Black Velvet

"Alex I don't even know how much I want Mr. Way, it's just screwing with me that he treats me like a seventeen year old school girl with a crush," I rambled, taking a mouthful of coffee midway through my sentence.

"You are a seventeen year old school with a crush," Alex said, her brow furrowing. I sighed and leant back into the light blue, satin couch cushions, "Look, I'm your friend Mia, I at least want you to have a shot," Alex then added, leaning towards me.

"Why wouldn't I have a shot now?" I questioned.

"Well..." she hesitated, "You're kind of quiet and naive. You should radiate confidence and sophistication. You radiate," she stopped again, "you don't really radiate and that's the issue," she finished. There was no way I could take her comment kindly so I sloped further into the cushions, groaning under my breath.

"What do I do then?" I asked, feeling defeated.

"You need to change up your attitude. Like me. I don't let people treat me like shit and you shouldn't either. You're not like Georgina and Marnie and Taylor. You're Mia. You can be someone. You can be like me," Alex said, her eyes staring at me intently.

"Why do you think Mr. Way would like me being you anymore than he likes me being me," I asked her, barely understanding her ideas.

"Think of Abbie. You've spoken to her before, right? She owns The Hartford Arena, she hosts her own art shows. She's like me. We both know what we want and we both don't give a fuck if some little bitches get in our way." Alex explained, still staring at me intently, "Did you not see the way she looked at you in the dress boutique, that's how Mr. Way looks at you. He knows what he's doing, he just knows you won't say anything. Don't let him get his power kicks out of you," she said, shrugging.

I sat and tried to ponder over what Alex had said. It felt like she was talking sense, although I didn't fully understand what she wanted me to do. I simply nodded and took a sip of my coffee.

"Plus show a little more skin, you're so covered up in your uniform," she smirked whilst flipping her hair up into a messy ponytail.

"Marnie fixed my skirt-"

"Yeah by an inch. I'll fix it properly for you tonight and you can borrow some of my shirts, you've got such a great body Mia, no one will ever see it when you're drowning in all that material," she ordered, standing up before rummaging around in her desk, pulling out a small sewing kit.

"It makes me look weird-" I tried to start again before she interrupted.

"Grow up, Mia." Alex suddenly spat at me. I sat rigidly in my place, awkwardly swallowing. Alex strode over to me and I gingerly took off my skirt, handing it over to her, "And for the love of God please get some better panties, stop getting Deb to buy all your clothes. Times have changed," she added, shaking her head whilst trying to poke a string of thread through a needle. Stung I simply nodded, still not used to Alex when she was in this mood.

The next morning I got up early to get ready for school. As ordered I carefully curled my hair and bobby pinned it into a messy bun. Then I lined the top lid of my eyelid with black eyeliner, constructing a wobbling flick. Living with Deb and dad did have it's downsides. Deb never wore make up so I had missed out on bra shopping and sharing heels. I added some bronzer and lip balm, lastly wiggling a mascara wand up my eyelashes.

My new and improved uniform was now the tightest outfit in my closet. Alex's shirts were shorter and fitted at the waist. My skirt now skimmed just below my panties and although Alex had promised no one could see up my skirt, I spent a good five minutes trying to pull it further down.

"Oh wow," Deb said when I entered into the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"Is it that bad?" I asked, nearly tearing up. She was staring at me from the kitchen table, hunched over a bowl of cereal.

"No, no. I mean the skirts a little short but you look very ...grown up," she smiled. I smiled back at her, appreciating her attempt at a compliment.

I had art second period but I met Alex for homeroom before we went to English together. For some reason school felt different, people were staring at me more, they moved aside if I walked by. We walked down the corridor, her arm linked in mine and for once I didn't feel like she was dragging me down the corridor. I felt proud of my new friends.

"See how people are looking at you," Alex said quietly in my ear. We got to homeroom and both sat down together. Marnie, Taylor and Georgina were also in the classroom and they were sat in front of us, "I'm going to go to the ladies, ask one of the girls to slip out and grab me a coffee. I am so tired," Alex murmured to me, pushing her chair back so she could stand up.

"Why can't you get it?" I asked her awkwardly, my eyebrow beginning to raise.

"Why should I when one of them could?" she shrugged, sitting back in her chair with her arms folded. I stumbled for a second before clearing my throat.

"Hey guys," I asked, leaning forward. All three of them turned round like expectant kittens, their long eyelashes blinking at me, "Could one of you go grab Alex a coffee please?" I asked, sounding and feeling horrible.

"Why can't you go?" Marnie asked me, exchanging glances with the other girls.

"Because she asked one of you to go?" Alex suddenly cut in, standing up to go to the bathroom. Glances were exchanged again and Marnie got up awkwardly, following Alex out of the classroom. I smiled awkwardly at Taylor and Georgina who also gave me a strained smile back. I felt bad and all the way through homeroom and English I wondered how Marnie would react to me when we had Art together.

I strode down the corridor alone, keeping my head high. I floated through effortlessly, slightly enjoying my new found popularity handed to me by Alex. I saw Marnie ahead and made a B-line towards her.

"Hey babe," she beamed, kissing me on the cheek and slotting her arm into mine. I smiled at her also and we started to walk down the corridor together.

"I'm sorry about earlier-" I began before she interrupted.

"It's fine Mia," she smiled. I simply nodded and walked with her to Art class, "You look great by the way, Alex really did a good job compared to me," she said as we walked through the field.

"You did a great job! I loved everything you did," I told her, smiling brightly.

"Alex didn't think so, she was not happy," Marnie said gloomily, "Although I think it was because she was super protective over you so she didn't want me to mess it up," she added, her tone still miserable.

"You should tell her if she upsets you," I said as we neared the art studio.

"But I'd never want to upset Alex," she replied quickly, shaking her head as she said it.

Notes

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