Red Lips

Tammie bunched up the fabric she was working on as she took the pins out of her mouth. Pressing them into the flower print allowed the bunch to hold well as she turned the mannequin. Tammie smiled brightly as the outfit she was making looked finished with that change. All she had to do now was sew it.

           “Ooh, that the one for the Drag Queen showcase Tamara?” Jackson asked nearly pulling off Tammie’s leather jacket at the force of trying to see the ruffled flower dress.       

“No, this is for the theater majors, I finished my drag outfit ages ago.” Tammie huffed while straightening out her jacket then tighten her red bandana bow. She wasn’t a big fan of Jackson touching her, but to be fair she wasn’t a fan of anyone in the university touching her. It didn’t help that she mostly looked like a 50s biker chic that was cosplaying 24/7, but it was just her look. 

“Well, look at you Miss Speedy Gonzales, trying to get the attention of the club prez?”               

“No, that would be your department.” Tammie said watching him spin around and flash her a smile.

“Gurl, I know but you always surprise me with your softness toward fashion. I love it.” Jackson said while going back to his machine that was next to hers. She rolled her eyes at that comment getting ready to take off the garment from the mannequin. Tammie liked pretty things and working on her bike; they didn’t seem that different to her. The loud noise of the door being thrown open scared a lot of the members of the club as the president ran in.              

“Whoa, where’s the fire?” someone asked while she grabbed measuring tapes, pins, and scissors.     

“Tammie!”

           “Sup, Rebecca?”   

“I need you, Jackson, and Emma to come with me to the Oxford Building.”

“Fashion emergency!” Jackson shouted while grabbing his supplies and putting on his skullcap since it was pretty chilly outside. 

“It’s not that extreme.” Tammie said getting her supplies then caught the fabric Rebecca practically threw at them both. 

“Oh, it is! Drag queens can get a little scary when something is not right especially when tomorrow is the big show.” Rebecca said while trying to rush them out the door. “It doesn’t help that this is a boost for both of our clubs and if it doesn’t go well it could be pinned on us.”      

“I know this is a show and all, but we are all in the same university not a company studio.” Tammie sighed while Emma flipped her hair almost ending up against Tammie’s red lips as Jackson looked at her like she was crazy.    

“Tammie, I know you are a fashion major like me, but it feels like you still don’t get this is an opportunity to showcase our talent as well.” Rebecca said acting like she was talking to a child. “Names can go places.”     

“And knowing people helps too.” Jackson said in a singing voice as they entered the next building over. It usually hosted theater classes because the rooms were thick and big enough that people could move around in them. It sometimes had other art majors if the classes were large enough. However, this building was a theater kid’s mini stage before they got to perform at the different auditoriums. The wannabe designers made their way through the halls trying to keep quiet, but still moved at breakneck speeds. Once Rebecca stopped in front of room 1409, all of them filed in behind her. Though they knew the drag queens were in their designs none of the designers met their clients face-to-face.

           “The director will tell us who needs the changes, be on your best behavior.” Rebecca said while pointing her stare at Tammie then focused on knocking on the door.

“Well, you definitely know how to hoof it.” laughed the stunningly tall woman with the darkest skin and beautiful smile that Tammie had ever seen. She knew it was a drag queen, but even Tammie could admit that this person was a tall drink of water. “My girls and boys need a little help with the outfits you made them. Seems like they wanted to play with the sizes and ended up getting more than what they bargain for.”

           “It’s no problem, Miss Blackberri,” Rebecca smiled while moving her way in with the others not far behind. “it’s our pleasure to help you out as you did for us.”

“So sweet indeed. Well, we only got 4 that need some changes.” Miss Blackberri said while Tammie noticed each outfit the fashion club put together being worn on the men and women. “Annebelle Dollface, Miss Mood, Dickens Charles, and Lucy Lou are in need of some help behind the curtains there.”

           “We’ll fixed these sisters and bro up before you even notice we here.” Jackson smiled making sure to throw in a wink making the young woman laugh sweetly.

“I will hold you to it.” Miss Blackberri said while going back to direct the gender-braking artists.

           “Let’s do our best.” Rebecca said while going to the different curtains and calling out to whoever was behind it. Tammie took her time to go there as Jackson and Emma went full force. Tammie wanted to take in the new world in front of her as her blue eyes looked over everything and everyone. It was different, but at the same time it seemed like a normal world just with a lot more glitter. Once she found her way to a blue curtain, she called out to whoever was behind it. She was a bit taken back by the mini scream the person gave, but after that they called her in.

           “Did I interrupt something?” Tammie asked while walking into the small area that had mats to make it seem like a room. From what she could see the drag queen was pretty tall even with the heels on. She would have to recognized that most of them would be kind of tall. She had tan skin and darker blonde hair than her own in two floating pigtails with bows on it. The outfit was one of the new members’ creations with a Cindy Lou Who inspired look to it; just way too big for this person’s figure. What surprised Tammie the most was the drag queen was hiding herself while looking quite shy and closed off. Not something she would expect from a drag queen.

“N-No, just um…wasn’t sure how fast you guys were going to be here.”

