Got Your Back

Author's Notes: I know that this chapter has taken many months to go online! I apologize to all my readers, but thank you so so much to those of you who have stuck around & kept reviewing my work! So this is actually half of Chapter 8, but I decided to split it up into two parts so that you would actually have something to read. I thought that was a good idea, yes? Please review and tell me what you think! The story almost has 100 reviews so if we could push the number into the triple digits that would give me a lot of incentive to write the second part faster ;) Thanks again for sticking around, my wonderful readers! Xo, K.

Chapter 8

Viola and Duke walked out of their residence building to see Paul parked outside the door, leaning against his car waiting for the two. Viola ran down the steps and introduced her two favourite men to each other. "Paul, this is Duke. Duke, Paul."

"Hey, what's up?" Duke greeted, as Paul looked him over.

"Nice to meet you, Duke." Paul then turned his attention to Viola, "You sure know how to pick them, don't you miss Hastings?" he asked with a nod of approval.

Viola slightly inclined her head, then looked over at Duke and grinned at him.

"So what's this ingenious plan of yours, Paul?" Viola asked after they had climbed into Paul's car. Viola was sitting beside Paul, and Duke had the back to himself.

"No no, that waits until we have arrived." Paul said with an air of mystery and exaggeration.

"Arrived where?" Duke asked.

"He's is sooo not going to tell us," explained Viola.

"Right you are, my little protégé, right you are." Paul smirked slyly and looked ahead, focussing intently on driving, to avoid any further questioning.

It wasn't too long until they arrived at Paul's work. His hair salon, Cristofe, was the edgiest in town. Viola loved hanging out here whenever she could. The three headed to a back room, with Paul leading the way. He opened a pink door, with a grand gesture, and let Viola and Duke step in first.

"My heaven," Paul said eloquently, as he followed them in and shut the door behind them.

Viola gasped. She had never seen this room before! It was like a celebrity lounge, with white couches in the centre, and a silver coffee table with the latest issues of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Fashion and Elle spread across them. Off to the left side were two white vanities, with mirrors, and white chairs with hot pink cushions on them. But the best part was the walls. All four walls were painted the same hot pink as the door, and they were lined with racks and racks of the most beautiful clothing. Most of them were dresses, but one wall was for men's clothes.

"It's the party room," Paul said with a huge grin on his face. "It's new, babe. I would have told you about it if you had called me, I swear! My friend from the fashion closet at Elle sent over their excess stock, as thanks for helping them out of a jam for one of their shoots. They needed hair and makeup, and their lady fell through."

"This is amazing, Paul!"

"It's... very Pink." Duke said, not knowing how to react. Fashion wasn't really his thing.

"You'll appreciate it once I get you into Armani for tonight, trust me. But first, the plan. Sit, you two!"

As soon as all three had settled on the couches in the centre of the room, Paul began his explanation. "Well, you said that Olivia was interested in Sebastian's music, and didn't like Duke because she thought he was dense. Well, this girl sounds like she doesn't like players thus, Sebastian is going to be a player tonight! So I looked up 'picking up girls at bars' on Google, and-"

"You did what?!" Viola gasped, right before bursting into laughter.

"Well, I didn't realize this hunk of a man would be here, too- he could have just given you tips!" That made Viola laugh even harder, trying to picture her shy and awkward Duke picking up girls was a sight for sore eyes.

"Hey. Don't laugh at me!" Duke shoved Viola playful with his elbow. "Although I admit, I never have been successful."

"You've tried picking up girls in bars?" Viola asked, between giggles.

"Well, no," Duke admitted, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "But I've thought about picking up girls in bars." Duke gave a half smile, and shrugged.

"You are too cute!" Paul exclaimed. "Think of it this way, Vi. He was subconsciously waiting for you!"

Viola and Duke exchanged sheepish smiles, and Duke put his arm around Viola's waist, in silent agreement to Paul's words.

