BlackHeart

Chapter 9

         I had $4,300 I was able to spend today between my brother's birthday gift and Dom's. I never had this kind of money in my pocket, and I was overwhelmed. Poor Riccardo was told to go along with me while I shopped before my shift. "Riccardo, I don't think there's any way I can make this less painful for you unless you wanna go wait in the car or something" I sheepishly smiled at the man. He was in his same bulldog stance with slick hair and a casual suit. His hands were behind his back as he waited for me inside the first store I browsed. "I'm getting paid. I guess I'll have to get used to escorting you to places. This seems to be a permanent role for me" he surprised me by saying. 

"So a glorified babysitter? Elio needs to cool it. I'll talk to him" I told him again. I'd spoken to my brother once, but clearly he didn't get the message. The stores in this area were gorgeous, designer, and overwhelming for someone like me who had more money to spend than I could have ever dreamed. I went on a complete frenzy.

 My early afternoon was spent wandering store by store, collecting more and more shopping bags as I purchased all my new things. When you have money to spend, people in the shops are a lot kinder to you. They dot on you and let you take your time trying things on or browsing. I ended up with this:

-Steve Madden black leather round toe block platform ankle boot heels $169 -Brown tri-color plaid retro lapel short sleeved mini pleated dress $50 (with matching felt beret) -Chanel lambskin quilted mini flap belt bag black $2,395 -Gold dangle-heart hoop earrings $38 -Prada Black retro cat eye tinted lens sunglasses - on sale $189 -Christian Louboutin So Kate suede teal green 6 inch pumps $575-sale -Flared bell bottom mid-rise crepe green/teal trousers $100 -Strappy leather chest harness wide belt double shoulder strap gold accent buckles $75 -Versace gold medusa medallion bracelet $348, equaling out to a total of $3,939...which gave me $361 dollars left to spend, but I ran out of time.

        Poor Riccardo looked exhausted, and he was carrying half my bags if not more of them for me. I told him he didn't have to do that, but he insisted it was fine. After we walked all of that back to the car, and secured my most prized possessions in the trunk, he took me down a few blocks to my job. 3pm came too quickly today. I was in literal bliss. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. My brother and Dom might have just created a monster out of me. 

By the time I entered the tattoo parlor I was starting to feel the late effects of shopping for several hours. I'd worn sneakers in anticipation of this, but still I had walked a lot. "Hey!" I heard around the shop from the few people who were around. I waved to everyone before taking my place behind the counter at the register. There was a call first thing so I answered it. 

        I have an IG account dedicated to fashion and outfits I'd both sewn on my own in school, and outfits I wear everyday. I actually have a lot of followers, so I'd set up all the designer bags I'd gotten outside a trendy area and posted a picture of it. I could feel my phone vibrating with notifications from likes and comments, so I had to silence it. In my outfit yesterday I'd posted a picture of me in front of Dom's floor length window overlooking New York and I got a lot of traction on that post. 

I think this new life of mine is going to blow up my page which is good because I want to be noticed in the fashion world.

        I was talking to Poppy and Cam about it, so the girls were scrolling through my feed telling me how aesthetically pleasing my page was, and how good I am at putting outfits together and things like that. "Did you really make this?" Cam asked, turning so I could see the screen. "I did. I can sow. I learned some before college and the rest in fashion school" I explained.