ALMOST A FAIRYTALE | ✔️

10| Re-emergence

I could not recount details of what happened last night, but I woke up to a very snoring Hailey lying on Riley's bed in her thong and bra. What the heck happened?

"You better stand up from Riley's bed!" I could picture her walking in, pulling Hailey's hair and dragging her on the floor. She sure looked capable of doing that and more. When I first met Riley, I thought of her as hell's angel. In any case, what's up with Hailey and her constant desire to sleep without clothes? The place wasn't that hot. (Truthfully, it was hot, and I was boiling, but nothing was ever going to make me go commando to sleep).

"Hey you are up!" Hailey said cheerfully.
"We have to go for orientation, then lectures. Get your ass up and get ready."
"But where is Riley? she didn't come back? If you have her number, call to find out where she is. She could be kidnapped."
"You are so pessimistic. She is probably out there having fun. And you are saying kidnapping. Anyways, I don't even have her number."

"Hmm... Can I shower here?"
"No, go shower at yoour own place"
"Do you always have to have a comeback for everything?" Hailey said grudgingly as she stood up and begun shuffling her feet noisily out of the room. But at least, she was going.

I took a deep thorough 360 scan of the room and saw how achromatic and dark it looked. It certainly needed fresh paint and light. My intent was to make my side of the room as bright with twinkle fairy lights, girly and comfy as possible. Adding my Marilyn Monroe picture frame would make the place divine.

There was nothing aesthetically wrong with Riley's outfits, my analytic mind scrutinizing her attire had concluded. The only splash of colour was a red vintage knee- length dress with lace detailing and asymmetric marble-print mini dress. Her V cut zipped up hodies, neck tops, crop tops, thigh high leather boots, leggings, sweatpants and the rest were all black. What does she even see in that color? Verily, I don't know what I was doing scooping through her things. In my opinion, she needed a style evolution.

Peeling myself from her wardrobe, I realized that it was only 40 minutes to the orientation and I had to get ready.

****

We exited the hall into the bright sunlight, and took a deep breath of fresh air with our Gucci backpacks blinking in full glory. We looked like candy in our colorful sundresses and off white wedge sneakers. We were so into fashion and we made sure to dress to impress all the time. At 14, I saved thousands to buy my first channel bag. My love for fashion, I would say, stems from years of being glued to the TV watching runway shows, my fashion obsessed mother and my fashionista friend. Hailey would spend all her allowance on clothes and would not have money for fuel. Hers is Extreme! Nonetheless, one thing that has helped us both is that we are able to borrow clothes from each other at any time.

For phones, iPhone have been our go to choice for ages. Like typical Gen z teens, we shove our phones like priceless possession into people's face. As if second nature, I opened my backpack, took out my iPhone and turned on to the reasonably shady podcast to get some shades.

"You really like this podcast. I am 100% sure that you would say that you are Reasonably and I am shady. But we know that behind close doors you are more than shady, you are venomous!"
"Please stop exaggerating."
"I would not," she said mockingly.

There was a couple sitting on one of the benches snuggled together like newly weds on their honeymoon.
"Look, isn't that Riley? I guess that is the fine guy that everyone is gushing over. Let's get closer to get a better view," Hailey said while pulling my hand in an effort to get me to go along with her.
"I am not going with you. You go alone," I said indifferently.

Right about when Hailey was making her first step to get closer, the guy turns to face us. It was Ryan. There was something in the air, I definitely was losing track of time. He kept staring at me like souvenirs. My heart started pounding and I broke into a cold sweat. A sick feeling was washing over me in waves.

I pretended not to have seen him and kept walking away. Next thing I knew, he was chasing me. Yet, I kept walking like a determined track star.

"Alison! Alison!! Alison!! Ali!!" he shouted. "Wait! We have to talk. I have to explain to you exactly what happened."

"You ghosted me and you expect me to crawl back into your life like nothing happened. I see you are dating Riley and you look happy and healthy now, Good for you. Would you leave me alone."
I wished he looked old, crumpy, pathetic and ugly with a huge scar on his face and multiple hand contracture.
"It is not what it seems. Ali, I love you and I will always love you."

I didn't know how Riley got to where we stood, before we knew it she was smacking his face with her bare hands.

"You idiot! How dare you say that when I am here!" She blurted before storming off.

"Ryan, we have nothing to discuss. I'm out of here."

Hailey joined me and like musketeers we slided away. "He is such a lost cause. To think that I really really truly liked him..."

"You are acting as if you guys were married in time past and are fighting for custody. Damn, Ryan just wants to talk to you, girl. One way or another, you would have to listen to what he has to say."

"That's if I allow it. He was so heartless. I am never going to forgive him."

"You are being over dramatic, chill. So he is Riley's boyfriend and so what? He was yours first. Never say never again."

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