chapter 16: Gala dress

"ugh, thank God history class is over. I'm not sure I would have been able to listen to his over exaggerated stories any longer without falling asleep." Jade complained as she and Adria stepped out of their last class for the day which was history.

Adria chuckled at jade's complaints.

"Not like you were listening or anything. You have a problem with any subject not related to cryptography and coding."

"Uh duh. History has nothing to do with them and besides what am I seriously going to use history to do. Wanna know what I see. I see myself in the future sitting in a room filled with high tech computers, not just any type, the latest. I see myself typing codes and programming into each computers." Jade said with making exaggerated gestures.

"But there's one thing I don't see. History." She concluded her monologue.

"Of course you don't see history in your future." Adria said with an eye roll as jade laughed out loud and Adria ended up laughing with her.

By now they had gotten to the driveway where their car was parked. Looking carefully around, Adria was able to notice the guards Andre stationed to with them. They were in disguise and looked like normal civilians but she knew better. One of the bodyguard was disguised as the school cleaner so no one would suspect someone doing their job.

They both got into the car with jade behind the wheels and Adria on the passenger seat.

"So which mall first?" Jade said thinking as she brought out her phone and searched for malls within the vicinity. Pulling up the map on her phone, she inputted the address of the first mall they plan on going to.

"What's the name?" Adria asked as she looked at the map showing red lines indicating the route they should take.

"It's called Sunnyvale pavilion. We check it out and if we don't find the perfect dresses there we head over to either Riverview galleria or lakeside mall." Jade replied cheerily.

Adria could only shake her head slowly with a smile on her face. She felt happy knowing that even in the midst of all the chaos she could still get joy from doing little things like shopping for a gala dress with a friend.

Jade started the car and drove out of the driveway pulling into the street. Looking in the rearview mirror Adria spotted the familiar black car following them. She knew exactly who they were and she felt safe.

"You are with Andre's black card, right?" Jade inquired as she glanced at Adria while putting her focus back on the road.

"Yeah. Still don't get why we have to use his. I could have paid for our shopping." Adria replied.

"Please tell me you don't mean that. Adria when a boyfriend offers to pay for his girlfriend's shopping, she doesn't reject but instead accepts it with gratitude. Especially when the boyfriend is a very rich and successful billionaire. Let's not forget CEO and a freaking mafia boss. Like seriously." Jade stated her focus divided between the road and glancing at Adria.

"Okay, whatever you say ma'am." Adria said playfully using a serious tone but instead served to crack them up.

Their laughter echoed and bounced off the sleek, polished hood of the white Rolls Royce. The mood in the car was one filled with happiness and joy, putting behind them the chaos that continues to linger around.

After having their fill of laughter, Adria reached over to the dashboard and put on the radio. The song playing filled the interior of the car as they both tried to sing along to the song which they didn't know the lyrics to thereby failing miserably.

The next song played and thankfully it was one they both knew. They bounced slightly in their seats as they tried moving their body to the beat of the song as the lyrics flew out of their mouth seamlessly.

"Can't stop, won't stop, feeling alive

Electric energy, pulsing through our veins

We're unstoppable, untamed, and free

Our hearts beating as one, wild and carelessly"

They sang as their voices mixed with that of the artiste. The song title was 'unstoppable us' by ara wyter. The ride continued with them singing along to the songs being played on the radio. Six songs later, jade pulled into the driveway of Sunnyvale pavilion, parking in a suitable place as they both got down from the car.

"It's time for shopping." Jade exclaimed obviously excited about the idea of looking at different beautiful dresses and picking the perfect one that fits the theme of the gala.

"Don't you think you are too excited about this. We are just looking for a dress." Adria asked jade with the intention of teasing her a little.

"You, young lady, are not going to dwindle my high spirit for shopping. Come on Adi, this is going to be our last gala in school, we should enjoy it. And no, you are not getting a chance to back down from this." Jade said sternly as she looked at Adria pointing her index finger in a playful manner.

"Oh my, you look so scary right now." Adria said exaggerating her exclamation by placing her right hand on her chest and putting on a mock scared face.

"of course I look scary. It's my job to be scary." Jade replied as she playfully flipped her hair over her shoulder and dusted imaginary dirt from her dress.

They bursted into laughter as they walked through the double doors of the mall.

"Good day lovely ladies and welcome to Sunnyvale pavilion. The name's Rafael, how many I be of assistance this sunny day." The store personnel said as he approached them with a smile.

"Oh I see what you did there with the sunny pun. It's sunny outside and your Mall's name is Sunnyvale. Nice." Jade said chuckling.

"I'm glad you get it. Not everyone that comes in here gets the pun. So what brings you ladies to the fashion world. Judging from your looks it seems you are searching for dresses. Maybe for prom or some dinner thing. Am I right or am I right." Rafael said smiling as he put his finger on his chin as if thinking.

"Wow, you are really good at your job. You are absolutely right. Our schools hosting it's annual gala and we are here to get some dresses." Jade said with enthusiasm as she jumped a little when she mentioned dresses.

"Of course am right darling." He said with a nonchalant wave of his hand, as if it were a normal thing to be absolutely right all the time.

