a tray. "That should do it!" she opined, placing them gingerly on the table before sitting to the left of Rain.
Rain traced her eyes to the counter. A blonde boy was leaning with his back against the edge of the counter. He was speaking with a friend who sat with his back to Rain. The blonde boy caught Rain's quick glance before she could look away and he flashed a dimpled smile straight at her. She instantly turned away, focusing solely on the shot glasses before her.
"What's the matter?" Ada prodded as she sat down. "You look sick."
"Our little doll's got an admirer." Lizzie joyed.
Ada raised her brows, "Who?" and she began scanning the vast tavern.
"Blondie." Lizzie informed.
"He's rather dreamy." Ada purred. "You should go over to him."
"No."
"It'll be a good learning experience." Lizzie added.
Rain grew uncomfortable sitting between the two women. They were making it a bigger deal than it was. "He's alright." She shrugged, desperately trying to find something else to focus on like the curtains, the ceiling, or the chandeliers, anything but the beautiful blonde boy.
"Drink up, and he'll be more than alright." Ada shoved two shot glasses in front of Rain.
"What happened to your first rule?" Rain questioned. "No drinking, you said."
"Rain, I am your instructor." Ada downed a shot, slamming the glass down on the table along with Lizzie. "And as your instructor," she beamed, "I instruct you to drink."
Both Ada and Lizzie indulged in their second shot. They both swung their heads back and grunted once more as the poison slid down their throats.
"You sure?" Rain asked, itching to take a drink.
"As your secondary instructor," Lizzie declared, "I second your instructor's instructions!"
"Alcohol will increase your comfort, Rain. You've got to get used to wearing the clothes and acting the part until it becomes second nature." Ada intelligently slurred.
Rain couldn't help but smile at their ability to let everything go. Both Ada and Lizzie were working women who wore stylish clothes and still managed to take up a few drinks at night. Not to mention Ada was a mother! If it comes naturally to them, then it should for her as well!
"Why the fuck not?" Rain surrendered, downing one shot after the other. She didn't let the sour taste take over until she swallowed each serving. Lizzie and Ada both applauded in astonishment, cheering her on as she guzzled three shots in a row. The burning liquid warmed her mind within seconds.
"That's more like it!" Ada clapped Rain on her back. "There's the Rain I know!"
Rain closed her eyes and rolled her neck as the music around her soothed her bones. Her bruises were covered, but her muscles still ached now and then. It was the first time she drank since the fight, and the tonic eased her body into a sitting position. She smiled and began bobbing her head to the music.
"Rain," Lizzie called, rendering Rain out of her mind and back to the present. "Have you ever been with a man?" she asked.
Rain cracked a laugh; the liquor was doing its work. She shook her head side to side, her short hair swayed with her. "Do you think I got the right kind of attention dressed like a man, myself?"
"She has a point." Ada nodded.
"Numbers came easy to me," Rain mentioned, "This kind of stuff," She waved, "parties, dresses, boys . . . it was never the priority."
Rain could tell her open speech was killing the mood a bit. The two women exchanged a worried glance. So Rain quickly lightened the tension.
"But things have changed." Rain knocked down one more drink. "Ladies, it appears we've ran out of liquor. While I'm up there, I think I'll have a chat with Blondie."
An approving look was shares between them. Ada held out a hand, paving the way for Rain's departure.
"Good luck!" Lizzie called out as Rain walked across the bar.
Rain had no regrets shield her from this bit of fun. Everything around her seemed brighter and the people musing about were less intimidating. She walked with a powerful stride, but there was a sultry element to the way she held her shoulders up. It was magnificent the way her skirt shifted with her movement.
The beautiful blonde boy stood up casually as Rain neared him. She walked around him and placed her elbows on the counter. Rain was extremely aware of his presence, but didn't make contact. She caught the attention of a barmaid on the other side.
"Three more, please. For the Shelby party." As she spoke, Rain sensed the well-dressed boy turn around.
"What's a bird like you playing with a Shelby?" he said. His voice was deep and close to her. Rain didn't face him yet.
"If you've got a problem with the Shelbys, you've come to the wrong place, I'm afraid."
"No problem at all. I just want to know if I'll get cut for wanting to speak to you."
"Why gamble your life for a conversation?" Rain questioned.
"I saw you down there with your friends and I thought you looked stunning,"
"Is that so?"
"And I really wanted to talk to you. Now you've made your way up here and I thought, if I were to go home without knowing this girl's name I ought to cut me'self for being a coward."
Rain faced Blondie. He was even more beautiful up close.
"Well said." She inched a bit closer to him, her eyelids felt heavier as he neared her. "And if I were to tell you that you definitely won't live to see tomorrow, how would that go?"
"All I ask is for a name, and I'll die a happy man."
"Rain," a voice called out from beside her. The chatter and noise of the tavern found its way back to her thoughts. She caught sight of a taller figure. He wore a nice clean suit, but sported a few healing cuts on his face. "Time to go, get up." He ordered.
"Michael?" she dazed, "What do you want?"
"I think it's best we leave now." he suggested.
"Why?" she challenged childishly
"I'll tell you when we're gone." Michael took hold of Rain's wrist, "Come on."
Rain ripped herself free from his grasp before he pulled her away from the counter. "No, stop! I'm talking with my friend." She neared Blondie once again, almost tripping into his arms.
"The lady wants to stay." Blondie straightened himself off the counter and stepped between Michael and Rain. "She made that clear, mate. So why don't you fuck off?"
The moment Blondie uttered those words in Michael's face the whole world seemed to stop. The music died completely and not a single word escaped from anyone's lips. Rain stood dumbfounded as chairs jerked back and men stood up from their seats, fists ready. She looked beyond Michael's grave expression and found Ada with her palm glued to her forehead while Lizzie seemed to be holding in a laugh.
Michael approached Blondie with prominent footsteps echoing through the pub.
Rain couldn't see his face, but she didn't have to in order to know what he was feeling. Michael stared him down with a cold glare, as if everything about Blondie was a waste of time.
"Do you've anything else to say . . . mate?" he warned.
Blondie furiously shook his head in fear.
Well he's fucking coward after all!
"Rain." He didn't meet her eyes. "I don't quite like repeating myself."