Pretty Falling Pieces by Isabelle Culpo
Chapter Twelve
The last time I stood in this exact spot in Jess’s apartment, she was begging me to go out with her. Recently single, she was on the hunt for a rebound, and according to her, the best place to go fishing was in a nightclub.
I flat out refused at first, knowing all too well she would end up swarmed by men the entire night, and I’d be left standing there as her frumpy sidekick. After laying it on thick how upset she was about her ex, I finally caved. Jess even promised to give me a “makeover” that night to help improve my confidence. I wasn’t expecting miracles, but I remember standing in front of this mirror and feeling okay about the way I looked for the first time in my life.
I wasn’t a natural beauty like Jess, and I knew never would be, but I thought I looked at least passable. My long dark hair was curled down my back and Jess had painted my lips a deep red. Somehow, I managed to squeeze into a tight black dress two sizes too small, which Jess assured me gave the illusion of an hourglass waist.
As we made our way to one of the busiest clubs in the city, I remember even thinking to myself, What if someone hits on me tonight? Feeling unusually optimistic about the evening I remember the potential scenarios that popped into my head. All of them featured a handsome man approaching me while I was buying a drink or on the dance floor.
Little did I know, the reality would be an entirely different story, and my high hopes for the evening would be dashed before it had even begun.
Unsurprisingly, Jess caught the eye of a good looking guy who was with a group of friends in a VIP section of the club, just above the dance floor. At first, they were flirting from a distance, catching each other’s eyes from across the room. Then eventually, he called her over with a wave of his hand. She tugged me along with her, and I went willingly, grateful for the opportunity to sit down and rest my aching feet. The first thing I noticed about them was they all shared the same haircut. A severe undercut, short on the sides and long and tousled on top, surveying the club as if they were God’s gift. The good looking guy flirting with Jess stood to greet her, shuffling his friends that were man-spreading along to make space.
I didn’t expect to sit next to Jess, as she’d been pulled into the middle of the booth, but just as I was about to sit down at the end of the table, one of his friends said under his breath, “Not you, fatty.” The rest of the group burst into laughter. They laughed so hard I could see the side of their heads turn red, where it was closely shaved.
I was mortified and heartbroken not because of what he said, I’d been teased like that my entire life. What hurt me was that for the first time in my life when I thought I scrubbed up okay and didn’t hate the way I looked; I was still too ugly for a group of guys to allow me to sit next to them.
The guy who dished out the insult was watching me closely. As if waiting for me to break down and run off in tears. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction though. Seasoned at being on the receiving end of bullying, I knew the best response was to walk away and provide him with no reaction at all.
And that’s exactly what I did.
The tears came later that night, of course, long after Jess texted me to see if I was okay.
I swore I would never put myself in that position again.
Yet here I am, dressed to the nines about to attend a ball.
When Theo told me he had my outfit “covered” I wasn’t sure what to expect. It certainly wasn’t the gorgeous House of CB satin midi dress that arrived at my apartment this morning. A lovely pale pink fabric with crystal embellishment along the neckline. It’s the sort of dress I would’ve seen on a celebrity and thought “I wish I could wear that.” Even more surprisingly, it fits like a glove and accentuates my generous curves. I styled my hair in a loose low bun with pieces framing my face. My makeup is soft and natural. My jewelry is rose gold and delicate.
I’m literally wearing my dream interior colour palette.
Jess comes up from behind me, looking perfect as ever in a silver floor-length dress and bold purple on her lips. The sort of colour I would walk past a makeup counter and think who would ever buy that? But of course, she makes it look chic and sexy.
“I’m so excited for tonight, Imogen. I’ve waited for this kind of thing since we were kids,” she says, a cheerful lilt in her voice.
“Really? Theo said it was boring last year.” I wouldn’t have thought this would be a highlight of her jam-packed social calendar.
“Not the event, silly! The fact that we both have incredible guys that just so happen to be best friends like us, and they’re taking us to a ball where we get to dress up and look pretty.” She picks up the bottom of her dress, swaying it back and forth, then shoves my shoulder when she catches me rolling my eyes in the reflection of the mirror.
“I’ve always worried you’d end up lonely and by yourself. But now I know you have Theo and that makes me so happy.”
