Page 37 of The Guru: Shadow

Works for me, Anson’s?

Anson’s was a bar with a club area on a lower level, and it was frequented by all sorts of people, mostly single men and women, queers as much as heteros, and in a relatively open space, wherealmost everything was allowed and welcomed. Usually it drew in people who were looking for something for a night or two, and that was exactly what she needed. She’d not let Deis fuck around with her.

Julie

Uh-oh

Are you out to get your head spun?

More that Chris need to spin far away

It was a white lie. She had to get Chris out of her head, but the real reason was something she couldn’t tell Julie, not in a million years. Deis was, after all, her biggest client. So it was not entirely false, and that was okay for today.

Julie

Legit. Meet at 9 then.

Dress up dear ??

The last message made a corner of her mouth twitch.

Oh how I will dress up.

She groaned internally as the time on her phone told her it was 7.30p.m. The rush she had felt in the early afternoon had left her, andher introverted, self-loathing self now sure as hell had absolutely no joy in leaving the house nor dressing up. Let alone, she had to go for her last savings in her piggy bank. It was so stupid. The money was for emergencies.

Why did I make the plan?

For what?

Getting back at him for the cameras?

Why not rip them out and tell him to fuck off?

Because she was Emma Richardson, a stupid mess, making all the dumb and bad decisions a person could make in a single attempt. Tonight, however, she won’t be Emma Richardson. It was time for a mask.

Get a fucking grip on yourself.

Put on the mask and pull through with the plan.

He fucked with you first.

And somehow, the pep talk she gave herself seemed to work.

She decided on a very tight, short black dress with a deep waterfall cutout in the back, which she wore without a bra. With her breasts, there wasn’t much need for it anyway, as they were small. She tamed her long brown and thick hair into beach waves, put a ton of make-up on her face, including black eyeshadow and eyeliner, and even chose to wear a necklace, several bracelets, and rings. Normally, she hated jewelry, but today, it was about the show.

Scrutinizing herself in the mirror, she felt extraordinary, not like herself, and as that was exactly the whole point of it, she almost congratulated herself on the move. Tonight, she would be someone else. One of her most favorite things in the world. Slipping into another self.

Turning around, she couldn’t help but smirk smugly into the bathroom’s camera. He was supposed to see. All of it.

And as she wore the curated mask, she even curtseyed a little, a smug grin on her face.

I am probably going to regret that one, but whatever. What was he thinking installing cameras in my fucking bathroom and everywhere else?

With that thought, she slipped into her black plateau-high heels, which madeher at least four inches taller. She wasn’t small at 5'8" but with the four inches, she was an impression. It was one reason she never wore them; she didn’t want to draw attention to her. Only today it wasexactlywhat she aimed for.

She grabbed her coat, as late October usually brought colder nights with it, and left. While she took the elevator down to the entrance, her inner voice made one last attempt at convincing her to turn around, giving her a million reasons, from no money to Deis probably freaking out. But she was the queen of bad decisions, so what did it matter? Tonight, she was Em whoever, a seductive professional who would get what she wanted.

And with that, she stepped out of the elevator. A last glance at her phone, it was 8.33p.m. and she would sure be too late.