It was official. Nicole was in hell. Or something very close. For the last two and a half hours Mark and Maddison had been working on her, plucking and primping. Her light brown hair had been curled loosely and hung around her shoulders in a somewhat elegant fashion. Maddison was knelt in front of her, lightly fluttering her feather-like fingers over Nicole's lids, leaving a shimmering trail of silver eye shadow. Nicole supposed she must look quite pretty, but it was difficult to concentrate on considering she was sat in her underwear that Maddison had bought today. It was a fine lace, strapless black bra with matching thong. Nicole had tried to convince her overexcited friend that it was just a date, and nothing like that would be going on, but she had insisted that the underwear was necessary. Mark took Nicole by the hand and pulled her gently to her feet while Maddison brought over the dress the orange pair had picked out at the shopping centre earlier that week. Nicole frowned as she felt the silk chiffon dress slide over her curves. It was a citrus orange colour, sleeveless with a plunging V neck, pleating over the bodice and skirt with a flared hem. Nicole stroked her hands down the soft material, turning to the side to get a better look. Mark helped add her silver heels then steadied her in front of the mirror. "What do you think?" He asked quietly, squeezing her shoulders. Nicole felt her eyes welling up, then remembered her glasses. She lifted her hands up to remove them, but Maddison pushed them away.
"Keep them on, they make you look... you." She giggled, taking Nicole by the hands. "Now listen, if it looks like it's going down-" She paused and looked to Mark who nodded seriously. "-down that road. I want you to be safe. Don't take any chances-"
"Oh my god, Maddison!" Nicole whines, eyes wide. "We are not having this conversation!"
Mark chuckled then lead Nicole downstairs, he opened the door and beamed affectionately at her. He took a glance at the car which was waiting outside of the Treehouse. "I want you home before twelve, you hear me?" He snapped, mockingly. Winking, he pushed her out of the doorway. "And no later or so help me you're grounded for a month!"
Nicole couldn't help but laugh, climbing into the front seat of Joseph's car. "Wow." He breathed, driving away. "Nicole, you look... just wow." She giggled and covered her mouth, looking out of the window. "I didn't know you and Mark were so close." Joseph mused, trying to make conversation.
Nicole trailed her dark fingers across the cool glass window. "Either did I to be honest." She sighed. "I'm surprised he was able to make me look at least half passible in the amount of time he had." Joseph gritted his teeth, turning the wheel into a car park. Nicole was always like this, she couldn't see how remarkably pretty she was. When she looked in the mirror, all she saw was the computer nerd who spent most of her childhood being bullied on her oversized eyes, being called alien and ugly. But Joseph saw something completely different. He set the car into park and turned to her. "Erm, Joseph, are you lost cause this definitely isn't the restaurant. In fact, this is Morrisons."
"Nicole, you're the smartest, funniest, awkwardest and most amazing girl I know. Not a minute goes by that I don't think about you. My friends are sick of hearing your name. I've never felt this way about anyone, and I need you to believe me when I say that you're not hot, sexy or beautiful. You're a masterpiece. You're my masterpiece." The car fell silent for a moment, Joseph sighed looking into Nicole's widened eyes. He was about to start the engine when his face was crushed by the force of her kiss. The two carried on like that for what seemed like hours, their lips working together as one, and for that one night, Nicole really did feel like a masterpiece.