Adore [H.S.]

50

 Partie Traumatic - Black Kids 

"Hugs and kisses from the girls and the boys, we get automatic." 

ISABELLA

The day of a party is always the longest of them all. Time seems to grow increasingly slower. Making the wait before the actual party a million times longer than it truly was. That was how today had felt. From the moment I woke up, it felt like time was ticking by slowly. 

Yet, regardless of how slow the hours took, it was my birthday. I was officially, finally, twenty-three. 

All the hype that I had put into this age over the past twenty-two years of my life seemed ridiculous now. I didn't feel older. I didn't feel wiser or any of that sort. If anything, I felt the same. It was, in fact, just another day. Another year. It was almost heartbreaking. All of this excitement that I had put into this year, for reasons that are still unknown, has gone to waste. At least there was still a party. 

The morning was as lazy as it comes. Natalia and I had spent most of the morning sleeping and watching cooking shows on the television. We had managed to eat too, which was still a mystery since Jaz and I hadn't gone to the market in days. As the morning floated away, soon it was the late afternoon.  

By the time it was four o'clock, I had showered and shaved. My hair was a wet mess on top of my head. The soft fabric of my fluffy dressing gown felt cozy against my skin. I had been sitting at my dressing table for the past half hour looking at all of my makeup. Usually, putting on my makeup for the day was no hassle. I generally kept everything neutral and as natural as I could (considering I was still wearing makeup on my face).  But today was a special occasion and special occasions deserved special makeup. It only made sense. 

"Red lips or pink?" I ask Nat who is sitting on my bedroom floor curling her hair. 

"Neither. Do a coral. That would look pretty." 

I pick up my coral lipstick. Hesitantly, I bring it up to my lips but am quick to pull it away. "Are you sure? I feel like the colour washes me out." 

"Not at all!" Nat shakes her head. "It compliments your skin tone perfectly." 

Hesitantly, I slowly apply the lipstick to my lips. After careful application, I bring the tube away from my face and place it back into my makeup drawer. I study my face. The colour was pretty, I'd give it that. I was still unsure whether or not it would look nice with my dress. God, why do I care so much? It's just bloody lipstick. I mentally roll my eyes, deciding that this would do. 

My hair stays down in neat, loose curls. A section of hair is pinned to the side with a gold clip. Everything looked good. I was nervous yet excited for Harry to see me tonight. I hoped that he'd like it. Was it bad that I was worried about what a guy thought about my appearance? It shouldn't, really. But, I was still excited. There was something exciting about getting dressed up with someone in mind. 

The moment the silky fabric touches my skin, I am overwhelmed with even more excitement. I forgot how soft the fabric felt against my skin. Or, the way it perfectly hit my curves and accentuated my legs. I wasn't one to be excited about a dress. Especially a dress that made me feel like this. Nor was I one to become overly excited about attention. But, it was a new day and special occasion. 

Perhaps, twenty-three meant a more confident Isabella Maxwell. A woman who felt comfortable in her own skin. Who felt beautiful. Maybe that was the difference I was supposed to feel. The difference that had happened to me. I was becoming confident in my skin and my body. This dress was just the door opener for this new found confidence that I was hiding all this time.