The alarm woke me up with this annoying sound l despised so much. Last night’s sleep didn’t feel restful. I had to think about my big sis right away which made me sad. This sadness did not last very long because I knew I had to fight my own battles. I remembered the musical meeting which made me feel excited. I actually was looking forward to seeing Madison again. I wanted to get to know her more. I remembered that she mentioned she was going through some stuff. Maybe I could help her by being a good listener.

I made myself get into the shower and prepare myself for the first day at my wonderful new school without Mary. Thinking about philosophy class with Liliana made me feel excited.

After getting dressed, Ally was getting herself ready too. We walked down to homeroom, mostly silent. I enjoyed the feeling of not having to talk all the time. I think that most people feel the need to talk when spending time with another person. They see it as being socially awkward if time together isn't spent in conversation. I had to disagree. I enjoy mutual silence as much as having a good conversation.

The school day went by quickly. Lilly and I sat together in the cafeteria during lunch. After getting comfortable in our booth, Sidney stopped by to talk for a second.

“Hey Riley, I hope I am not interrupting anything. I just wanted to tell you that you rocked during the game. The whole team was so proud of you. Maybe you want to try out for next season's team?” Sidney wanted to know.

I was totally shocked by that approach and wasn’t sure what to say.

“Well, let me think about it. I had a lot of fun even though my whole body has been hurting after the game.” I let Sydney know.

“That sounds good. Take you time with that decision. There is no reason to rush it. You know where to find me. I will see you later.” Sydney said.

“Okay. Thanks.”

“I think you should do it. It would be a lot of fun.” Lilly assured me.

“It would be. However, I will be very busy working on the musical. I need to be ready as a back up. I am taking this very seriously.” I let my philosophy partner know.

“I can see that. I’m sure that you’ll be a wonderful back up.” Lilly told me.
“Aww. thanks! You are the best!” I told Lilly who gave me a big smile.

“Hey ladies. What’s cooking?” Allie asked who made herself comfortable next to me in the booth we were sitting.

“Not a lot. I was just saying to Lilly that I am excited about the musical meeting this evening.”

“As you should be. The meeting will be at 7 this evening. Everyone is excited to meet you.” Allie let me know.

“I am very excited to meet the cast and crew too.” I assured her.

“Alright, we have to get ready for our afternoon classes.” Allie said and with that we finished our lunches and went on with our school day.

A lot of thoughts were going through my mind when I walked the beautiful hallways of my new school. It didn’t even feel new anymore since I experienced a lot within a short week. Mary being here with me made my adjustment easier. It was so great to have my big sister here with me but I also believe that I have become more confident and that I would have been able to do this by myself. Kind of a crazy thought. Considering how shy I was when I was still Randy.

I turned around and noticed the now empty hallways. Everyone must be in their next class already. I need to pay better attention. Surely enough, I got a lecture from the teacher for being late.

The rest of the day went by quickly and soon it was time for the musical meeting. Alice and I walked down together. I felt excited and nervous at the same time. When we arrived at the classroom, Madison approached me as soon as I entered.

“Hey there, Princess! Oh, sorry! I meant Riley.” Madison said jokingly.

“Very funny. This is exciting. I can’t wait to meet everyone.” I told her.

“Great. Let’s find some places to sit.” Madison suggested.

“That’s alright. I have to talk to Mrs. Taylor quickly. You two find yourselves a place, I will join later.” Allie let us know.

“Okay. Let’s sit over there Prin…I meant Riley.” Madison suggested while pointing at some seats in the right corner.

That was fine with me. Madison and I got comfortable. Soon more and more members of the musical would enter the room.

A lot of students approached me and introduced themselves to me, asking if I was the new girl. I liked the sound of that. After a bit of chit chat the room got quiet.

“Hello everyone. Before we begin, I would like to introduce to you our new backup Belle, Riley.” Mrs. Taylor said while smiling at me.

Everyone cheered. I felt a bit shy but great.

