Chapter 2. Sex with a Stranger (2)

"Cherry!" Belle called from the room. "I'm gonna borrow your lip gloss in front of the mirror table."

"Oh, it's not mine. It's Brie's."

Belle put it in her purse and went to the living room to ask Cherry how she looked, but she didn't get to ask that before she heard Cherry's remark about the outfit.

"What are you wearing?" Cherry asked, sitting up from the couch.

"A dress?"

"And leggings?"

"It looks cold outside."

"The lip gloss, did you use it?"

"No? I put it in my bag just in case my lips get dry," Belle answered, and Cherry couldn't help but sigh.

"Okay, let's start with the clothes," she said, going to the room to pick something better for Belle to wear.

Going through Belle's clothes, Cherry didn't find any of them worthy for the night. She had to take out one of her own dresses.

"Here, change into this."

"Yours?'

"Yeah."

"It looks short," Belle pointed out.

"Yeah, that's why I gave it to you. You are about to get laid."

"I'm sure not getting there by seven," Belle mumbled, changing into the dress Cherry had picked.

"Has she left?" Brie came back, asking excitedly as she entered the room.

"She was about to; she was gonna wear leggings with this." Cherry passed the dress to her roommate.

"My grandma actually bought this," Brie laughed. "We should go shopping, maybe next Saturday. Lots of her clothes are to my grandma's taste."

"Are you sure I should wear this?" Brie asked, still undecided about the dress's length.

"Come on, it's not that short," Cherry said, making Brie turn to look at her cousin's sister.

It had a thin sleeve, making the dress almost sleeveless. It was a blue dress, which stopped right above her knee. Brie gaped in surprise when she saw her.

"Oh my gosh, Belle! You look fabulous."

"Really?" Belle asked, still pulling down the dress.

"Did you tell her to wear a bra with it?" Brie asked Cherry.

"No, she needs to take it off," Cherry said, and Belle swallowed.

"My bra?"

"Yeah, baby, take it off," Cherry nodded.

"Fine." Belle went back to the bathroom to take it off while Brie and Cherry chatted on.

"If she comes out, you do her makeup," Cherry suggested.

"I still have to go back to the laundry place. I just came back to see how she looked."

"You fucking had all day, Brie; just help her, she's your cousin, and then you both can head out together."

"Okay, okay, but you have to go with her; she doesn't know the hotel; someone has to show her."

After they had agreed, Belle was out again and Brie did light makeup on her. They soon left when they finished with Belle's dress-up.

"It's cold, guys." Belle shivered once they were outside.

"It's not that cold, just a little windy," Cherry said, about to lock the door to their apartment.

"Wait, I'll get her a scarf to prevent the cold till she gets there." Brie stopped her.

Belle was about to inform them of how late she was but didn't say anything, seeing that Brie was getting her a scarf.

The cab stopped in front of the hotel's entrance. It had driven past the gate, so Belle didn't have to walk all the way.

"Alright, have fun," Cherry wished her as she was about to get down. Brie had stopped at the laundromat.

Belle waved at the cab as it drove back. When she was about to enter the hotel, it occurred to her that she had forgotten the scarf because now she felt cold again.

Getting into the hotel, she was glad at how warm it was inside. She walked up to the female receptionist standing at the reception table.

"Good evening, ma'am. How may I help you?"

"Uhm, I'm here to meet...uhm... Ben, a Mr. Ben," she said, hoping he had already come.

"Just Ben?"

"Uhm, I believe that is what he must have entered his name as. Look, I don't know; can you just help me check if there's a Ben on your list?"

"Let me check."

"Thanks."

Belle watched the receptionist skim through the monitor in front of her. She noticed she had stopped clicking on the mouse.

"There is a Ben. You said you are to him?"

"Yes."

"One minute." The lady picked up the phone and placed a call, smiling reassuringly at Belle as her job required.

"Sir, so sorry to disturb you, but I need to be sure. You said a lady would show up by seven pm, and there's someone here..." The lady stopped talking. She seemed to be listening to the person on the other side of the phone.

"What's your name, ma'am?"

"Belle. Belle Miller," Belle replied.

"Yes, sir," the receptionist said. "Sorry for wasting your time, ma'am. Here's the room card." She handed Belle one of the hotel cards, smiling professionally. "Do enjoy your stay."

Belle nodded; taking the card, she walked towards the elevator, looking at the card number. It read number twenty-six.

When she got upstairs, she looked at the numbers on the many lined-up doors. She reached the one with twenty-six and stopped. Standing there, she drew in a long breath.

About to open the door, an old cleaner passed by with her cleaning trolley, looking at her as she pushed it on. Belle began to imagine her grandmother's thoughts on what she was about to do.

After convincing herself to carry on with her decision, she swiped the card and opened the door slowly and quietly. The room was dimly lit, but she could see well.

She walked in and closed the door behind her, still pulling down her dress. The room was as simple as it could be. There was a television on the wall, and its remote control was lying on the table next to the bed.

Because of the room's lighting, she couldn't tell what color the sheets were, but she was guessing they were either white or cream.

There were two mini sofas sitting opposite each other. She could see a man's coat neatly hung on the chair's arm, making it look like the chair was wearing the coat.

She walked to it, touching it slowly. It felt smooth on her palm as she caressed it. She bent over to smell it without removing it from the chair; it smelt good.