She covered my hand with her own, it was warm and a little wet from washing up. “If Hayley was really your friend, she wouldn’t make you choose. Friends support each other, they don’t give ultimatums.”
“But Hayley, Kinsey, Sarah, they’re my best friends. We’ve known each other since we were five years old. I can’t lose them.” The thought of not talking to them anymore made my chest ache. It was like someone had a hand around my heart and just squeezed it.
“Can you get them to like Jane?” Mom asked, her eyes so sincere as she tried to help me.
“I’ve tried that before. Jane isn’t good around new people and they didn’t want her there. There was no clicking.”
“Did you tell Hayley why you were friends with Jane?” I nodded, remembering the whole bus line debacle. “And she wouldn’t listen? Or understand?”
“Nope.”
Mom squeezed my hand before getting back to the dinner. “Then I don’t know, Tru. You’ll have to think hard about who really means the most to you.”
Why did things have to be so complicated?
CHAPTER 9
In true Truly Winx fashion, I dealt with the whole friend issue by avoiding everyone all week. I dodged the cafeteria, only made mercy dashes to my locker, and spent a lot of time with my new friend Beau in the Media Lab – another person whom Hayley would not approve.
My absence was noted by all through a string of text messages that kept making my phone buzz. I didn’t answer them. I didn’t know what to say.
It was all pretty traumatic.
Unfortunately, my hiding could only last so long. I had to find Jane after school on the Friday so we could go fit all the runway models for the parade.
Model central was her house again. The street was covered with cars when we pulled up. The second everyone saw us, they converged on the house like hungry piranhas.
We set to work in the conservatory, I dressed the girls and then sent them to Jane. She made any alterations necessary for the outfits to look absolutely perfect. We could take no chances with our first runway show.
By the end of it, we were both exhausted. I helped Jane clean up and replace all the clothes on the racks. It was just the two of us, working in silence.
Hayley’s ultimatum was still swirling around in my head. If I chose my best friends, there would be no more fashion label. I wouldn’t be able to run the business on my own without Jane and I wouldn’t want to either. I couldn’t betray Jane like that and throw her out. Every Girl Inc was just as much hers as it was mine.
“Is everything okay?” Jane asked out of the blue. Her voice sounded too loud in the otherwise quiet room. The clanging of hangers on racks was the only other sound.
“Yeah, why?”
“You don’t seem yourself.”
Had I been that obvious? I thought I was doing a really good job of pretending. I guess the ultimatum was affected me more than I realized.
“Sorry, I’m just nervous about the parade,” I lied. That’s right, I lied. Call the fire department because my pants were on fire.
Jane slumped onto the lounge, still holding the top she was fixing. “There’s nothing to be nervous about. It’s just a bunch of girls walking in a straight line and then coming back again.”
“Wearing our clothes that people might hate.”
“If they don’t like them then we’re no worse off than we are now.”
That wasn’t entirely true. Jane might not desperately need a future in the fashion industry, but I did. Although… maybe I could just blame her if the whole thing turned out to be a disaster?
No, I couldn’t do that.
“Are you certain there’s nothing else going on?” Jane prompted again. I hung up the pants I was holding and turned to her.
Her face was a picture of concern with her wrinkled brow and frown. It had been a long time since anyone other than my mother had asked me if I was okay.
I plastered on a smile and shook my head. “Just the parade. But… thank you.”
“I’m here if you want to talk. We’re in this together.” She smiled, except hers was genuine.
Jane was a good friend. Maybe even a great one. We had worked together so well over the past few weeks. Not only for the label but everything with the competition too. I could never have accomplished as much with Hayley or Kinsey. Not even with Sarah.
But if I chose her, then I’d lose all my best friends. It would be like closing a chapter on my childhood. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that yet.
If ever.
I finished with the clothes as quickly as I could and Jane drove me home – in silence.
It was an impossible situation and I was angry at Hayley for making it that way. Why couldn’t they all just get along? Friendships weren’t a game that could be played for fun, they were serious things.
I flopped into bed, exhausted.
The next day, my alarm woke me up way too early for my liking. I glared at it like it was the enemy. I needed more sleep. I needed more time.
But in less than three hours, Every Girl Inc was going to officially launch. I needed to get my butt out of bed and to the mall.
I slipped on a blue dress that I had designed and Jane had made, altering it to fit my body perfectly. It was almost knee-length, had a scoop neck that I complemented with a chunky necklace, and cap sleeves. It was fabulous.
I knew then, when I looked in the mirror, that it didn’t really matter what people thought today. Jane and I had accomplished something I could only have dreamed of before. We had become fashion designers and we loved our clothes. We were proud of them.
That’s all that mattered.
I left my mom a note about where I was going and caught the bus downtown. At least that wasn’t a lie. I pretended the bus was actually a limo, taking me to my fabulous launch.
Because, one day, it really would be.
