Sadie’s day goes well. Maybe too well.

The salon, turns out, was at the same mall as before. Sarah pulled into the same spot she used before, even though she could have parked closer. When we get out and I glance at all the empty spots around her she just smiles that ‘not’ innocent smile that I’m starting to recognize. “Hey, practice makes perfect girlfriend, and you need to practice in your heels!”

Sarah wraps her arm around my waist and helps guide me. Thankfully she takes it slower than she normally walks, although it’s still faster than I feel I can safely go, making me concentrate almost entirely on not falling and eating a bunch of parking lot pavement.

In what feels like half of an eternity we make it into the salon. Unlike the hair salon, where I was pulled toward the back and had a feeling of somewhat privacy, they sit me at a chair facing out into the mall. Three girls come over to me and are introduced as Stacy, Allison, and Hailey. Allison sets to working on giving me a manicure, while Hailey does similar work for my pedicure. I’d offer some level of complaint, but having my heeled sneakers taken off and soaking my feet is quite lovely feeling.

Hailey is the owner of the salon and is here to do my makeup. Or rather, teach me how to do my makeup. It seems that lessons on regular makeup are few and far between as she talks about making the biggest impact while streaming. Everything seems a bit over the top. The cleaning and foundation are simple enough, but next comes my blush. She shows me how to apply it on the apples of my cheeks and setting the tone of my colors. Mine, not really surprising at this point, is to be pink. With my cheeks now constantly showing a blush, she moves on to my eye lashes. Fake eyelashes were added that gives me a truly fluttery look every time I blink. I’m even taught how to apply a smokey look with winged eyeliner using eyeliner, mascara, and various eyeshadows and tools. My eyebrows, which I thought were already feminine enough, are even given the treatment as we add a bit of subtle color and shape them a bit more with an eyebrow pencil. Finally, my lips. I thought it would be as simple as puckering up and painting on some lipstick from a tube, but it involves lip pencils, lips stain, lip gloss, brushes, blotters, and more tools than I’d ever seen. The effect though, when she brings a mirror up for me to see, is devastatingly potent. I was a girl before. I’m a sexy girl now. I have to silently thank Sarah for the clothing choice as I feel my pulled back equipment trying to get hard even as I was sitting on it.

My fingernails were given what felt like lengthy extensions, but Allison promised me were ‘starter’ length nails. Evidently these were semi-permanent and would only be permanently removed by cutting them off like any other nail or letting them grow out. Both my finger and toe nails were painted a glittery pink that caught the light and would constantly bring attention to them. While I couldn’t hide my hands away, I was actually kind of happy when my torturous sneakers were put back on, obscuring my pink toenails. Allison and Hailey gave me a quick lesson on how to reapply the polish and make minor repairs, but suggested I come back for any major changes until I was comfortable with the process.

Even though lunch time came and went, Stacy wasn’t done with me. Sarah came up and started filming as Stacy started completely over by washing my face completely clean. Then she guided me through putting everything back onto the clean slate. My technique wasn’t nearly as good as Stacy, so she guided me into washing it all off and starting again. And again. And again.

By the time Stacy was satisfied that I’d be able to replicate the look myself, she moved on to skin care. I thought Sarah had covered that in telling me to apply lotion and moisturizers, but I was given a full lecture on what products to use where and when. By the end of Stacy’s lesson, I could understand why Sarah had so much product in her shower and on her vanity. I could also see why it took so long for some girls to get ready. When we were finished it was after three PM. Stacy and Sarah talked a bit behind me while I looked through the bag of tools the stylists had given me. Or rather that Sarah had bought for me. Or rather that I’d bought for myself using Sarah’s money. When Sarah came up she dropped a bit of paperwork into the bag, hooked my arm in hers, and started guiding us to the food court.

