Bella woke up first, sunlight filtering through the light curtains of their apartment, casting soft golden patterns across the floor. She blinked, stretched her arms above her head, and smiled because she remembered it was Friday, the salon day. She scooted out of bed carefully so as not to wake Kathy, slipping on her slippers.
Tiptoeing to the kitchen, Bella opened the small fridge, pulled out eggs, bread, and strawberry jam. She hummed a little tune as she cracked eggs into a pan, butter melting in the pan, and toasted bread. The smell of breakfast warmed the room. She poured two glasses of fresh juice and made whipped‑up scrambled eggs with toast and jam.
After plating the breakfast, she carried the dishes carefully back to the room, setting them on the bedside tray where Kathy stirred awake.
"Good morning," Bella whispered, placing the plate softly.
Kathy rubbed her eyes. "Mornin'," she murmured, blinking. When she saw the food, her face lit up. "Oh wow, you're spoiling me."
Bella shrugged, smiling. "Hey, pampering starts early today."
They ate slowly, talking about last‑night's plans, how nervous they were, how excited. Bella couldn't stay still; butterflies in her belly every time she thought about the party, the dresses, the nails, the lashes. Then, her phone buzzed. She saw "Dad" and hurried to answer.
"Hi, Dad!"
"Morning, my Bella. How are you girls this Friday? Everything ready for the party?"
Bella's heart raced. "Yes! The dresses arrived yesterday, we tried them on. And… I just saw your message. The car you mentioned before, it's coming today?"
There was a brief pause, then his warm voice, "Yes, sweetie. It's being delivered this afternoon. I wanted you to have it before school picks up."
Bella was speechless for a moment, then joy bubbled up. "Oh my god, thank you! Kathy's gonna die when she sees it."
"You deserve it, Bella. Just promise me you'll drive safe, and don't take unnecessary risks."
"I promise, Dad. Thank you."
She ended the call, turned to Kathy, beaming. "It's today. The car is coming today."
Kathy whooped, nearly spilling her juice. "We're official now! You're gonna ride up to Eden Hall in style."
They finished their breakfast quickly, the excitement buzzing through the apartment. Shoes were placed by the door, dresses hung on the mirror, wigs laid out. They packed small bags: wallet, phone, small mirror, lip gloss, extra lash glue, just in case.
By mid‑morning, a ride arrived to take them to The Beauty lounge, a salon just outside campus, tucked behind a line of bougainvillea bushes. The exterior was elegant , white French provincial windows, soft grey door, potted plants flanking the entrance. The sign was painted in rose gold cursive letters that caught the light. Inside, the decor was modern glam: plush velvet chairs in blush pink, rose gold mirrors with bulbs around them, faint scent of lavender and vanilla in the air. The walls adorned with large photos of styled wigs, flawless makeup, dramatic lashes, nails in glitter, and minimalist chic designs.
"Wow, this place is goals," Kathy said, dropping her bag on a chair.
Bella touched the plush armrests, smiling. "It feels like a dream already."
They were ushered to a station where lash artist Maria greeted them, her makeup perfectly done, her hair sleek and shiny. Bella watched as Maria cleaned her lashes, prepped glue, showed Bella inspiration photos of fluttery full lashes, long and dramatic but with natural curve. They tried different styles, feathered, cat eye, multi‑layered, before Bella settled on a look, dramatic but elegant, ones that would show up under lights but still look good in close up.
Kathy, meanwhile, looked at nail designs: almond shape with emerald accents, gold tips, rhinestones, ombré. She showed a photo she took from Velvet Charm of black nails tipped in gold with tiny green gems to match her dress. Bella placed her order too , gold coffin nails with a subtle shimmer finish. Nail technician smiled and began shaping, filing, cutting, buffing, then painting base coats. Soft music played, chatter from other clients as Bella and Kathy joked, compared styles, laughed about how Bella might trip in her heels, how they might take too many selfies, how their wigs better behave.
While nails were drying, Bella moved to the hair station. Stylists asked about frontals, color, edges, and hairline preferences. Bella showed inspiration photos, lace frontal, honey brown curls, laid edges. Kathy showed her own, deep chocolate black with slight waves. Stylists mixed colors, blended frontal lace to match skin tones, carefully placed lace, cut baby hairs, laid edges.
Between sessions, Bella and Kathy lay reclined in salon chairs, capes around their necks, sipping water, sharing lash glue holder, brushing wigs. They shared stories from the Lifetime Freshmen WhatsApp group, who was coming, who posted pictures of their outfits, who might be fashionably late but look good doing it. They giggled when someone asked if a certain cute guy was going to be there. Bella made jokes: "If they stare too long, they might get arrested for admiration," and Kathy slapped her arm laughing.
