Take My Dress Off

by S. Gilmour

  “On what?” Danielle lifted her eyebrows and emptied her champagne glass.

  “Who knows with Donny…” laughed Chaz smiling over to his snoring friend. “The guy loves a party.”

  “The guy is a party,” grinned Danielle.

  Chaz didn’t last much longer. Soon he was asleep too, his weight pushing into my shoulder. Danielle scooted closer to the window and buried herself in a Glamour magazine. I glanced over to Chaz and took advantage of the opportunity to take in his beautiful features. Square jaw, full lips, long dark lashes. How I wanted to reach up and stroke his sun-kissed hair. He took a deep breath and exhaled, his chest muscles stretching beneath his mint green IZOD button down shirt. I looked down the length of his arms to his long graceful fingers. How I wished those fingers were entwined with mine. I thought about his lips brushing softly against mine the night we went to the drive-in. He hadn’t kissed me since that night. All of our time together had been for photo shoots or fittings. I became very aware of his knee pressing firmly against mine.

  “It’s really hot in here,” I whispered and aimed the vent toward my face.

  “It’s probably the champagne,” she smiled. “Or the dead guy lying on you.” She tucked her legs underneath her and nosed back into her magazine which in turn pushed Chaz closer to me. He exhaled and stretched his arm around the back seat. I brazenly leaned into his shoulder and rested my head in the curve of his neck. Delicious warmth spread all through my body and I got lost in his clean scent…

  “Wake up, lovebirds.”

  Donny roused me out of my peaceful slumber. I opened my eyes and squinted. We were in the city at a traffic light. “We’re almost there,” he said peering out of the window. Danielle had moved and was leaning cozily against him reading Flowers in the Attic for the millionth time, Donny’s arm dangling lazily from her shoulder. I tried to adjust my eyes to the light and focused on the leather bracelets that hung loosely from his wrists. They looked so comfortable together. I longed to have that with Dillon but it wasn’t meant to be. Would Chaz and I be this close one day?

  Chaz stirred, pulled back his arm from where it had been perfectly wrapped around me, and grimaced. “How long have I been out?” he asked as he rubbed his shoulder.

  “Like the whole trip,” said Danielle without raising her eyes from her book.

  I reluctantly pried myself from his side and sat up.

  “You okay?” he yawned, stretching his arms overhead. “Did I crush you?”

  I knew I was blushing and straightened, sitting taller in the seat. Donny curiously watching my every move like a Cheshire cat didn’t help either.

  “No, I’m fine,” I smiled. “That ride always gets to me, it’s so boring.” The limo turned into the Anaheim Convention Center and continued down a ramp to a tunnel where we were deposited at the rear entrance.

  “This is how the rock stars arrive, folks. V.I.P.” Donny slipped on his shades even though we weren’t outside. We exited the limo and the driver told us our bags were being taken to the hotel. Except for Chaz, we had all done this show last year so we knew the drill. We also knew the trouble we could get into. Those hair stylists knew how to party and let us have whatever we wanted. Last year Danielle and I were so hung over I almost puked on the stage. I had watched in horror as her long, dark curls fell around her (as she turned several shades of green) and Maddie grounded me for half the summer! We had to keep it low key this time or this would definitely be our last hair show and the money was really good.

  Donny led the way as we trekked down the hall to where Theresa was waiting for us. Theresa Ross was small in stature but she commanded a room with a single glance. She gave the appearance of being much taller than her five-foot-four inches due to her perfectly coiffed up-do. Her lips and nails were always coated in red and her friendly smile never matched the guarded look in her eyes. As usual she was dressed to kill. Her mahogany hair was twisted into a classic chignon and she wore a tight red and black snakeskin looking dress with sky high red heels.

  “Thanks for the limo, T.” Donny leaned down and hugged her tiny frame.

  “You think I sent that for you guys?” she laughed. “You can thank Nexus, they wanted to make sure you got here in one piece.” She scanned us over. “From the looks of you guys, I don’t know if it helped.”

