Rhapsody High: The Tale of Super Zero

Chapter 20: The Manhattan Street

Chapter 20: The Manhattan Street

With the masquerade easter ball coming up, Renata found herself walking down the pavement of Manhattan Street. This is the only area in the town where all the boutiques and branded stores can be found. The area was arranged exactly like Manhattan area in New York, it's just smaller and less people. The number of paparazzi however was not less.

Despite a few shopping bags had dangled from her right arms, she still hasn't found the perfect dress for the ball yet. Perhaps she would just put on one of her old dresses. To be honest it has been sometimes since Renata went shopping alone and she didn't enjoy it. She wanted to just slipped into a a baggy sweat shirt with an ice fruit cocktail in her hand.

Nathaniel has been accompanying her shopping before, now that Nathaniel has gone, she realized she has no other friend to accompany her shopping or carry all her shopping bags. She has always been so dependent on Nate and she never realized it. Renata was thinking of calling one of the girls from Student Body Union or maybe Brenda to come and accompany her, but she isn't sure if they will say yes after the whole outbreak gossip. She felt embarrassed over the news herself.

"Rena?" A high pitchy voice suddenly broke her train of thoughts. She turned around and saw the Greyson twins walked towards her with a couple of shopping bags on their arms.

"You're shopping alone?" Ashley threw a questioning look at her.

Renata hesitated before answering. It does sound pathetic, people around here have been either couples or group of girls except her. "Uhm... Yeah."

Gabriella gave her a quick smirk. "Was it because of the news?"

"Well... Uhm... " Yes. Of course. Can this girl stopped?

"Gabby!" Ashley exclaimed at her twin harshly. "Stop bringing that rumor up!" Then she turned to Renata. "What are you shopping for? Masquerade easter ball?"

Renata felt relieved that Ashley save her right there. Renata quickly changed her panic expression to a gentle smile. "Well, i haven't found a dress yet, but i think i'll just wear my old ones."

"Don't! We haven't found ours too!" Ashley giggled. "You want to join us?"

Renata was considering when Gabriella suddenly chirped in uneasily, as if swallowing her pride. "Well, uhm... We kind of need an opinion. It's our first ball to be honest." She commented. "We were underage last year to join but Jaclyn got us in this year. We both pretty much didn't know what to get."

Renata gave Gabriella a long look, she knows Gabriella didn't mean to be all nosy and rude at her, she's just not very sensitive with others' feelings. Sadly her interest in reading all these gossips make things worse. On the other hand, Rena really likes Ashley and plus she needed shopping companions, might as well she agreed to it. "Yeah, i'll join you girls." She threw them a smile and off they went to Sherri Hill boutique.

As they walked in, the lady on the counter greeted them and gestured them to enter. "How may I help you?" She smiled at the girls.

"We are searching for masquerade theme dresses." Renata answered calmly.

"Ah. The Leighton Masquerade Easter Ball." The lady seems to realize. "The most important socialites event of the year, eh?"

"Pretty much." Gabriella looked proud at the comment.

"Well, we made sure that you girls aren't wearing what others will wear. We don't want bad press on your reputations eh?" She winked at Renata personally. Renata knows that the lady recognized her, but she will just pretend she didn't understand what the wink meant.