Doll House: Book Three

sixteen | dress

The next morning was dark. Not in terms of weather or time of day, but because Chanel was in low spirits and it took her an hour to get out of bed and start her day.

Nevertheless, she persisted and eventually made her way to the kitchen in an oversized shirt given to her by Ace.

She would have to face the girls about this Columbia University life moment soon and hiding out wasn't going to solve anything.

Stupid Ace, Chanel thought. Not only did he essentially consider her to be unimportant which was why he didn't tell her that he was leaving New York. But he scorched the earth by dropping a secret part of her life which she had to confront now.

"You're late, it's 8:45" Candy partially joked, pouring hot water over a tea bag in her pink mug as Chanel approached.

"And you're early." Chanel cracked since Candy usually was the last one awake in the penthouse.

"Yeah-my mind is heavy with thoughts."

"Same" Chanel sat atop the counter and grabbed a box of cereal. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"About Columbia..." Chanel trailed off.

Candy looked up at Chanel and nodded, "Yeah I heard, good for you."

"Really? That's all? No jokes, no teasing?"

"You'll get some from Ivy but it's actually more surprising that we didn't just assume that." Candy smiled and shrugged. "You are the smartest person I've ever met."

Chanel returned the smile and started to feel more emotional than she expected. She should've told the girls sooner because Candy's reaction had revealed how simple it could've been. Though sometimes they acted as if they were annoyed of her genius, deep down they appreciated her and it was clear that she was an asset to the Doll House.

"I guess since it came out from someone I trusted it made things feel worse." She said, "but he's leaving now so it doesn't matter."

"If Ace is leaving, you should clear the air with him. Especially if you trusted him, it's hard enough to trust men." Candy suggested but then paused.

"What?"

"I-uh-I should take my own advice."

"Is Mason leaving too?"

"No, but I trusted him enough to tell him-" Candy sighed. "I had the out burst at the cake tasting because I hate those scenes with old men. I think it's because-because my mom's bf had sex with me when I was in high school."

"Oh." Was all Chanel could get out after Candy's deeply personal confession. Everyone knew she had the nymph image locked in at Doll House but no one considered how it came to be or how triggering it could get.

"Yeah, but I couldn't talk about it. Until I told Mason." Candy but her bottom lip. "And you couldn't talk about your college until-"

"Until Ace."

They both had a moments realization that they needed to talk to these men. Actually talk and hear them out because they'd been afforded that consideration initially by both men.

"I don't have an interesting story for why I came to Doll House." Chanel started. "I was just bored and knew I didn't really care much for school and status. But if I told Hodges he would've turned me away from this opportunity. I also thought you all would feel like I was less worthy of being a doll since I didn't come from some traumatic place in life." She put her head back on the cabinet. "And to top it off, my family knows and they're supportive about my choice."

She didn't mean to brag but it was the absolute truth. Chanel had never struggled or suffered in the way that the other girls had.

"Sounds like a dream. My mom shunned me afterward and now that she realizes that she was wrong she won't stop calling me." Candy sighed.

Chanel reached for her hand and gave her a tight smile. Candy had been violated by an older man and she had to relive that professionally. Though Chanel had her own issues she had to admit that these were much scarier.

"But I don't know why Ace had to say anything!" Chanel blurted with a grunt of frustration.

"He probably didn't know Ivy and Hazel were around." Candy stated. "And how could you be mad at someone that sexy?"

"I could say the same for you Candy." Chanel cocked her head.

"Well I caught Mason with another girl so there's no resolving that."

"Talk to him." Chanel laughed playfully. "We both have to try something."

Both girls looked at each other, not sure how to go about this task but they knew it was right and at the very least they could say they tried.

"Hey hoes, the dresses are here!" Hazel announced moments later as the front door closed.

Ivy and Winter both appeared as Hazel came into sight in the living room with an arm full of dress bags. She was accompanied by a taller man who held a few shopping bags as well.

"Whoa, you brought a visitor and I'm not even dressed." Candy smirked, stepping into the living room and pulling the waistband of her shorts away from her skin before snapping it back into place.

"That's never stopped you before." Hazel rolled her eyes and nodded at the man who put everything down before leaving the penthouse.

As the girls gathered together, barely noticing Chanel, she took a deep breath. Now was the time that she needed to speak to the girls. Most of her family was in this room and she had to tell them. It was more important to address the girls before even deciding how to address Ace.

"Can we try them on?" Winter asked, peeking into one of the bags.

"Wait, before we try on anything, I want you all to hear about Columbia from me and not from eachother or Ace." Chanel looked at Candy. "Then Candy has something to say too."

"Yeah, no more secrets." Candy cast her eyes down.

"Ivy League and Nympho?" Ivy raised an eyebrow. "We're listening..."