  “Chaz you’re new so listen up and ask the others later if you have any questions.” She clasped her hands, her many diamond rings clinking together. “You guys know the drill,” she began. “You’ll meet up with the stylist that selected you from your headshot. They will show you pictures of the style they want to create and you will negotiate on what you’re willing to do. Remember, you have final say and if there’s any problem, you come find me. I own your hair, not them,” she smirked. “Your dinner is covered and breakfast is a light buffet back here in the morning. If you want anything else you’ll have to pay for it. Don’t try and voucher it later, I’m not covering it.”

  Chaz was listening intently, overwhelmed by it all but the rest of us were nodding, wishing she would hurry up. We’d heard this all before.

  Theresa continued, “You get paid only for the time you are working for Nexus which means the time when you’re in this building. Got it?”

  “Got it,” we replied in unison.

  “One more thing…”

  Donny lowered his head, knowing what was coming next. Last year he got into a fight with a guy at the hotel pool and almost got arrested.

  “Any fights, any of you gets arrested…” She put emphasis on arrested and glared at Donny. “I’m not bailing you out. Is that clear?”

  “Crystal.” Donny’s full lips curled into a seductive smile.

  “I mean it,” Theresa scolded.

  She handed each of us a lanyard with a badge, an index card, and waved us off with her hand. “Go to the room next door, find your stylist, and get to work,” she said. “And no Disneyland. I mean it, Donovan!”

  “Yeah, yeah,” he called as we started down the hall.

  The next room was quite a different scene. There were rows of mirrored work stations and hair washing bowls. Men and women wrapped in black Nexus smocks were milling about meeting with the models.

  “You’re mine,” called a man with spiked, bleached tips contrasted with dark razored sides, a five-o’clock shadow, and tiny gold hoop earrings. He looked like a plump George Michael. “You’re Paige, right?”

  I nodded and he held out his hand.

  “I’m Trent. Oh, honey, you’re even prettier than your picture,” he beamed, showing off evenly spaced rows of bright white teeth. He seemed nice enough. We’d get along just fine, as long as he didn’t want to chop off my hair. He led me to a work station and talked to me in the mirror.

  “Your hair is trés fabulous,” he said and slid the elastic down my ponytail. Then he raked his hand through the waves and shook it out as it spilled all around my shoulders and down my back. He sprayed something on it, grabbed a wide-toothed comb and ploughed through my tangles. I winced as I stared into the mirror and surveyed the room. Chaz was sitting in the row behind, his back to me, a lady with short flame-red pin curls chattered to him as she ran her hands through his golden hair. A look of concern furrowed his brow and his green eyes met mine in the mirror. I smiled and waved. He rolled his eyes. Danielle was next to me. A silver-haired man that was definitely not old enough to have silver hair was trying to talk her into a short bob.

  “No way, Raphael,” scoffed Danielle. “My hair got hacked last year and I’ve been growing it out ever since. You can color it, curl it, tease it, take it out to dinner, but no cutting.” They both agreed on hot pink streaks. Donny was sitting at the station opposite mine so I couldn’t see what was happening to him.

  “So, honey,” began Trent. “What I want to do is crimp your hair.”

  “Crimp? What is that?”

  “It’s the newest trend in hot irons. I’ll use a crimping iron in sections all over your hair and it’ll look wavy like
it’s been in braids. It gives your hair lots of body.”

  “It’s not going to be frizzy is it?” I had visions of me looking like Diana Ross at the Grammys.

  “Oh, honey, no.” He gently pushed my chin to my chest and parted my hair into sections that were held back with big clips. “I don’t plan on cutting your hair but I might need to trim here or there if it doesn’t sit right. Is that okay?” I agreed and was given a paper with instructions for the morning. “Are you attending the dinner tonight at the hotel?”

  “We plan to.”

  He released my hair from the clips and leaned into my ear as he untied the smock. “I’ll hook you up with some drinks or whatever else you want after the dinner. I always take care of my models,” he winked and patted my shoulder.

  I hopped down from the chair and joined Donny, Danielle, and Chaz at the door. We walked back down the hallway to the exit. In the tunnel were several vans from the Marriott Hotel.

  “Hey! What happened to my limo?” Donny’s voice echoed through the tunnel. Chaz slid the door open for us and I climbed all the way across the cloth bench seat. Donny plopped down next to me. “Cinderella, the ball is over,” he hissed in disgust.

