A fun night out (Patreon)

“It’ll be fun,” Ashley’s words echoed in Carolyn’s head. “I promise.”

“Why was she so pushy?” Carolyn wondered. She had always been a bit of an outsider, never quite fitting in with the other girls at school. She was smart and kind, but she always felt a little awkward and self-conscious. So when her best friend, Ashley, invited her to a fancy dress party for Halloween, Carolyn was hesitant to accept. She didn't think she had the confidence or the looks to fit in with the popular crowd.

But her friend insisted, and Carolyn reluctantly agreed. It was strange, especially since Ashley knew that Carolyn hated partying. She knew she couldn't back out now, so she set out to find the perfect dress. She searched through racks of frilly, sparkly dresses at the Magical Discount Thrift Shop. She heard that there were a lot of unique products that came with superstitious effects like good luck, but nothing seemed to fit her style or her budget. Just when she was about to give up, she stumbled upon a mysterious Halloween mask at the back of the store and thought it was spooky. The employee, a kindly old lady, could see the interest in her eyes and offered her a discount. “You never know,” the old woman said. “Maybe it’ll make any outfit work.”

“At least nobody will know what I look like,” she whispered to herself after buying the mask and the nicest possible dress she could find. The mask was unlike anything Carolyn had ever seen before. It was made of shimmering silver, with delicate filigree patterns and sparkling jewels. As she lifted it from her bag at home, she felt a strange energy emanating from it. She couldn't resist the temptation to try it on. As soon as the mask touched Carolyn's skin, she felt a magical transformation taking place. Suddenly, she was no longer the awkward, self-conscious girl she had always been. 

Her entire body morphed into something new. She was a beautiful Asian woman, with long, flowing black hair. She looked in the mirror and couldn't believe her own eyes. Carolyn spent hours getting ready for the party, styling her hair, and trying on different dresses. She felt like a different person, and she loved the attention when she finally left. Of course, upon reaching the party, she wasn’t pleased to learn that Ashley had decided not to come. It turned out that her friend wanted to force Carolyn into an uncomfortable situation.

“Joke’s on her,” she said while she moved through the dance floor. Her eyes were on a group of football players who were staring at her. “I get first dibs on whoever I want.” For once in her life, she felt unstoppable and ready to see whether or not she’d find her prince charming. The confidence pushed her forward, and she found it a lot easier to make eye contact with the people around her. She had a feeling that tonight was going to be a lot of fun.