Chapter 72

“What time does the match start?” Gracie asked.

“Would you just chill?” Octavia said. “It’s not for another few hours. Now, where do you want to eat?”

Gracie frowned and looked around the mall disinterestedly.

“I don’t know. Anywhere there’s food,” she said, “you’re sure we won’t be late?”

“We got ringside VIP tickets and a chauffeur,” Octavia said. “I think we’ll be fine. How about sushi? I feel like sushi.”

They were killing time at the mall, something that was Octavia’s idea since the match didn’t start until later in the evening.

Raemon hadn’t just gotten them tickets, he’d arranged for them to have VIP access to the fights. They’d get to personally meet the fighters.

“We better not be late,” Gracie muttered.

“We won’t be,” Octavia said. “Since we’re here, we might as well look around.”

“Why? It’s not like we’re going to buy anything,” Gracie said.

“Why not? He gave me his bank card.” Octavia whipped a black card out of her pocket. “And he said I should get whatever I wanted.” She grinned. “Such a gentleman.”

“Don’t you make any money at this job of yours?” Gracie asked.

“Lots. But he makes way more than me…and I have to spend his. For now, at least.”

“You have to spend his money?”

Octavia shrugged and stuck the card back in her wallet. “Who else would? There’s only so many Porsches a guy can buy. At some point, you need a lady friend to assist you in blowing your cash.”

Octavia said loftily, “After all, if a rich person spends their money and nobody knows about it, are they even rich?”

“A question all the great philosophers have pondered.”

“Exactl—”

Octavia was cut off when a sugary voice called out to her.

“Octavia! Hey there!”

At the sound of the voice, Octavia cringed. She turned to see Lila walking toward her. Lila wore a welcoming grin that didn’t reach her eyes, and there were two other women walking beside her.

“Lila,” Octavia said with a stiff smile.

“Hello!” Lila said, enveloping Octavia in a hug before Octavia knew what was going on. She stepped back and held Octavia at arm’s length. “So good to see you!”

Octavia was blank. “Um…sure.”

Lila flipped her hair over her shoulder. In her designer skinny jeans, ankle boots, and white, collared top, she managed to look casual and classy at the same time.

“This is Elle and Muffy,” Lila said, motioning to the two women on either side of her. Elle cocked her platinum-blonde head to the side and regarded Octavia through her sunken eyes.

Muffy was a little shorter than both of her friends, and so she always seemed to be making herself look taller but while also not drawing attention to her brunette head.

“Um…nice to meet you,” Octavia said.

Elle gave her a delicate nod of recognition, and Muffy at least made an attempt to smile.

“Ladies, of course, you know who Octavia is,” Lila said with a smile.

“Of course,” Elle said.

“Who doesn’t?” Muffy said.

“Oh. My. God,” Lila began. “How lucky I ran into you just now. I’ve been wanting to get together with you for ages. We really should hang out.”

Octavia noted that Lila’s performance had greatly improved from the last time they met.

“Sure…lucky,” Octavia said. “Well…nice running into you and all but—”

“I know!” Lila interjected. “We’re just walking around doing some shopping. You should totally join us!”

“Huh?”

Lila was all smiles. “Yes! Don’t you think that’s a great idea, girls?”

“So great,” Elle said.

“Beyond great,” Muffy chimed in.

The complete lack of emotion in Elle’s voice bothered Octavia, and Muffy seemed to be oozing desperation.

And every time Lila spoke, the words that played in Octavia’s mind were, “come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly.” Hanging out with those three was the last thing she wanted to do.

“Actually,” Octavia began, “I’m not—”

“We’d love to,” Gracie spoke up.

Octavia’s eyes widened as Gracie stepped forward and nodded to Lila and her friends.

“Gracie. I’m Octavia’s friend,” she said. Technically, Gracie was smiling, but it was a look of hers that Octavia always found scary.

“Oh…,” Lila said, realizing Gracie’s presence for the first time. She subtly gave Gracie’s plain jeans and hockey jersey the once-over, then said, “Cool. Well, let’s go then!”

And that was how Octavia found herself walking into a high-end clothing store with Lila, Elle, Muffy, and Gracie.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to do,” Octavia muttered to Gracie, “but you are sooooo going to regret this.”

Gracie returned her dark look with a placid smile. “Play nice, Octavia.”

As soon as Lila walked through the doors, every salesclerk in the vicinity rushed toward her.

“Miss Scott, welcome to the store, what can I do for you?”

“Miss Scott, is there anything I can help you with?”

“Miss Scott, would you like to see some of our new arrivals?”

Lila waved a hand to silence them. “I’m here shopping with my good friend. Come on, Octavia. Let’s find you the perfect ensemble!”

Octavia made a face. “Why?”

Lila latched her arm onto one of Octavia’s and gave her an earnest look. “You know what, Octavia? You don’t look that bad.”

“Thanks,” Octavia replied dryly.

Lila nodded sagely, feeling that she had imparted life-changing words to her new friend.

“Trust me, as a model, I know what pretty is. And you have some features that can work for you.”

“That means the world to me,” Octavia said in a bored voice.

“Great!” Lila turned back to the salesclerks. “Well, don’t just stand there! Bring out some things for her to try on!”

The salesclerks looked to Octavia, then exchanged glances among themselves.

“Now!” Lila suddenly snapped.

Immediately they jumped up and began bustling around the store, picking things off the racks.

Lila turned back to Octavia.

“First thing we need to do is get you to look more…mature.”

“I feel aged enough already.” Octavia sighed. “Look, Lila…as nice as all this is…I do not need a new wardrobe.”

“Yes, you do,” Lila said. She looked Octavia up and down. “I like the tomboy-nerd look and everything, but you could use some serious style improvements.”

