Acting Royal #Wattys2017

Chapter 2a

JENNY

Jenny stood in a total daze of shock and confusion, and before she knew what was happening, she was being forcefully ushered to her couch and made to sit- whether she wanted to, or not. She got the distinct feeling that at this stage, that if she dared object, she would probably be stampled into place. 

"Okay, where is hair and make-up? And where is the stylist?" Rafiq called out. But before she could even open her mouth in protest, someone was already running a brush through her hair while someone else attacked her with a mascara brush. Jenny's mouth hung open is disbelief as she glanced around at the hive of activity that had broken out around her.

This was unbelievable This was Pretty Woman 2- the sequel, except she wasn't a prostitute and didn't look like Julia Roberts and didn't have the figure to wear that stretchy little dress she wore in the beginning of the film. Oh, and she certainly wasn't going to be netting herself a Billionaire anytime soon either. Okay, this was nothing like Pretty Woman 2. Without warning, someone then started to file her nails as someone else painfully yanked at her eyebrows.

"Owe!" She screeched out in pain and jumped out of her seat. "What the hell is going on here?" She must have seemed genuinely frightened- which she bloody was- because it looked like the man suddenly felt sorry for her. And then in a move that totally surprised her, he gently put his hand on her shoulder and spoke in the most reassuring voice she had ever heard.

"We have exactly an hour before we need to leave for the airport, so there's no time to explain. But I promise you, I promise, everything will be fine and you are going to look beautiful. There's nothing to worry about and I will explain everything to you as soon as possible. Trust me."

"Who are you?" Jenny asked staring straight into his warm brown eyes.

"Rafiq Al- Asiri. I told you." He smiled at her again.

"No. But who are you?" she asked again.

"Someone you can trust. I know it's a very tall order right now. You must be confused and have a million questions, but right now you need to trust me." His voice was so soothing, his face so friendly and his demeanor so calming that for some bizarre reason, she did trust him. This strange, mysterious man, far too over-dressed for the hot weather, way too formal and well spoken with an exotic accent she'd never heard before. She trusted him.

"Okay." She finally conceded and sat back down to endure some more painful hair ripping.

An hour later Jenny found herself standing in front of the mirror staring back at a woman she didn't recognize. The woman's hair was straight and sleek, her eyebrows were elegantly arched, her fingernails were baby pink, and her lashes were long and thick. She reached up and touched her flawless skin. Ran her fingertips over her apricot blush cheeks and played with the diamond droplets hanging from her ears. The white Max Mara dress she was wearing was beautiful and her perfectly pedicured toes peeped out from under it in a pair of gorgeous gold sandals. Who the hell was this woman staring back at her?

"I told you you'd look beautiful." Rafiq's smile was warm and genuine. "It's time to go to the airport now."

"Where're we going?"

"Not we, you. I'm not coming with you right now. I'll be meeting you there though."

"Where's there?" Jenny felt a prickle of nerves again. This was all so strange and a part of her wanted to pull out immediately... but the money. With that kind of money she could pay rent for an entire year and continue perusing her dream.

"I can't tell you that right now, but it will all be explained to you on the plane."

Jenny shook her head, "You know how this sounds, right?"