“Please introduce yourself to her if you haven’t done so yet. One another note, we are pressed for time. We want the musical to be a success. That’s why we have to work hard so that this will come true. Please head over to the auditorium for practice. Get within your usual groups. I will come around and check in with everyone.” Mrs. Taylor let us know.

Allie, Madison and I slowly made our way over there. We were chit chatting a bit which was very nice, because I loved talking to my new girlfriend and I was curious to find out more about Madison. She has grown on me already.

When we entered the auditorium, I was in awe. It was smaller than most auditoriums I have seen but it was nothing short of beautiful, intimate and functional. It had a nice friendly layout. This part of the school had an oval shape which made it seem warm and friendly. The smaller size made it feel more intimate while it still seemed to be able to serve its purpose which was to have a large space for plays, presentations and all sorts of other events. I liked it a lot because I felt welcome there.

After talking a bit more to all the other girls and Madison introducing me to her friends, we were able to find a quiet spot to practice our lines. It was a bit hard to stay focused because a lot of the other girls were doing the same thing. A short while later we got into it and soon I forgot all the surroundings. My main focus was on Madison. We both seemed to be able to concentrate and I felt a lot better about being back up Belle.

Eventually, the musical director called us to order. I could not believe an hour and a half had gone by. On the way out, Madison wanted to introduce me to her friend Maria who will play “The beast” in this lovely little play.

“Hi girls. So this is the famous Riley who made herself known with that legendary basketball game.” Maria said to both of us.

“Yes, that would be me. And you are?” I asked carefully.

“I am Maria. I will be your play partner if Madison loses her voice the night before the play.” she told us while laughing.

“That is not funny.” Madison told her, seeming a bit grumpy.

“Just teasing. I am sure you will be fine. Maybe we can all hang out and I can get to know you a bit more.” Maria suggested.

“Sure. We could practice our lines too.” I added.

“That sounds like a good idea.” Madison said while smiling a bit but seeming a bit sad.

“Well then, ladies. I got to go back to my dorm. I will see you around.” Maria told us while smiling at me.

We all hugged and after Maria left I asked Madison if she wanted to walk together which she agreed to.

“How did you like your first musical meeting?” Madison inquired.

“It was interesting and fun. Everyone was so friendly.” I told Madison.

“That’s true.” Madison said who seemed a bit distracted when she commented on my impressions about the musical meeting and crew.

“Are you okay? You look a bit sad.” I asked Belle number one.

“People can see that?” Madison said, seeming a bit nervous.

“Yes. It is written all over your face.”

“Oh, well. It’s not really a big deal. It’s pretty much nothing…I…oh…who am I fooling? I’m mad because my boyfriend back home cheated on me. I found out because one of our mutual friends accidentally spilled it out. I don’t want to bore you with details.” Madison let me know while seeming ready to cry.

“ I am so sorry. That really sucks.” I told her.

“Thanks, Princess!” Madison said with a bit of a smile.

“You are welcome. If you want to talk, I will listen.” I assured her.

“Aw, thanks. You are the best. I think we went past my dorm” Belle numero Uno pointed out.

“Oh my, that’s what happens if you’re not paying attention. Let’s go back that way so that I can get ready for bed” Madison suggested.

“Sounds good. Do you want to practice lines tomorrow again?” I asked her, hopefully not sounding too excited.

“Sure. Maybe you can come back to my dorm again and we can practice lines. Oh, and I think we should try on some of our outfits for the musical. I also would like Allie and Maria there” Maddie proposed with a smile on her face while entering her dorm.

I did not expect that. A private fashion show with Maria, Allie, Maddie and me. How delightful. It’s hard to get rid of a girl addiction when you’re at a place that has nothing but girls. There was no escape. I was trapped and I didn’t hate it.

I was thrilled to see that Allie was back in our dorm. We talked about each other’s days while snuggling on the couch. I loved my new girlfriend and roommate. Even though I had to think about Madison, Samantha, Alyssa, Angela, Lilly and the new girl that I met at the musical meeting, Maria.

Why can’t I have ten girlfriends at the same time? I asked myself. This made me laugh. I think that was too much. Even for me.

