The Secret (Boston's Best 1)

Chapter Fourteen

Maddie

"Happy birthday, Pen!" Brooke squeals as she hands over the black sparkly gift bag to Penelope.

Penelope smiles at her and takes the bag, she takes out the card first and reads it for a moment before pulling out a black Thomas Sabo box.

Neither of them really seem phased by the luxury designer box in her hands –the only designer thing I have is actually a Thomas Sabo necklace that I got from my godmother for my Confirmation– although I suppose a brand such as this is nothing to people who have grown up surrounded by everything they could want no matter what.

Don't get me wrong I'm well aware of my privilege and that my family and I are not poor or struggling by any means. But being able to afford a nice house and a few luxuries is nothing compared to renting a house without your parents even noticing or buying a designer item for your friend's birthday and probably thinking nothing of it.

She opens the box to reveal a shiny gold tennis bracelet. "Oh my God, Brooke! It's stunning! I've been wanting one of these forever, thank you so much."

They hug and Brooke shrugs her petite shoulders and holds out her arm, "It's fine and now we have matching ones. And it was so cheap compared to your eighteenth birthday present, oh my god like nearly $400 compared to over $1,000 is much better."

Penelope laughs. "Yeah, I still cannot believe you rented out that club for us all. Oh and the fake IDs! They were so legit."

She smirks. "I have my ways."

Penelope turns to me, "Don't worry, I didn't expect you to get me anything, you haven't even known me a week yet."

I smile at her, "I definitely would've if I had known, but I wouldn't even know where to start and what to get you."

"Shoes. Always shoes." She looks at her phone, "Crap we better leave soon. It's almost 7 and we still have to set up."

"What time is everyone arriving?" I ask.

"9-ish I think is what we said, so it won't really start till 10 or 11." Brooke says.

Penelope jumps up, "Let's take some pictures before we get trashed looking."

We stand in front of her mirror and pose for a few minutes and honestly I can't believe that the girl I'm staring at is me. I look the same but somehow more grown-up than ever and it's only been a week.

I have my hair down in its natural mess but it actually looks good and I have an outfit that is completely all Penelope's but I love it: straight leg black leather pants, a black push-up corset and black stilettos. I mean who am I?

Brooke has her hair tied up in a loose ponytail and is also in all black: leather shorts, a big fluffy bandeau top, and heels with diamonds on the heel itself.

Penelope has her hair in big beach curls and is wearing: a baby blue silk slip dress, white heels and now her tennis bracelet.

After we take some good pictures of us all, we head out of their dorm and make our way down to Penelope's car –a black Audi convertible– and settle in.

————

About 20 minutes later we arrive at the house. It's a gorgeous house –3 floors with a wrap-around porch, it's in the middle of the woods so it's secluded, there's a fire pit and swings, and it's stone brick. Just stunning.

We walk in through the foyer and Chantelle, Olivia, Hayley, Alicia, Chloe, and Amber are already in the kitchen setting up food and drinks.

"Where are the boys?" Brooke calls out to her squad.