A Writer's Fairytale

Mary: You owe me a favor.

“Hey.” I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and I saw Rebeca standing behind me.

I smiled. “Hey Rebeca. How was the rest of dinner?”

She laughed. “It wasn’t bad except for the fact that the honorary guest had to leave early.”

I looked away. “I really am sorry. I didn’t want to leave early, I just forgot about this story.”

She smiled. “We understood. Most people wouldn’t, but we are your family, so we know how much of a procrastinator you are. How is your story coming?”  

I laughed. “I actually just finished.”

“Really?” she said, giving me a sideways glance.

I laughed. “I want to read over it one more time to make sure that everything is ok, but other than that I am done.”

Rebeca sat down on the couch beside me. “I can do that.”

“No, it’s fine. I can do it.”

She grabbed my computer from me. “No, I insist.”

“What has gotten into you?” I asked looking at her. “To be honest I don’t care. You know how much I hate going over my stories again and again.”

“I just want to help you. Could you do me a favor though?” she said, getting up from the couch with my computer in hand.

“Anything,” I said with a smile. “What can I do for you?”

“I don’t want to tell you yet,” she said smiling, walking over to the kitchen table.

“Now that doesn’t sound good.” I laughed walking toward the table that we had near the entrance. There was something on it.

“That is some of the leftover food. Your grandmother insisted that I take it to you,”  she said laughing.

I laughed. “She would.”

“Yeah. Well I am going to get to work on your story,” she said, sitting down at the kitchen table.

“Again, I really do appreciate that. I think I am going to take a shower. If you have any questions on my story feel free to knock on the door. I will answer them the best that I can.”

She turned from the computer screen. “You got it.”

I went into the bathroom took my clothes off and showered. I had just walked out of the shower when I heard a knock on the door. “Hey. I found out what you can do to repay me.”

“You did?” I called back to my friend. “That was fast,” I thought.

“I did. Are you decent?” she said, opening the door.

“Yeah. I mean enough,” I said, making sure that my towel was on straight and was covering everything.

“I want you to put this on,” Rebeca said, handing me a set of clothes.

“Why?” I looked at her funny. “You do realize what time it is, don’t you?” I asked. It was a little before 8 and there was no way that I was going out that night. I had been out enough.

“Yes, I am aware of the time,” She said “Just put it on. This is part of my favor.”

“What is the other part?” I grabbed the clothes from her.

“You’ll see,” she said with a smile. “When you’re done getting dressed knock on the door. I will be waiting outside.” 

I called to her just as she shut the door. “Why can’t I just walk out?”  This plan of hers was getting suspicious, and I didn’t like that. 

“Just do as I say,” she said, closing the door. 

“Whatever,” I said. I should have ran. I should have thought about why she was doing any of this, but I was stupid. I didn’t think about it. I wasn’t thinking, and that was the problem. I got dressed in one of my nicer outfits. It was one of the only things that I had yet to pack. I did as she said and knocked on the door. 

“We don’t have much time,” she said. 

Get dressed the bomb will go off at any minute.” I was making jokes, because I wasn’t sure what was going on, and I didn’t like that. I needed to know everything. I needed to know what was going on. 

“Sit,” she said, pointing to a chair that she brought into the room.

“Is this where the bomb is?” I asked, looking at her.

She rolled her eyes. “Close your eyes.” 

“How can I defuse a bomb with my eyes closed?” I asked, closing my eyes. I felt her put some stuff on my eyes. “What is that?” 

“I’m turning you into a girl,” she said. I felt something touch my lips.

“What are you doing?” I asked. 

 “Nothing,” she said and then I felt a tug on my hair.

 “Ouch,” I screamed. 

“Sorry,” she said. “If you would keep your hair better, then I wouldn’t have to yank at it right now.”

“First off, I have been working the past few days, so my hair has taken a back seat. Second off why are you yanking at my hair now?” 

"Just deal with it,” she said as she pulled at another strand.

 “That isn’t an answer. I want an answer,” I said, turning my head.

 She pushed my head back where it belonged. “Stop turning around. We don’t have much time.”

“Much time until what?”

Then I heard the doorbell. “Done. I will go get that.”

“I wonder who it is,” I said, but she didn’t turn around. I stood up from the chair and looked in the mirror. I knew what she was doing, but to actually see it, it made me angry. She had put make up on me. The question that I was truly wondering was why. Why was she bothering with this?

She came back into the bathroom. “Hey someone is here to see you.”

“Who?” I asked, turning to her.

“You will see,” she said, grabbing my arm.

“I don’t like this,” I said to her. “What is going on?”

She smiled. “You will see. This is just what you are doing to repay me for reading your story.”

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe I shouldn’t have made you read that story. That sounds like a safer choice for me, a better choice for me.”

“Too late,” she said, dragging me into the living room.