“Oh my god! It’s gorgeous!” Adia exclaimed. She looked over at the woman. “How much do you want for it?”
The woman smiled and kissed her on the top of the head. “It’s for free my dear! It’s all yours!”
Adia couldn’t believe her ears. Free? “No I have to give you at least three hundred!”
“My dear I won’t accept the money,” she shook her head. “It’s beautiful on you.”
“Are you sure?” Adia asked.
“Of course,” she smiled warmly.
“I’ll take it.”
“There’s something else I want you to have with it,” she smiled.
“Oh no I can’t possibly-!” Adia began but was cut off by the woman who led her back out to the front of the store. She went to the front desk and pulled out a necklace. It was Austrian crystal and had a silver chain. The crystal was shaped into a star. The necklace looked very old, it wasn’t tarnished, but the clasps on the back were old fashioned. Mike decided that leaving Britney Spears alone outside without security could be a bad idea to he walked out of the store.
The woman immediately turned to Adia and smiled. “My dear, you are beautiful,” she said as she tipped up Adia’s chin.
Adia blushed immediately, “thank you, thank you for everything. The dress is beautiful and if you ever want it back, here’s my cell phone number,” Adia said as she handed a piece of paper to the old woman.
“That won’t be neccisary,” the woman smiled, “You’re the perfect person to wear the dress. Your beauty on the inside far surpasses your beauty on the outside. You’re very beautiful on the outside.”
Again, Adia blushed, “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you. But I’ll find a way,” Adia turned to walk out of the store.
“Wish upon the star when you need a friend, and remember, don’t give up when you’re trying to harness the wind, no matter what anyone says.”
Adia was a little confused. She turned around, “What is that supposed-” She was gone. All of her clothes were laying on the ground and purple sparkles circled the air. She shook her head a little frightened. What was that? She walked around in the shop a little frantic. She looked down at the clothes once again. Bending over she picked up some of the purple dust and rubbed it between her fingers. She glanced back outside and Britney and Mike looked like they were seriously starting to get on eachother’s nerves. She sighed and walked over to the door that rang when she closed it.
Mike was eager to get back into the limo. Britney was eager to see the dress. Adia smiled at Britney, sometimes she was annoying, sometimes she was just downright mean, but she was her friend nevertheless, even if she did want her to fly off the handle sometimes. They walked to the limo got in. Mike sat in the front because he wanted to be as far away from Britney as he could. Britney looked at the bag.
“Addy, can I see the dress?” she asked curiously, doubtful that it would be anything special.
“Do you want to wait until we get to the hotel then we can show it to Dakota too? I don’t really want it to get wrinkled in here,” she smiled apologetically.
“Sure, I don’t mind,” Britney smiled, “So how are things with you and Justin?”
“Pretty good actually, we aren’t fighting as much, I mean we even have nicknames for eachother now.”
She laughed, “Oh yeah, like honey bunches, or cuddles?”
“Um actually bono.”
Britney burst out laughing. “Don’t want to know the story behind that one.”
Adia smiled, “No nothing like that, he died his hair again you see and I told him he was going to put the sun out of buisness. So one thing led to another and I started calling him Sunny, then it became Sunny bono, then it got shortened to Bono.”
Britney smiled. She touched Adia’s hair, “Your hair looks so great like that girl, it’s a good look for you, so much better than the braided black. You’re high class now girl. I just hope you made a good choice on the dress.”
“Trust me, it’s nice,” she smiled.
The limo stopped in front of a tux shop. The girls left their bags in the car and got out. Adia dusted her silver cargo pants off and picked the fuzzy off of her navy blue sweatshirt. Britney held the door open for Adia as they walked into the shop and began to look around for Justin.
“Excuse me m’am would you like some assistance,” a salesperson asked.
“Yes, I’m looking for a young bleached blond, answers to the name Justin,” Adia smiled.
The saleslady looked like she wanted to laugh, but didn’t have the guts, “Yes he’s over here trying on a tuxedo.”
Adia walked over towards Justin and when she saw him in the tux, she stopped in her tracks. The boy looked good, too good. Britney seemed to notice it too because she went right up to him and hugged him immediately.
“Hey, how are you Justin?” She asked sweetly, “I haven’t seen you in ages! I really miss being on tour with you guys.”
He smiled. “I miss you too Brit, so you’re a presenter?”
She smiled, “Yeah I am. I’m so happy, I always dreamed of doing it!”
He got a confused look on his face, “How’d you pull that one off? Aren’t actors and actresses usually the presenters?”
“Yes. But Barbara Streisand is presenting with me and she personally requested me to present with her. I almost fell off of my feet. She’s one of the richest women in the world. Not to mention the respect she has!” Adia smiled, she was happy for Britney.
Britney and Justin talked for about a half an hour (basically the whole time they were there). Adia just nodded and watched them. They seemed to be getting along, but Adia felt a pang of something there...she didn’t know what, but she didn’t like it. Seeing as though it was her day off she decided that she wanted to get out of there...and fast.
Adia pulled Britney aside and smiled at her, “Brit can we go? I want to show you the dress.”
Britney smiled a flirtatious smile at Justin and got into the limo with Adia.
All the way back to the hotel Adia just stared out the window.
“What’s wrong Addy?” Britney asked.
“Nothing Brit, I just can’t help but think of hoiw I could have saved Rodney you know?” she smiled hopefully.
“Addy, you could have saved him if you jumped in front of the bullet, but that wouldn’t have made sense. You could have saved him if you had apprehended him in time. But you didn’t. There’s no sense in dwelling on the past.”
