The next day, Natural History Museum

"UGHHHH please hurry up Mo I wanna go back so that we can get readieeee..." Paula whined, tugging her friend's arm.

Monica was looking closely at the description of one of the bird exhibits behind the glass, "Alright just let me read this-"

"TAG! You're it! Outside is Den!" Paula tapped her arm before quickly speeding off.

"Hey!" Monica laughed and ran out of the gallery after her.

They ran out of the building, chased by a security guard of course. And all the running had worn them both out.

"Where... where to?" Monica asked, out of breath.

"Let's go somewhere to eat." Paula suggested.

"Ohh yes! How about a Chinese?" Monica followed.

"Sounds good to me." Paula said.

Later on...

"DANCING QUEEN! FEEL THE BEAT ON THE TAMBOURINE, OOOHH YEAHH!!-C'mon Mo join in!" Paula sang as she jumped up and down on her bed, curlers in her mouse brown hair and semi naked as the radio played their favourite ABBA hit.

"YOU CAN DANCE! YOU CAN JIVE! HAVING THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE, OOOHHHH SEE THAT GIRL... WATCH THAT SCENE, DIGGING THE DANCING QUEEN!" Monica emerged from the en suite bathroom, towel wrapped around her body and her hair soaked in curls.

Paula giggled as she jumped off the bed and they grabbed each others hands and jumped up and down and danced around in a circle.

"I have a mission!" Paula sighed and collapsed on her bed.

"Oh yes?" Monica giggled as she sat on the end near her.

"Yes," Paula sat up and crossed her legs. "Tonight, you and I are going to walk out of the club with a guy by our side each!"

Monica's eyes widened as Paula just smirked.

"I-I can't do that." Monica looked down and blushed.

"What are you saying?!" Paula's tone softened, sounding less excited.

"Think about it, Paula. Look at me. I don't have 'allure' or sex appeal. I've only ever pulled boys I don't know. I've never had a boyfriend. And if a boy ever does fancy me he has a disgusting attitude." Monica stood up and turned away.

"Mo, you're gorgeous!" Paula stood up and walked up to her. "I think you're one of the most attractive girls in school! What do boys know anyway?"

"Nah..." Monica dismissed her, not knowing how honest Paula was actually being. "I'm not model-worthy."

"Ugh! Whoever said that you can only be a model to be beautiful?" Paula stood behind her as they both looked in the mirror. "It's a model's job to be tall and slender so that they fit the clothes... you're still bothered about yesterday at Biba, aren't you?"

"I admit." Monica muttered ashamedly and shrugged.

"And what happened at the end of the trip?"

"I-I had an outfit."

"That's right! And how does that outfit make you feel when you wear it?" Paula pressed.

"Uhh... sexy, I guess." Monica formed a small grin.

"Exactly! Because you are sexy!" Paula smiled. "And if you feel that way you must be doing something right, huh?"

"I suppose." Monica felt better now. "But I don't know what I'm doing right."

"You're being you, Mo," Paula said as she walked towards the bathroom. "And that's all you need to be. So you better start getting ready."

"Right," Monica bent down to get the hair dryer. "Bathroom is free now..."

Paula nodded and went in, and Monica went to the socket nearest the mirror to plug the dryer in.

The next hour or so was spent by the two girls fixing and dressing themselves up. Paula now had golden brown curls falling on her shoulders, and she was wearing the black top, denim skirt and gold necklace that she bought the day before. Silver eyeshadow donned her lids so that attention was on her sharp grey eyes, and her smooth lips were a soft pink.

As for Monica, the girl who was impossible to dress herself happy, by now had her long chestnut brown hair blow-dried smooth and wavy and it fell down her back almost like fabric. She wore her new embellished black velvet outfit, sandals and silver earrings. And her new brown eyeshadow was dusted over her lids to make her blue eyes pop, and her nude lipstick complemented it.

"I'm ready for this, aren't you?" Paula mused as they stood in front of the mirror.

Monica nodded. She was transfixed on their appearance and how grown up they looked. No mums to nag that their skirt was too short or that they had too much eyeliner on. But of course they weren't dressed in such a way that would concern their mums; they knew much better than that and this time they just happened to be "doing something right".

And so the two girls ordered a taxi into town, and when they got to the doors of the first one that they spotted the bouncer stopped them.

"You aren't from around here, are you?" The tall man asked.

"I don't think we'll get in now..." Monica thought.

"Actually," a young man's voice suddenly sounded in their ears. "They're with me."

The two girls turned around in the queue, and a tall, blonde haired, green eyed boy was standing behind them.

"My apologies, Derek," the bouncer lifted the red rope. "In you all go."

As the girls' feet carried them into the club, Paula already seemed to be gazing at Derek at their side.

"Oh sorry I don't believe I got your names," Derek smiled as they went up the darkly lit stairs. "Well, I'm-"

"Derek." Paula finished, a silly little smile on her face. "I'm Paula and thus is my friend Monica, or Mo."

"Pleasure to meet you both, Paula and Monica." Derek shook their hands. "I haven't seen your faces before here."

"Oh, well were from Ireland but we're here for Paula's eighteenth." Monica smiled at Derek for she felt truly grateful that he got hem both in.

"Happy birthday Paula." Derek smiled, and that caused the girl to squeak and giggle.

"This is great!" Monica thought as she watched them both; already they seemed to be connected.

Then they entered the big dark room filled with thumping music, lights and beams of different brightened levels and colour blazing here and there and at the centre of the floor there was a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.

"Why don't I buy you drinks?" Derek asked. "There's a bar."

"No," Monica said, and Paula's face fell. "Buy Paula a drink, not me."

"Well," Derek blushed, and so did Paula. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!" Monica said.

So, the three of them sat at the bar and talked as they sipped their cool drinks. Monica couldn't help but smile as she watched the two of them. Did she feel bad as a third wheeler? Not really. They were here to have fun after all.

Soon they all hit the dance floor, and as she danced happily she watched her and her friend get closer to Derek, feeling happy to know that her friend was having a great eighteenth like she deserved.

But what about herself?