The following morning, I was awoken by a buzzing sound. What is that? Is that a phone? Grudgingly, I search around for it, and peer at the screen. I noticed that I had a message from someone called ‘Nocte’.

“Nocte?” I grumbled. “What a weird name….”

I put the phone down and crawled back under the sheets.

“Wait a minute….”

As I poked my head back out, I opened up my phone to look at the message. 

“So everything that happened yesterday actually did happen, huh?” I mumbled out loud as I read the text message.

I’ll be picking you up around 11

That was about the dress thing, right? As I thought that, the phone buzzed again and, as I checked, I saw that there was another message from Nocte.

To find you a dress.

Did that man just read my mind? Either way, I just typed back ‘ok’ and checked the time, which showed me 9:45am. Urgh, have I ever said I hate mornings? It didn’t exactly help when last night I was weirdly buzzing, and didn’t get to sleep until at least 3am. Grumbling, I crawled out of bed to freshen up, get dressed and have at least something to eat. 

Some time passed, and I was hanging around on one of the lone chairs that seemed to be in this flat. It was like a red and white dining table chair, but there was only one. But it was weirdly comfortable. As I checked my phone again for the time, I noticed that it was just closing in on 11am. Was I supposed to wait downstairs or here? As I thought that, my phone buzzed and there was a message from Nocte again.

I’m early, but I will be waiting down here.

Now the new question was do I go now? Or do I make him wait a little? Wait no, that was a stupid question. This wasn’t a date, so why should I even think that? So, instead, I grabbed my bag and left. As I made my way outside, I saw that there was the same man from yesterday standing in front of a rather flash looking red car. 

Will update this pic

“Nice car.” I casually told him.

“Oh, this?” His thumb pointed to the vehicle behind him. “It’s just a Corvette, I kind of have a fondness for those.”

“Oh, really?” I walked a little closer, as he moved to the passenger side to open the door.

“It’s just a swell car.”

“Hmmm…” 

Weirdly enough, it felt like there was more to that story, but I figured that I’d better not ask, so I just slid into the passenger side as he closed the door behind me. ‘Wow’, I thought to myself. The interior of this car was so nicely done. However, I have to be careful not to get lost in this rich ass lifestyle.

“So, where are we going?” I ask Nocte as he slides in behind the wheel.

“I know a place.”

Without saying anything else, he started to drive off. As I watched the scenery go by, I noticed that we were driving into the posh parts of London. Of course he was, why wouldn’t he be?

“I heard driving in London is bad, is it?” I asked, just to start some sort of conversation.

“It has its moments, but doesn’t any city?”

“True….”

Eventually, he stopped the car outside a rather expensive looking clothing store. I looked directly at him.

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“I know the manager.” He just casually gave me a thumbs up and got out of the car.

“Of course you do….” I mumbled out loud as I too got out.

“I helped the owner, so it kinda works out.” He commented over to me as I closed the door.

“Just who are you?” 

Instead of answering, he just gave a devilish smile and indicated for me to go inside.

As I walked inside the building, I nearly had to pick my jaw up off the floor. The whole entire place was so luxurious that it was a bit unbelievable. There was a colour theme going on, that I did notice. Black and red? I turned to look at Nocte, and saw that he was also wearing black and red. Hmmm.. He did say that he helped the owner? So is he a business partner to this clothing firm? 

“Nocte! Darling!”

A loud female voice took me out of my head, as an old woman, in some striking beautiful clothing, just glided over to us. 

“Charlotte! It’s been too long!” Nocte playfully called out to her as she came over.

“That it has, you naughty boy.” The old woman playfully hit him, and I noticed that there was a hint of a French accent. “I do miss our teas together. Hmmm?” Her eyes wandered over to me. “Now, who is this young filly?”

Young…. Filly? Isn’t a filly a horse? Did I just get called a horse?!

“Charlotte, my dear, this is Alexis.” Nocte introduced me. “I am requiring a dress for her.”

“Hmmm….” With that, the old woman, called Charlotte, slides up over to me, and eyes me up and down. For some reason, I felt like a piece of meat. “The occasion?”

“Masquerade and auction.”

“Oh, you must mean that event that is happening in Mayfair soon.” Charlotte's hand went to her chin, as she still eyed me up.

“Can you find something for her?”

