Thea Seattle, USA "Is that really what you're going to wear?" Candace looked at me with one eyebrow raised, her perfect pink manicure tapping on her desk in blatant judgment. "Apparently not," I mumbled. "Correct." Her straight blonde hair just brushed the top of her shoulder as she tilted her head in concentration. She was dressed to kill in a little gold cocktail number. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong with it?" I craned my neck to see my backside in her mirror. I was wearing a grey dress that fell to my ankles. My hair was up in its usual messy brown bun. "Thea, that dress is a disaster. The silhouette is all wrong for your body type. The seams in the top are doing nothing for your chest and I honestly can't believe you're going to wear flats to a classy event." She stood dramatically, her chair legs squeaking as they slid a few inches across the tile floor. "I'm going to have to dress you." "No," I snapped. "Yes," she purred. "I don't even want to go," I said. "I'm there for you and the fancy food." "All the more reason to look hot." Her heels clicked across the tiles with excitement as she threw open her closet doors. "The Candace Lewis entourage has to be as hot as Candace Lewis herself. Well, almost." "I'm your entourage now?" I asked. "Just get your butt over here." She pulled several things out of the piles of clothes in her extensive wardrobe, pondering them for a moment before discarding them in a nearby armchair. "Where the hell is that designer gown I just bought?" "The red one? Candie, that has like no back to it." I walked towards the closet, biting my lower lip. "Yeah, that's kinda the point." She shoved her whole torso between two large coats. "If I had your yoga babe shoulder blades, I'd never cover them up." "I can barely hear you through all that fabric," I said. "Isn't something backless a little too cold for December?" "Well, fashion is pain and all that. Ah-ha!" She emerged triumphant, holding up a long red gown. "Now, get that monstrosity off and put this on." "The things I do in the name of friendship." I slipped my dress off and left it on the floor where it fell. Candace was on me in one fell swoop, sliding the red satin over my head and smoothing it down my body. She stood back and eyed me from top to bottom. "Gorgeous." She clasped her hands together and flashed a wicked grin. "You look absolutely devastating. I'll get my black pumps!" She dove into her closet once more, and I turned again to the mirror. I felt devastating. The neckline plunged, but not quite out of my comfort zone. The satin squeezed every drop of curve it could out of my hips and flared out just before it brushed the top of my thighs. It was hands down the most flattering garment I had ever worn. "Here, put these on. Match it with this ruby lip gloss and for God's sake, Thea, run a brush through your hair." Candace smoothed down her dress and checked her reflection next to mine. I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't argue with her advice. Grabbing the brush, I smoothed out my bun to something neater that Candie wouldn't complain about. She squinted at me and stuck a decorative silver hairpin in it before nodding her approval. "What would I do without you, Candie?" I turned to eye my side view in the mirror with a grin. "You'd die a book hoarder in a dark basement apartment surrounded by antiques and tears. Now let's go." She threw the door open and spun around with a gleam in her eyes. "Its time to watch Candace Lewis sparkle!" ~ L'Atelier Rouge, or the Red Studio, was an over-sized greenhouse in the middle of an elaborate garden. It was the workshop of French painter Marcel Dubois, and was painted – you guessed it - red. The studio had been preserved as a museum and a modern art gallery was built on the grounds in front of it. It was a classy place, for sure. Much classier than our ride anyway. "How did you say you got an invitation again?" I felt a little silly pulling up in the same van I've had since high school, but Candace insisted I drive so she could 'drink her weight in overpriced wine,' as she'd put it. "I told you already." She re-applied her lipstick in the mirror before opening the door and climbing out of the van. "My boss couldn't make it, so she gave her tickets to whoever gave her the best article this month." "This is a pretty exclusive party. Are you sure we're dressed appropriately for this?" I eyed an elderly couple walking in; they reeked of old money and I could swear they both stared at me. Well, maybe it was the rusty van they were staring at. If so I couldn't blame them. "Relax, Thea. I work for a fashion magazine. I think I can pull together a couple eveningwear looks." Candace smoothed her skirt and grabbed my wrist. "Now let's go!" I was practically dragged to the front door where a man in a tux collected tickets and scratched names off his list. Candace ogled the other guests and I tried my best to turn invisible. I thought I was going to die of embarrassment when the guy at the door stopped to rave loudly about Candie's boss and her tickets. When the lady behind us cleared her throat in annoyance he finally let us pass. Once we were inside, the extravagance really started to sink in. It was elegant. Soft yellow light illuminated the room, casting a golden glow everywhere. In the crowd there were women wearing jewelry that probably cost more than my whole year's paycheck. There was a champagne fountain in the center of a huge buffet table. Even the wait staff were dressed in black tie as they glided around the rooms with trays of drinks. Somewhere a piano was playing seasonal music, and a large portion of the marble floor was covered in couples dancing. "Candie, this is way out of my league. How am I supposed to talk to anyone here?" I whispered. "Oh, relax." She sauntered towards a table with refreshments, and I followed her like a baby duckling. "You're here for the food anyway right? Just grab a plate and enjoy the art! Actually, you should find a cute piece of ass and dance while you're all dolled up. You look absolutely delicious in this lighting." "Whatever, Candie," I sighed. "And you're going to be where?" "Rubbing elbows with the rich and famous!" She winked. "I'll let you be a bridesmaid in my posh celebrity wedding once I land one of these hotties." "Of course." I rolled my eyes as she blew me a kiss. Candace scooped a glass of champagne off of a passing tray and waded into the crowd. I certainly wasn't going to follow her, so I took her advice and headed for the food. And holy hell, the food. Things made of fruit or cheese or meats were everywhere. Pastries that looked as though they took twenty minutes just to decorate were stacked on porcelain trays. I had to stop myself from breaking off the head of a carved chocolate swan, as much as it tempted me it was probably just for decoration. Even the plates looked expensive with gold-leafed edges and monogrammed for the gallery. I loaded up on appetizers I'd probably never have the chance to try again and walked towards the art. The food was amazing, but the art was terrible. Painting after painting of tortured gray blobs lined the wall. Maybe I didn't know much about modern art, but this looked like something my niece made at daycare.