Lizzie shut the bedroom door, relieved to discover that Kate wasn't
present. She sighed, suddenly realizing that there was a large box laying
on her bed. She walked over, peering at the cover. She lifted it off
slowly, revealing a lump of white cloth inside. She picked it up carefully,
sighing as she realized that it was a dress. She clutched it to her, as
she discovered the folded note in the bottom of the box. She picked it up,
unfolding it carefully. It read simply:
To Lizzie-
I want you to wear this tonight
-Paolo
She felt a rush run through her as she stared at the dress. She fingered the fabric gently, sighing as she caught a glimpse at the tag. She recognized the name as one of the most expensive designers in Europe. This must have cost a fortune. Of course Paolo had more than enough money. He could spend a little of it on her, especially after last night.
She shook her head, demanding to herself that she stopped concentrating on the past. Paolo was sorry for that; he had already apologized countless times. People made mistakes, and, as difficult as it was for Lizzie to accept, Paolo was only a person. No matter how famous (or infamous) he was, he was still just a regular man inside. He was just like Gordo. Just like Ethan. Although for some reason, she seriously doubted that.
Hours later, Lizzie found herself standing in front of a full length mirror, admiring the dress. Each time the soft silk brushed her skin, chills ran down her spine. Paolo must have really gone through a lot to pick out this dress for her. No doubt he had probably felt extremely guilty about what had happened. The look that his eyes had held earlier that day when he had stopped her in the cafe made her sure of that. She smoothed her hair down, checking her make-up in the mirror. Everything had to be perfect tonight to make up for- well, to make up for everything that had gone wrong so far. She wanted Paolo to know that she forgave him, as difficult as it was for her. She needed him to see that she was more mature than he probably expected. Most of all, however, she wanted things to be back to normal. He was confusing her out of her mind.
She heard a car horn beep vaguely and Kate screeched from the balcony.
"Lizzie! He's here! And he's driving! But this time it isn't a moped or a little cart! It's a real car, and-" Her voice stopped as she appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. "Lizzie, what are you doing?"
Lizzie looked up, wiping angrily at her red eyes. She sniffed, shaking her head.
"Nothing, nothing...I....I'm coming," she stated quickly, smoothing down her dress before attempting to push past Kate and into the room. Kate's hand stopped her from exiting.
"What's wrong?" She asked softly, her voice containing more passion that Lizzie had believed she was capable of. Lizzie shook her head, careful not to make eye contact with her.
"Nothing," she repeated, her voice cracking softly. Kate rolled her eyes, careful not to show too much compassion.
"Well, look," she sighed, "At least let me show you how to get rid of those blotchy red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks." She sauntered across the bathroom, pulling out a few cases of make-up from the cabinet above the sink before casting a glance at her. "You might want to go tell him that you'll be out in a minute."
Lizzie nodded, hurrying out of the bathroom and onto the balcony. Kate soon heard her voice, promising him that she'd be down in just a moment. She soon reappeared in the bathroom, her swollen eyes looking expectantly at Kate.
"Do you really think you can fix this?" She asked softly. Kate nodded.
"If I can put up with being stuck in a hotel room with you for two weeks, I can do anything."
To Lizzie-
I want you to wear this tonight
-Paolo
She felt a rush run through her as she stared at the dress. She fingered the fabric gently, sighing as she caught a glimpse at the tag. She recognized the name as one of the most expensive designers in Europe. This must have cost a fortune. Of course Paolo had more than enough money. He could spend a little of it on her, especially after last night.
She shook her head, demanding to herself that she stopped concentrating on the past. Paolo was sorry for that; he had already apologized countless times. People made mistakes, and, as difficult as it was for Lizzie to accept, Paolo was only a person. No matter how famous (or infamous) he was, he was still just a regular man inside. He was just like Gordo. Just like Ethan. Although for some reason, she seriously doubted that.
Hours later, Lizzie found herself standing in front of a full length mirror, admiring the dress. Each time the soft silk brushed her skin, chills ran down her spine. Paolo must have really gone through a lot to pick out this dress for her. No doubt he had probably felt extremely guilty about what had happened. The look that his eyes had held earlier that day when he had stopped her in the cafe made her sure of that. She smoothed her hair down, checking her make-up in the mirror. Everything had to be perfect tonight to make up for- well, to make up for everything that had gone wrong so far. She wanted Paolo to know that she forgave him, as difficult as it was for her. She needed him to see that she was more mature than he probably expected. Most of all, however, she wanted things to be back to normal. He was confusing her out of her mind.
She heard a car horn beep vaguely and Kate screeched from the balcony.
"Lizzie! He's here! And he's driving! But this time it isn't a moped or a little cart! It's a real car, and-" Her voice stopped as she appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. "Lizzie, what are you doing?"
Lizzie looked up, wiping angrily at her red eyes. She sniffed, shaking her head.
"Nothing, nothing...I....I'm coming," she stated quickly, smoothing down her dress before attempting to push past Kate and into the room. Kate's hand stopped her from exiting.
"What's wrong?" She asked softly, her voice containing more passion that Lizzie had believed she was capable of. Lizzie shook her head, careful not to make eye contact with her.
"Nothing," she repeated, her voice cracking softly. Kate rolled her eyes, careful not to show too much compassion.
"Well, look," she sighed, "At least let me show you how to get rid of those blotchy red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks." She sauntered across the bathroom, pulling out a few cases of make-up from the cabinet above the sink before casting a glance at her. "You might want to go tell him that you'll be out in a minute."
Lizzie nodded, hurrying out of the bathroom and onto the balcony. Kate soon heard her voice, promising him that she'd be down in just a moment. She soon reappeared in the bathroom, her swollen eyes looking expectantly at Kate.
"Do you really think you can fix this?" She asked softly. Kate nodded.
"If I can put up with being stuck in a hotel room with you for two weeks, I can do anything."
