Diva Dismayed: Chapter 16 – A Rollercoaster Ride
The next day at the salon there was a surprise in store. Mrs Millward called all of us into her office and made an announcement.

“You may have noticed, ladies, that the premises next door have recently been put on the market. It was soon sold and the purchaser just so happens to be… myself!”

Murmurs of astonishment and approval greeted her declaration.

She continued smilingly, “Yes. You will be wondering what plans I have for the place. Well it’s still something of a secret but I plan to open small fashion boutique. I have come to agreeable terms with some first-rate designers and that opens up a very exciting prospect. We will be very haute-couture, let me tell you! To operate this new business I have taken on two new assistants who have plenty of experience between them and they will be managed by Rosa. This role will be in addition to her present responsibilities and she has agreed to increase her hours and work full time in order to fulfil it. I know you will all be supportive of her. Thank-you for your attention. That is all.”

The ensuing buzz of conversation showed the degree of interest raised by this new venture. A high-class fashion shop right next door! How exciting would that be? Not that I cared about a dress store personally, of course. I mean, why would any teenage boy care? Well, perhaps I felt just a touch of curiosity. Okay, I have to admit that for the rest of the day it was all I could think about! The thought of how it would feel to be dressed in some really elegant clothes, like a star in a thirties movie, was enticing. It was something I could only imagine.

Those imaginings captivated me all afternoon. I wasn’t the only one so engaged either, judging by the smiles on the faces of every member of staff.
At the close of the day Sally and I were asked to step in to the proprietor’s office again. The two new members of staff, Brenda and Jean were there. We were introduced, and then we met with an unexpected request from our employer. “I have a favour to ask. In three weeks’ time our new store will be up and running. On the evening before we open I am planning to launch the venture by staging a fashion show. Our two new ladies here have agreed to model some of the lines.”

The girls smiled and nodded assent.

Mrs Millward continued. “However two models won’t be enough if the event is to flow smoothly. I’m hoping that either or both of you might also like to take part? You would naturally be paid for the additional hours. How about it?”

Sally’s eyes met mine with unveiled delight. “You just bet we will.”

Her enthusiasm was infectious. “Try and stop us!” I heard myself exclaim.

Our employer expressed her gratitude and then went on to expand on her hopes for the future of her enterprise. She appeared almost as excited as we. I left the office in a happy daze. The invitation offered a welcome break from my daily routine. Besides and more practically, it would provide an opportunity to increase my scanty funds. With an increase of income I might even be able to fulfil my promise to help out my parent’s finances.

It was only when I was seated on the bus for the return journey home that reality caught up with me. What was I thinking of? Was I really going to allow myself to be put under the spotlight at a fashion show? The sort of notoriety which might result was exactly the opposite of what I needed. Perhaps it was not too late and I might back out. After all, my involvement couldn’t be essential to the success of the evening. I wasn’t as tall as the others so I would surely not be missed. Also, I could plead that I was just too plain nervous to go through with it.

I tried both these methods of escape the next day but my lame excuses cut no ice. I apparently had a special role to perform.

“I have a particular need, Jennifer, for someone as young as yourself to show some of the lines” my employer explained. “Though you aren’t as tall as the others, some of the dresses we will be exhibiting are specifically aimed at the teenage end of the spectrum. I don’t know how I would be able to replace your pretty young face if you were to drop out. Don’t worry. We’ll all be having butterflies over the next few weeks. You will by no means be alone. However there’s so much to do that we won’t have time to let our nerves get the better of us. You will just have to be brave. I feel sure that once the show is underway you will find it super fun and will have a ball!”

The following evening I returned from work to find a parcel awaiting me. Its contents heralded that a whole new phase of my life was about to begin. The syllabus of my forthcoming courses of study was set out in great detail, together with the joining instructions, rules, regulations, guidelines, dos and don’ts. The lecturers were named with a potted biography of each; also my tutor. I was impressed how comprehensive all this information was. It gave answers to questions I hadn’t even dreamed of posing and brought home to me how few days remained before I embarked on this new experience.