Today we were starting something. Something big. There was no going back, I could feel it in my bones. It was sink or swim and I was going to paddle like crazy.
The entire busload of passengers all disembarked at the mall. There were more people bustling about doing their shopping than I had expected. That could only be a good thing, right?
Right?
I needed to find Jane so she could calm me down. She always knew what to say to distract me from the freak out I was on the verge of letting loose.
She was in the main atrium. It was the biggest open space in the mall. Two sets of escalators were on the sides, the roof was a glass dome letting in lots of natural light, and people tended to congregate there in between shops.
She had already roped off the runway area with red bollards. Curious onlookers were milling around to check out the action, scared they’d miss something.
“Truly, thank goodness you’re here. There is so much to do,” Jane said, her face lighting up. “I need you to assemble the models in the waiting room. They keep turning up and I have no idea how to corral them all into one area.”
“On it,” I replied, giving her a mock salute.
See? Freak out already averted.
For now.
I walked along the runway, seeing the group of girls Jane was referring to. I clapped my hands and stood on the edge of the fountain to get their attention.
“Ladies, we have one hour until show time. Follow me and we’ll start getting you ready.” I jumped down off the fountain edge and headed for the waiting room. It was down the same corridor that led to the restrooms. I had been to the mall, like, a million times, but if Jane hadn’t told me the room was there I wouldn’t have had a clue.
The room was even unlocked, God bless Jane Davis.
And the racks of clothing were lining the walls.
And Miss Mary-Margaret was there, ready to do hair and makeup for everyone.
It was almost too easy.
Until I saw Hayley follow us in.
CHAPTER 10
I slipped into the throng of models, hoping to hide from Hayley. Y
ep, that was still my preferred method of dealing with the whole ultimatum thing. Was I proud of it? No. Was I doing it anyway? You betcha.
My plan worked for a spectacularly good amount of time too. While I dressed the models, I threw myself into the task so I couldn’t notice anyone else in the room.
Everything was going great… until someone tapped me on the shoulder. Almost giving me a heart attack in the process.
I spun around, only to be face to face with Hayley. “Hey, Hayles.”
“Truly, I have been looking everywhere for you,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“I’ve been here. You know, getting the models into their outfits. We do have a fashion parade to put on.” Did my voice sound too squeaky? Yeah, it definitely had mouse-like qualities.
Hayley crossed her arms over her chest, she’d run out of patience a long time ago. “I need to know your answer. When are you going to dump that loser and come back to our group?”
The fact she even called Jane a loser showed how little she knew about the girl. It only made me angrier. In fact, I think it helped make up my mind.
I stood tall, pulling myself up to my full height so I could look her in the eyes. “I don’t want to be friends with anyone who doesn’t support me. I’m trying to make my dreams come true, fashion is a part of me. I need my friends to understand that.”
Hayley’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Does that mean you are choosing her? Over your best friends?”
I guess I was.
“I’d like you all to be my friends. I don’t want to choose anyone,” I replied. I hated that she was giving me the ultimatum. Mom was right, friends didn’t do that to their friends.
Don’t tell my mom she was right, whatever you do. Okay? This is really important.
“Well, I’ll make this easy for you, Truly,” Hayley said, her face as dark as a storm cloud. “Don’t talk to us again. And you definitely can’t sit at our lunch table anymore. I hope you’re happy.”
With a trademark flick of her hair, Hayley stormed off. When an innocent model got in her way, she actually pushed her to the side.
I wasn’t going to cry. I wasn’t going to cry.
I had things to do. Every minute counted in the chaos of the room. I turned back to the model and adjusted her belt, making sure it was in the best position to showcase the pants.
Whatever tragedy was going on in my personal life could not affect the show. I wouldn’t let Jane down and I certainly wouldn’t let myself down either. The parade was far too important.
“Truly, we’ve got five minutes,” Jane called out from the door. She was wearing one of those earpieces, looking every bit the professional. I wasn’t even sure if anyone else had one and it wasn’t only for show. It did look good though.
I should have asked for one.
There were still at least ten girls left to polish. I raced around, throwing them accessories and barking orders at them to put them on. At least Miss Mary-Margaret was finished with their hair and makeup. Thank goodness for small mercies.
I managed to dress all the girls and have them lined up before Jane returned. I was sweating and looked like a mess, but they looked fabulous. Which was the main thing.
“Truly, we need to start,” Jane said urgently as she opened the door.
“Chill, Jay,” I replied, like I didn’t have a care in the world. I also decided her new nickname was going to be Jay. Talk about multi-tasking. “We’re all ready. Cue the music and we’re good to go.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, seriously. We’re good.”
I’m not sure she actually believed me, but she left anyway. Less than a minute later I heard the music start and I opened the door.
One by one, I sent the girls out. They had to walk down the corridor to the runway and then strut their stuff before returning. It should have been easy for them.
Should have been.
