Heart ofthe Beholden.

The Parchment Chapter 2

*Before…

I almost get to the door when my heart pulls me back and my whole sense of fair play kicks in. I reach down and I pick up the tube and it’s made up to look like a scroll case and I put it in my shoulder bag and I head out from the Con to my room and get changed into some regular just hanging out lounging clothes and I order some room service.

Then I’m just sitting there in my Hello Kitty sweatpants and my Gungrave tee-shirt with my cards and comics looking at the scroll case.

Should I open it?

*And Now…

I’m interrupted by room service.

I let them in and I sign for the slip and stuff and I settle in and I go at my fish and chips. I saw someone having it earlier downstairs and it looked good. I like real fried fish and these are big chunks of cod with a decent batter and really good fries. I’ve never had duck fat fried fries before and these are really, really good.

But that scroll case is sitting there and I’m such a girl because it’s almost calling to my whole female curiosity.

I know, I know it’s a stereotype but I can’t help it and those two girls were being so mean really.

Not just mean but using and at the same time dismissive.

I finish and wipe my face and I go to the bathroom and I wipe my hands and stuff so they’re really clean and I take a breath and I open it.

Oh…oh my oh dammit.

Just the paper.

No…parchment…like something that this guy made by hand like homemade paper. But it was colored and made to look like it’s been pieced together and pressed pink and white rose petals it even has all the little flower veins and stuff and it’s soft like the feel of a flower under my fingertips.

And the writing is like that calligraphy style stuff and it looks like it was done with a fountain pen.

The work that he did for a crush…on this girl.

On that girl.

Why does things like this happen, these amazing things happen to girls that are like her when there are really nice girls that never see a gesture like this.

And then there’s girls like me that will likely never see something like this ever in our real lives even if we do transition.

I wipe away at tears that are rolling down my cheeks because of how much I like it and how much I’ll never freakin have something like this.

Once some of the tears stop I start to read the parchment.

“Dear Lady, Dear Madonna…”

“I am so gladdened that you have decided to accompany me on this trip. I have felt such strong feelings for you my lady since we had first met. It has taken me long to find the strength and the courage to write this confession to you as is done by those who truly have feeling for another as per the customs of the people of The Land of the Rising Sun.”

“It has indeed felt like forever that I have watched you and kept quiet and tried not to feel too hurt at the behaviors of those who flock around you in your court. I have in fact loved you from afar.”

“The times I see you smile and hear you laugh have brighten my days and lit up my dreams so it is with all of that in mind and in my heart that I wish to ask you to come and meet me tonight for a romantic supper and then for us to perhaps take in the court dancing that is being held her at this gathering of heroes and heroines.”

“Dutifully and with hope.”

“Alexander.”

Alexander…it sounds so much better than a lot of other names and I sit there and I read it over and over again actually trying to picture the guy that would be the kind of guy to write something like this.

Y’know what I can’t really see him yet but it doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t after what Cinderella and Rapunzel were saying in the bathroom….geeky, chubby or whatever you don’t just use people or treat people like that.

So what am I going to do?

I call the front desk. “Uhm…hello? Can you tell me what time that supper is being served in the restaurant?”

“We open the restaurant again for supper service at seven o’clock miss.”

“Thank you!”

It’s a little strange but not at the same time I’ve seen supper time in the cities and stuff on TV be like late things and not strictly a five o’clock thing. I look at the clock in my room.

I have time.

Yes. I’m going.

I don’t know why and it’s scary and kinda weird on a whole other level since I took it out of the trash and stuff but I just.

It was too beautiful to just keep him hanging like that.

And to be stood up.

Especially like this since the way that it sounds he’ll likely be in cosplay.

It’s soooo not going to go down like that.

I head to my bags first and I take out my little black dress and I set it out and I call house-keeping.

“Hello house-keeping.”

“Up hello this is Frankie Thompson in 323 I was wondering if the hotel has an iron and an ironing board the I could use.”

That’s actually a thing. I stayed with my dad one over in Fredericton because he had some business thing he had to go to for like training so we all went up but he got an iron and an ironing board from them.

“Uhm just one minute miss.”

I wait and get out my make-up and things that I need. “Yes we have one that we can lend and send up to your room would you like to have it?”

“Yes please if you could that would be amazing.”

“I’ll bring it right up then.”

Yay, that’s a bonus. I get my stuff ready and that includes a pair of modest heels and dark thigh high stockings and I get my stencil ready too for my face design.

House-keeping shows with the ironing board and I thank the lady who brought it up. It’s just a small one but it’s more than enough. “What do I do with this when I’m done?”

“Just leave it outside the door folded up and one of the other house-keeping staff will be by and pick it up later.”

“Thank you so much you’re really a life saver.”

She smiles. “It’s no problem miss, it’s kind of old school but we still have them in the laundry room for some of our business clients.”

I offer her a tip and she takes it. It’s just five dollars so I hope that she likes it.

Note to self; leave a tip for the house keeping staff.

She leaves and I iron all the wrinkles out of my dress just that it actually looks nice and then I go and I get cleaned up again and start getting ready.

The biggest thing is the stenciling. I’m going as Psylocke again and I’m doing the read design mark on her/my face but I’m really trying to do it so it looks good. And for that I’m using a stencil and make-up pencils and I’m mixing the red color that I have for this with my applying some liquid bandage so it looks like its skin…sort of.

I made the color from a bit of Halloween fake blood gel and a dull red blush and mixed it with the bottle of liquid bandage. I saw it online as a quick setting agent for make-up and stuff for cosplaying.

It’s the longest of everything to get right and them it’s the regular make-up and then getting dressed and there are butterflies forming in my stomach and it takes me a few sessions of breathing to chill out before I get everything on and tucked into place.

Now normally I’d be risking tears at the way that I look. I look good…I do, and with the breast and the bra and the stockings and the LBD I look pretty, actually pretty and it’s an experience that I…

It’s nowhere like the usual version of Frankie, no it’s girl me…it’s Jade.

And even dressed like this she, this real me seems so far way yet.

But I look like the comic character enough to pass and actually like the character if she was actually going out for supper.

Well a teenaged version there-of and a more real life version of her too since I’m a real girl and I don’t have the comic impossible body.

Oh…

Yeah, I think I actually just really said that….even to myself.

I take out my phone and do a few selfies and stuff even if it’ll be just for me and stuff. And then I get my purse hoping that the shiny faux leather clutch doesn’t look too out of place and I go and I get the scroll…and carefully roll the parchment back up and place it into the scroll case and I head down stairs.

I’m actually early…I’m early and I’m waiting outside the restaurant for someone to come up and ask me about the scroll case.

I’m holding it in my hands and I’m trying like crazy not to sweat or fidget or pace while I’m waiting.

It’s not working and oh-boy do I ever feel every not-there bit of what I’m wearing…I feel exposed and while I think I’ve gotten a look or two I’m not sure what they mean and if…

My tummy kind of hurts a little.

I am pacing…just a little and I wasn’t facing the foyer when I hear a guy’s voice.

“Excuse me, my lady? Could I ask where you got the scroll case that you’re now carrying?”

I turn and he’s….