The first semester I would be studying three subjects apparently: The Basic Science of the Skin, Dermatopathology and Dermoscopy. The prospect was quite daunting. I could hardly pronounce some of these terms let alone pretend to understand the first thing about them. I just had to hope that the actual subjects were more comprehensible than the titles.

When I mentioned the parcel to Rachel, we’d just eaten supper and were clearing up afterwards. The prospect of all this study was something I was beginning to find outfacing and I said so. To my dismay, my friend didn’t see any too sympathetic.

“Well, you know how to eat an elephant, don’t you?” came her cryptic rejoinder.

“What..?” I didn’t find this apparent attempt at clarification very helpful.

“One spoonful at a time, silly!”

I only smiled at the joke, feeling just as helpless as before.

“No, I’m serious. You will just need to keep focussing on each lesson as it comes along and deal with that before moving on to the next. That’s how I managed to pass my exams and get qualified. I’ve never been the brightest trinket in the box and people didn’t rate my chances, but I kept going because it was what I wanted more than anything else. It won’t be easy, but you can do anything if you stick at it.”
We were in my room this evening. We usually alternated from one day to the next. It was nice to get the chance to be the other’s guest and then have the opportunity to be the host.

Tonight Rachel’s face looked unusually troubled. “You will need to make studying a priority. In fact it may not be good to get too deeply involved with Harvey just now.”

“Why, what’s wrong with him? I thought you liked him.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’ve nothing against him. He’s really nice, very thoughtful and caring. It isn’t that.”

“Well what then?”

“It will be hard to focus on your studies if you’re newly dating at the same time. I’m just saying… you might want to take it slow at first.”

My friend’s eyes didn’t meet mine as she said this. Was there more to her rationale than she was letting on? I considered her words carefully. Eventually I was able to answer, if reluctantly “I guess you’re right. I really don’t know how it’s going to pan out.”

We left the subject hanging there. My attention was immediately diverted by Rachel’s next remark. “Have you remembered? You’re due for your hormone injection today.”

I grimaced in response. I’d never been fond of needles, but I knew there was no need for any anxiety as I lay on my bed and lifted my skirt. There couldn’t be anyone more gentle then my friend when it came to administering my medication.

Tonight, however, proved to be an exception. As Rachel readied the syringe I mentioned the matter which was currently bothering me the most. “How am I going to tell Harvey… about, you know… Oww!”

Whether my question had distracted my friend in the middle of her action, I can’t be sure. Her insertion of the needle had certainly been more abrupt than usual and I felt a painful prick.

“Sorry!” she exclaimed, hastily packing away her medical bag. “I really don’t know what you should say to him, or even if you should tell him. It isn’t possible to predict how any boy would react to that revelation, and it might be worth taking into account his family background. From what he says himself, his father is no liberal, so you can’t be sure of the stance Harvey might take.” She continued gravely “That may even be a reason for putting your relationship on hold for now. You have to consider whether telling him is worth the risk. While I don’t believe he would deliberately break your trust, letting something slip unintentionally can be all too easy.”

She shook her pretty head and shrugged. “Anyway, it’s late and I need to go. All I can advise you is that you give it some more thought before you commit to anything.” With that she was gone, leaving me looking after her abrupt departure with concern. It was plain that something was really bothering Rachel. I couldn’t guess what. She’d left without our usual goodnight hug.

Regarding my taking part in the fashion show, I’d found in the end that there had been nothing for it but to reconcile myself to what lay ahead. I knew I was too dependent on the goodwill of the salon owner to disappoint her seriously, so I had to go along with whatever she expected me to do.

Over several of the following days Sally and I stayed an hour after work to help Rosa and the new girls, Brenda and Jean, with the preparations for the show. Also we rehearsed what we would be expected to do. Both of the new assistants were taller than me and had shapely figures. They were in their late twenties, so it was determined that the more sophisticated fashions should fall to their lot. Sally was also tall and a little older too. There were some examples of a rather off-beat range of styles which would be suited by her quirky good looks.

