Minefield of Mirrors

-11-

'Just be your usual self. We've got it all figured out for the night.' Veronica said.

Together with the girls she had met earlier that day, Iris walked towards the entrance of the restaurant, where four golden stars were displayed above the big French doors. Feelings were starting to mix up inside of her. Was she really going to do this?

Anxiously, she looked at Veronica. 'What did you plan?'

An envious smile was all that Veronica gave her. So, Iris turned her head towards Linsey, who had hooked her arm through hers, like they already had been friends for ages.

'Trust the process.' That was all that she said.

Nervosity started to build up inside the new member of the Red Bull team. Yet, she didn't have much time to overthink everything. The big doors were opened in front of her and with five girls in a row, they walked into the foyer of the restaurant. Never ever had Iris been in a place like this. Ceilings that were almost touching the sky, dark blue wallpaper with hints of gold in it that covered the walls, furniture that was made out of wood but somehow had a luxury to it by the objects that were placed on top of it, and the personnel that immediately walked up to them to ask if they could take their coats before they would be directed towards the reserved table. A bit uncomfortable, Iris took off her coat. She had put it on simply because it was usual for her to wear one in cold London, but she had completely forgotten how hot it actually was in this country. As she handed over her coat, a blush covered her cheek, not only because of the heat but also from the unknown that felt uncomfortable to her.

While the guy hung up the coats somewhere in a hidden room in the foyer, Emma stood still in front of Iris and looked at her. The girl lifted her hands and adjusted some of Iris' hair strands around her face. Then she opened the little bag that hung around her shoulder and got a clear lip gloss from it.

'Here. This would finish your whole look.'

Surprised, Iris took the little make-up product from the girl with the angelic voice. Emma looked innocent at first but her make-up stash in that little bag didn't lie. And the makeup look that she was wearing right now, showed a whole different side of her.

'Do I really need to...?' Iris asked a bit insecure while lifting the shiny substance.

Two hands were placed on her shoulders from behind and Iris felt the presence of a face next to hers. 'Oh yes, you do. Spice it up. Although you already picked the right dress for this occasion, we want to step up the game.'

For a second Iris closed her eyes, contemplating what she should do. It was her own fault that had put her in this position. If she hadn't agreed with the plan of the girls this afternoon, she wouldn't have felt this uncomfortable in the first place. But on the other hand, the unknown of everything around her at this place would've made her uncomfortable anyway. The lip gloss wouldn't make any difference from that point of view.

So, she put the lip gloss differently in her hand and started to turn the top of it around to open it.

'Okay then...' Iris sighed.

As soon as she put the substance on her lips, the girls fronted up in front of her, all grinning from ear to ear.

'Oh, I'm going to enjoy this show tonight.' Veronica said with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

Iris handed the lip gloss back to Emma and wiped some of the lip gloss away in the corners of her mouth. Yes, she didn't like the lip gloss at all, but it seemed too late to back out now. Especially when she saw all the proud faces in front of her.

Next, one of the personnel walked up to them and guided them towards the right table by walking in front of them, creating a little train of persons that were zigzagging between all the different tables that were occupied or reserved by other people.