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Chapter 7 - 2 years, 9 months ago

I didn't really know what Rose wanted when I got that text but I knew one thing. I was going to have get something formal. I didn't want to admit to Rose that I didn't own anything too formal. I was a pretty ordinary girl and I favoured jeans and comfy t shirts over fancy dresses that gobbled an entire paycheck in one. A friend once said my dedication to my giraffe graphic tee was bizarre and comical. Besides, I loved the t shirt (it had a little giraffe and a thing that said "You're not even on my level"), it made me proud of my tallness. I'd never once felt bad about my wardrobe but now with the prospect of some unknown formal event, my fashion sense seemed shabby and poor.

The prospect of hopping from shop to shop terrified so I settled on the first thing I found, a blue, fake silk dress which I found for a decent price at my local charity shop. It still looked pretty awkward though, if I'm honest, as it was meant to be a maxi dress but instead it grazed my lower calf. Tall girl problems.

Anyway, it finally came to the Friday where I had promised to meet Rose. I was actually feeling pretty good as I had done my hair and makeup and it actually looked a tiny weeny bit like the tutorial so that was an achievement. I'd even decided to wear heels for once although I was worried that they made me look a tiny bit like the BFG. Still they matched me dress and I was feeling pretty fabulous. I still felt a bit pretentious walking along the streets in the morning in my fancy gear but I held my head high and carried on going.

Rose was outside her flat when I came which was honestly surprising as I thought I'd be waiting there for ages. Part of me even thought that she might not show up at all and I'd end up crying to Jezebel but wouldn't be able to explain why. She looked different. Usually she had a sort of casual ambience to her but today she looked uptight and her posh roots had definitely taken hold. Gone were her faded green pumps that she wore dedicatedly in all weather: they'd been replaced by a pair of dangerously high ruby red heels with shiny black ankle straps. Her hair was pulled back into a complex bun filled with knots and braids. Her lips were a deep red that seemed to match the red of her dress perfectly. She was gripping a clutch with her left hand, whilst her right gripped her left wrist and seemed to be wringing it. She looked much more anxious and uptight than usual.

"Hey Rose." My presence seemed to startle her as she jumped a little before moving her face up to see mine in one strange jerky movement.
"Oh, Evie. Hey! I didn't recognise you for a moment." She looked me up a down looking a little startled.
"Is this okay? I don't know if it's formal enough for... this."
"No, it's great. Wait, I mean... yes, it is formal enough. You look so tall!" She seemed to be rambling and stutter, I'd never seen her like this before.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes, I'm all good. I'm just a little... nervous about this whole event."
"What exactly is this event?"
"Oh, it's just a fancy dinner party. It's no big deal." She seemed to be mumbling to herself and I sensed that they was more to it than that, "My parents knew I was seeing somebody and they told me to bring them to it. It's silly how formal they are." She began gripping her arm tighter and wringing her hand even harder on it.
"Oh, so I'm meeting your parents."
"Yeah. Basically. It's more than that too." She wouldn't quite look me in the eye and carried on looking twitchy and jumpy. Then it hit me why she might be so jumpy.
"Rose?"
"Yes?"
"Do they know I'm a woman?"

She looked up at me for a second and opened her mouth slightly before closing it. She shook her head slowly.
"Is this your way of coming out to them?" She nodded her head slowly.
"They're very conservative. But I do want them to know. There'll be loads of people there so I figured that I could just maybe...sort of...slip it into conversation a bit. You know? And maybe if they were even a little tipsy on red wine and what not, they might be okay with it rather than making a big fuss. They care about appearances a lot so if all their friends were there, they might not kick up such a fuss. Also if you're there they won't be as mean. They won't want to make a scene."
"Wouldn't it just be easier if you'd talk to them? They are your parents." I said, not quite sure how to react.
"No. I can't do that, Evie." She looked upset but I must admit I felt a little hurt. She hadn't called me or texted for a while. She hadn't replied to me at all when I'd tried to arrange stuff. She hadn't really taken my feelings into account here and she'd only called me to arrange something because it suited her. I felt kind of used.

"Rose. Why didn't you call or text before this? Because you only called me because you needed something from me and it kind of hurts."
"I know, I know. I'm just bad at keeping in contact but I really do you like you, Evie. That's why I asked you here."
"Or is it because you needed me to ensure there was no fuss?"
"Well, I suppose it's kind of both, if I'm honest. And I did call you."
"Who else would you have called?" Was she seeing other people too? I know I was doing the same but I knew that I'd still feel a little crushed if she said she was.
"I would have just called a friend usually. When there was going to be drama at my parents, I would bring a friend to calm it down and prevent... more drama - "
"So you used your friends?"
"No. They helped me. I didn't use them. They helped me because they were my friends. They helped me through stuff. They helped me when my dad became sick because they were friends. And right now, please Evie, I need you to help me come out to them."

Being aloof had never been my strong suit. I wanted to tell Rose that I didn't want to help her. I didn't want to be used. But she just looked so... wounded. I'd never seen her look so vulnerable.
"Okay. I'll help you." I said finally. I thought she'd leap up and hug me but instead she just stayed where she was looking down.
"Thank you, Evie."
"Shouldn't we head off?"
"Why?"
"I thought we'd take a train or something?"
"No, my parents are sending a car. I am their daughter after all."

After that I was terrified. I was about to enter high society.