Summer Falls in Love

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

What do you expect when some mystery man asks you to go to a water fountain at a park? A jazz band in a gazebo, playing skillfully as your secret admirer emerges from them with a bouquet of red roses in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other? Or maybe something more simple; your secret admirer sitting by the fountain, wearing casually, a bouquet of red roses sitting next to him as you approach him?

All those cheesy lovey-dovey gestures, right?

That’s why I bet you didn’t expect to see your best friend pacing around the water fountain, looking agitated…with red rose petals in her hair…

Amanda and Summer could see her from a distance. You couldn’t miss a stunning blonde in a simple floral dress and sandals, her blonde hair glinting in the sun. She looked impatient.

  “Havana?” Summer called out and Havana whipped her head to their direction, a relieved smile spreading across her unblemished face.

  “Summer! Amanda!” Havana greeted them, her voice overflowing with relief.

  “What are you doing here?” Summer asked, puzzled as they hugged each other.

  “I could say the same for you.” Havana said, laughing nervously.

  Summer held out the small card that was tucked in the white box that held the Tiffany necklace before, “This.” Havana’s eyes widened and she produced the same card from her purse.

  Summer and Amanda’s eyes widened, “You have it too?!” she spluttered.

  “So that explains your petal-filled hair…” Amanda trailed off as she picked some petals out of Havana’s platinum blonde hair. She smiled embarrassingly.

  “Does a living room filled with red roses sound familiar to you?” Summer smirked and Havana nodded her head vigorously as she ruffled her blonde hair.

  “So what now?” Havana asked, “What’s next in the treasure hunt?”

  “Treasure hunt?” Amanda questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

  “Then what else is this?” Havana said, shrugging.

  “Well the last instruction was to meet here,” Summer started, “maybe this is it. We’re supposed to meet each other.”

  Amanda chewed her lip, “But our cards say almost the same thing.”

  “Wait,” Summer suddenly said, re-reading the card once again, “It says the hint is, ‘What did Cinderella leave behind?’”

  “An ugly step-mom and horrible step-sisters,” Amanda said. They managed a smile but they all knew that wasn’t the answer.

  Havana pursed her lips as she snapped her fingers, muttering, “What did Cinderella leave behind…?”

  Suddenly, Amanda cried out, “I got it!” She earned a few glares and stares by passers-by.

  Summer glared at her, “Keep it down, A.”

  Amanda giggled, “Sorry,” she quickly muttered, “But I think I finally get it! A glass slipper!”

  “Oh!” Havana’s mouth formed an ‘O’ shape, “But…glass slippers? Where are we going to find it at…at a fountain at a park?”

  Summer chewed her lip, “Well a glass slipper is definitely worn, since its footwear,” she said, trying to understand, “so maybe somebody is wearing it?”

  Havana looked at both of them, “But who…?”

  Summer sighed, exasperated, “I guess we have to keep our eyes peeled. My best guess is someone here.” She looked around.

  “Oh look, guys!” Amanda said excitedly as she pointed to a well-dressed lady in that held a poodle on a leash. She wore a scarf that was made out of fur and her hair was done in a tight ballerina bun. “That’s Mrs. Helena Lorraine. She’s the CEO of the company I am working at. I bet she doesn’t even know I exist…”

  “Oh my gosh, Amanda! You’re a genius!” Havana cried out, “Look at her shoes!”

True enough, Mrs. Lorraine wore glass heels. Why she was wearing them to take a stroll in the park they will never know. But they knew she was the next clue. They had to get their hands on her heels. Now, Summer felt like the person who was behind all this was just plain sadistic. Mrs. Lorraine was closing around the corner, nearing the fountain. It was their chance. Now the only problem is getting the strict unfriendly Mrs. Lorraine to take off her heels…in the afternoon…in the middle of a park…

~*~

  “Mrs. Lorraine!” Amanda said courteously as she approached the unfriendly-looking lady, scared out of her mind. It’s not like she was forced into doing it by Havana and Summer or anything…it’s nothing like that…

  Helena Lorraine eyed Amanda, looking at her from head-to-toe, making Amanda shiver under her gaze, “Yes? Who might you be?” she asked bluntly as she walked, making Amanda keep up to her pace.

  “I-I am Amanda Reese,” Amanda said as she struggled to keep up to her pace and keep an upbeat voice, “I work under you.”

  Helena quirked an eyebrow at her, “And…?”

  “Well I was just wondering how beautiful your heels look,” Amanda said, keeping a smile on her face, struggling to hide her fear, “do you mind if I have a look?”

  Helena smirked. She’d expected this. She just didn’t expect someone who was working under her to be her nephew’s love interest. “They’re limited edition. There aren’t any more on the market.” But of course she had to have some fun.

  “O-Oh,” Amanda looked slightly crestfallen that her first attempt failed, “it’s alright. Do you mind if I just have a look?”

  Helena’s smirk broadened. She wasn’t going to give up…was she? Cameron definitely picked well this time. “Alright,” she responded quickly before sitting down at a bench nearby and slipping the glass heels off her foot.

  “Thank you,” Amanda said, almost breathlessly as she smiled as she took a seat next to Helena. She carefully took the glass footwear in her hands and examined the sole, looking for some sort of clue…

  “Are you looking for this?” Helena suddenly said as Amanda examined her shoe, as weird as it looked. She produced three small folded cards identical to those that Amanda, Havana and Summer had received before. Amanda’s eyes widened when she realized what was happening.

  “You know?!” Amanda said incredulously.

  “Of course,” An amused smile formed on Helena’s lips, “I am Cameron’s aunt, Amanda.”

  Amanda’s eyes practically bulged out of its sockets, “O-Oh, Mrs. Lorraine,” she quickly said, feeling embarrassed by her previous behavior.

  “Please,” Helena began as she handed Amanda the small cards, “call me Helena.”

And just like that, Amanda made friends with the CEO of her company and got the next clue…this day was just getting weirder and weirder.

~*~

Hey guys!

I feel this chap is a little short so double upload today :) this is also to compensate for tomorrow, because I might NOT publish tomorrow cause I am going to be uber busy :/

Julia :)