Bigger Than My Fantasies ✔️

Chapter 10. Don't Hide Your Shine Underneath The Shade

~Three Years Later~

"Can you help me with my hair?" I ask Danica. While I am the fashion expert of the two of us she will forever be better at hair. She manages to comb out my tangles and twist it into a messy yet elegant bun with a braid disapearing inside of it. It's better than anything I'll ever be able to do.

Today is the day I've been waiting for the last three years since I've arrived at McGill University. I managed to go to school throughout the summer and got enough credits to graduate. It's was hard but worth it in the end. I now know how to manage a buissness and will hopefully be able to expand Make Your Own Magic in the near future. Now that I'm able to work full time at Electric Dream I hope to be making more money and rise through the ranks. If so I might be able to include one of my own designs in a campaign and possibly get the opportunity to create more. I think about a red evening gown Phoebe plans to include in Paris Fashion week as Danica finishes curling a few lose strands to frame my face.

"It looks amazing!" I gasp as I gaze in the mirror. "Better than anything I can do."

Danica flips her braid over her shoulder. "I didn't give my dolls hair makeovers for nothing. Now get that diploma and set the world ablaze!"

"Thank you," I tell her as I hug her. "for being the best roommate I coul have hoped for."

Danica smiles as she helps me slip on my gown. "Go get em, tiger."

A little while later I arrive in my designated seat and I see my parents, Rosalyn, Forbes, and Cash in the audience. An agonizing amount of time later I am finnally able to run to them and they sweep me into a hug.

"You have no idea how proud we are of you, Lisalotte." Dad tells me. "You've already made us so proud by doing what so many others thought you couldn't do."

"Thanks, Dad." I sniffle. I'm the girl with the face of stone, not the one to get emotional. But my Mom is a different flavor entirely.

If I thought I was emotional, take a look at her face. Thank the makeup gods for the invention of waterproof mascara. If not, it would be running all over her face along with her waterfall of salty tears. Her pockets overflow with used tissues and I'm willing to bet there's even more hiding in her pocket. She envelopes me into a hug. Am I the only person in the world who never grew taller than their mother?

"I can't believe you're all grown up, ready to take flight into the world of the unknown." My Mom sniffles. "I love you so much."

I turn towards Forbes. "Don't hide your shine underneath the shade." Forbes whispers in my ear as he hugs me.

"Your at a time in life where it's normal to make mistakes because they make you into the person you're meant to be." I reply. "Or at least I am."

Rosalyn positively squeezes the life out of me. "C-can't breath..Ro.." I rasp. As she lets go of me I catch my breath and Pat her back. "You still sure you're not related to pythons?"

"Unless medical advancement comes even further than it already has I am unfortunately still 100% human blood, bone, and flesh." Rosalyn deadpans as I turn to Cash.

"Nice job, Colbalt." Cash congrats me on completing college.

"Thanks, Cash." I reply as I wrap my arms around his neck. At times like this I wish I was taller seeing that my tippy toes are always at work when hugging someone.

After the ceremony ends we return to the parking lot to the old blue Prius of my Mom's. Unfortunately they have to get back to their respective jobs seeing that they'll need to work more now that my income has been taken away from them in order to find a place of my own to live. I tell them it's okay, I have Danica, Rosalyn, and Cash to keep me company. With that, they leave and we are left dreaming in the parking lot.

I change from my gown to a black halter top and jean shorts with Aztec print on the back pockets and sandals after we arrive at a burger joint for a late lunch. Afterwards we go throughout Quebec and go shopping, something I love but rarely do due to money. On the bright side I was able to get a few new outfits to wear to work which is always a plus seeing it is an industry where clothes are the main focus.

To celebrate we decide to go to La Piazz, our favorite bar in the city. It's casual and the live music is always great. We snag a table and order drinks.

"I thought you were a whiskey gal." I say to Danica as she downs a shot of tequila.

"Not after the incident of 01'" she replies as she downs anothor and wipes her mouth. "Now I'm fully alcohol equipted."

I turn to Rosalyn. "How much can she drink tonight before her liver gives out?"

Rosalyn ponders before answering. "Danica's better off since she's taller. I'd say three or four bottles but you never know."

Cash takes a sip of his vodka tonic. "If I had to choose the best bloody Mary I've ever had was in Savannah, Georgia. Great town, great place, and best of all, the straw was a noodle!"

We all sputter with laughter at his comment. When she finnally quiets down Danica stands up. "I'm going to say hi to the cutie over there." I see a ginger guy with a beard and a nose piercing. Whatever rocks her boat.

"Use protection!" Rosalyn calls out as Danica swings her hips as she walks. I wouldn't be surprised if they go further than making out, Danica has always had that charm to her.

"Speaking of which," Cahs says standing up, "I have to go to the bathroom. Don't miss me too much." He winks.

Rosalyn and I turn back to Danica and the ginger. "They could actually have cute kids, don't you think?" I ask.

"I suppose." Rosalyn mumbles.

I study her downcast eyes. "You okay, Ro?"

I hear her sigh. "I've come to a very important decision recently. I don't want to have biological children."

"Why not?" If there was anyone fit to be a mother, it was Rosalyn. She always wanted to help people, she was in Hufflepuff which pretty much confirmed her natural nature.

Rosalyn shrugs. "I'd rather be able to change the life of a child that has already been born and give them hope. There's a lot of kids feeling abandoned in the adoption system and I want to give them redirection."

I smile. "I think that's very kind of you. Whichever kid you end up adopting is going to be a lucky one." Rosalyn smiles at my words and notices something behind me. I turn around and notice a guy in brown jeans and a blue t-shirt with blonde hair walked towards us.

"Merrick!" Rosalyn exclaims. The guy looks up and face breaks out into a smile. They give each other a hug and I feel like an awkward third wheel on a date.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Rosalyn." Merrick says.

"My friend, Lisalotte, just graduated and we were out celebrating." Rosalyn explains. "This is the last place Id think of to find you."

"I'm visiting my folks before heading to Vermont to see my girlfriend. While I have you here I was wondering if I could ask you a question about a medical procedure." He turns towards me. "Would it be okay for me to steal her for a bit?"

I nod. "Take all the time you need. When Cahs returns I explain the situation. He nods and we settle into a comfortable silence of live music and indirect conversations filling the air around us.
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I'm going to keep this note short and sweet seeing that my phone is about to die since I was watching cute animal videos the entire time I was in the car....I have no regrets.

So I wrote this chapter before and didn't save any of it so I had to write it all over again :/ I hate when that happens, especially in this chapter, since I had a really good chapter written and went on to write the next few only to come back and see my hard work not there, and have to rewrite it from memory which has never been my best asset. Oh whale...

On the bright side, here's another chapter!

Xx,
Tay 🌺