"Okay Paul, enough about us, what is your plan?"

"So as I was saying, I googled 'picking up girls at bars', and all I found was date rape drugs and stuff about getting laid. Neither of which are going to work for us... although the first one would definitely make Olivia stop liking you!"

"Paul!" Viola cried out, not allowing her friend to make jokes about serious issues.

"Sorry, sorry! Anyways, I got to thinking: what if the lovely ladies Sebastian was picking up couldn't resist?"

"I thought we said no to the date rape drugs?" Asked Duke, with a confused expression on his face. Viola swatted him on the chest, but then saw that he wasn't kidding, and turned to Paul to hear his explanation.

"We are going to get your sexy friends from Cornwall, and my sexy models from the hair salon, and have the best friggin' party of the year! And you, sir," Paul directed at Viola, "are going to be the main attraction." Viola squealed and clapped her hands together in excitement. Duke smiled, thinking of all the fun he was going to have tonight, watching his girlfriend with other girls.

Paul noticed Duke's faraway look. "Looks like your boyfriend's happy about my plan too. A room full of dancing girls, dancing with his girlfriend? It's every man's fantasy."

"Don't get too happy there, sparky." Viola quipped, "Your girlfriend is going to have sideburns, and be lacking other things." Viola motioned to her breasts, and Paul burst out laughing. Duke just shrugged his shoulders.

"I rented out Cesario's, and the guest list is almost full. Duke, you can invite some of your buddies, but trust me, they aren't taking those girls anywhere tonight."

Paul began to pull different clothes off the wall, throwing them onto the nearest couch. Finally, when he was done, he turned around and stared intently at the large pile he had made. "Cool, edgy," He said, deep in thought. "Hmm, leather. Cotton. Dark denim. Perfect!" Paul held up an outfit and threw it at Viola and motioned for her to go try it on.

When Viola stepped out of the change room, she was wearing dark wash men's jeans, which were a bit too long in the legs but fit her everywhere else. She had a heather grey cotton v-neck t-shirt on, and on top of that a sleek black leather motorcycle jacket.

"Awesome," Duke said. "Paul, can you hook me up with that jacket?"

"I'll see what I can do," he said with a wink. "But Vi- you are going to look hot tonight as Sebastian. Hmm, maybe, though..." Paul trailed of as he wandered to the accessory shelf on the adjacent wall, and picked up a pair of Aviator glasses. "Put these on." Viola followed orders. "Still... there's something not quite perfect."

"Gee thanks, Paul," Viola laughed. "What are you going to do? Give my face plastic surgery?"

"That's it!" he exclaimed.

"What's it?" Duke asked, not following the conversation.

"What? Paul, you can't operate on me! What are you talking about?"

"Makeup!" Paul explained. Now both Viola and Duke were gawking at him with incomprehension.

"Makeup? For a dude?" Duke gaped.

But Paul had already dragged Viola to a nearby chair, and was getting his makeup kit, so he ignored the question. Rejected, Duke went to sit on a couch and wait until the two were done. After about twenty minutes Paul spoke to Duke. "Don't think of it as makeup... more like man up!" He said, as he turned Viola around, so Duke could see.

"Woah... that is just too freaky, Vi."

Paul passed Viola a handheld mirror so she could inspect her face closely. "I see your point Paul; this does make me look more mature. And more manly... weird."

"Well, you'll look hot at the bar tonight, that's for sure. And now for the hair! You two can go grab dinner, I don't need you Vi, I just need the wig." Paul winked at Viola, and she and Duke left, going to the front of the salon.

It was nine thirty in the night by the time Paul had finished his work, with immense precision. Viola now looked like a better version of Sebastian and couldn't wait to show a picture to her brother when he was back in the country. Duke even had borrowed an outfit from Paul and was looking very dapper in a pair of black jeans and a silk black Armani dress shirt, which had the top three buttons undone. The three were now in Paul's car, driving to a location unknown.