Streets of Valencia (#2 in The Billionaire Series)

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

Already there was a huge difference between Roxana and Cynthia. This became apparent to Federica as soon as she came out of the bathroom. Both girls had gone all out in addressing her choice in wardrobe with snorts, scoffs, and soft eye rolls, but had settled on letting her decide what she preferred. She found they had laid out three attires with jewelry and shoes. Federica was caught at wit's end by their choices.

"My first choice," Cynthia said in her excited voice. "I introduce the Winner, by Cynthia's Glory," she said dramatically, with a flurry of hand gestures over herself and the attire, before she pointed to the floral midi dress. Federica stared at it with thoughtful consideration: she knew she liked it already simply because of the print and colors. It would be bright and cheerful under the sun, but body hugging. The mesh cut-out at the bottom was even more tempting. Once again, Cynthia had proved her love of jewelry.

Federica shook her head immediately. "No to the jewelry, perhaps to the dress," she said simply.

Cynthia grinned, fluttering her eye lashes innocently. Roxana stared at the outfit thoughtfully, taking a left, and then a right at it. "It looks more like a dinner outfit that a day out outfit," she said bluntly. Federica and Cynthia looked at it thoughtfully, and both were astounded by that thought, even more so as it was coming from Roxana. She blushed, glancing away shyly. "Um, mine is here," she said, and pointed to hers.

"I introduce this," she said, and waved her hand to a skater dress on the bed. It was another sunny dress with a floral design dancing about the skirt, and a V-neck plunge that was both moderate and considered, especially as the jewelry composed of a pair of studs, two slivers for bracelets, and a long chain that would wove around her neck twice or thrice, depending on how Federica decided to put it on. Already, she liked the dress and the jewelry.

"Or," Cynthia said quickly, pulling Federica towards another choice of clothing. By the time they'd gone through most of the choices, Federica was having a whirling of thoughts in her mind and the startling conclusion that she didn't know what to pick. It was mind boggling. It didn't help that Cynthia had managed to pull out Roxana from her shell and the two wouldn't stop flinging words at each other.

"This is good for her," Cynthia said defiantly with a snotty up tilt of her nose.

"That makes her look cheap," Roxana snapped with a dramatic eye roll Federica suspected she wasn't aware of. "People will look at her as if she's trying too hard. She's d'Osana, not –"

"Quintanella?" Cynthia asked with another innocent flutter of her lashes. Federica decided it was high time she got in between as Roxana's cheeks flushed angrily and Cynthia glared daringly.

"I take my choice," she said quickly. Both warily turned from the other like snarling dogs forcefully pulled by the collar, to stare at her expectantly. From the way they'd turned from the other, Federica knew the night might not go on as smoothly as she wished. She was rubbing her temple when she reached for another floral print dress, though in a black backdrop this time. "This is good enough," she said, which made Cynthia grin. She picked up the shoes but reached for the jewelry Roxana had set out with another dress, which brought a pleased smile to girl's lips.

She pointed from Roxana to Cynthia as she said: "Roxana knows about jewelry, Cynthia knows about clothes, and shoes. Now, will you go and shower already? You're not going out in that, right?" And she stared unsurely at her friend.

Cynthia quirked her brow, hands rising to her waist as she expressed her offense. "Pardon you, darling," she said, before strutting away. "By the way, you and I are sharing this room."