Free Testament by Katie Ashley Page A

but—”
    With a frustrated grunt, Laurel grabbed me by the shoulders. “Sweetheart, let’s get serious for a moment. Kellan is eighteen-year-old man, and I think we can both agree that most men think with only one thing. You want to stand out enough to get into the Top Three? Then, you better go out there looking sultry as hell and acting like the spunky talking girl who won him over this afternoon.”
    She then shoved me behind the partition and handed me the dress. “Fine. But it doesn’t say much for Kellan that I need to look like a slut to win him over.”
    “Once again, you need something to stick out above the crowd. You’ll see he’s more than a sex-crazed maniac when you get to know him.”
    Grudgingly, I removed the evening gown and slid the dress off the hanger. I had to admit it was gorgeous. I couldn’t wait to feel the satin material on my skin.
    As I stepped into the dress, the material suctioned to me. It hugged every curve I had and then some I never, ever imagined I had. “Um, Laurel, did you get Naomi to take this dress in or something?”
    “Of course not. She couldn’t possibly have had time,” she replied indignantly.
    “Whatever,” I mumbled. When I came out from behind the partition and started towards the mirror, I gasped. The dress had two thigh length slits. Whenever I walked, the satin material slid to give an ample peek at my upper thighs. I began to doubt whether I really had the strength to pull this off. “Oh, this is bad…very bad.”
    “But Kellan likes bad, so that means you’re very, very good.”
    Someone cleared her throat, and I glanced over to find Naomi standing with two large glittering objects in her hands. “What are those?”
    “They’re your wings,” she replied.
    I arched my eyebrows skeptically at her. “And why do I need wings?”
    Before Naomi could answer, Laurel’s free hand swept to her hip. “Well, your costume is supposed to be a nymph, right?”
    “Well, yeah.”
    “I rest my case.”
    “How in the world did you find those quickly?” I asked.
    “Actually, there’s a whole treasure trove of vintage costumes and clothes in an old banking vault in the basement. Some of the stylists and I have been down there before cataloguing and inventorying clothes, so I had a pretty good idea of what was available. I have a feeling some of the prima donnas from the hill will have some help with their costumes.” She motioned for Naomi to fix the wings while she started getting out my make-up.
    “The wings were actually my idea,” Naomi said in a low voice. “I knew they would help to conceal your tattoo.”
    “Oh,” I murmured. I met her eye in the mirror. “Thank you for thinking of that.”
    She nodded as she attached the wings to the dress’s straps, winding extra thread around them to keep them upright. “There, all done.”
    Even with my less than zero self-esteem, I had to admit I looked hot. Laurel had truly transformed me with just a simple dress and wings into a full-fledged nymph. Now, all I needed was her to work her magic with my make-up and hair, and everything would be complete.
    Laurel glanced at me in the mirror and then wolf-whistled. “Damn girl, that’s some more outfit.”
    “You think so?”
    “Oh yes, I know so.” She shook her head and grinned. “I’m gonna have to hang out backstage, so I can see the look on everyone’s face when you walk out on the stage.”
    I chewed on my bottom lip. “You think it’ll be that bad?”
    “Oh yeah…but I think it’ll do the trick. Now have a seat, so I can get busy.”
    Having nymph wings made getting ready rather difficult to get ready. Laurel ended up having to drape the bed sheet over my dress, so I wouldn’t get makeup on it. Even though she talked a mile a minute, I don’t think I heard a word she said. My head was too clouded with thoughts and fears.
    Laurel broke through the fog by jerking the sheet off of me and shouting, “Voila!”
    Startled, I stared up at her.