The next day Allie, Madison, Maria and I talked about getting together in her dorm to practice a little bit singing but mostly to try on some dresses and be silly. We accomplished these goals with warp speed.

„Hey Riley, how do you like this pretty dress?“ Allie asked me, while laughing like a crazy person.

I looked at her and burst out laughing because short little Allie was basically swimming in one of Madison’s dresses she placed on her bed for us to try on. The dress Allie has chosen was silver colored with sparkles. It looked gorgeous but also silly because Allie was just too tiny for this pretty piece of clothing.

Madison and Maria had the same reaction as I did and all three of us were laughing so hard we had trouble breathing.

„Let me try it.“ I insisted.

„Princess, you are only a little bit taller than Tinkerbelle here. That wouldn’t work either.“ Madison said while pointing towards Allie. Maria and I started laughing like two crazy people.

I couldn’t help myself from laughing so hard that I fell out of my chair. Meanwhile I was able to see Allie standing with an open mouth looking shocked. However, I thought I could see a little mischievous grin on her face.

„Tinkerbelle? That’s it!“ she yelled out while lounging herself at Madison who didn’t expect that and looked shocked.

Within a few moments, Allie was on top of her, tickling the hell out of this tall girl.

I decided it was unfair to leave me out of the fun. I jumped right into the middle of the scene and soon we were all in a big pile sitting right on top of each other. Poor Madison was on the bottom and therefore I thought it would be a good idea to get off her since she seemed to have trouble breathing.

I was able to slowly get off this crazy pile of tickling. I got up and threw myself on the couch. Allie and Madison followed shortly after me. We all had to calm down a bit and try to breathe normally. Once I regained composure I was able to speak again.

“You girls are so much fun. I enjoy being with you so much.” I let those three young ladies know.

At the end of the day, I decided to FaceTime with Mary since I haven’t talked to her that much lately. Of course, we sent each other texts all the time but we were both very busy with our studies and of course all the many activities people do in high school and College.

“Hi Mary! I miss you big sis.” I told the best sister in the world.

“Aw, I miss you too babe. How are things going with you?” Mary inquired.

“I have to say, things are moving along well. There are some hiccups here and there but who doesn’t have those?” I asked.

“You are absolutely correct. Everybody has those. Take me for example, I failed an important math test.” Mary told me with a normal expression on her face.

I was actually a bit shocked. Mary always seemed so perfect, smart and witty. After thinking about it some more though, I came to the conclusion that everyone screws up every once in a while and that that makes us human.

“Are you okay?” I asked her, feeling worried.

“I am fine. I can retake the test soon if I want to. I simply need to prepare myself better.” Mary let me know.

“That makes sense. I am having fun here at school. The musical preparations are becoming more intense now.” I told her.

“That is understandable. I hope you are enjoying this experience to the fullest.” Mary asked, seeming curious.

“I am. All the other girls here are so nice. I even was able to become friends with Madison. She is just a bit rough on the edges but has a soft, loving heart.”

“That’s great. I am happy for you. I wish I could be at the musical.” Mary told me, seeming a bit sad now.

“I know, that would be so awesome. Maybe somebody will film it and make a video?”

“Yeah, that is possible.

The next few days and weeks went smoothly. I enjoyed my time at this wonderful school so much. Cherry Blossom Hill and I became a part of one another. Lilly and I had a good time at philosophy class. Allie and I had fun getting to know each other and being girlfriends. I was able to get to know the entire musical crew. Maria, also known as the Beast, was awesome to work with. She had a lot of confidence and seemed a bit masculine. However, in other ways she was very feminine which I thought fit her easy going personality very well.

Every time we practiced Beauty and the Beast, I felt protected and comfortable when she was holding me in her arms or when we were dancing. I could sense that Madison seemed a bit jealous when she watched us. Maybe it was just my imagination. I am still learning how to read people.

A few weeks later, one of our last practice sessions was taking place. I felt solid about being back up Belle. Allie and I walked down to the band room together. Quite a few girls were already there talking to one another. It was nice being there and taking it all in. I loved being part of the cast.

