Playing Along

Chapter Three

It's already midday, Paige is in a boutique down town with Taryn. She's picking out a dress for the dinner, her mother's orders. She's thinking of ways to escape from going as she rummages through variety of dresses. I mean, she likes Mr and Mrs Bradford, it's their conceited son she can't stand. She groans, frustrated. Paige doesn't understand why this dinner is so important to her mom. She stops ruffling up the dresses on the racks and sighs.

That's when it hit her, she hasn't heard Taryn's voice for the past twenty minutes. Paige looks around the store for any sign of her, she shouldn't have gone far.

"How do I look?," Paige hears her bestfriend ask from behind her. She turns to meet a beaming Taryn, wearing an aqua blue ball gown. The colour makes her eyes pop out. A smile forms on Paige's lips.

"Is that what you've been doing all this time?"

Taryn nods at her question. "Isn't it gorgeous?" She admires the intricate embroidered details on the ball gown. She has always had a higher sense of Fashion compared to Paige, that being appreciating the slightest detail. "What do you think?"

"I think we should leave before you spend all of your money on these dresses," Paige speaks her mind, knowing her friend's craze for shopping. It's her kryptonite. Taryn pouts before heading back to the changing rooms.

Paige rolls her eyes at her bestfriend's classic dog pout. She still doesn't have a dress for the dinner and her mom will kill her if she goes home empty handed. She goes back to fishing for a dress. Shopping has never been her specialty. After minutes of another rummaging episode, Paige settles for a black lace A-line dress.

"Paige?" she hears a voice ask from behind her. It's familiar to her ears but she can't put her finger on it. She turns slowly, it's Kenna. Paige mutes for a moment, contemplating with her subconscious on what to say. "I didn't know you shop here," Kenna chirps.

"I came by to get a dress," Paige answers after zoning back from her self-discussion.

"Are you coming to my party?"

That question catches her off guard. The last time Paige went to one of Kenna's parties was back in ninth grade, before she was shun from her life. She can't tell if her attempt to shove everything under the rag is highly hypocritical or suspicious. Paige forces a smile, "Actually, I have plans."

Kenna flashes her a smile before answering, "It's okay, maybe next time." Without losing her poise, she walks toward another isle of clothing, leaving Paige puzzled. She's still processing the fact that her ex-bestfriend just spoke to her after what seemed like an eternity, and acted like nothing happened.

"Can we go now?" Taryn's voice cuts her thoughts short. All Paige did is nod in response, not able to utter a word.

                                                           

Paige closes the front door of her house with a loud thud before making her way to the kitchen, as usual. In there, she finds her dad having what seems to be coffee with her mom.

"Hey Dad," Paige greets as she goes in for a hug. She wasn't expecting to see him up until summer.

"Hey sweetheart," he says and places a kiss gently on her forehead.

"What are you doing here?" Paige asks as she pulls away from his hold. She's curious to find out why he left New York. Like her mom, he doesn't takes his business lightly.

He smiles. "Your mom flew me here for her dinner," he explains trying to raise his voice just enough for his wife to take the hint of how unnecessary it was.

He and Paige shoot her a look, making her roll her eyes at them. "This dinner is important for me and I want my family to be there."

It's Paige's turn to roll her eyes. "I'll be in my room," she informs as she makes her way out the kitchen. She's tired already, ruffling up those dresses wore her out.

"Honey did you get a dress?" she hears her mom ask once she's made it halfway the marble stairway, dragging her feet with every step.

"It'll be here soon," Paige shouts over the now hollow stairway before entering her room and shutting the door behind her.

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a/n: Hey guys, I hope the wait wasn't too long. I was working on school stuff. Don't forget to vote, share and tell me what you think. Love you guys, bye.