  “Welcome to your pumpkin,” Danielle laughed.

  ***

  “I swear this is the same exact room we had last year.” Danielle tossed her suitcase onto the bed.

  “Could be…” I fished around in my bag for my swimsuit. There was a knock at the door.

  Donny and Chaz strolled into the room. “Geez, you’re not ready?” groaned Donny. “Women!” He threw himself onto Danielle’s bed. Her suitcase flipped and fell to the floor, clothes spilling out the sides.

  “Watch it, dork.” She scooped up the suitcase and dragged it to the wall.

  “Forget something, Dan?” Donny held up a pair of hot pink panties.

  “Don! Give me those. Unless you want to borrow them,” she smirked.

  “You sure your fat ass fits into these?” he teased as he stretched them over his head. Danielle dove onto him but he tossed the panties to Chaz. Chaz dangled them from his finger and turned as pink as the panties. I snatched them from him and tossed them into my bag.

  “You don’t need them anyway,” grinned Donny as he looked down to Danielle. “I like you better without panties.” He rolled on top of her and she squealed.

  “Paige, help!” she giggled as he settled between her legs and began to tickle her mercilessly. Chaz stood frozen watching their antics with a look of concern but I knew better. They always carried on like this. Danielle had a mad crush on Donny. (Didn’t everyone?) He rose up onto his hands and kissed down her neck, simulating thrusts all the while.

  “Oh yes, baby, that’s it!”

  She pushed him onto the floor. “You wish!”

  “C’mon, jailbait. Surfs up,” Donny ordered and rose to his feet. Danielle grabbed his hand and he pulled her up from the bed. “Get your magnificent tits in that suit and let’s get outta here.” He slapped her on the butt and she ran to the bathroom.

  Chaz sat down next to Donny and they talked in hushed voices as I joined Danielle in the bathroom. I helped her tighten the straps on her red polka-dot bikini. Donny was right, her tits were magnificent. Danielle was sexy. Danielle was curvy. I wasn’t. My ex-boyfriend, Brit, had once commented that I was a member of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee. Little did he know that I would renounce my membership when I “blossomed” the summer after my sixteenth birthday.

  We walked down to the pool. It was a crazy scene! Music was blasting and the pool was wall to wall people. Some were leaning against the edge drinking, some splashing around. “Wow, these hair stylists know how to party!” Chaz laughed.

  We claimed our lounge chairs. Danielle and I set down our magazines and towels and the guys took off for the pool. I sat on the side of the lounge chair and slathered on lotion.

  “Damn, that Chaz is fine. He must work out, look at his abs.”

  I looked. I noticed. I agreed.

  “You are one lucky girl, Paige.”

  “I’m not lucky yet. We’ve only had one sort-of date.”

  “Well at least he kissed you. That’s a good sign.”

  I thought about how it had been since we went to the drive-in. No phone calls, no dropping by. I hope he didn’t think of us as just friends. That would crush me. I thought about when he pressed me up against his car to kiss me. I had to get out of the sun and cool off!

  Danielle and I made our way to the pool and inched into the cool water. Donny saw us and swam over, Chaz tagging behind. Dipping down under Danielle, Donny raised her up out of the water. He secured her on his shoulders as she screamed, her thighs and hands clinging to his head.

  “Chicken fight!” Donny yelled. “Serna, I challenge thee to a chicken fight duel.”

  Chaz lowered down in front of me and I slid onto his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around my knees as I tucked my legs behind his back. My breath quickened as I stared down at his head between my thighs. I joined hands with Danielle and we started a mercy fight. I was doomed, she always beat me. I screamed as I toppled off my mount and crashed into the water. Chaz quickly helped me back onto his shoulders and Danielle knocked me off again.

  “Switch!” Donny ordered.

  I slipped from Chaz’s shoulders and Donny dove between my legs, raising me up out of the water. He gripped my calves despite his wet hands and I giggled when he asked if I wanted a hickey and bit my thigh. Chaz looked awkward as he tried to balance Danielle on his back. They didn’t fit well together and it made me think of when they had danced together in the summer show. I got a good grip on Danielle and tried to throw her off balance. Chaz loosened his arms around her knees and gave me a wink. She slipped off into the water with a big splash. I squealed and clapped my hands like a little girl.

