Beauty (standard:drama, 2146 words)
Author: Hulsey	Added: Oct 28 2006	Views/Reads: 3888/2471	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A woeful tale of a young girl.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

Her mother had gone to so much expense, buying her a new powder blue
dress and expensive shoes. She knew she had to go through with it, but 
felt uncomfortable, as she was devoid of any make-up. The producer had 
insisted on it. He wanted the audience to see the girls in their full 
glory. Horror would have been a more appropriate word. 

The girls were introduced and they walked beneath the bright, hot lights
and into the studio, the loud applause welcoming them. Janet could not 
see the faces in the audience; the glare of the lights barring her 
vision. She could imagine the pointing and snide remarks being thrown 
in the direction of the unfortunate girls. 

She walked carefully, having visions of tripping over and displaying her
Marks and Spencers lingerie to the public. She sat in the centre of the 
group and Richard chatted to each girl in turn, backed up by his famous 
wife. 

Janet was next, and her mouth was so dry that she dreaded her words
would not come out. The water was tempting, but her hand was shaking so 
violently that she was sure to drop the glass. The camera focused on 
Janet, and her stomach rumbled, as she fought to prevent breaking wind. 


Richard smiled. “This is Janet Finnegan, a twenty-eight year old charity
worker from Cleveland.... Tell me, Janet, what type of charity work do 
you do?” 

Janet opened her mouth and nothing came out. She swallowed and tried to
moisten her arid mouth. She could see the stage manager, frantically 
waving his hands behind the camera. 

“Ch... ch... children's charity's mostly.” 

“Excellent, and are you looking forward to your make-over?” 

“Y...y...yes,” she stuttered. 

“You're a pretty girl, Janet,” lied Richard, “but with the make-over,
we'll transform you into a princess.” 

The cameras moved on and Janet's heartbeat was beating double time. She
could feel the perspiration running down her face. She looked into the 
faceless crowd, certain that they were laughing at her. She would have 
the last laugh; just you wait and see. 

Janet did not recognise the girl who stared back from the mirror. She
was beautiful! Her hair had been conditioned and was tied in a bun. 
They had shaved off her eyebrows and replaced them using a pencil, and 
her acne was invisible. The red lipstick was expertly applied as to 
take the attention off the teeth, which did not look so bad. The green 
mascara had been added in such a way as to enhance her eyes. She was 
attired in an emerald green dress. Janet decided she would not wash 
ever again. The transformation was astounding. The butterfly had 
finally escaped the cocoon. The caterpillar was no more. 

Janet no longer felt nervous when she was applauded onto the studio
floor, amid the whistles and catcalls. She fought back the tears, not 
wanting to smudge the mascara. Richard and Judy were on their feet 
applauding. Janet turned to face her mother and Nina who were both 
crying. Janet faced the audience. They were not laughing now were they? 


Janet was allowed to keep the dress. The Good Morning team had kindly
booked rooms for them in the Hilton Hotel. Janet sat at the dressing 
table, staring at the stranger. Beneath, she was the same person, but 
the change was dramatic. Even Nina found it hard to believe that this 
was the same person she set out to Liverpool with. 

“Come on, Janet; let's go downstairs for a drink.” 

“I don't know, Nina.” 

“Rubbish girl,” interrupted her mother; “You two go and enjoy yourself.
I'm putting my feet up and watching Eastenders.” 

The bar was dimly lit. It was early evening and devoid of custom, apart
from a man who was sitting alone, drinking his brandy. He was dressed 
in a tuxedo, and watched with interest as the two girls glided across 
the bar room. Janet glanced at the blonde, tall man, who was 
unmistakably looking at her with a huge grin on his face. 

“Two vodka and oranges please,” ordered Nina. 

Janet chanced another glimpse, and the blonde hunk winked at her. She
felt a pleasant sensation in her stomach when she sipped her vodka. 

“That bloke over there, he fancy's you, Jan.” 

“Nonsense, he's mocking me.” 

