Into the Light

37 Anna's POV

"Same here. Everything else doesn't take long. I don't know why you girls always need so much time," Brennen said. "Because magic takes time. Don't you know anything, Brennen?," Corey answered, smacking his lips. Brennen and Colby exchanged a look and laughed. "Okay, I'll wait until you have time to show me what you got. Go ahead and change," Colby said, pushing the bags away from him. I nodded and started walking to the bathroom with my bag. "Oh and Anna?" he called out. I turned back to look at him. "I can't wait to see what you're wearing for tonight," he said, with his gaze burning into mine. I gulped, and smiled. My brain couldn't come up with any words to say back, so I just turned back around and locked myself in the bathroom. I stared at myself in the mirror, and cringed. My face was flushed red, my lips were chapped, and my hair was wind blown so badly that I was going to need a chainsaw to hack through it all. Did I have time to take a shower? It wouldn't take long. Had I even taken a shower since I had been brought back? Oh my God, no! I needed a shower. I stripped my clothes off, and set the water temperature to almost boiling. I was so tense that I needed the heat to melt it off. When I stepped under the strong spray, I sighed in contentment. I hadn't realized how much I had missed a good shower. If I didn't have to hurry and get ready, I would stay under this hot spray until it ran cold. But I did have to hurry. I opened my eyes and got to work washing my long hair, and washing the dirt and grime from my body. The hotel shampoo and conditioner wasn't' bad either. It smelled really good, like peaches, and left my hair feeling smooth. Once I was finished, I turned the water off, leaned over to grab my towel that I had left on the bar that was on the outside of the shower, and wrapped it around myself. I wasn't sure how long that had taken me, but it couldn't have been that long. Kat and Tara might be here pretty soon though. I stepped out, wrung the excess water from my hair, and plugged up the blow dryer that was hanging on the wall. I was thankful that blow dryers still worked relatively the same way, as they did back in the 80's. It felt like it took me forever to dry my hair. So long that my arms physically hurt by the time that I was finished. Maybe I should cut it...hmm, that was an idea. A knock on the door was followed by Tara's voice. "Hey, let us in! We've got work to do!" I laughed and unlocked the door. Tara walked in carrying a couple of makeup bags, followed by Kat, also carrying a couple. How much makeup did they think I needed? Kat saw me eyeing the bags apprehensively and smiled. "Don't worry. We just brought a lot of choices." "We've gotta do something with all of that hair too," Tara mused, tapping her chin. "What's wrong with my hair?" I asked, looking in the mirror again. I mean, it was nothing special, but I usually just brushed it out and wore it down. "Nothing is wrong with it. I just think that it could do with a few waves, or something. Maybe an updo...yeah, that might be better, since we'll be dancing. That okay with you?" she responded. I shrugged. "I guess so. Do whatever you think is best." She smiled. "Awesome! Sit on the toilet lid so that I can reach you." I walked over to the toilet and let the lid down, before I sat. "Okay. Work your magic," I said, closing my eyes. They giggled, before my face was attacked with lotions and powders. "Ouch!" I exclaimed, when a sharp pain pulled at my eyebrows. "Sit still! They're going to come out all lopsided, if you don't!" Kat warned. I cringed with each pull, but sat as still as I could. I had never really tweezed my eyebrows before. I hadn't needed to, in my time. After my back and neck started to get stiff, I tried to move just a little every few minutes. "Stop fidgeting," Tara ordered. "We're almost done." I sighed, and parted my lips so that they could do whatever they needed to with them. "Okay. We're finished. And girl, you are fucking gorgeous! Take a look!" Kat exclaimed. I opened my heavily made up eyes and stood. "I feel like I have a ton of makeup on my face," I whined. "You do, but it looks great! It's nightclub makeup, not every day makeup. There's a difference," Tara explained. She physically turned my waist, so that I was facing the mirror. There I stood, or I think it was some form of me, in nothing but a towel, looking like a beauty queen. "Wowww," I breathed out, turning my face from side to side. They had really worked some kind of magic. Even I thought I was hot! My complexion was clear and smooth. My eyes were done in a meld of colors that looked like a sunset, with a touch of sparkly white in the corners of my eyes. My cheekbones made my face look smaller, my nose was thinner, and my lips were more full, painted in a deep red that I would have never thought to use. They were fucking artists! "Let us help you get your dress on, so that you don't muss your face," Kat insisted. "Oh, um, but I'm naked," I replied, stupidly. "Yeah," she said. "We know. Does that make you uncomfortable? Haven't you ever changed around your girlfriends before?" "Well, yeah, but just one. My best friend Holley...but we grew up together," I replied, holding the ends of my towel, like they were a lifeline. "Okay, since you're clearly uncomfortable, how about you put on your bra and underwear. Then we'll help you get your dress on. Does that sound better? It's just like your bathing suit. Actually, your underwear probably covered more than the last bathing suit I saw you in," Kat replied. "But it was your suit!" I exclaimed. "I know," she laughed. I smiled and nodded. "Okay. I'll do that. Just turn around or something." "Be careful with that face," Tara said, holding her hands over her eyes. "Yes ma'am," I replied.