“Ugh Jess! Way to make me feel like a loser. You know I’ve always been content on my own.” I turn to face her and notice her eyes are welling with tears. “Anyway, you look beautiful. Trent’s going to go crazy when he sees you and we were supposed to be downstairs two minutes ago, so let’s go.”
“Okay, okay, but can you take a quick pic of me for my Insta first though?”
I hold out my hand for the camera.
Thirty-seven almosts and one perfect picture later, we find Theo and Trent waiting for us, both of their backs turned and looking out towards the city.
Theo in black and Trent in navy, they make a formidable duo.
Any girl that ever catches their eye won’t stand a chance. Myself and Jess included.
While I stand back and admire, Jess runs up behind Trent and covers his eyes with her hands.
“Guess who?” I hear her say.
“Rebecca?” he teases, and she slaps him on the back.
“Jerk.”
I wish I could think of something cute and playful like that. Instead, I just stand there, waiting for Theo to approach me.
If you stick around, I promise I’ll get better at this.
“Fuck. I knew I shouldn’t have invited you,” he admits, his brows drawing together.
What?
“Wipe that shocked look off your face.” He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “You still have no clue how fucking pretty you are. I don’t think I’m ready to let the world see you like this.”
Once again, I blush from head to toe, only this time it’s a little less embarrassing because I know almost any girl would fall for a line like that. No matter how confident or experienced she is.
“You look…good too.”
Theo grins, and I hear Jess snicker from beside me.
Jess’s apartment is within walking distance from the venue, but that distance is uphill, so luckily Theo offers to drive us. If he hadn’t, I’d probably be limping in these heels before we got to the door. At that thought, I look down and notice I’m wearing the same heels as that night at the club. Fingers crossed; they don’t carry the same karma this evening.
Theo hands over his keys to the valet, and then we make our way inside. Several other people are gathered inside for the event which has been decorated in black and gold.
It’s not until we turn the corner that I connect the dots though.
The gold foil Rimu tree, from Coleman Construction’s logo, is tastefully embossed on all of the event collateral. Why didn’t Theo mention his company was the corporate sponsor for the event?
Theo and Trent find our table, located right near the stage, then pull out the seats for Jess and me.
“I didn’t know you worked with the Auckland City Orphanage,” I say to Theo.
The charity is well-known for working with at-risk youth who struggle with alcohol & drug addiction or mental health issues. Theo mentioned both of his parents passed away; maybe he ended up there himself?
“Coleman Construction has been a benefactor since our inception,” he says casually.
I suppose it’s something he doesn’t like to brag about. “Well if it’s worth anything, I’m very proud to be with you tonight.” Regardless of how successful his company is, it’s no small feat to fund an event like this to raise money.
“It means everything,” he admits. For a split second I notice a subtle change in his eyes, revealing more emotion than I’ve ever seen in them, but then he just as quickly leans over to plant a kiss on my cheek.
Sometimes I forget that Theo doesn’t really have anyone in his life to celebrate his achievements. People always assume that if you’re successful and have achieved more than most, there’s less need for validation from others. But everyone’s efforts to be a better person deserve recognition.
“I’d love to know how you got involved with this charity,” I ask, my enthusiasm making him smile.
“I promise to tell you one day, just not tonight. Tonight I just want you to enjoy yourself.”
Who can argue with that?
“At least the drinks are cold this year, Theo,” Trent says, referring to the bottle of champagne on ice in the centre of the table. “Last year it was piss warm.”
“Trent,” Jess scolds, usually she finds his crass language funny, but I’m guessing she’s still smarting from his joke earlier.
“What?” he protests “It wasn’t Theo’s company that was hosting it last year anyway. He would never fuck up the booze.” Theo laughs and goes to take a sip of his own drink, just as an older gentleman calls his name from behind us.
“Theo, how are you? I’ve been meaning to give you a call. My wife and I went past your new development on the Viaduct the other day. It looks outstanding, when are they going on the market?” Dollar signs in his eyes as he looks at Theo.
“I’m good, thanks, mate. We’ve actually already pre-sold all of the residential apartments. There was significant interest in the early stages, and everything was gone before we even hit the market.”