“I don't think so sweetie. He's coming over.” 

The man pulled up a couple of stools and ignored Nina; his undivided
attention focused on the redhead. 

“Good evening, I hope you don't mind if I join you. You look so lonely
sitting there by yourselves. Are you from around here?” 

“No we're from the North,” butted in Nina. 

He directed his attentive eyes towards Janet. “I was wondering. Are you
a model?” 

Janet blushed and bowed her head. “No, I'm a...” 

“She's an actress,” interrupted Nina. The man was ignoring Nina, which
was unusual. It was typically her who got fixed up and Janet who was 
rejected; only this time she did not mind. 

“An actress, really?” asked Blondie. “Will I have seen you in anything?”


“No, she only has minor roles at the moment, but she's been inundated
with offers.” 

Janet's eyes met his, and like magnets, they were drawn together. 

“I'm Russ.” 

“Janet.” They shook hands. Nina might as well not have been there. Janet
and Russ talked late into the night. Nina made her excuses and left 
them, giving Janet a wink and thumbs up as she left. 

They were the only ones left in the bar shortly after midnight, and they
observed the barman checking his watch. 

“I think he wants to go to bed, Janet.” 

“Really?” she slurred, staring into her partner's eyes. 

“Perhaps you do too?” 

“I'd love to, Russ.” The alcohol had taken over. Janet was not drunk,
but she would never had proposed such a thing normally; not the old 
Janet. Not that she ever got a chance to. She was love struck by this 
blonde Adonis. He fancies me, he fancies me, she kept saying in her 
mind. 

He took her hand and led her up to his room. As soon as they entered the
room, they came together, their lips meeting, Janet trying with great 
difficulty to conceal her buck teeth. 

He undressed her slowly and took in the splendour of her near perfect
body. He sucked at her erect nipples and the amorous couple fell onto 
the bed. Janet moaned as she felt herself building up towards an 
orgasm. She was a virgin and had often wondered if she would die that 
way, never ever savouring a man's body. 

He paused to undress and Janet gasped as she took in his muscles, not
daring to look below his waist at the welcome offering she was aching 
to receive. He took her by the hand and led her to the shower. She felt 
his member rigid against her stomach as he turned on the water. She 
spread her legs slightly, waiting for the pleasure to infiltrate her 
body. 

Russ removed his head from her breast and brought his face up to kiss
her. 

“Ahh!” he screamed. 

He stepped back and took in the transformation. The water was running
down her face. The make-up had disappeared down the plughole, and with 
it, Janet's beauty. Her hair was soaked and gone was the sophisticated 
haircut. The mascara ran down her cheeks, the tears being the cause and 
not the shower. 

“What the hell! You tricked me. You ugly slut, you tricked me.” 

Janet ran from the shower, a towel wrapped around her naked body.
Sobbing, she loped along the corridor and never stopped running until 
she reached her own room. 

At check out the next morning, Janet had only one thing on her mind; she
had to get out of the hotel and back home to her cocoon. The fairy tale 
was over. Who was she kidding? They say beauty is only skin-deep; how 
right they were. Her mother and Nina noticed how quiet she was that 
morning. Nina put it down to her losing her virginity. It affected 
people in different ways. 

Russ exited the lift and approached the reception desk. Nina nudged
Janet. On his arm was a gorgeous blonde girl who was wearing a mini 
skirt. Janet bowed her head and heard the giggles and the “oink oink” 
noises coming from behind. She turned to face Russ, and he grimaced and 
made the sign of the cross. 

Janet turned to the girl; “You're welcome to him.” 

One week later, Janet was eating her cornflakes after completing her
morning jog. She picked up the newspaper and stared at the familiar 
face on the front page. It was the girl who had been with Russ. She had 
been discovered dead on a railway embankment in Liverpool. She had been 
raped and strangled. The newspapers connected the murder to the Walton 
strangler, who had been terrorising Merseyside. Janet trembled, wept 
softly and reached for the telephone. 


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