Échappé - Branjie

Five.

Chapter 5

"I just don't understand what you are so mad about," Yvie spoke from her position on the bed. She was laying on her back, throwing a ball in the air and catching it when it bounced back from the low ceiling.

Trixie yelled from the other room. Her voice was muffled as she tried on yet another dress. "You got the money, plus you get to go out with a cute girl. Win - win, bitch." There was a moment of silence, and then the click-clack of heels getting closer.

Yivie sat up straight. "When was the last time you went on a date, Vanjie?"

Vanessa looked up from her spot on her bed, right next to Yvie's. She was still wrapped in a towel. She had no idea how long she had been sitting there, but her hair had dried already.

"This ain't no date."

Her answer was pronounced just as Trixie walked in, rolling her eyes. "The thing literally says dinner and dancing," she reminded Vanessa, her tone of voice made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world. "Isn't that what normal people do on dates?"

"Since when are we normal?" Vanessa asked with a twist of her lips.

Trixie laughed and twirled in front of the mirror, holding her dress to get a better view of it. She looked beautiful, and she knew it. Vanessa didn't have to point it out. Still, she couldn't help but compare herself to her friend. Trixie had taken hours just to get ready for her date with Katya. She had been exuding happiness ever since the night before when, just as promised, Katya had paid an exaggerated amount just to take her out. Of course, it had been nowhere near what Brooke paid, but it was still a lot of money. Vanessa was no expert in math but, with Brooke's and Katya's donation, they should at least be close to their goal to save the center.

Yvie's question resounded in her head. Vanessa really didn't have a reason to be mad. Was she even mad? She knew anger, and that was not was she was feeling. There was something, there was a strong, unidentified emotion invading her senses. She felt as if she were walking underwater, but she didn't know what she needed to break back to surface.

"Look what I got for Katya." Trixie bounced on the bed next to Vanessa, bursting her out of her bubble. Trixie opened a small box to reveal a pair of earrings. They were two plastic circles with green and black rhinestones in the middle, shaped in the form of eyes.

Yvie scooted forward to take a look as well. "Oh, my God. Those are so weird and perfect. Your girlfriend is gonna love them."

Her shoulders shimmied with excitement as Trixie put the box back into her purse. "She's not my girlfriend, though. We don't want to talk about that until their tour is over. You know they are leaving next weekend." Trixie pouted childishly, before turning to Vanessa. "Have you and Brooke talked about that?"

"'Bout what?" Vanessa asked confused.

"About what's going to happen to you guys when she's gone," Trixie clarified.

Vanessa looked at her as if she had suddenly grown a second head. "What would we do that for?"

Now it was Yvie's turn to roll her eyes. "Girl, c'mon."

"No!" Vanessa heard herself snapping. "Don't 'girl, come on' me. I seriously don't know where you are getting all this bullshit from."

The ground was once again being settled for battle. Trixie did not have the time nor patience to go through yet another match between Yvie and Vanessa. She placed a hand on Yvie's arms and nodded slightly, physically communicating an 'I've got this'.

"Okay, you have been avoiding it for way too long, let's talk about this. What's up with you and Brooke?"

Vanessa shook her head, her hands going up in the air dramatically. "That's the problem here. Nothing's up. There's nothing to talk about."