Wednesday,

Genevieve strolled through the mall, Charlie, and Lia beside her. Rows of shops extended to each side of them. The clack of their heels echoed in the quiet building. Wearing heels to the mall had been Lia's not-so-great idea to which Genevieve had stupidly complied. Obviously, Lia and Charlie were pros at this. Genevieve, on the other hand, was afraid of looking like a newborn deer, so she focused on walking straight. Hence, there were too many stores but so little energy or time to walk around.

The mall was closing soon. However, the advantage of shopping near closing time is that it was nearly empty. This meant only one thing, in the case that Genevieve inevitably stumbled and fell, there would be fewer people to laugh at her.

Lia groaned. "How can two bags full of panties and bras be so heavy."

Genevieve softly smacked back of Lia's head with her open palm. "Don't be dramatic. I have seen you lift things way heavier than that."

Genevieve and Charlie had almost had to drag Lia out of Victoria's Secret after a full hour of buying panties. Lia should join Pantie-Shoppers Anonymous or something. Lace underwear is great, but spending one hour getting more and more of it? Ridiculous.

Lia stopped in her tracks and glanced at Genevieve and Charlie with a sly smile on her face. "I just remembered I need to find my outfit for next week's party. Do you have yours ready?"

"Yes!" Charlie grinned. "It is a peach racerback dress with golden high heels."

"A room full of people and social anxiety. Yay... Sure, I got my outfit ready." Genevieve looked away from Lia.

"Oh. Can you at least pretend to be excited? You are always like this, but after five drinks you always end up dancing."

"Hooah..." Genevieve chuckled. "I mean, I can dance, but I rather not do it in a room full of people! At least not without the help of alcohol. People are exhausting."

"Oh, C'mon. You can dance? Girl, you are good. I mean the way you move your —"

"Lia, come with us to the art gallery this Saturday. They are showing three of my paintings." Charlie pulled out a ticket from her pocket and gave it to Lia.

Genevieve's chest filled with pride. Charlie was talented and loved painting, but had never dared to pursue a career out of it. Hopefully, people would love the paintings and Charlie would be able to quit that office job that 'only strips people's souls and individuality.'

Lia stared at the ticket. "I don't know. I'll have to check my schedule. We already spent nine days of our vacation and we have to make the most of our free time. Right, Eve?"

Deployment—again. Genevieve grimaced at the reminder that in eleven days she would find herself face to face with the finest grade sandpaper she was supposed to use as toilet paper. No training could prepare her for that. Her fights with Charlie for her not being able to call her as often as she would like to would be just as enjoyable.

"Thanks for the reminder, Lia."

Charlie frowned. "Cordelia Chastity Reyes-Fernández! Don't you come to me with that nonsense! You are going."

"Yes, sir." Lia saluted Charlie and then groaned. "Just don't say my full name out loud ever again, please."

"Such an accurate name." Genevieve laughed at the fake shook on Lia's face.

Lia pulled Charlie and Genevieve into a store and they proceeded to browse through the short dresses in the rack closest to the door. Genevieve should get one as well. She still didn't have one for Reinald's wedding.

"Well excuse me, Miss I-have-been-with-same-person-for-three-years. Genevieve, Charlie is twenty-four, I am twenty-three, and you are only twenty-one. Some people take longer to find their soul-mates." Lia pulled out a dress and put it against herself glancing down and then toward her friends.

"I am almost twenty-two! Blue looks good on you, by the way. You should put yourself out there more." Genevieve put her hands up in surrender at Lia's glare.

"Good. The world is full of hot people and cleansing my eyes is enough for now." Lia took another dress from the rack. This time it was a baby blue one with floral patterns.

"Phony Travis Maddox doesn't agree with you." Charlie smirked.

Genevieve let out an annoyed huff. "Those nicknames..."

Charlie chuckled and stuck out her tongue.

"Yeah, yeah... Did you listen to the song I sent you, Eve?" Lia was looking at the peach dress in her hands as if it was the most interesting thing ever and miserably attempting to stifle a giggle.

Genevieve gave Lia a look. "Of course I did and I am memorizing it. Otherwise, what would you wake up to, if it isn't my melodious voice?"

Lia frowned. "Next time I'll kick you in the tit."

Lia's face, when Genevieve had woken her up with her off-key singing, had been priceless. It had taken like half an hour for Lia's brain to process the events, but when it did, she couldn't stop laughing. Genevieve chuckled, which made Lia lose it and guffaw, dismissing all the weird glances some of the other people in the store were giving them.

Charlie hummed and sang some dirty song that Genevieve had been listening to on repeat. Genevieve and Lia turned to stare at her in disbelief.

"Who are you and what did you do with Charlie?" Lia gave Charlie a pointed look and then passed Genevieve the peach dress.

Genevieve loved the smell of new clothes—must be because of the dyes and other dangerous chemicals.

"This dress would look so nice on you," Lia said without tearing her gaze away from Charlie.

Charlie shrugged her shoulders. "My Rose has been listening to that song. It got stuck in my mind since we are together most of the time." She smiled. "That dress is beautiful. Try it on, Rose. I'll buy it for you."

Genevieve grinned and nudged at Charlie's side. "I'll try it on, along with this red one."

"I'll get you whatever you want my rose. And... I blame Lia for taking you to the dark side. You used to like rock like I do." Charlie pouted.

Lia scoffed, getting herself a glare from Genevieve. She shrugged and mouthed sorry. That smirk on her face showed just how sorry she was.

How ridiculous it sounded for Charlie to be saying that now, though... It was a little too frigging late for that. Genevieve took a deep breath to calm down. She tilted her head to the side and gave Charlie a soft kiss on the cheek. "I still like it. But, it's as Lia says. I choose my favorite songs based on their lyrics."

"Yeah! The dirtier and the more explicit the better." Lia laughed.

Charlie smiled brightly and pulled Genevieve and Lia into a hug. "I missed you guys so much. I can't wait to show you my paintings!"

Lia smirked. "I bet you did."

Genevieve pinched Lia's arm to which she rolled her eyes.

"I missed you too." Lia smiled sweetly at Charlie.

Pure bliss. That was how a foolish person would call all this. It was more like real life willing suspension of disbelief. How would all this look from an outsider's eyes? Their conversations could as well be the lines of some play about an overly optimistic girl living a perfect life.

The public would never be able to look inside of the girls head, but they would be satisfied. They would even cheer for her because strong characters that always smile are likable.

Maybe, someday that play will be real life. Just, until then...

"I'm so glad we can spend time together like this." Genevieve's tightened her hug.