“Of course, you silly boy!” She wagged her finger at him. “Who do you take me for? Come, come!” With that, Charlotte started to walk off, gesturing along the way for them to follow her.

I leaned in close, so I could whisper to Nocte.

“How do you know her again?”

“I basically helped her find her husband.”

“You’re a romance specialist, now?” I raised my eyebrow at him.

“Not really. I just played cupid.”

“Ok!” Charlotte heavily announced. “You! Come with me.” She pointed at me. “You? Sit.” She then pointed Nocte in the direction of a sofa.

“Huh? Me?” I pointed to myself.

“Yes, yes! Don’t dilly dally girl!” With that, Charlotte strided over to me again and, more or less, just pushed me into a room and closed the curtains behind her. “Hmm… Has anyone ever told you that you have a nice figure? But you are wasting it on these….” She gestured to my outfit. “Rat clothes.”

Rat clothes? What does that mean, exactly?

“Err, I usually just wear what’s comfortable….”

“Oh, my sweet child.” She actually looked at me when I said that. “That just won’t do. Won’t do at all. Just by looking at you….” She once again eyed me up and down. “I can guess your size, so do give me a moment, would you?” With that, she dipped behind another set of curtains.

Ok, this Charlotte woman? She was such a loud and bossy woman, but I could tell that she was a successful woman, there was no doubt about that. Perhaps I could strive to be someone like her? Wait, nevermind, that won’t ever happen. Eventually, Charlotte came back carrying what looked like dresses.

“I found four that could fit with the theme. So pick one, put it on and meet me outside.”

She placed them on the sofa that was in the middle of the room, and went through the first curtain again. As I listened, I could hear her talking outside, which I had to guess that she was talking to Nocte again. 

“Hmm…. Ok then.”

As I looked over the dresses that Charlotte laid out, I quickly noticed that they were all black, with a bit of red here and there. Somehow that really wasn’t surprising, considering the whole building had the red and black theme. Shrugging, I just picked up the first one that I could pick up. Was this one of those dresses that they refer to a mermaid dress? As I removed my so-called ‘rat clothes’, I changed into the dress. I have to admit that it was a beautiful dress, but man…. How do you walk? Charlotte’s loud voice rings out from behind the curtain.

“Are you done yet?”

“Yes, I’m coming!”

Somehow I managed to walk over to the curtain. Perhaps, with practice, I could get the hang of this. But, right now? Hell no. As I stepped through the curtain, I immediately saw Charlotte, who started to eye me up.

“Just as I thought….” She announced. “It looks beautiful on you!”

“However, she doesn’t seem to be used to that sort of style.” Nocte points out. 

Man, he was observant. How can he tell from me just standing in it? It was hard to walk in, but standing in it? Was easy enough.

“True. It’s a shame though… Maybe she should get some practice in, then we can talk about another of its kind.”

I took that as a ‘no’ for this dress, which, in a way, I was glad about. Since, man! How on Earth do women walk in these? I turned back to go through the curtain again, tried on the other three dresses, and presented them to Charlotte. However, she did say ‘no’ three more times. It’s sad really, since I kinda liked the cocktail dress, but Charlotte insisted that it looked like a nightdress on me. The smartly dressed old lady started scratching her chin.

“Hang on a moment….” It seemed like she got an idea. “I do have one more item, but it’s a bit of a prototype. It might just work for you. Do give me a moment.”

With that, Charlotte glides off into a back room, and I let out a sigh.

“I feel like a doll….”

“A pretty doll.” Nocte tells her.

I just blinked at his comment.

“You don’t need to agree with what Charlotte says….” He continues. “If you feel comfortable and beautiful in any of the dresses? You can choose one of them. Like, for example, that cocktail dress.”

How did he know that I liked that one the most? He really must be able to read minds, or he might just be extremely observant. 

“Oh, I mean Charlotte is the professional here, and seems to be very successful, so I will value her opinions.”

Nocte gives me a little smile, as Charlotte returns, carrying another dress.

“It might need some adjustments if this is the dress for you, but there’s only one way to find out….” She hands me the dress, and I just turn and walk back through the curtain. 

I couldn’t see what the dress was while it wasn’t on me but, as soon as I put it on, I had to admit to myself that it was nice! The dress itself still had the black and red theme, but it was long at the back, but short at the front. It was also a little off shoulder, so it kept sliding down my boobs, so I had to hold it up. But the fabric of this dress? It was weird, it was like I was being enveloped by someone hugging me, but it was the clothes instead. Instead of me walking out to show Charlotte, she just strode on in and, as soon as she saw me, her eyes lit up. 

