Hollywood Heights! Leddie must go on

chapter 29

Loren sat in front of the mirror staring at her reflection. She always thought her nose was too big and her ears stuck out too much. Her hair lacked brilliancy, and she was way too short, but the girl staring back at her wasn't worried about any of that. The girl staring back at her was about to perform in front of an audience of possibly millions. She had no room for self doubts.

A little voice in her head also told her that she was in danger. The people whom she loved were in danger. A woman was dead. Loren tried to wrap her mind around that, but she couldn't come to terms with it. Who would kill over something like this? That was the only negativity she would allow to creep into her thoughts, and only so she could be prepared for anything tonight.

"Are you ready?" Eddie said as he came up behind her and leaned on the back of the chair.

Loren saw he was wearing black pants and a fitted jacket that was a bit more gray but could still be called black. His buttoned-down shirt was black and the look was completed with a black and gray tie. His charming smile was ever present and still made her stomach do somersaults.

"It took you about ten minutes to put that on, right?" Loren laughed as she stood up.

"Twelve," Eddie answered. He leaned in to kiss her, but Loren pulled back.

"This makeup took an hour and a half," Loren said. "Kelly would kill me."

"I can't kiss you at all tonight?" Eddie asked with a slight pout.

"After the red carpet," Loren said as she blew a kiss at him.

"Don't you dare!" Kelly screeched as she walked into the bedroom and saw Loren's puckered lips get close to Eddie.

Loren laughed and walked past both of them into the living room. While Mel, Ian, Nora, Max, and everyone on the style team gushed over how she looked, Loren caught her reflection in the full-length mirror. Her purple dress had a deep "V" down the front and cinched with a silver broche on the left side of her waist. The skirt fell a few inches above her knees showing her shapely legs. Her matching purple heels gave her an extra five inches of height, which was much higher than she was used to.

"Are you sure my shoes have to be this high?" Loren asked nervously.

"Yes," Mel and Kelly said in unison.

More words of encouragement and praise came from everyone in the room, but Loren turned her eyes to one person for her opinion.

"You look perfect," Nora said.

Loren rapidly blinked trying to keep her tears at bay.

"No, no, no," Kelly said. "Let's get going before you ruin your makeup."

"I'll see you at the label after party," Mel told Loren as she gave her a hug. "You look fantabulous."

"Okay, let's go," Kelly said ushering Eddie and Loren out of the room. Loren was in a fog as everyone hugged her and gave her well wishes. She only came back down to reality when she was in the limousine waiting in a long car line to make their entrance on the red carpet.