A few hours later, the girls were finally done with their hair, nails, and lashes. The entire session had taken up most of their day, but it was worth every single second. Bella and Kathy looked absolutely breathtaking. Their frontals were laid to perfection, edges sleek and neat, their nails sparkled under the salon lights, and their lashes were long, thick, and fluttery, just how they liked it. They couldn't stop looking at themselves in the mirror.
"Girl, we look like snacks," Kathy said, flipping her hair and striking a pose.
"No, babes, we look like the whole meal," Bella laughed, pulling out her phone for another Snapchat video.
They had made countless snaps and pictures while still inside the salon. The lighting in there was soft and golden, the perfect setting to capture their new looks. They recorded boomerangs of their nails, close-ups of their lashes, and cute mirror selfies with playful filters. Within minutes, their phones were already buzzing with replies. Fire emojis, heart eyes, "OMG y'all look so good," and "Can't wait to see you at the party" flooded their DMs.
"Ugh, I'm starving," Kathy groaned, holding her stomach.
"Same here," Bella agreed. "Let's hit up that café down the street before we faint from slaying too hard."
They left the salon with their edges still intact and their confidence through the roof. The weather was warm with a gentle breeze, the sun beginning to dip toward the horizon. People they passed turned their heads ,some out of admiration, some from envy. Kathy and Bella knew they were turning heads, and they basked in it.
The café they stopped by was a small, classy spot just a few minutes from the salon. It had a modern rustic design with soft jazz music playing inside. The girls were too hungry to sit and dine, so they placed a quick takeaway order ,creamy Alfredo pasta with grilled chicken, garlic bread on the side, and iced lemon tea. It was a bit pricey, but worth it.
They waited on a cozy bench outside the café, watching the sky slowly shift to evening hues.
"Do you think the dress color will still pop under those lights at the party?" Bella asked, sipping her tea.
"Babes, with the way we look, we could walk in wearing garbage bags and still steal the show," Kathy replied, laughing.
After a long day of beauty appointments, Bella and Kathy finally got home, exhausted but absolutely glowing. Their lashes were full and dramatic, nails sparkled with rhinestones, and their hair was laid to perfection. The scent of styling products and soft vanilla still lingered around them as they stepped into their apartment, heels clicking against the floor.
Bella immediately dropped her purse on the couch and collapsed next to it.
"I'm not even hungry anymore. I'm just tired and fine!" she said dramatically, tossing her head back.
Kathy flopped down beside her, carefully placing their takeaway bag on the table. "Girl, I feel so hot, even sleep would be scared to touch this face."
They burst out laughing.
"I can't wait to try on our dresses again," Bella said, pulling off her sandals. "I want to see the full effect with the nails and lashes now."
Just as they were about to unpack their food, Bella's phone buzzed. She grabbed it absentmindedly, expecting another Snap notification.
But when she looked at the screen, her eyes widened.
"OH MY GOD!"
Kathy jerked up. "What happened?!"
Bella screamed again, laughing this time. "The car is on the way! Dad said it should be delivered in 30 minutes!"
Kathy jumped to her feet. "Bella!! You mean THE car?!"
"Yes!!" Bella was already jumping around the living room barefoot. "It's finally happening. We're gonna pull up to that party like bad baddies in our own whip!"
"Babes, this weekend just keeps getting better," Kathy squealed, doing a little dance.
They both quickly set up the living room, cleared some space, and put their food in the microwave. While it heated up, they stood by the window, peeking out every few minutes like kids waiting for Santa.
Time ticked by slowly, or maybe it just felt that way because they were so excited.
Then, right after the 30-minute mark, Kathy shrieked, pointing down the street. "BELLA. That's it. That's YOUR car!"
A sleek, glossy black SUV was slowly pulling into the parking lot of their apartment building. The sun glinted off its surface, and the chrome details gleamed like a dream. A man in a branded polo and sunglasses stepped out with a folder in hand.
Bella didn't even wait, she flew down the stairs, Kathy right behind her, both barefoot and screaming.
"Miss Isabella?" the man asked with a polite smile.
"That's me!" Bella beamed.
"Your father asked me to deliver this personally. All the paperwork is in the folder. The car has been fueled and is ready to go. Enjoy your ride, ma'am."
Bella was speechless. Her hands trembled slightly as she took the key fob from him. The car chirped and unlocked with a flash of its headlights. She couldn't believe it. Her car.
Kathy circled it like it was a piece of art. "Oh, it's giving! It's giving 'we don't wait at the bus stop anymore'!"
The man left after a few more formalities, and the girls spent the next twenty minutes sitting inside, exploring every inch of the interior, playing with the sound system, and, of course, recording videos.
Their phones were buzzing with excitement, and the party wasn't even here yet.
Bella turned to Kathy with a grin. "This weekend, we slay. No, we dominate."
"And we do it in style," Kathy replied, stretching back in the passenger seat with a smug smile.
They clinked their iced teas together and cheered: "To glow-ups and new rides."