“Yes, Octavia,” Gracie chimed in. “Try something a little more sophisticated.”

Octavia smiled slyly at Gracie. “So should you. She could use some help too, right, Lila?”

Lila glanced over Gracie. “Um…a little.”

“Great. Let’s both try on some outfits!” Octavia said.

Ten minutes later, Octavia and Gracie emerged from the changing rooms.

Octavia was squeezed into a tight black dress that hugged every inch of her skin. Gracie’s body was draped in a silky gown that hung on her thin shoulders like a curtain over a pole.

“Perfect!” Lila said.

“Chic,” Elle commented.

“Classy,” Muffy added.

Octavia and Gracie exchanged glances.

“I can’t breathe,” Octavia said.

“You get used to it,” Lila replied. “And I know the greatest celebrity fitness trainer there is. I can totally give you his number.”

“Would you?” Octavia said. “I should probably call him now—while I still have air in my lungs.”

“I think this dress is missing something in the back,” Gracie said. She turned, revealing the open back of the dress, showing all of her skin.

“No, that’s how it’s supposed to look,” Lila said.

“You both look amazing,” Elle said.

“Stylish,” Muffy said.

Octavia grimaced. “I feel like I’m going to throw up. I think this dress is forcing my lunch up out from my stomach.”

“You get used to that too,” Lila said. “Makes it easier to not eat anything.”

“Why the hell would I not eat?”

“Look, Octavia, I don’t mean to be rude…but you might want to lay off the carbs a little,” Lila said with the most sincere face ever.

“And the fats,” Elle added.

“And the sugar,” Muffy said.

“Which leaves what?”

“Plenty. Protein is totally necessary,” Lila said. “Just not meat though. Something more…wholesome…like chickpeas.”

“Lentils,” Elle said.

“Almonds,” Muffy said.

“But not too much of those because they totally have fat and carbs in them too,” Lila added. “But a couple a day wouldn’t hurt.”

“Yeah, like two ounces of lentils a day,” Elle said. “That fills me right up.”

“Six almonds,” Muffy said. “That’s all you need, and then you’re set till dinner.”

Octavia gave them all looks of disbelief. “I’m pretty sure you guys are starving.”

“That’s why you add lemon juice and salt to your water. Gets rid of the hunger pangs and muscle cramps,” Lila finished brightly. Elle and Muffy nodded in agreement.

“Okay,” Octavia said, “that’s…disturbing. But I think I’ll just cut myself out of this dress and go back to my hoodie.”

“Octavia, you can’t wear something like that out in public!” Lila exclaimed.

“I just did,” Octavia said. “In fact, I’ve been doing it for years.”

“But…don’t you want people to think you look good?”

“No.”

“No? What do you mean ‘no’?”

“I’d rather be able to breathe in my clothes and eat a full meal every morning than ‘look good’ is what I mean.”

“But…what about Raemon?”

“What about him?”

“Well…don’t you want to look good…you know, for him?”

“Not really.”

Elle and Muffy gave her dubious looks while Lila fought to keep a scowl from forming on her positive, smiling face.

Lila laughed nervously. “You’re just kidding, right? Come on…you totally want your man to think you’re sexy. I mean, don’t you want him to tell you that you’re beautiful?”

Octavia sighed. “What’s the point? There’s always going to be someone else out there who can top your looks.

“And besides, if I take the time to make myself look pretty, the hell would I need him to tell me that? I did the damn work—I should know it.”

“Octavia,” Lila said as if she were explaining something to a five-year-old. “Every woman wants her man to think she’s the most beautiful person in the world.”

Octavia frowned. “Why? Beauty really is subjective. As for the current standard…it’s a real pain in the ass to maintain. I really don’t want anyone to expect or request beauty from me.”

“You’re just saying that,” Lila chided.

“Gracie, do you need your man to think you’re beautiful?” Octavia asked.

“Not particularly,” Gracie responded.

“See? Two of us,” Octavia said to Lila. “Your original statement is false.”

Lila looked irritated. “Please. What else is he supposed to like you for? Besides sex?”

“Maybe he can appreciate and value you as a human being?”

Lila looked to Elle and Muffy, and all three of them burst out into light, tinkling laughter.

“Oh, Octavia, you’re so funny,” Lila said.

Octavia shook her head at them, then retreated to the dressing room. She emerged seconds later in her previous outfit. When a salesclerk brought another garment up to her, she waved the woman away.

“I’m done here,” Octavia said.

“Wait!” Lila exclaimed. “We’re…we’re supposed to hang out.”

“And we did. It’s been real. Goodbye.”

Gracie, also having changed back to her original clothes, said, “You could always tag along with us if you want.”

Octavia whirled to face Gracie, giving her a look of disbelief. She pulled her friend aside.

“Are you nuts?” Octavia hissed.

“Octavia,” Gracie said gently, “they treated us to their preferred activity, it’s only right we do the same.”

At that, a look of understanding dawned on Octavia, and she returned Gracie’s smile.

“Do you think Raemon could get us a few extra tickets?” Gracie asked.

“I’m sure he can,” Octavia said, reaching for her phone. She turned back to Lila and her friends.

“You know what, you should totally come with us to…uh…this event that we’re going to. You know, so we can hang out.”

“Really? What event is it?” Lila asked.

“An awards contest,” Gracie said, “the kind where the best man wins…well, best woman really.”

“We have VIP seating,” Octavia added.

That seemed to settle it for them.

“Great. Let’s do it,” Lila said. She gave Octavia her Cheshire cat grin. “I’m so glad we’re, like, totally friends now.”

This time, Octavia could return her smile.

“Me too.”