𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂 | 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒘 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒚

016.

ARABELLA LOOKED AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR, the dress was simple. it was light grey with small black polka dots and a thin black belt. she touched the fabric of the skirt, trying her best for her eyes to not water. the gala was tomorrow, she was just trying on the dress. she smiled at herself in mirror, picking up her phone and seeing drew's message.

she swiped up to unlock, 'idk what clothes to pack', she smiled to herself after reading the message. she saw another message appear on the screen, 'send me a picture of your dress. i'll pack something that goes with it', her smile softened slowly. she switched to the camera app, taking a picture of the dress in the mirror and sending it to him. 

'shit! you look beautiful!' 

her heart skipped a beat, she pulled the white chair on her close to her before sitting down on it. he was typing and her eyes were focused on the bubble with the three dots. 'i'll text you before the plane takes off', she blinked at the message. reading it twice, reading it thrice. her lips both pouting and smiling as she dropped an 'okay'. 

she locked her phone and kept it aside, genuinely smiling to herself. she took the dress off, unzipping it with great difficulty and hanging it on the hanger in her closet. she put on a graphic tee and some joggers, and facetimed camila after going in the kitchen to start making dinner.

her day had been fine. she had landed at 11 a.m. in los angeles, she had brunch with her sister who was filming at universal studios for some new movie, she went to her apartment after the first time in three months after picking up her dog from her neighbour, she cleaned her apartment after putting on some music, she did her workout, she danced to the music for a while, she took a nap, she had coffee, she tried on the dress and now, she was here.

the call connected just a second before the last ring, it was nicholas who was picking up. arabella could clearly see that he was not at home, "where are you guys?" she put the casserole her cute elderly neighbour had given her in the oven. "well, cami wasn't feeling real good. so, i took her out to dinner. she's gone to the restroom," he explained and arabella smirked to tease him.

"no, bells. we're not-" but she didn't let him finish. "oh, stop it! it's pretty fucking clear that you guys are into each other! so, grow a pair and ask her out instead of just wifing her up and calling her your friend!" arabella nearly yelled at the boy, who sighed. "okay, i'll-i'll think about it," and she nodded. "you better. also, are you coming tomorrow?" 

nicholas nodded and arabella heard camila asking nicholas who he was talking too. camila took the phone from him and waved at arabella, she looked sleepless and tired. "you holding up okay?" she asked her, though she looked much worse than arabella. it made both of them tear up, but they just smiled and nodded at each other. 

"i forgot to tell you that drew'll be there tomorrow," arabella said, wiping her eyes and taking out the salad leaves from the refrigerator while speaking to her. camila eyes widened a little, "what!?" she exclaimed and arabella grinned at her. "why didn't you tell me earlier?!" she exclaimed, nicholas asking her to lower her volume a little because they were in a restaurant.

"i wanted to see you give me your shocked and excited look," she giggled to answer and camila smiled. "i'll call you when i reach home, 'kay?" she said and arabella said that it was fine, she didn't have to worry. they decided that camila and nicholas would come over to get ready together tomorrow just an hour or two before the gala.

she decided to just eat some of the casserole and the salad she made while reading fangirl by rainbow rowell, it was her comfort book. she flipped through the pages before sitting down to look for her favourite chapter - the one where cath reads a whole book to levi. she put her plate down on the dining table, the lamp hanging from the ceiling was the only light in the room.