  “I think we’re seeing a common problem here. Chaz, you suck at chicken fights,” said Donny.

  “I agree.” Danielle ran her hands through her thick, wet curls and squeezed out the water. “That doesn’t count, Paige, you two schemed against me.”

  “Aw, poor baby,” pouted Donny and scooped her up.

  “Put me down, Donny! I mean it!”

  “Okay,” he grinned and tossed her back in the water.

  Chaz shook his head, “Those two. They’re too much, huh?”

  “They should just do it and get it over with,” I grinned and tightened the strap on my bikini top.

  “Come again?”

  “Seriously, their foreplay is exhausting,” I said and swam over to the steps. Chaz followed behind as I climbed out of the pool and dropped onto the lounge chair. He scooted Danielle’s things to the bottom of the adjoining seat and sat next to me. I grabbed a towel and draped it over me, feeling chilled.

  “Are you cold?” he asked.

  “A little. That water was freezing.”

  He took my hand and rubbed it. “You’re shivering.” I pulled the towel up to my neck.

  “This is fun,” sighed Chaz as he leaned back against the lounger. He pressed my hand to his chest and closed his eyes.

  “Yeah, like a mini-vacation.” I closed my eyes too and concentrated on the delightful warmth of his hand.

  “Except we’re getting paid which is totally awesome,” he added.

  “It is work though.” I rolled to face him. “The hair show is really boring. We have to wait around for hours. Before and after we’re up on the stage.”

  He turned to me. “Let’s not worry about that until tomorrow.”

  Chapter Six

  We went to dinner in the hotel ballroom with the other models and stylists. Tables were draped in white linens and decorated with black and gold floral arrangements. As dinner was served, representatives from the product sponsors took their place at the podium to give speeches or door prizes. We were seated at a table in the back with the rest of the models. Alcohol was flowing and the stylists were getting really fired up. After dinner a DJ started playing disco music and people
made their way to the dance floor.

  “That’s our cue, ladies and gentleman.” Donny rose from his chair and placed his napkin on his plate.

  “C’mon, Don. Don’t you want to dance?” asked Danielle.

  “Disco, Dan? Seriously? I’m not that tacky.” Reluctantly, Chaz and I rose from the table and we all followed Donny into the lobby.

  “That was a tragic scene. What time does the pool close?” asked Donny as we waited at the elevator banks.

  Danielle looked at her watch, “Any minute now.”

  “That’s bogus,” called Donny.

  The doors opened and we piled in with three guys. They were all holding bottles of beer and the plump bald one in front of me pretended to puke. His friends weren’t impressed. I scooted away from him and pressed up against Chaz. He wrapped his arms around my waist, drawing me closer to him as the bald guy yelled, “I can’t believe you guys planned my bachelor party the same weekend as a queer convention.” He threw back his beer and his friends looked at us apologetically.

  “Greg, keep it down,” said the taller one.

  “It’s okay. I’m down with this shit!” He waved his beer in the air, spilling it down Danielle’s leg.

  “Watch it, buddy!” she called out.

  “Sorry, doll,” he snorted.

  Danielle turned into Donny and he studied the guy over his shades. Thankfully, we were on the fourth floor so the ride was fast. We exited quickly when the doors opened.

  “What a douchebag,” called Donny as the doors closed. Suddenly, the doors sprung back open! The bald guy flew out and came at Donny!

  “What did you call me, you little faggot?” He shoved Donny and he flew into the wall.

  “Hey, back off!” Donny steadied himself and put up his hands, his jaw tightened in restraint.

  “You back off!” said Mr. Douchebag and shoved Donny harder against the wall.

  “C’mon, Greg,” called his friend from the elevator as he held the door open. His other friend shook his head and took a swig of his beer. This obviously wasn’t the first time Mr. Douchebag had started a fight. He pinched Donny’s shirt between his fat fingers. Danielle screamed and Chaz stepped in, pulling the guy off of Donny.