Chapter 17: Breathless and Frozen

Adria and Jade continued shopping for their dresses. Although they couldn't find the dress that resonated with them for the gala, they were able to get a new dress for Adria's date that night.

"It was nice meeting you ladies and I do hope you come back someday. I'm also sorry you weren't able to get the perfect dress but I promise to contact you girls when we receive new batches I know you would love." Rafael said to them as he walked with them to the exit.

There were two bodyguards behind them each carrying four shopping bags. Though they didn't get the dress they came for, it didn't stop jade from taking everything and anything that catches her attention, even if it was a blue scarf. They had spent close to four hours in the mall and the day was getting dark.

"Of course we would come back sometime. I love your collection of dresses they are unique and unique is my middle name afterall." Jade responded all jittery and happy.

"Well it would be my pleasure to host you girls again. Till then, A presto ragazze." He said waving at them as they headed to the car. (See you soon ladies).

"Ciao Rafael. Arrivederci" Adria said in Italian. (Bye Rafael. Until we meet again)

"Parli italiano, ragazza. Non me lo aspettavo." (You speak Italian, girl. Wasn't expecting that.) Rafael said surprised that she could speak Italian and so fluently.

"sì, lo so. Mia madre era italiana e ci ha fatto crescere parlando la lingua." (yes I do. My mother was Italian and she raised us speaking the language.) Adria replied him in Italian.

"Quindi voi ragazzi avete deciso di conversare nella mia lingua e non vi siete preoccupati di coinvolgermi. Così ingiusto." (So you guys decided to converse in my language and didn't bother involving me. So unfair.) Jade said pouting as she folded he hands on her chest.

"Aww, il mio imbronciato è di giada?. Non preoccuparti, non ti dimenticheremo mai."

(Is my jade pouty?. Don't worry, we will never forget you). Adria said patting jade's hair as softly while she tried holding in her laugh but a chuckle still escaped.

"I don't mean to be a killjoy but you do have a date to get to in less than Three hours and we should better start going. It was nice meeting you Rafael and we would definitely come back. Bye." Jade said as she pulled Adria along towards their car.

The guards had already put the bags in the boot and we're scanning the area for anything that seemed suspicious or out of the ordinary. The girls settled into the car but this time it was Adria driving.

"Wow, this was one hell of a shopping experience." Jade exclaimed as she reclined on the seat with a look of tiredness on her face. It was clear that shopping for hours had taken it's toll on her but the small smile on her face betrayed her look of tiredness. It was clear she had enjoyed every bit of it.

"Well, you did pick every clothe you said you liked. Didn't know you loved shopping this much." Adria spoke.

"Yeah. Shopping is my way of escaping reality for a while. Just looking at those dresses, the designs and pattern molded together to produce a beautiful concept. It's intriguing. The way the threads move seamlessly, in flow with each other to create a beautiful masterpiece. In a way I kinda relate it with life." Jade said.

"Really, how?" Adria asked, urging her to say more. She knew that they all needed to prepare for what was coming but before then she would savor these little moments of reprieve, talking with her best friend about anything and everything.

"Yeah. I think of life like those threads weaving seamlessly. Just like life, the threads may encounter bumps, like if the machine is faulty or if the needle is broken. But even with that, the tailor fixes it, she can take the machine for repairs and change the broken needle. It's like life, when we encounter problems it not mostly our faults, it might be because of something or someone that wasn't in our control.

But those problems always have a solution, just like the machine needed to be fixed by an expert, our problems might be helped solved by someone we might not expect. One thing is that the expert wouldn't know about the issues of the machine without the tailor informing him about what was wrong with it. Same with our lives, the person who is meant to help us wouldn't be able to without knowing the problems we're facing.

Just like the machine wouldn't work if taken to someone who knows nothing about it, our problems won't be solved by someone who doesn't care about it. But we always have to remember that at the end, the tailor is happy because he was able to meet an expert to help fix his machine, we would be happy because we would always meet the people or person who helps solves our problem and they would be a constant in our life just like the machine fixed made the thread a constant in the material. That's how I relate shopping with life. Seeing beautiful materials and dresses reminds me that there is something beautiful everywhere. You just have to look around to find it." Jade explained as she breathed in deeply and breathed out slowly.

"Wow. That's... just wow. It's..... it's.....ugh, I can't even find the words. You were right when you said it relates with life. I never really thought of it that way. I had always thought that life's full of pain and grief. I always thought that life's shitty because it took my parents from me but now it's different. Everything happens for a reason, my parents death was for a reason not just because Fiore killed them because of power. I don't think I would have met you, Andre and Sophia if they weren't dead. Though their death still hurts, I am really grateful that it brought me you guys. I love your view of life, it's optimistic and introspective. You've made me see life in a different light." Adria said smiling as she focused back on the road ahead.

"Yeah, yeah. Enough of these emotional talk, we have a date to prepare you for and I don't think we have enough time on our hands." Jade said as she looked at the time displaying on the dashboard.

"You are so dramatic." Adria replied chuckling.