Even though I was still concentrating on my walking, I could smell all the great food around us. Each restaurant we passed seemed to be exactly what I wanted at that moment. Sbarros, Subway, Panda Express, Mrs. Fields, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Cinnabon, and even McDonalds all called out with their delicious offerings. When we finally stopped and got into a short line I looked up and saw…. Jamba Juice? Looking at Sarah, I saw that she already recognized my disappointment. “Remember, you need to look after your weight now.”

I didn’t offer up any argument, as right now any food would be a blessing. She didn’t say anything, and I didn’t ask, but I honestly believe the strawberry banana granola bowl and aloha pineapple smoothie I got were picked out for their pink coloring. While eating this snack disguised as a lunch Sarah brought out her phone and started checking things off her lists. “Okay, we’ve got your basic look done. We’re going to have to deal with your body hair long term as we don’t want to have to shave every day. You’ll be spending enough time in front of the mirror doing your makeup. We’ll also have to do something about your cleavage. While we don’t want to show it off too soon, we’re going to want your audience to see ‘your girls’ peeking out eventually.”

“As you’ve probably seen, I don’t like diets. I think it’s better to just eat less rather than go on some diet that you have to constantly think about. This meal should serve as a good example. It’s small, but decadent. You have about 700 calories here. That’s your target for lunch and dinner. About half of that for breakfast and a snack. That’ll get you losing weight quickly. Once we have you down to size, we’ll look at increasing it. I’m not going to look over your shoulder at everything you eat, but I want you to keep a food diary so we can go over it every few days.”

Once we were finished with the scant amount of food in front of us, Stacy took me over to Shoplux Mobile and we got a new phone and plan for me. It made sense when she said I should keep my ‘Nick’ and ‘Sadie’ sides completely separate. I initially thought I could just get another Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 as I loved the customizable nature of it, but Stacy just giggle and reminded me to think girly. When we walked away we both had new iPhones. I had a pink iPhone 15 with a ‘Girl Power’ pop socket while Sarah had a titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max. I even had the matching pink Apple Watch. Sarah futzed around with both before handing them to me and I saw that she’d set me up as a ‘child’ account user with her account as the ‘parent’.

Looking at the time, Sarah saw we still had a half hour before we were going to head back to Marci’s for my hair lessons. She took us to a quiet part of the mall and said I should practice taking selfies while she went back to ask Stacy some questions. Thankful for the chance to not walk around more in these heeled sneakers, I backed up near the wall and mimicked all the silly girly selfie’s I’d ever seen and made fun of. The cheesy smile, the puckered lips, the high hold of the phone, the glance away… and yeah, I looked right in place with them. With each one I wrote a quick note that I thought fit. “Out shopping and having so much fun!” “Doing my weekly mall time!” “Self Care Day!” “Sadie is out looking for a stud to carry her bags!”

I was about to take another one with a overly big smile on my face when I heard a familiar voice say “Hey there! I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before… and I’m sure I’d remember a cutie like you!” Startled at the man’s voice, I drop my phone. Not wanting to immediately have to replace an eight-hundred-dollar piece of equipment I didn’t want in the first place, I make a fast move to catch it when I see a guys hand easily reach down and pluck my phone out of it’s freefall. My momentum, my surprise at seeing his hand catch my phone, and my lack of balance in my sneakers all send me falling forward. Right into this guy’s arms and my face pressing up against his chest.

Looking up I see him smiling down at me. “Hey! If I’d known it was that easy to get you in my arms I’d have walked over earlier! As is, I liked watching you take your photos. Let’s see what we have here?”

He helps me stand upright, no longer leaning into him for support, but keeps his hand around my waist keeping us well within each other’s personal space. I take a deep breath knowing what I look like and trying not to freak out about a guy looking favorably on me. My attempt fails though when I hear him read out my last caption, obviously seeing my photo with puckered lips “Sadie eh? That’s a cute name! And I’d be happy to carry your bags. That is, if you find me studly enough to qualify!?”