I was the only youngster so I was assigned what was termed the ‘debutante’ collection. When I saw the delicate frocks which had been allotted to me my knees literally went weak. I was overwhelmed by the carnival of silky materials and gauzy layers. Frills and frou-frou were in abundance. When I held up the first of my dresses and I ran my hands over its soft fabric I found myself almost trembling with awe. This wasn’t good. I was experiencing far too many of the reactions of a moonstruck girl, for heaven’s sake! The fact that I wasn’t one didn’t seem to help me gain control over my senses. I needed to get a grip on myself.

“They’re just dresses” I reminded myself. Nevertheless I had the strongest feeling that they were a lot more than that. Confirmation came when I tried them on for fit. Each and every dress seemed to have the power to transform an (almost) ordinary teenager into some kind of fairy princess. I couldn’t begin to describe where I was transported to but the accompanying sensations were somehow magical.

Once it had been decided which dresses we each would be wearing, an intricate timetable for the evening was drawn up. It was clear that the intervals between our times on the runway ideally ought to be kept to an absolute minimum to enable the event to flow smoothly. Each girl’s changeover was therefore going to require help if it were to be slick enough. To get out of one gown and into the next as quickly as possible I soon found out that I had to allow myself to be unceremoniously stripped down to my panties by comparative strangers. Repeatedly! Any hopes I’d entertained of keeping covered up so I might preserve some shreds of modesty proved groundless. No chance of that!

It might have been expected that after a few of the rehearsals I would get accustomed to my body being manipulated. It was not so however. The others quickly became blasé but I had to contend with additional sensations which kept arising in my private area, or would have ‘arisen’ if unrestrained. I blushed crimson every time. My embarrassment caused considerable mirth among my fellows and actually encouraged them to make unnecessarily free with their wandering hands.

On top of this teasing my discomfort was increased by my continual closeness to their own semi-clad bodies. I really didn’t know where to look. It was even more disturbing when I was called upon to assist in squeezing them into tight and clinging garments. I couldn’t decide which situation of the two had more impact on me. It took every ounce of self-control to keep my breathing normal to prevent my bodily excitement being detected. My private area sometimes felt it was about to burst through the tapes I had carefully applied that morning! Fortunately everything held. Not that I didn’t find all this enjoyable, but trying to sleep each night after an evening spent this way was an ordeal in itself, and best not described!

The days flew by and before I knew it there was now only one week remaining before the college semester started. On the Wednesday I unexpectedly bumped into Harvey who was getting into his truck. While I was recovering from the surprise he asked me directly if I’d like to go out with him again.

“There’s a pool party on Sunday at the house of a friend of mine. How are you fixed?”

Before I knew it I’d agreed to go.

“Great, I’ll pick you up about 3pm. Got to dash!” and with that he’d driven off.

I gazed after him blankly. What had I been thinking?! As I returned to my room it was clear to me that I hadn’t been. Before this meeting I’d grudgingly made the decision to put our relationship on hold and now here I was, doing the opposite of what I intended. I knew Rachel wouldn’t be back from work yet but oh, how I needed to confide in her. She would advise the best thing for me to do. On the slight chance that she might have returned early I ran upstairs but on checking her room I found it empty. Though that was only what I expected I felt hugely disappointed. I was returning disconsolately when I encountered Della on the landing. She was the last person I wanted to see right then but out of politeness I felt I had to stop and exchange greetings. Accordingly I uttered a muted “Hi, Della!” and made to turn away.

“My! You’re in a hurry little miss.” I felt sure that this exclamation heralded an interrogation which I could well do without. I tried to head her off at the pass.

“Oh, yes. I promised Rachel I would help her prepare supper but she isn’t back yet. I’ll come back later.” I was improvising wildly but to no avail.

“Sounds ideal to me! When she gets back, let her do the work and you can get the credit for offering to help. What could be better?”
I tried to smile but actually felt closer to tears. If only the girl would let me alone, but no such luck.

“Why? You’ve been crying!”

Actually I hadn’t, but only by the expedient of blinking back my incipient tears. Now the undesired sympathy I was getting let the dam burst. To my shame I broke down and sobbed openly.

Della was all concern. She took charge and ushered me into her room. She sat me in a chair and closed the door behind us.
Trapped!