The old man slumps a little. “Knowing you’re managing the build that doesn’t surprise me. It’s a shame though. My wife and I thought it would be the perfect place to settle down and retire. If anything falls through with one of the buyers, let me know, will you?”
“Of course. It was nice seeing you, Craig. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
He pats Theo on the shoulder then turns to leave.
“Is it really that easy?” I ask.
“What do you mean?” His demeanour completely changes when he speaks to me. While he seemed rather cool and professional just a few moments ago, there’s now playfulness in his eyes. It does weird things to my heart, witnessing the smile I’ve only ever seen him use on me.
“Build and they shall come,” I add. I wish business was that easy to come by for me.
He tucks a strand of hair from my face behind my ear. “All of the apartments are spoken for, but there’s always a few that fall through even with the deposits put down. I wouldn’t be building it if I didn’t know they were going to sell like hotcakes, baby.” His eyes sparkle with achievement and I get another glimpse of competitive Theo.
On the surface he’s one of the most calm and chill guys you’ve ever met, but there’s unbridled ambition simmering under the surface.
Theo just makes shit happen and clearly that’s paid off considerably in his professional life.
“Hmm…and how much would one of those apartments set me back?” Probably more than I’ll ever make in my entire lifetime.
“Well, as I mentioned, all of the apartments have already been spoken for, however I may be able to work something out. You’d just need to offer something above and beyond the other prospective buyers. Something that I can’t get from anyone else.”
And once again I’m out of my depth.
It’s not that I don’t get what he’s implying, just that I have no idea what to say back.
So instead I take an emergency escape route. “I’m just going to head to the bathroom to freshen up. I’ll be back in a minute.” I stand up out of my chair, almost knocking it down in the process then head to the toilets. Leaving Theo to probably wonder whether he bought a fourteen-year-old instead of a twenty-four-year-old tonight.
He’s been very patient with me so far, but I know he’s not going to wait forever. There’s going to come a point where he expects things to progress in a way that most normal adult relationships should. The way I see it, I have two options, choose to progress the relationship further, stepping well and truly out of my comfort zone, or wait for him to move onto someone else.
As I am washing my hands at the bathroom sink, the door opens, and I hear the sound of stilettos tapping against the tiled floor. Their voices are hushed at first, but as they turn the corner, and the door closes again they become louder and my stomach sinks.
I’d recognise those voices anywhere.
Hearing them as I walked down the hallways in college used to instantly set my body on guard, as I prepared for another vicious verbal assault.
“I’m telling you, Allie, he couldn’t take his eyes off you! He’s still completely obsessed. Why wouldn’t he be? You’re the most stunning girl in the world.” It’s said with all the enthusiasm and sincerity of a used car salesman.
I’d question the sanity of anyone for believing that phony line just delivered.
But it’s not just anyone.
No, when I glance up at their reflection in the mirror, I see Alexis Mills standing behind me. Nodding in agreement at her friend’s generous assessment.
We make eye contact in the mirror, and I instantly realise the terrible mistake I’ve just made.
All of a sudden there are four pairs of expertly lined eyes turned my way.
“Holy shit. Do you know who that is?” The same girl from a few moments ago laughs.
Her name is on the tip of my tongue so Allie’s minion number one will have to do for now.
“Oh my god. She must have finally escaped from fat camp.”
The insult forces me back to my formative years in college when I was taunted by this same group of girls who made it their life’s mission to remind me on a daily basis that I was fat and worthless.
It wasn’t just me who was targeted by their vicious torment either.
Everyone knew they either needed to steer clear of this group or pretend to be their allies. I went for the former, but, being the only obese student in my year and having only one friend, I was low hanging fruit. No matter how hard I tried to avoid them, it was just too easy for them to take a bite out of my self-esteem and contaminate it with their poison-laced tongues.
When I graduated, I thought it would be the last time I ever saw them. A small part of me hoped that if I ever was unluckily enough to run into them again, instead of being the pretty, popular, and thin girls they were in high school, life would have been a little less kind as they aged.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
If anything, they’ve grown even more beautiful, with shiny polished skin and voluminous hair that somehow makes them look both effortless and expensive.
Allie, the fearless leader of the group, stalks towards me, sizing up her prey. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Imogen Walker… I must have missed your season on Biggest Loser. I must say they did a great job on the body. It’s a shame they couldn’t fix the face though. How does it feel losing all that weight only to realise you’re still just as unfuckable?”
