"Wow, look at this place!" As we pulled up to our hotel, I could not believe my eyes. The stories rose high into the sky, towering above, staring down at the hustle and bustle of the city. Just looking up at the top gave me a sincere sense of vertigo. I quickly pulled my eyes back to the road, steering my small but reliable Kia Soul into the nearest parking space. I stepped carefully out of the driver's seat wearing my new pair of blue converse high-tops—the exact shade of blue as my new dress that was now folded neatly in my suitcase. I proceeded to the trunk of my car and pulled out our luggage as Jo stepped out of the passenger seat. She slid her phone into her Coach bag, which she then slung over her shoulder. She shut the door and walked to the back of my car, her heels clicking softly on the pavement. She looked me up and down, her eyes lingering on my tattered pair of sweats and fitted white shirt, as well as my knotted hair, which hung messily in a bun on the top of my head.
"Stella, you know I love you. But let's go get started on your makeover," she stated in a falsely maternal voice. I stuck my tongue out at her, threw my duffel bag roughly over my shoulder, and marched into the lobby, hearing her heels click quickly behind me as she shuffled to get her rolling suitcase.
I checked in with the front desk and retrieved our two room keys while Jo stood nearby, checking her reflection in her phone. We then entered the elevator and proceeded to the sixteenth floor. As we stepped out of the elevator, Jo said, "Look, our room is right across from the elevator! Score! Now I know I won't get lost!"
"That's good. What would I do without you?" I asked in a mock serious voice, as I pushed the key into the lock. I turned the handle and looked upon a much more beautiful view than I imagined I would see. The entire back wall of the suite was made of glass, offering a perfect view of the Los Angeles skyline. The sun was setting, and it placed different splashes of pink and orange and purple across the horizon.
Resorting to my childish nature, I ran ahead of Jo and jumped on the bed furthest from the window. "Dibs on this bed!" I yelled, kicking off my converse and pulling out my hair tie. Jo played along, removing her shoes and even unbuttoning her skinny jeans so she could jump on the beds with me. After about five minutes, we both collapsed, breathing heavily, onto the now messily topped mattresses. Wild giggles started escaping my mouth, and soon I couldn't help the waves of hysterical laughter. I glanced sideways and noticed Jo giggling too, her face turning pink from the absurdity of the whole situation. After a couple minutes, I finally caught my breath and sat up. "I'm going to take a shower, and then I am yours for fixing. No hair dye, tattoos, or piercings, but other than that, I'm giving you full reign. Use it well," I warned, before skipping off to the bathroom.
When I returned, wrapped tightly in a soft white towel, my long hair clean and flowing gently down my back, Jo had set up camp. The entire room was full of her beauty products—a hair dryer, a flat iron, a curling iron, and various hair products in one corner, what looked like an entire Mac counter on the table, and my new blue dress, a black blazer I had never seen before, and a pretty pair of nude wedges laid on the bed. I felt excited, no matter how reluctant I may have sounded to Jo.
Two hours later, a remarkably short amount of time for the extensive amount of work, I stood in front of the large bathroom mirror—hair gently layered and curled, cheeks an attractive shade of pink, eyelids a subtle gray color, eyebrows tweezed to perfection, eyes framed in thick, dark lashes, lips stained a seductive shade of red, fingernails and toenails painted white, and my body wrapped in the new blue dress. The thick black belt cinched perfectly at my waist and matched the thin black blazer that hung gently from my shoulders. The only thing that was left untouched were my feet, which I refused to put into the heels until it was absolutely necessary.
"Well? Do you like it?" Jo glanced at me, biting her lower lip, a habit that showed she was unsure.
I stared in the mirror for a few more moments, building suspense. "Like it? I love it! Thank you so much!"
Her lips immediately stretched into a grin. "Good. Now let's go see the city, shall we?"
"Absolu—"
At that moment, all the lights in our room flickered off, then back on again. I glanced at Jo with a puzzled look, and the room went dark again, only to be flooded with light moments later. We waited in silence a few more moments, but nothing else happened.
"Sketchy!" Jo said in a singsong voice.
"Nah, just some sort of power surge or something. It probably happens a lot in a big city like this," I respond in a calm voice. It was nothing to be worried about, and I was not afraid of the dark in any case.
"Well anywho, we need some ice. Would you be a doll and go get some? You know, after all that time and effort I put into getting you ready?" She looked at me with an expression that was half pleading, half joking.
"Sure thing," I said with a smile. I was feeling very energetic and did not need an excuse to go skipping around the hotel.
"Oh Stells, remember that the man at the front desk said ice machines are only on the odd numbered floors, so you'll have to go to floor fifteen or seventeen," she said from her bed, where her head was already resting on the pillow.
I rolled my eyes, pulled on my high-tops, grabbed the ice bucket and the room key, and stepped into the hallway. I pushed the down button on the elevator, and the doors opened almost instantly, revealing a cute blond boy about my age. I stepped into the elevator, pressed the button for floor fifteen, and then did a double take.
I was standing next to Niall Horan of One Direction.