Apparently it wasn’t. The timing all got mucked up when at least one of the girls fell over. Another few actually got lost – yes, lost, I’m still not sure how that happened.
Halfway through the show, the music died. Jane was standing next to the runway when it happened and we exchanged a panicked glance across the corridor.
I ran.
My feet scrambled to get me to the audio system. Beau beat me there as we tried to figure out what on earth was wrong with it.
“Try turning it on and off again,” I suggested.
“We can’t do that. It has to be something else that needs fixing,” he replied.
He was still turning the dials and pressing buttons a moment later. He was taking too long. I pulled the plug, forced myself to count to five, and then plugged it back in again.
I crossed my fingers.
The music started again. Thank goodness for that.
I ran back to the corridor and pushed some girls onto the runway while Beau disappeared into the crowd again. When the rhythm was back to normal, I allowed myself to sneak out and take a peek at the show.
There were more people watching the parade than I had ever expected. The entire atrium was packed, there had to be a couple of hundred people there. On the second level of the center, people were even hanging over the railings so they could watch.
I pulled my eyes away from them and focused on the stage. The girls definitely weren’t models. They didn’t duck-walk down the runway. They didn’t scowl and look like they hadn’t eaten in a month.
Instead, they walked with confidence, a big smile on their faces, and they looked healthy. They were beautiful, each of them in their own way.
And the clothes…
They were amazing. Not just beautiful, not just gorgeous, but jaw-dropping glorious. Even if I did say so myself. To see clothes I had dreamed about and put down on paper come alive was incredible.
Seeing the parade and all the people watching it with interest and delight, tears actually welled in my eyes. My dream was coming true, it was standing right there in front of me.
I could barely believe it.
“Truly, am I late?” Hope’s voice pulled me out of my perfect moment.
I looked at the line of girls. There were only a few left. “No, you’re right on time. Are you ready to make your debut?”
Sweat was beading on her forehead. I don’t think she was ready. Still, she smiled and that’s all I needed. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Good, just a few moments more.”
The last of the girls walked. I waited for her to return and there was a loud cheer and round of applause from the audience.
I pushed Hope out, because she didn’t seem like she was going to go otherwise. “Good luck,” I called out as she shot me a look for the encouragement.
CHAPTER 11
“I think Hope’s actually enjoying this,” Jane said as she joined me. We blended into the crowd, nobody there would have any idea we were behind everything.
Hope was standing in the middle of the makeshift runway. She was taking her bow and accepting all the applause the audience was giving her.
“You can find all my clothes on the internet. Just look up Every Girl Inc and you’ll find the entire range available for purchase right now,” Hope said into the microphone. I didn’t even know we had a microphone. Thank God for Beau. He was probably the one who hooked up Jane with the fancy earpiece too.
“She’s saying my speech word for word,” Jane continued. “Hope’s really good at this.”
“She is,” I agreed.
The smile on Hope’s face as she reveled in the attention made my chest hurt a little. It was so great that the clothes were well received and it looked like our launch was actually pretty good.
But I still wished I was out there on the runway getting the applause.
I know, it was selfish and silly. But it had been Jane and me’s hard work putting it all together. We deserved the applause.
I guess I would have to settle on knowing that one day we would get our chance. We would turn e
ighteen in two years, our time would come.
Until then, Every Girl Inc was Hope’s and our success hinged on everyone believing that.
I nudged Jane with my shoulder. “Well done, partner.”
She nudged me back. “Congratulations, Fashion Designer.”
We bumped fists, because that’s how awesome we were.
Beau suddenly appeared in front of us, popping up out of nowhere like a meerkat. His eyes were all crazy as his hands waved around with even more craziness. “The website’s crashed.”
“What? Fix it!” I demanded.
“No, it’s crashed. You don’t get it,” Beau replied. He must have been talking nerdspeak because I clearly wasn’t getting it.
Jane turned to me, now with the same crazy eyes. “The website’s crashed because of all the people going to it. Everyone here is logging on, wanting to look at the clothes.”
Beau held up a finger to make his point. “Not just looking at the clothes, buying the clothes. The online shopping cart has crashed with orders.”
Okay, now I was excited.
Jane wrapped me in a hug and we jumped up and down on the spot. People weren’t just clapping to be nice, they actually wanted to buy and wear our clothes.
I was going to have a heart attack.
I barely registered Hope leaving the runway and returning to us to hear the news. Beau filled her in and we went into another round of giggling excitement.
That was, until I saw my mom staring at us from across the runway.
We were totally busted.
She waved and hurried over to us, making her way through the people who refused to accept the show was over. At least she looked happy.
“I was hoping to run into you here,” Mom started. “I got your note. Did you see the fashion parade?”
I had about two seconds to confess all, otherwise Mom would worm the truth out of me in the way only she could. But I didn’t know what she knew so I decided to keep my mouth shut.
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