           “Heh, Rebecca wanted to make sure you guys were fixed up before the big gig, so fast it was.”

           “Hope you aren’t too fast now.” The drag queen said in a whispered tone, but Tammie had caught it and wondered if that was supposed to be a sexual joke. If it got the young woman through this Tammie didn’t really mind.

“Don’t worry, I will be gentle.” Tammie said while getting her to laugh, but she was trying to hide it. “Name’s Tammie. What’s the problem here?”

“Lucy Lou, and if you couldn’t tell this thing is too big.”

           “Heh right about that, give me a spin and please stop hiding I have seen a lot; I’m a professional.” Tammie said wanting to see the garment in all its glory. Lucy seemed to think about it and slowly turned around letting Tammie see her face. Again, Tammie had to keep her jaw closed from seeing this beauty before her. Lucy had a babyface with an almost natural makeup for the character she was probably based after. Apart of her felt like she had seen a babyface like that before, but she couldn’t quite place it. Either way, Tammie would say she had her heart stole in just a look.

“I need it to highlight my figure.”

           “I can do that.” coughed Tammie trying to cover up her stare at the drag queen for that long. Tammie put down her supply box and started looking for the pins. “I bet you get this a lot, but you are seriously gorgeous.”

“You’re pulling my leg?”

“No seriously, I know you are um…”

           “A man?” Lucy practically chuckled out giving a brief hint of who she was, but Tammie wasn’t that good at hearing the tone in people’s laughs. She could read cars and bikes, but people were often a puzzle to her.

“Yeah, but I could even say that you blew me out of the water went I saw you.” Tammie said while starting to pin the areas that needed to be taken in. She was wondering if Lucy had another outfit nearby since she might have to hand stitch this if they needed it right this moment.

           “That is rich coming from you.”

           “What do you mean by that?” Tammie asked pulling one of the pins out her mouth then glared at the performer.

“I mean you don’t seem like the type to pay people compliments.” Lucy Lou said trying to cover her face up.

           “You wouldn’t be the first.” Tammie had a flash of one of her dormmates who had a babyface too. You would think someone as innocent looking would be so nice, and he was. Though he did have a sassy side to him whenever Tammie got under his skin. She had to chuckle as she placed some pins in the places she would need to adjust. William was a fun dormmate to see around especially when everyone got together for game night. Though she didn’t pair up with him, he could be the life of the party and was willing to put up with her low energy.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to be rude, just the look.”

           “Again, not the first Lucy.” Tammie smiled hearing the genuine apology in her voice. It was smooth and light which really made her question how this performer did on stage. Maybe it was because she wasn’t on the stage. Tammie remembered how William slowly became outspoken when the dorm hung out a lot more and she saw a fun side to him. That got her wondering how Lucy Lou would act. “Hey Lucy, mind if I ask you something since you hurt my feelings?”

“W-What?” Lucy questioned seeing the playfulness in Tammie’s eyes as she seemed to finish up her pinning. “Why not?”

           “How are you like outside of this place? I kind of can’t believe you are shy.”

“Can you see right through me?”

“No, but you do remind me of someone that I do enjoy the presents of.” Tammie said while watching Lucy bite her lip then was surprised to see how flushed she looked.

           “Really? I thought I annoyed you to high heaven.” Lucy said in what Tammie figured was her normal voice. Which only made her surprised more since that voice was none other than William himself.

“William?”

           “Hey.” William smiled while waiting for Tammie’s response. When the drag queen only got awkward silence, he felt like it was best to give her space. So, trying to step away from her, Lucy found herself tripping over the extra fabric from the outfit.

“Watch it!” Tammie shouted quickly taking Lucy’s waist before she could fall either on the pins or herself. “Well didn’t expect this.”

           “You and me both.” William said while feeling Tammie righten themselves up then she stared at her again. “You are making this awkward again.”

“Sorry again didn’t expect it.”

           “I thought it was pretty obvious.” William said still speaking as himself but looking like Lucy. Tammie could only shrug at her.

“You would think, but I was crushing hard on Lucy to think it was you. I mean yeah I like you a lot as William too, but this is a different side of you I didn’t know about.”

William felt a blush come to her cheeks and said, “Did you admit that you are crushing on both sides of me?”

           “Yeah, felt like it was best to help balance out the awkwardness.” Tammie coughed while fixing her leather jacket and looked very cool about it. But William could see the nervousness of her foot tapping and the chewing of the cheek that he had learned about her from dorm activities.

 “Heh, didn’t think a biker chic would like a softie like me.” Lucy said bringing back her higher tone that got Tammie to look at her.

           “It snuck up on me, you have more charm than you think.”

“Well, you should see me at my shows.” Lucy said while giving a wink making Tammie look away to not fall under the spell again.

           “Ok, enough flirting I got to get your dress done so take it off so I can sew it.”

“Aww, not going to ask for a kiss first?” Lucy laughed then felt a brief kiss delivered to the side of her lips.

           “I will wait for it outside oh, and red is a good look for you.” Tammie smirked watching her red kiss mark blend into Lucy’s face as she walked out the mini dressing area.