"So your gala, any specific theme or dress as you like?" He asked as he clasped his hands together.

"Yeah we have a theme. Adria what's it again?" Jade asked her seeming to have forgotten the theme of their gala.

"Uh" Adria asked a bit lost as she looked up from what she was checking on her phone.

"Oh the theme. Yeah it's 'A night under the stars.'". She informed them as her focus went back to her phone.

"Your friend doesn't seem too enthusiastic about the gala." Rafael stated.

"Oh it's not that, she thinks I'm making a big deal out of shopping." Jade said.

"You are." Adria replied without looking up from her phone.

"Oh darling, there's no such thing as making a big deal about shopping for a school gala." He said grinning.

"Thank you. You should tell her that." Adria said as she faced jade with a smug look.

"Oh no, you don't get me." He said with a mischievous look.

"Huh." Adria asked confused.

"You don't make a big deal about shopping for the school gala because it is a big deal already." He said smiling.

"See Adi, it's a big deal." Jade supported stressing the big.

"Ok ladies, so back to what brings you here. We have amazing sales and new arrivals that just came in this morning. Why don't I show you some of our hottest deals." He told them as he led the to another section of the mall.

This section seemed to be dedicated to dinner gowns varying from different lengths, sizes, colours, materials and designs.

"Why don't you ladies look around and see if anything catches your eyes. The dressing room is just behind that curtain and our shoe section is two rows down. Have fun girls." He told them before he left probably to continue his job.

"Thanks a lot Rafael" Jade shouted over her shoulder as she was already rows down looking for the dress.

"My pleasure darling." He replied over his shoulder.

Adria was just browsing through the dresses as she has a neutral look on her face.

"Hey Adi, I think I found one. What do you think?" Jade asked as she appeared from behind the rows clutching a blue sequence gown to her chest.

"Why don't you try it on." Adria suggested.

"Yeah. One sec." Jade said as she disappeared behind the curtain for the dressing room.

"Okay, so what do you think?" Jade asked as she came out and did a little twirl. The dress was a floor length, blue sequence gown with and off shoulder cut and had a silver ribbon tied to a bow at the back.

"Wow J, it's beautiful." Adria replied honestly, liking the design of the dress.

"Yeah it is. But I don't think it's THE ONE yet, but I'm definitely taking it home. What about you, found anyone yet?" She asked.

"Not yet." Adria said as she turned back to the rack full of clothes. Being honest all the dresses there were beautiful but none of them had called out to her.

Eighteen tried dresses later, Adria and jade were reclined on the couch in the section as they took a break.

"Wow, it's so hard to find the perfect dress." Jade exclaimed as they watched people moving around the mall, checking out clothes and paying for them. While some like them hadn't found the one they are looking for.

In that moment Adria phone rang. Looking at the caller id a smile automatically appeared on her face as she swiped on the green icon.

"Hello stranger." She said smiling.

"Hey beautiful, how's the shopping going." Andre asked her.

"Honestly, it's exhausting. Like it's so hard to find just one dress." She complained over the phone.

"Unlike you guys, all you have to do is look at a suit and take it cause you like it. Why can't ours be like that."

Andre chuckled,

"You sound tired, need me to come whisk you away from there?" He asked cheekily.

"I would have loved that but jade would kill me if I abandoned her here. So sorry prince charming but I would have to decline your gracious offer." Adria replied in a posh accent.

She could hear him chuckling and if she could have smiled any wider she would have. She loved the sensations his voice gives her, like the shivers running down her spine and the butterflies throwing a party in her belly.

"Well you have to endure a bit. When you guys come back, how about we go out for dinner, just me and you?" He inquired.

"Oh my, is the great Alejandre Lopez asking dear old me out to dinner, like a date?" She said chuckling.

"Yeah, I believe I am. So, would you, Renee Wilhelm like to go out on a date with this prince charming tonight?" He requested.

"Oh, whatever can I say. I believe my answer would be yes. I would love to go on a date with you Andre." She accepted happily.

"Okay babygirl. So tonight it is. Why don't you girls get back to your shopping while I plan a date with a beautiful lady tonight?" He suggested.

"Okay, I wouldn't want to delay your preparations now, would I? See you tonight Andre." She told him.

After their call had ended she turned to face jade but was a bit startled as jade was already looking at her with cute puppy eyes.

"What?" Adria asked still with her smile.

"Oh how it feels to be young and in love. When am I gonna meet my prince charming. Hopefully not when I'm grey and old." Jade said with a dreamy look on her face.

"Oh shut it J" Adria said jokingly.

"Yeah, yeah. Well now we have to shop for two dresses." Jade exclaimed.

"Two?" Adria questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhm duh. Your date dress and the gala dress. That adds up to two if I'm good in maths which I am." Jade said as she playfully patted herself at her back.

"Do I really need a new dress?. I have plenty back home that I can choose from." Adria said.

"Nope. Wearing something from your closet and wearing something new are two different things. Now come on, we have to continue shopping if you wanna get to that date on time." Jade said as she pulled Adria up.

"What have I gotten myself into." Adria muttered to herself.