She takes another step towards me until she’s so close I can smell the faint scent of seafood on her breath.
In the past, a comment like that would have left me deflated. Now, even though it still stings, I know not to take it personally. When you witness the torture of innocent animals, and you’re close enough to experience the devastation of climate change firsthand, insults like that just make you realise how simple some people’s lives really are. To be a fully grown woman, and still be able to dish out that sort of remark, to someone you haven’t seen in years, is pathetic.
“It’s nice to see you, Allie,” I say, reaching into my handbag till I find what I’m looking for. “Just a heads up though, you may want to pop this in your mouth before you go back out there. I’d hate for whoever it is that’s so obsessed with you to catch a whiff of your breath. Enjoy the rest of your evening, ladies.”
Her jaw drops to the floor and I walk out the door holding my head high in victory.
Allie - 0. Imogen - 1.
When I return, Jess is seated at the table alone, and there’s an anxious look on her face. “Imogen, did you see who walked into the bathroom?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What did they say?” she asks cautiously, it wouldn’t be the first time they’d cornered me and I’d left in tears.
“Just the typical insults about my appearance and weight. Nothing particularly original,” I laugh, trying to downplay it. The last thing I want is for her to think she needs to confront them and defend me.
“God, they’re such evil cows. I should’ve known they wouldn’t have changed since school. Those days will probably be the best of their lives, and they’re all stupid enough to think that if they behave the same way they’ll prolong it.” I smile at Jess, once again grateful to have her as a friend and someone in my life that can instantly make me feel better.
Her pouty violet lips tilt in a smirk. “I bet they couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw you.”
“As if,” I say, giving her the side eye.
“I know you don’t believe it, but you’ve completely transformed, Imogen. They only insulted you just now because they’re jealous. They’re used to being the hottest chicks in the room, and then all of a sudden you walk in and steal that title right from under their noses.”
She’s being sweet, but physically there’s no way I could even be considered in the same league as them. If they were each a foot taller, they’d have been bestowed Victoria’s Secret angel wings by now, gracing catwalks around the world.
“Thanks, Jess. You know you’re the best friend a girl could ever ask for, right?” I say, pulling her in for a tight hug.
“Oh I know and don’t you ever forget it! Anyway, they don’t deserve our time or attention tonight. We are here with two sexy dates who are desperate for our attention. Allie and her posse of airheads will have to find someone else to torment.” Then she raises her champagne glass to me in a toast.
Twenty minutes later, Theo and Trent return to our table with fresh glasses in their hands.
Jess is right, they both look so handsome.
“Sorry to leave you ladies, some old fart was trying to tell us how to do our job,” Trent grunts, unbuttoning his jacket and taking a seat next to Jess. “I had to explain to him that my stunning girlfriend was sitting unaccompanied to get him to shut up and let us leave.”
“What did he say?” I ask Theo.
“He said we should consider developments outside of Auckland. Said the city’s sprawl was worsening commute times for locals and we should be focusing on building in more rural areas.”
Not a bad point. I’ve lived in Auckland all my life and the traffic makes me want to pull my hair out at times.
“The thing is we’ve already got plans in place to do so. Plans that I’ll probably need your help with… If you’re available that is,” he teases, twirling a lock of my hair around his finger.
Does he realise what casual comments like that mean to me? The fact that he sees me in his future, either in a professional or personal capacity, makes me overjoyed.
“When are they gonna bring the food out? I’m starving,” Jess says, grabbing one of the bread rolls at the centre of the table and smothering it with a thick coating of butter.
“You should ask, Imogen,” Allie says from behind me. “I saw her earlier stuffing her face in the kitchen before the food was even ready to be served.”
She tips her head back in laughter, and I visualise the whole thing falling off.
“The poor staff had to remake nearly all of the canapés from the amount she scarfed down.”
Just as I’m about to refute that lie, she squeals loud enough to frighten the surrounding tables.
“Oh my god, Theo!” she says with dramatic excitement. “I’ve missed you so much.”
She grabs his face with her long, blood red talons and bends down to kiss him.
Right on the lips.
Allie - 100. Imogen - 1.