I’m happy my makeup has already marked my face as blushing as otherwise he’d see my cheeks redden even further. His smile is innocent enough, but there’s something familiar about him that’s sending warning signals off in my head. Taking my hand in his he smiles in a cheeky way before ‘bowing’ before me and kissing my knuckles. “Lady Sadie, my name is Louis and I’m honored to meet you!”

I pretend to clear my throat and do my best to imitate Sarah’s giggle. Holding my hand up to my throat I say in as soft a whisper as I can manage “It’s a pleasure to meet you Louis. Thank you for saving my phone. Sorry about the voice I… ” with nothing better coming to mind I stick to what Sarah set up “…lost my voice at the BTS concert the other night.”

Standing up straight he shakes his head and chuckles. “I don’t see how you girls can like those guys, but to each their own. Hey, I don’t want to impose but I was actually heading down to the Improved Buy store to get a new keyboard. Mine took a dump and I need one for tonight…”

Everything else Louis says fades out as I suddenly realize why he looks familiar. He’s a streamer. I’ve actually streamed with him before and we chatted on camera after the match. I wanted to keep chatting with him as long as I could because he had a huge following. He was the rare streamer that had a body that he kept in shape and was an amateur competitive gamer. DID HE REMEMBER ME?!”

I come back to the present to see him smiling down at me, his eyebrows raising slowly in an expectant manner. Did he just ask me something? How long have I just been starting up at him?

“Oh… um… I’m like waiting for… like, my friend. She should be…” I stammer out an answer, hoping that it makes sense to whatever he asked. Thankfully Sarah shows up at that moment, saving my bacon. Or maybe she was just having fun frying it instead.

“Oh Sadie, introduce me to your cute friend here!” Sarah walks up, takes Louis’ arm and hugs it like they’d been going out for weeks. I can see it’s as much a surprise to him as it is to me though.

I clear my throat again, hoping that Sarah remembers I can’t exactly talk that much “Sarah, this is Louis. Louis, this is Sarah. He saved my phone when I dropped it and saved me when I tried to catch it and tripped myself. We just met. And don’t know each other. We’ve never seen each other before.”

By both Sarah’s and Louis’ blank stare, I can easily see I over did the “haven’t met him before” bit. I put my hands behind my back, swing my shoulders from side to side with nervous energy and give a smile that hopefully says to Sarah ‘get me out of here’

Sarah takes pity on me and moves to take my arm instead of Louis’. “Sorry to meet and run, but we’ve got to get this little Princess to her hair appointment. But let’s keep in touch. Sadie here is going to be streaming soon and I’m sure you’d like to check in.”

Louis’ face lights up while I try my damndest to make a meteor come screaming out of the sky and just take out the entire mall. “Streaming? Well isn’t it a small world? I stream too! Here…” he takes my phone, still in his hands, and taps away for a bit “…are my details. You have my Instagram, tremble, and UsTube accounts. And of course, my digits. Send me your info when you have a chance and I’ll be sure to sign into your premier. I’ll even direct my audience over if you’re any good.”

After handing me my phone back Louis walks off while Sarah starts guiding me toward Marci’s. After plucking my phone from me she looks over Louis’ details. Knowing what he games under I’m just waiting for the kidding to start. “Oh God Sadie, that’s perfect! In fact, let’s give him something to respond to. Blow him a big kiss!”

She turns the phone on me and starts recording. Taking a breath I put on my big smile I bring my fingers up to my lips and give them a kiss before waving my hand away in the classing ‘blowing a kiss’ motion. Without thinking I add something I heard in a movie that sounded cute “Au revoir mes amours!”

Sarah’s smile is genuine as she brings the phone down and starts working on it furiously. When she’s done she turns it so that I can see she’s started an instragram account for me with that as the first post. My heart drops when I see what I assume to be the translation under it, “Goodbye My Loves!” and has tagged Louis. Of course, my Instagram profile name of Princess BabyDoll goes perfectly with Louis’ profile name…. Prince LouisLove.