“I knew it, it looks perfect!”

“I think so too.” I told her as she started circling me like a hawk.

“Just as I thought, there does need to be some adjusting.” She started mapping out, with her finger, in the air. “Here, here, and here. But they are just minor tweaks, which will be done before the event.”

“That fast?”

“Honey? I work quickly for an old woman.” Charlotte looked really proud of herself.

“Fair enough.” 

I removed the dress and handed it back to her, and Charlotte moved to leave. As soon as she was gone, I thought that I should get dressed in the clothes I came in, but, as much as I looked, I realised that they were missing. 

“Huh? I swear I put them here….” I pointed to the arm of the sofa, as I mumbled out loud to myself.

Sighing, I returned to the curtains and peeked out from it. Charlotte was nowhere to be seen, but Nocte was still on the sofa, reading a magazine. Could he perhaps help?

“Psst….” I quietly called to him, but he didn’t react, so I did a louder one. “Pssssstttt!” Eventually, he looked up. “Come here….” I gestured, and he just raised an eyebrow. “Please?” Nocte looked a little confused, as he put down the magazine and walked over.

“Why are you whispering behind a curtain?”

“Can you find me some clothes?”

“Excuse me?” He raised his eyebrows.

“My clothes….” I nervously started to explain. “They are kinda missing….”

“How do you lose clothes?”

“I don’t know, Charlotte called the clothes I came in ‘rat clothes’. So maybe she stole them? Or picked them up by mistake, I don’t know. But help?”

“This curtain could make a nice dress….” He started to rub the curtain.

“You’re hilarious. Ten out of ten.” I just glared at his bad joke.

Smiling at her, he turns and walks off more into the shop floor. Man, this is embarrassing. After a short while, Nocte returns and he hands her the ‘rat clothes’.

“Where did you find them?”

I ducked behind the curtain and started to get changed, but Nocte stayed on the other side as we continued to keep talking.

“Rescued them from Charlotte herself, she wanted to burn them.”

“So she did steal them.”

“It looks like it, she can be quite sneaky.”

“Now that? I can agree with.” I nodded along with him.

“However, she insists on giving you an entire new wardrobe.”

“What? Are you serious? That’s just over the top.”

“That’s the way she is.”

As I put my shoes on, I stepped out from behind the curtain.

“I think it’s just a little too much, plus isn’t our arrangement for only one night?”

I watched him as he tilted his head to the side. “What if I asked you for more?”

“Ehh?”

“I have no desire to be harassed by singletons, so how about I just hire you as my assistant. You will be at my side a lot and in an appearance state? Scare them off. Well, in theory….”

“Your… What?”

“Assistant.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold your horses, buckaroo! Your assistant? Seriously? I have no idea what you even do! For all I know, you could be some mafia boss!”

“I’m just a guy who likes animals.”

“So a mafia boss who likes animals?” I eyed him up.

“I mean if it helps you sleep at night, sure?”

That really sounded like sarcasm. So ok, maybe he wasn’t a mafia boss, but maybe he was an underling? Or whatever they are really called.

“Just… Give me a moment.”

Moving to sit on the sofa, I stuck my head in my hands and leaned over. Seriously, an assistant? I barely even know this guy. Apart from him being both odd and ridiculously handsome. But, at the same time, I’m not getting any other job offers, and here…. I looked up at him. He is basically offering me a job on a silver platter. 

“Ok then, Mister. What would your assistant do?”

“Honestly? Nothing, apart from the point I said earlier with being at my side.”

“I see.”

“What I basically do…” He continues. “Is a bit self sufficient, soooo….”

“I am doing nothing, ‘job’ wise?”

“Not exactly ‘nothing’.”

“You’ve really lost me now….”

“It’s a bit hard to explain right now, but since you are asking me about it, are you interested?”

“Well, I still don’t know what you do.”

“If it makes you feel better, I’m basically hiring you as my plus one and, if anyone asks, you are my assistant.”

“So basically…..” I stood up and walked over to him and put my hands to my hips. “I’m a girlfriend who gets paid.”

“Not really? But perhaps?”

Yep. This is totally the concept of ‘Beautiful Woman.'