Page 74 of The Dark Side

Katia stopped and looked between them with an odd expression. She met Gil's gaze, but he stuttered in response, "I'm good, thank you."

"I'm glad," Jolie didn't think her words were so terrible, but the awkwardness was apparent.

"Me too," Katia added patronizingly.

Inside, a man at the front desk, with painted pink nails and gold bracelets, gushed over them as he brought them to the other side of a wall. A dozen dresses were on a rack, and two or three dressed mannequins, but it was otherwise limited. The selection was bare, and Jolie almost wanted to tell her that the superstore, Ross, wasn't too far and had plenty more options.

They spoke in Russian, leaving Jolie to her thoughts as she moseyed over to the rack, checking for a price tag. To her confusion, there were none.

"Jolie, Miss Lacy has a dress for you in the back."

Jolie quickly followed the path to the open curtains where Miss Lacy stood. She was an old Russian beauty, with eyes like crystal. She didn't know English, but she understood the gestures well enough. Jolie undressed and stood awkwardly in the middle of the changing room while the woman stared at her.

"Off," Miss Lacy ordered.

Jolie looked down at her undergarments.

"Off." The woman flicked her hand again.

"Um." Jolie fidgeted and then turned around and undid her bra.

"Off, off," Miss Lacy instructed as Jolie stood in her panties, covering her breasts with her arms.

"No. On," Jolie fought back.

"Off."

"On."

"Jolie," Katia sang, "listen to Miss Lacy."

Jolie narrowed her eyes. For some reason, she had an inkling that Katia was enjoying this.

With aggravation, she pulled her panties to the ground. Miss Lacy was quick to help her into her dress, and it was then she understood why she needed to be completely naked for it. The dress dipped so low in the front that it almost touched her belly button, and then there was no back to it. Jolie could feel a draft in her butt crack. Only two strings kept it up.

It was beautiful, what little there was of it. Glittering red fabric went down to her ankles, with a slit riding up to the top of her hip.

Miss Lacy had shoes ready and slipped the tallest stilettos in existence on her feet. It was like walking on twigs.

"There's no way." Jolie cursed as she held Miss Lacy's arms.

Katia's voice came through the curtain, "Well, let's see it. We don't have all day." She snapped the curtain back. A smile started on her lips until a choked laugh came through, and Katia slapped a quick hand over her mouth. Jolie glared at her, her knees shaking from the awkward, steep hill her feet were camped on. Katia put up a hand in apology,"Maybe something not so revealing. She is still a virgin."Katia then joked in English, "Can't risk your virginity, can we?"

Jolie leaned over, gripping Miss Lacy's hand as she reached for a chair and roughly collapsed. "I'm not a virgin."

"Oh." Katia perked, quite surprised. "Sorry. I just assumed."

Jolie flung off the death trap of a shoe as Miss Lacy went in search for something else.

"Who was the lucky man?"

Jolie ripped off the other shoe. She thought about lying, but she was already struggling with enough lies that it didn't seem worth it. And she still wasn't sure if Katia was trying to be her friend and gossip or make fun of her. "A high school boyfriend."

Katia adored the look of embarrassment on her face. If this woman provided nothing else, at least she was entertaining.

"I think that is sweet," Katia admitted. "Do you still love this man?"

Jolie winced, thinking of it. "No. He wasn't exactly my type. I know that now."