My Heart's Choice (On Hold)

Chapter 28

"Ouch! That hurt!" Nora wince, glaring at Penny who was tugging at the mass of red curls with a flat-iron.

"Stay still," Penny commands, her face completely blank.

Penny continues ironing Nora's short hair despite the sour looks she is receiving.

"Is this even necessary? I mean, I go to Daddy's launches all the time without having to do all these," Nora complains.

"Keep that mouth shut. If you want to fool Rhea Evans, you should have all the tools you're gonna need," Penny says.

"How is ironing my hair a tool?" Nora furrows her brows at Penny through the dressing table mirror she is sitting at.

Penny rolls her eyes dramatically, and decides to keep silent until Nora's hair is done.

It is only ten minutes until Kenneth is to drive us to the launch. I sit on Penny's bed looking out the window at her driveway. Nora and I drove to Penny's after school to get dressed for the launch.

I usually borrow one of Penny's many dresses, when I have a formal occasion to attend. So here I am in one of Penny's blue frocks with my hair up in an elaborate hairdo, waiting for her to finish with Nora's hair.

Nora's dad had sent her a long dress covered with glittery goldern beads and stuff, paired with beautiful shoes.

"Done!" Penny announces, switching the flat-iron off.

Nora shoots her a wide grin, turning to give me a thumbs up, and I return the gesture. Penny snaps a few pictures before we make our way downstairs.

The house is quiet except for the loud music blasting from inside her sister's room. Mariana is Penny's younger sister who spends pretty much every second of her life plunged in all types of music. Both their parents are doctors and aren't home until it is very late at night.

Nora paces the living room, trying to get the hang of her shoes, while Penny pours us some lemonade at the kitchen counter. Penny and I sip lemonade watching Nora curse the floor, and wait for Kenneth to show up.

"There is something wrong with these shoes," Nora complains, flopping down onto a seat infront of the kitchen counter.

Penny rolls her eyes, sipping the last of her glass of lemonade. Nora downs her glass in one go. Penny scrunches up her nose and is about to give Nora a lecture about lady-etiquette, from what it appears, when a loud knock on the door cuts her off.

"That could be Kenneth," Penny walks to the door, looking outside through the peephole, before swinging the door open.

Kenneth walks in, dressed in a decent tuxedo and polished shoes, making his way towards us. He smiles at the sight of Nora and I.

"Can we go?" Nora picks up her clutch and slowly balances herself on her new high-heels.

I avoid Kenneth's eyes at all costs, to stop myself from initiating another series of weird stomach stunts. I have a grave feeling that I can't take all that in this dress and unstable shoes which I am wearing.

"What's this sis? A wig?" Kenneth tousels Nora's hair, earning a hard punch to his gut.

"Calm down. Gosh! Sorry," Kenneth blinks a couple of times, rubbing his stomach, taken aback by Nora's special attention to her hair.

Penny fetches my clutch for me, signalling that we should get going.

Kenneth waves his arm towards the doorway, "After you ladies," he says.

Nora holds onto me and I to her as we slowly make out way to the door like two drunk girls.

"Whatever is wrong with them?" I hear Kenneth whisper to Penny from behind us.