Stacy follows Nicole into the bathroom

Nicole puts the makeup on the counter. It was the first time she had a chance to see what Huck chose. She was against it. The eye shadows were light and dark shades of electric blue. The blush and lipstick were shades of hot pink. The eyeliner, thankfully, was black. Nicole considered it. She could go light on all of this. Use the eyeshadow, but mostly as accents.

Suddenly the door flew open. Nicole turned, and Stacy was standing with her mouth open. "Holy shit! I knew it was you!"

"Hiiiiiii...." Nicole, mortified, freezes.

"What even is that outfit?"

"It's...this...this...this is a costume," Nicole says, not totally lying because it isn't something she'd normally wear.

Stacy gets closer. She looks at Nicole all over. "Why are you wearing a , what is it, a whore costume? At the mall in the middle of the day?"

Nicole didn't have a good explanation for that one. "I, well, um, oh, cause I don't own anything like this, so bought it to wear out and go straight to...my...sister's ....bridal shower. I was in a hurry." Nicole didn't have a sister, but it was the only thing that came to mind.

Stacy smirks and raises an eyebrow. "What's the theme of the bridal shower?"

"Um, you already said it," Nicole tried to laugh. "Yeah, uh, sis is wild and crazy with ideas. She thought it would be funny because it would be the last time she could, uhm, dress like this."

Stacy has walked around Nicole, so Nicole turns to keep the back of her short miniskirt out of view. "And who's that guy you're with? Boyfriend?"

Ugh, Nicole is getting so annoyed. The last thing she wanted was for anyone, especially a work colleague, to think she would date someone like Huck. "Oh God no, he's my..." long pause "...step...brother."

Nicole's biological parents were happily married. She didn't have a stepfather. The layers of lies continued.

"Your stepbrother is going with you to a bridal shower for your sister, where you'll both be dressed like whores?" Putting it all together like that clarified the absurdity of the situation.

"No, he's just driving me, dropping me off, and picking me up. So I can drink. You know how these bridal showers can be!Everyone's dressing up like this! Ha. Haha. Ha."

Stacy looks at the makeup spread out on the counter. Brightly, she replies, "Sounds fun. Can I help you with your makeup?"