A few days before our last rehearsal I found time to talk to my big sister. We decided to FaceTime.

“Hey big sis. How are things in Oregon?” I asked her, feeling curious.

“Pretty good. I am enjoying my studies.” I told her.

“Listen, I wanted to wish you good luck for your performance at the musical. I know you will be ready if you need to step in, Mary assured me.

Soon we were getting started. I had a lot of fun but also started feeling a bit nervous. The big day was coming closer. In two days we were going to have our big rehearsal and in four days we were going to perform on the stage. What a thought? If everything went normal, the only thing I had to do was to support our cast by simply being present.

It was the day of the last practice session when Allie, Madison, Maria and I had lunch together in the cafeteria. We were allowed to basically skip our afternoon classes so that we had more time to prepare for the big day. Of course, we had to make up our work. All four of us were excitedly talking in anticipation of the big day.

“I can’t wait for the musical to start. All of the hard work we did for preparations will be paying off.” Madison told us.

“That’s right, chica!” Maria said with a big smile on her face.

“You two are a wonderful Beauty and the Beast. So cute!” Allie told us, sharing her thoughts.

“I second that. Also, let’s not forget all of the people behind the scenes who are making this production possible.” I added to the conversation.

“Absolutely. Thank you, Allie for your awesome sewing skills by making our costumes pretty and fit perfectly.” Madison said with a humble look on her face.

“Thanks to our wonderful backup Belle who is taking her role very seriously.” Maria let everyone know.

“Aww, you are all so cute. Will we be meeting at the usual time?” Allie wanted to know.

“I think so. At least I haven’t heard anything different.” Madison said.

“Okay. I have to finish lunch and then I will meet Lilly in the bookstore.” I let my group of wonderful friends know.

“Woohoo! Are you going to meet with your so-called Philosophy girlfriend?” Allie said while teasing me.

“Ha ha. Very funny. I promised her that we are going to discuss Sartre a bit more.” I told this crazy group of girls while pretending to be upset by this comment. A few seconds later everyone was laughing.

When I made my way to the bookstore, I had to smile. How lucky was I to be able to go to this school, to have a new girlfriend and to be a part of this group of amazing girls. On top of that, I have a super awesome sister and fantastic parents.

Of course, Lilly and I were excited to spend more time together outside of the classroom. Once we settled in our favorite spot in the cozy book store, we started chatting away.

“Oh, Riley. I am so excited about the musical. I cannot wait to see it.” Lilly told me, seeming thrilled.

“Yes. I am very excited too. I have been very impressed by what I have seen during practice. All of the cast members are taking their job very seriously. The focus and concentration I see just astonishes me day in and day out. I think we are ready.” I told my philosophy partner.

“That’s great. I am sure that it will go incredibly well.” Lilly assured me.

Lilly and I kept chatting away about all kinds of things. Sartre was totally forgotten. I guess the old man could wait. Soon we had to go to our afternoon classes. I enjoyed my classes as always. It was not going to be much longer and I am going to have to change into my Belle costume. The final rehearsal was here. I felt so excited and nervous at the same time. Allie helped me put my dress on.

“You look beautiful.” Allie told me.

“Aw, thank you dear. I feel so pretty wearing this dress.” I told her while admiring myself in the mirror in our wonderful dorm room.

“You are very pretty. I kind of wish you would be Belle number one so that I could see you perform. I bet you would look even cuter while acting on the stage.” Allie said, seeming a bit thoughtful.

“Really? That is so sweet of you. I can’t wait to see the play. I am sure it will be awesome.” I let my girlfriend know.

After posing a bit more, we made our way down to the musical room. From there our director asked us to go on the stage. We were going to practice everything in detail. She warned us that it is going to be a long night. We should go to bed right away when we are back in our dorms. I was sure that nobody was going to have to convince me of that. I felt tired already.

I chatted with a few other girls before we started. I found Madison right away. Of course, she looked stunning in Belle’s beautiful dress.

“Are you ready, Princess?” Madison wanted to know.