"We have more than two hours and I would say that that's more than enough time to get ready. The date's by 8."

"Seriously. That's not enough time to do your hair, make up, manicure, select the right accessories and shoe, don't forget your purse. Two hours wouldn't cut it." Jade rambled.

"Okay jade you need to calm down, it's just a date. I'm pretty sure Andre wouldn't mind if I turned up in my pyjamas." Adria said betraying how she really felt. To be honest she was a whole nervous wreck within her with questions like, would he like the dress, should I have had a new hair do and the likes running through her mind.

"U-huh, say what you can to convince yourself Adi but I know you are freaking out inside, I'm just helping you express it." Jade said with a cheeky smile.

"Now step on it, we have a date to prepare for."

And like she ordered, Adria did step on the gas, going faster than before as she tried to get home quickly with enough time to prepare.

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Two hours later, Adria could be seen pacing her room as she prepared to face Andre, ready for their date.

Jade was sprawled out on her bed as her eyes flickered from her screen to pacing Adria.

"You have to stop pacing unless the dress would think you are a lady who's waiting for the message from her husband who's fighting a war." She teased, trying to distract her.

"Haha, very funny." Adria replied sarcastically.

"Seriously Adi you need to relax. You don't want Andre meeting you like this, do you?" She questioned.

"I know, I know. I'm just so nervous. This is officially our first date and my mind is running wild with outcomes of how the date might turn out. As it seems, my mind doesn't like me much because it keeps bringing up bad scenarios like me getting an allergic reaction from the food or my heel breaking of or my dress getting caught at the door or..."

"Look who's turn it is to ramble." Jade said teasingly.

"There are a whole lot of different ways the date might go, like you might end up spilling wine on your dress or instead of your dress getting caught at the door it gets stained by mud because your heel broke and Andre wasn't fast enough to prevent you from falling."

"Not helping J." Adria muttered.

"I know, I know. Why don't you sit and I tell Andre you can't go because you're too nervous beca...." She was interrupted by a ping on her phone.

"Too late he's already downstairs, you should go meet your prince charming, snow white." Jade said as she wiggled her eyebrows.

The way she looked made Adria laugh as she released some of the tension she was feeling.

"Oh and Adi." She called her.

"Yeah " Adria replied as she was about to step out of the room, hand on the handle.

"Nothing, just wanted to tell you to remember to breathe because I know my cousin and if there's one thing he's good at, it's stealing people's breath away, especially girls." Jade said with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Oh shut up." Adria said playfully as she stepped out the door.

"Wait for me." Jade rushed out.

"I wanna see his face when he looks at you. I made a bet with nanny Esther that he would freeze when he sees you and I can't wait to win." She said as she walked with Adria towards the door.

"You both bet on my account." She exclaimed, surprised.

"Yup, now come, I have a bet to win." Jade said pulling the door open to reveal Andre leaning on a black Mercedes, seemingly immersed on whatever he was looking out.

The sun has completely gone down and the moon shone brightly in the night sky. Like jade predicted, Adria sucked in a deep breath and couldn't release it as she stared at the ethereal being a few feet away from her who had stolen her breath.

Andre's tall frame was impeccably dressed in a black button shirt, tucked into black suit trousers, with the first and second buttons undone, revealing a hint of his chest. The moonlight danced across his features, accentuating his chiseled jawline and eyes focused on his phone. His dark hair was perfectly styled and he seemed to radiate an otherworldly charm.

"Told you, now breath." Jade whispered into her ears. Taking a much needed deep breath, Adria face flushed a bright shade of red, being caught ogling at the ethereal being in front of her. Andre still hadn't noticed their presence.

Jade audibly cleared her throat and that was enough to get his attention. Andre lifted his gaze up and time seemed to have been frozen for him. He looked up, and his gaze met a vision that left him breathless. Adria stood before him, a goddess incarnate, in a black maxi dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. Her hair was styled to perfection, framing her heart-shaped face, and her minimal makeup accentuated her natural beauty. But it was her piercing brown eyes that held him captive, sparkling like dark diamonds in the light.

Andre's jaw dropped, and his phone slipped from his hand, forgotten, as he struggled to process the stunning beauty standing before him. He felt like a statue, frozen in time, his mind reeling with the realization that this goddess was his, all his, and he was taking her on a date tonight.

Their surroundings melted away, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a moment of pure wonder. Andre's eyes devoured every detail of Adria's appearance, his heart racing with excitement and gratitude. He felt like the luckiest man alive, privileged to be the one standing opposite this vision of loveliness.

As the silence stretched, Adria's lips curled into a gentle smile, and Andre's frozen state shattered. He took a step forward, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, his deep voice low and husky, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "You look stunning."

Adria's cheeks flushed as she gazed up at him, the moonlight casting a romantic spell around them. She felt like she was melting into his embrace, the world around them dissolving into nothingness.

"Thanks," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You don't look so bad yourself."

Andre chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and pulled her closer, the night air filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the promise of a magical evening ahead.