Chapter 16 Merry Christmas
“Bree, you really need to try this on!” Summer squealed as she placed a green dress beside the other pile of dresses she had picked for me.
I sighed for what could be like the hundredth time today as I watched my mother speak to the manager of the store.
My mom had brought us here for a shopping spree for the Christmas party tonight. Summer was overjoyed when she learnt that she would pick out dresses, that was her specialty.
Despite it being Christmas, I didn’t feel the giddy feeling and excitement I usually felt in the past. Right now, it just feels like any ordinary day rather than December 25th.
“Bree, why are you acting all gloomy?” Mom asked as she walked over to me, concern etched on her face.
“Don’t worry Aunt Valerie,” Summer responded before I could speak. “By the time we get a perfect dress for her she would definitely start beaming with smiles.”
I rolled my eyes at her words. “Summer, you have literally almost emptied all the shelves and you haven’t picked any dress out for yourself.”
Summer waved my words away. “And so? There’s still time. Right aunt?”
My mom nodded in agreement. “Enough sulking and let’s do some shopping!”
In order to escape my mum’s scoldings, I reluctantly stood up and watched them run around trying to get ‘the perfect dress’.
Ten minutes later, I was standing in front of the mirror in a long, off shoulder, flowing satin dress in midnight blue. The fabric clung to my curves before flowing down to my ankles with a slit that climbed up to my upper thigh revealing a glimpse of leg as I moved. The jewelry on my neck also brought out the beauty I never knew I had.
My mum stared at me with pride while my friend nudged me in the shoulder.
“You look like a princess, Bree! Now this is the perfect dress!” Summer chimed and my mum smiled in agreement.
We walked out of the store with more than ten shopping bags and I breathed out a sigh of relief when the driver took them away from my hands and placed them in the boot.
“Be careful there!” My mom called out, going over to the back of the car to make sure he placed them well.
Summer glanced at me with a raised brow and a tilted head and I furrowed my brows.
“What?”
“You know what, Bree. There’s something you aren’t telling me.”
“I don’t understand,” I responded.
“Cut the crap. I have been seeing the way you stare at Barth. Do you like him?”
My breath got caught up in my throat and I almost choked, my eyes widening as I felt heat in my cheeks as I went red.
My lips divided as I was about to debunk her words before my mum’s voice cut in.
“Come on girls let’s go!”
Summer pursed her lips as her eyes narrowed at me and I knew deep down that this interrogation wasn’t over yet.
…
Summer, my mum and I sat down in mum’s and Aurick’s large bed room to do our make up. Aurick had booked a makeover session for us with the best make up artist there was in the city for us to look our best.
The maids were running around downstairs trying to fix the living room before the guests started tripping in. In less than an hour, we were done with our hair and make up and were all dolled up and ready to go downstairs.
“Bree, you look like an angel!” Summer half-yelled. She was dressed in an emerald green silk dress, her make up and hair-do made her so beautiful and my heart swelled up with pride at the fact that I had a pretty best friend.
“You don’t look bad yourself, Summer,” I giggled.
“She’s right, Bree. You look breathtaking,” My mum added, giving me a peek on the forehead. She was also looking brilliant tonight in a white dress.
“Thank you mum,” I smiled.
“Oh wow, wow, the girls are looking dazzling I must say,” Aurick said as he walked into the room with a black tuxedo, a big grin on his face as he pecked my mom. “You look beautiful as always, darling.”
My mum blushed and my heart swelled with happiness.
Summer touched my arm and I looked up at her and traced her line of sight. Barth was walking into the room, looking like a real life prince in his white tux, his black hair scattered in a neat way that added to his breathtaking appearance.
My heart stopped beating for a whole second when he stepped in front of me, the whole room blurred away in my sight. His rich cologne filled my nostrils and butterflies gathered in my stomach.
“Hello dear sister, permit me to walk you down the stairs,” He said and I found myself subconsciously nodding without breaking eye contact as I hooked my hand around his arm.
“Actually,” Aurick’s voice sounded beside us. “I will be the one walking Yvonne and Summer downstairs tonight while you walk Valerie down.”
I could feel Barth’s reluctance as he nodded and slipped his hand away from mine and I felt empty and cold instantly.
Aurick took my hand with a smile which I gave back and we began to walk downstairs, my heart pounding within its cage as I felt a burning sensation behind me.
“Don’t be nervous, Bree. Just follow my lead,” Aurick muttered not looking at me and I lifted up my jaw with a smile plastered on my lips as we reached the guests and exchanged greetings.
Barth’s gaze never left my body and I was too flushed to even look back at him.
Aurick left us both and took my mum’s hand to greet the other guests. Barth walked up to us and my lips parted slightly as my gaze went up to his plump little mouth.
He stepped behind me, leaning in. His hot breath fanned my skin making me close my eyes, I felt goosebumps all over as I gulped down hard.
“You’re definitely going to be the death of me tonight, Yvonne.”