Stiletto Sisterhood

Original Edition: BONUS - Isobel - Love is Love (H&M #Ladylike campaign)

First and foremost, I want to say: Thank you to HM for including STILETTO SISTERHOOD in their campaign, and be sure to keep your eye on their official Wattpad profile, because there is so much more to come.

Of the Sisters, Isobel's always known that she's wanted to be the force of change—real change—in the world. To be a voice for the voiceless, the momentum behind a movement to break down obstacles and sow the seeds of positivity. In this scene she is out on her first assignment following the grizzly New York massacre that shocked the LGBTQ community. This is where her passion project: Passivist Activist will find its legs to stand and take its first shaky step towards the horizon and all its glorious possibilities.

This is an important moment for her, and a terrifying one. As it should be. Because if your dreams don't scare you than you're not dreaming big enough.

Which is why teaming up with H&M was the perfect vehicle to explore this pivotal moment as their #ladylike campaign is all about redefining both societal perception, and shedding the limiting mould of 'gender expectations', to find yourself and your own truth.

So, get out there, chase all of your dreams, and—thanks to H&M—you can look fabulous while doing it.

***

"Are you okay? You seem nervous."

Isobel jerked at the sound of Nneka's voice, softly spoken, at her side. She'd disappeared so deep into her thoughts she'd almost forgotten where she was, or more importantly, why she was here. She blinked openly at her boss and realized now was not the time to dwell on conflicting thoughts of last night. She was here, in New York City Hall, about five minutes away from meeting the Mayor before heading to the site of a grizzly mass shooting of an LGBTQ event in Manhattan.

Three days ago the community had gathered in support and celebration of equality. Men, women—some even pregnant—when a masked shooter had bolted all the doors to the venue and opened fire with high-powered assault rifles. In less than thirty minutes he'd killed or seriously injured almost every single person trapped within those walls.

As police brought down the doors, surrounding him, he'd cried out, 'Make America great again' before taking his own life. A coward fueled by another coward's words of hatred.

"A bit. It's a heavy subject—such extreme hatred," she admitted and struggled not to fidget, or feel embarrassed by her admission. Priya had asked her the same question yesterday while leaving LaGuardia airport and Isobel decided there was no point changing her answer now just because this was her boss. "I've never been close to anything like it before."

Nneka nodded knowingly, smoothed a hand over Isobel's, the rich umber tone of her skin contrasting against the paleness of Isobel's own. "It's the important things that scare us most," she said, "and that's why they matter. Why this matters."

The door to the mayor's office whisked open, interrupting them, and a man stepped out. Dark hair waved from an angular face. Younger than she would have expected for a mayor the city. Clean-shaven and not perfect in its shape but no less compelling than his deep-set eyes which fell to her first, and Nneka second.

"Ladies," he said, inclining his head in greeting. "The mayor is ready for you."

Oh, Isobel realized. Not the mayor.

Nneka patted her thigh encouragingly. "Let's go."

Isobel hooked her purse over her shoulder, a hard-shelled blue metallic snake-skin clutch, and popped easily out of her seat, surprising considering her legs felt heavy, bones weak and her feet hummed with the prickle of pins and needles.