Narrator-
The next day, Liliana woke up feeling both nervous and excited. She had called her parents the night before when they had reached the hotel, but her parents did not answer, and earlier that morning, she called again and received no response. Lili also called Chamille, but just like her parents, she did not answer.
While at breakfast, Liliana told Frantz about it, and he simply replied, "I'm sure they're either sleeping in, and maybe occupied, don't worry, you'll be able to hear from them soon." He reassured, but that did not ease Lili's worries. Throughout the day she attempted to clear her mind by thinking about the upcoming ball, and how she'd have to face Frantz's crowd. Liliana then thought about what she would do if Christina showed up.
Liliana-
I sat in the living area, sipping on chamomile tea, my index finger tapping my cup as I compensated what I would do if I saw Christina again. Well for one, if it came down to a confrontation, I'd rip her a new one. After I let Christina manipulate me and push me to the point of almost forcing myself on Frantz, I knew I had to grow a pair and tell her to back off. As much as I hated name calling, Christina is a snake, and as far as I was concerned, she was hissing a little too close to my man.
Besides my worries about seeing Christina, I was still feeling uneasy about my parents and not being able to reach them. There was also a constant flutter in my stomach, as if something big was going to happen soon, except I didn't know what it was. Maybe it was just excitement for tonight's ball. This would be my third time attending a ball with Frantz, but only my second time attending a ball with him as his girlfriend. I guess I've always felt nervous whenever I had to mingle in his world. Yet there was still a lingering excitement in the back of my mind which just wouldn't go away. Whatever it was though, I only hoped it was good news.
When the time came for me to get ready for the ball, which Frantz seem more than anxious to attend, there came knock from the door, and swinging it open, I was met with a "Daarliing!" from Sandra, who, even though I knew her real name, I still think that Edna fit her better, and of course Marco.
This time, when Sandra entered the suite, I noticed that she only carried one dress in her arms, and Marco had his usual to go make up section. I welcomed the pair in with a bright smile, and left them to set up, while I rushed to her bathroom for a quick shower. When I had just exited the shower, the phone in my room rang, and initially I thought it was my parents, but then I realized that it wasn't.
I didn't mean to sound disappointed when I answered the phone, but my soft, "hello?" was just that.
"Hey babe," Frantz answered rather anxiously, "are you alright?" He asked, and I could feel his frown through the phone.
"Yeah, I guess. It's just weird that my parents are not answering their phones, you know? I'm getting kind of worried. If I don't hear from them soon, I might have to fly back tomorrow." I explained as I sat on the bed and began applying lotion on my skin.
"Oh, I'm sure they're fine. Listen, I think Marco and Sandra should've arrived by now right?" Frantz asked, and I replied, "yep, I'm just stalling to avoid getting a pencil jabbed into my eyes."
"I, my love, cannot relate, but I'm sure you'll be fine." Frantz replied, and I smiled as I noted, "well you sound pretty excited about tonight, is there something I should know?" I questioned, the flutter coursing through my lower abdomen again, as soon as I asked, the question.
"I'm just looking forward to spending the evening with you." He cooed through the phone and I smiled as I replied, "mmh hmm, okay."
"You don't believe me?" He asked, carefully, and I replied, "it's not that I don't believe you, it's more like, I keep getting this excited flutter in my stomach, as if something is going to happen, so I don't know, maybe you have something up your sleeves." I noted without even realizing, and Frantz chuckled while saying, "sorry to disappoint my love, no surprises tonight, just a million kisses on your cheek, and my undivided attention. I know it's not much."
"Alright you corny hopeless romantic, I have to go, I can hear Sandra calling out to me. I love you." I finished, and Frantz replied, "I love you."
I hung up the phone and giggled like a schoolgirl before heading down to Sandra and Marco, after putting on my undergarments.
When I entered, Marco instantly beckoned me over, and the hair pulling begun. I winced, and cringed, and winced again, my sensitive scalp finding Marco's touch to be rather torturous. But after my eyes had watered a few times, and my nose had burned, Marco finally finished my hairdo, and now I had another thing to cry about. The dreaded eyeliner.
By the time my face had been beaten and patted with sponges and powders I didn't even know existed, Sandra pulled me from my seat without allowing me to look in the mirror. I knew my hair was upwards in a bun, and I knew that I had mascara and lipstick on, but I did not know what the final result was.
"Oh Darling you look like an entire platter of desert. Frantz is not going to be able to keep his cool tonight." Sandra admired, as she escorted me over to where the dress sat in a black zipped bag. Till now, I had not seen the dress, but just as Sandra pulled the zipper back to reveal the royal blue material, I once again felt the slight flutter in my stomach.
When Sandra removed the dress, and held it up for me to see, I felt my hands fly to my face, as I gasped in wonder.
"Don't touch the face!" Mario suddenly warned, and my hands dropped quicker than a falling cinder block.
In Sandra's hand, hung a satin royal blue, floor length dress, with a sweetheart neckline and off the shoulder sleeves. There was a laced girdle detail in the back, and the soft shiny material was absolutely beautiful. I had no words to describe what I felt while looking at the dress.
"Well don't just stand there looking at it, try it on." Sandra urged, and with their assistance, the dress was soon comfortably fitted around my body. I was still not allowed to look in the mirror until my matching royal blue heels have been put on.
Sandra spritzed expensive perfume over my skin, then finally looked my way and sighed as she asked, "are you ready?"
"Yes I am." I nodded eagerly, and then she instructed, "alright then, you may turn around." And with a nervous breath, I carefully turned around, and acknowledged my reflection.
"Oh wow..." I whispered, as I noticed the natural make up, with blue eyeshadow darkening my eyelids, my eyebrows trimmed and clean, and my lips painted red. I began to blink quickly, my eyes filling with tears. I was overwhelmed with emotions, but Marco quickly stepped in, "you look absolutely gorgeous darling, but there is no need to cry. Your prince charming will be here soon."
And just as I took a deep breath to stop myself from crying, there came a knock from the door. At the sound, my heart jumped in my chest, as I drew in a sharp breath. When Sandra opened the door, Frantz was there, looking so handsome, I fell in love with him all over again. He wore an all-black suit, with a satin royal blue bowtie, and a matching handkerchief in the side pocket.
"My, my," he hummed in appreciation, "you look absolutely stunning." he mused, and I blushed.
"Thank you." I murmured softly, as he approached me and landed a swift kiss on my cheek, to avoid a scolding from Marco.
"Marco, Sandra, thank you." Frantz acknowledged the stylists, before he led me out of the door. On our way through the hotel lobby, Frantz escorted me in the most charming manner, and in the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Delia, and she did not look so confident now. By holding on to Frantz's arm, I was able to walk without tripping, though I could feel the hotel guests looking at me from left to right.
"You're so gorgeous, they can't help but stare." Frantz complimented and I giggled shaking my head, but I did not reply.