Adia looked over at Britney like she had changed from a vicious monster to saying one thing that helped put Adia’s conscience at ease. Who knows maybe it was Britney who changed, or maybe it was Adia. It’s amazing what can happen when you give someone a chance (hint, hint).
Adia sat in the Jaccuzi of her hotel room and soaked. Her whole body ached. Her neck was the sorest part though. She was reading a Danielle Steele novel and eating a green apple. Her hair was pinned up so it wouldn’t get wet. She was always critisized by the guys because of her romance novels, but she didn’t care that much. The radio was playing lightly in the background.
Make a wish,
And blow out the candle light,
for tonight is just your night,
We’re gonna celebrate, all through the night.
Pour the wine light the fire,
Girl your wish is my command,
I submit to you demands
I will do anything,
Girl, you need only ask.
I’ll make love to you,
Like you want me to,
And I’ll hold you tight,
Baby all though the night
I’ll make love to you,
When you want me to,
And I will not let go until you tell me to.
-I’ll Make Love To You -Boys to Men
Adia sighed as her favorite song just soaked into her soul. Candles always did something to her, she didn’t realise it consciously, but they put her in a certain mood of serenity that she couldn’t explain.
As if she had been cursed, a knock at the door sounded. Sighing she got out of the jaccuzi, put on her Chinese style bathrobe and went to the door. She was decent enough to open it right away so she went for it. There stood Chris.
“This better be good!” She yelled.
“Adia there’s a chick downstairs claiming that she’s you friend from a long time ago, her name’s something like Jordan Finch or something, Mike wants you down there to clarify it.”
Adia’s breath caught in her throat. Jordanna! Oh my god! She fell to her knees and burst out in tears. Chris looked at her sympathetically and kneeled down next to her. He didn’t know what was wrong, but he was going to find out. Adia’s breathing got fast and she started hyproventalating.
“Adia...” Chris said looking at her scared, “Addy?”
Adia couldn’t speak.
”ADIA!”
“Chris, Rodney....Rodney’s, Rodney’s, Jordanna is Rodney’s, Rodney’s sister.....” Tears cascaded down her face. “I can’t talk to her now. I just can’t. Please don’t make me! I don’t want to!”
Chris just held her. His chin on top of her head and her crying into his chest.
“Chris, it was all my fault, I could have saved him, I could have....”
“Adia, it wasn’t your fault it wasn’t your fault. It’s okay, she’s not here to have a fight, she’s here to talk to you and hug you and be your friend. Get dressed and go down there. You know she loves you, shhhh, hon it’s okay. She loves you, how could she not love you, everybody loves you. You’re incredible,” he said the last part under his breath and prayed to god with all his might that she didn’t hear it. Alarms went off in his head. It’s not right, get over it Chris, just get over it! She’s too young and she’s your friend. he choked on his words as he said them, he didn’t believe them himself and for the first time in a long time he felt like he was falling. Falling hard.
“Justin I would like you to meet my friend Sandra. She works on the tour, she’s a dancer,” Britney smiled sweetly.
Justin looked her up and down and smiled, she was a good looking curvy blonde with a rather large chest. For some reason she seemed kind of empty to him though. He was sure she was probabaly smart, he never believed the blond stereotype being a blond himself. He talked to her for a while, she just lacked the vinager and lemon juice part of the girl. She didn’t have any smart ass remarks, she was undeniably polite, but not very laid back. He was sure it would take a while to bust her grooves, but he could also tell that there was a great quality in her, something he haden’t really seen before, he couldn’t explain it. She was probably at least twenty seven, he could tell. She was very accomplished.
“Oh and then I turned to Ken and slapped him across the face, I’ve never answered another phone call of his again. I was so proud of myself, I thought I’d never be happy and independant again. But here I am.”
Justin had zoned out during Sandra’s speech. It’s not that he wasn’t interested, he just had other things to think about, forbidden things like Adia.
Adia and Chris sat in the elevator alone. It was pitch dark. Adia’s question caught the brunette 28 year old off guard, “Have you ever wanted something that you could never have?”
“Many times,” he said and smiled thinking of the irony. “Not everything in this world is achievable, just the things that you want more than life itself.”
Adia smiled, but that’s what I want. Life. For Rodney.
“What about this one?” Adia asked flipping through her mother’s pattern book.
“That one is so pretty, I love the veil,” Rodney relied. They were looking through wedding dresses, and at five years old they seemed to have their wedding all planned out. They always seemed to meet somewhere in the middle. Some days Adia would play with cars and action figures, but other times Rodney would break down and play barbies. She didn’t let him live it down until high school, but secretly he enjoyed it he enjoyed everything he did with Adia.
“I know it’s weird that I remember these thing, but I guess they aren’t exactly the type of thing you forget. I remember sitting on my mom’s bed with Rodney feeling totally comfortable, but then...When I was in the warehouse, he looked so different, it felt so different. Like he wanted nothing to do with me. Like he felt nothing for me at all. I don’t know what would make him do something like that. I have no idea. He had all of the love in the world. He had me.”
Chris just starred at the face of the girl. The scared and alone little girl in the corner of the elevator. She had it all. but she had nothing. He pulled her into his chest and hugged her so tight that he didn’t know if he could ever let go. He didn’t want to let go. He wanted to sqeeze out every bad memory and every tear.
Adia looked up and gave Chris a hopeful look of love and trust. A look that said I trust you with my heart and soul. Don’t ever leave me.
Chris looked down at her eyes. They were so innocent. He couldn’t help it, his head dipped and his lips came to her forehead. He knew it was a bad idea. But he knew that emotionally she had already won. He didn’t know whn she scored the winning goal, or if she even meant to. But he was infatuated with her. Probabley not in love, but he still cared.
