Time to get ready to party

Chet emerged from the bathroom, wearing a towel wrapped around his hips, and his broad torso on full display. He was looking far too pleased with himself for anyone’s comfort. The girls watched as he ran a hand through his miraculously, suddenly dry and teased out hair, glancing between the girls like he was expecting applause.

“So, are we doing this or what?” he asked, grinning. “You two want to sit around swapping skincare routines, or are we actually going to have some fun tonight?”

Kristie, perched cross-legged on the bed, excited at the idea. “Are you serious that we should go out? Now?”

Chet pulled the towel from his waist over slung his shoulder, strutting across the room, exposed. “You built me for a reason, sweetheart. You want to get noticed, you don’t do it holed up at daddy’s house. You do it where people can see you, preferably somewhere with music, multicolored lighting, and questionable drinks.”

Erin rolled her eyes, hiding in her closet as she pulled on dry underwear. “I don’t think questionable drinks are on my to-do list, thanks. Also, it’s almost midnight.”

Kristie shot her a look. “Who cares? You heard him, he’s got a point. You know what tonight is, right? That massive frat party at the OTG house? The one we never even get invited to?” She flopped back on the covers, feigning a melodramatic sigh. “I bet they’ve already had the cops come by, by now.”

Chet smirked. “Sounds like my kind of crowd. So, what are we waiting for? Trust me, those losers are dying for a little excitement. Or maybe they just need to see what a real party looks like.”

Erin looked from Kristie’s eager expression to Chet’s unbreakable confidence, feeling her resolve slipping. “I don’t know… We’d stick out. We’re not exactly on the guest list.”

Kristie sat up, already rifling through her bag for makeup. “Let’s just crash it. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Chet clapped his hands once, making both girls jump. “Now you’re talking. Get ready, ladies. Tonight’s about to get le-gen-dary,” he said dragging out the word.

Erin let out a long, defeated sigh, but couldn’t help the small, nervous smile from seeing the other two so excited. “This is such a bad idea,” she muttered, but she knew it was happening regardless.

Kristie just grinned. “Then it’s the perfect one, because our normal choices aren’t working!”

Chet flashed them one last dazzling grin, spun the towel like a lasso before flinging it at the far wall, and sauntered out of the room completely naked, and totally unfazed. “I’ll give you two a few minutes to work your magic. Try not to overthink it, all right? And remember: no socks with flats. Because that should get you arrested. Ugh.”

He winked, then disappeared down the hall, leaving a faint whiff of aftershave and testosterone in his wake.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Kristie burst into motion. “Okay, Operation Frat Crash is a go. Lip gloss or lipstick?”

Erin peeked out from her closet, holding up two shirts, both plain, both hopelessly un-party like. “I can’t wear either of these, can I?”

Kristie eyed the shirts Erin held up and grimaced. “Nope. Not unless we’re planning on taking yearbook photos.”

Erin sighed and tossed one on the bed, settling for a plain v-neck and her best, still basically ‘everyday’, jeans. She watched Kristie twist her hair up in a messy bun, then put it back down again, indecisively.

Kristie fished a tube of lip gloss from her purse. “We’ll just go low-key. How we normally dress is totally fine, right?”

Erin half-smiled, brushing powder over her cheeks. “Yeah. They’ll all be too drunk to care anyway, is my bet.”

The room was filled with nervous energy in the way Kristie was bouncing on her toes, reapplying her mascara for the third time; Erin checking her reflection, tucking her shirt in, then out again. They both ended up in their go-to sneakers, swapping out the fanciest earrings they owned of studs for Kristie, and little hoops for Erin.

Kristie looked at her, uncertain. “Ready?”

Erin shrugged, a little breathless. “I feel like I’m going to a group project meeting, not a party.”

“Fake it till we make it,” Kristie whispered, grabbing her phone and sliding it into her pocket.

A voice called from the living room: “Anytime tonight, ladies! Let’s see what we’re working with!”

They shared a glance filled with nerves, excitement, and the buzz of doing something they’d never normally do. Then they slipped out the door together, still very much themselves, with no idea what was about to happen next.

Kristie and Erin crept down the stairs, barely able to contain their nerves. Chet had the living room lights on low, mingling with the light from the fish tank, casting weird shadows across the walls.

He was sprawled on the couch like he owned the place, legs spread in a masculine, uncaring sort of way, and a fresh cigar smoldering between his fingers. He wore nothing but smugness and a haze of smoke that clung to the ceiling. The air reeked of tobacco and something suspiciously like drugstore aftershave.

He glanced up, eyes sweeping over their carefully normal outfits. “You two going to a party, or did you get lost on your way to a study group?”

Kristie rolled her eyes, trying not to cough. “Some of us don’t need a costume to have fun, Chet.”

Erin pinched the bridge of her nose. “Seriously, can you please not smoke in here? My mom’s going to smell that for a month.”

Chet took his time, eyeing them both like a disappointed coach at halftime. “This is what people wear now? You’re about to walk into a party looking like the boring girls you’re supposed to be trying not to be. You’re in college. No wonder you two aren’t getting invited.”

Erin tried again, fanning smoke away. “Can you just put it out, please?”

Chet ignored her, took an exaggerated drag, then leaned forward and blew a huge cloud of smoke directly into their faces.

Both girls hacked and waved their hands, the world briefly vanishing behind the thick, sweet reek. When the air finally cleared-

Kristie froze, eyes wide, staring down at her own body. Gone were her sneakers and jeans; in their place, a short, electric blue dress hugged her hips, with shimmering sequins catching every sliver of light. She could feel that her hair was teased sky-high, glossy and full of volume, and oversized earrings swinging heavy from each lobe.

Erin stared at her reflection in the entryway mirror, her own jeans gone, replaced by a skin-tight, hot pink dress that had shoulder pads big enough to make her look half a foot broader. It was paired with chunky jewelry that jangled at her wrists. Even her sneakers had transformed into a pair of white, high-heeled pumps. Her hair that had once been rings of tight natural curls, was now feathered and sprayed, nearly 6 inches taller than it should be.

Kristie choked out, “What the hell? Did you do this?!”

They spun to find Chet now decked out in a pristine white blazer over a pastel t-shirt, gold chain at his neck, and loafers with no socks. He slid on a pair of Ray-Bans and gave them a wink. “Now this is how you make an entrance, ladies.”

Erin stared, mouth open, tugging at the fabric of her dress. “Oh my god. I look like my grandma in her prom photos.”

Kristie let out a shaky laugh, running her hands through her new mountain of hair. “This is… I don’t even have words.”

Chet stood, stuffing his somehow extinguished cigar into an inner pocket of his jacket, straightened it, then shook out his arms. “Relax. Trust me, nobody laughs at the legend. Tonight, you’re with me. You want to be noticed? You’re about to be unforgettable.”

Kristie’s lips curled into a slow, incredulous grin. “Well, there’s no way we’re not going to get noticed in this.”

Erin groaned, her worst fears from being an introvert, bubbling to the surface. “We’re going to get laughed out of school.”

Chet opened the door with a flourish. “Welcome to the big leagues, girls.”

As they stepped into the night, Erin muttered, “If anyone asks, this was your idea.”

Kristie grinned. “That’s fine. It’ll make a great story if we survive.”

Chet led them outside where an IROC-Z sat in the spot where Erin’s Prius had been parked earlier.

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