“As ready as can be.” I assured her.

She nodded approvingly while the final rehearsal started. It was a bit hectic from the beginning but I still felt good and mostly calm. I was amazed when Madison was on the stage the first time in her dress. Her singing, acting and coordination was brilliant. It was an excellent performance. I could not stop smiling.

Maria, the girl who played the beast, was great too. She played the male part very convincingly. Our director kept shouting directions and sometimes some of the girls seemed annoyed but I guess this is normal for the big rehearsal.

I was a bit nervous when the rehearsal started but after a few minutes I started feeling comfortable. The director divided every act of the musical into two parts. The first part was with the main cast, the second part was with the back up actors. It felt a little bit chaotic because we didn’t have back ups for every actor. However, I loved playing with Maria because I felt so comfortable and vulnerable when I was acting and dancing with her. She made me feel safe. I was worried about my lack of experience but once we got started I stopped thinking about it and simply enjoyed being there. Wearing this gorgeous dress made me feel so happy.

After an exhausting two hours we were done. There was a final meeting where some flaws and a lot of positives were discussed. We were told to do our best but not try to be perfect. I thought that was excellent advice. Madison and I decided to go back to our respective dorms together so we could have a little chat.

“You did really well during practice.” Maddie told me.

“Thanks. You too. Your voice is so pretty.” I told her.

“Aw, thanks Princess. I always loved singing. I can’t wait until tomorrow. I’m sure we will all do an excellent job.” she predicted.

“I agree. Everyone was so professional. I can’t wait either. Even though I will not be performing.” I told Bell numero uno.

“Yeah, but your role is so important. Don’t sell yourself cheap.”

“You are right. I will see you tomorrow. Thanks for everything.” I said, when we arrived at my dorm.

“Thank you, Princess.” Madison said while leaning over to give me a hug.

While we hugged, I was thinking that we probably look super cute. Two pretty princesses hugging. I wish someone would have taken a picture. Finally, we let go and I entered my dorm. What adventures were waiting for me?

Allie was not in our dorm yet. Before Maddie and I left I saw her talking to a few other girls. Maybe she simply got hold up. I entered the dorm and let myself fall onto my bed. The whole excitement of the musical preparations had worn off and I realized how exhausted I was.

Next thing I knew, I fell asleep. When I woke up again I looked at my alarm clock which said 1:47 AM. Our dorm was completely dark. Alice must have put me under the cover. I was able to see that she was sleeping in her bed. I was still very tired and soon enough I heard my alarm clock making that ugly noise. It was time to get up. The musical was coming closer and closer and I could not wait.

Allie and I both dragged ourselves out of bed. We decided to get dressed quickly and have a little breakfast in the cafeteria before we’re going to class. The musical kids and crew were done with school after our morning classes. We most definitely needed that time.

The school day went by fast. Alice and I hang out a bit more after our morning classes. We didn’t talk a lot because each of us I assumed were trying to focus on the tasks ahead. I felt thrilled and nervous at the same time. My hands were shaking a bit.

In the early afternoon, the entire musical crew went down to our cozy auditorium and started getting ready. Everyone was super focused and I also would like to point out that Mrs. Taylor did a nice job of offering support when needed but also not being too pushy or hectic.

An hour before our big performance, she summoned the whole crew and told us regardless of how the musical is going to end, how proud she was of all of us for being a part of this amazing crew of girls who will be acting and singing.

Allie helped Madison and I get dressed. Allie wanted to take a picture of both Belles which we agreed to of course. I thought that Madison and I both looked cute and stunning.

Slowly I could see how the auditorium was filled with students, parents and teachers. I could see Lilly sitting near the front row in the middle of this great part of our school. We had about half an hour to go. I was able to calm down a bit. Madison took me aside for a moment because she wanted to talk to me about something.

“Hey Riley, how are you feeling?”

“I am okay. Quite a bit nervous. But also calm at the same time, which is kind of weird I guess.” I told her.

“I think I know what you mean. I often feel that way right before performances.” Madison let me know.

“I understand. You seem a bit like something is bothering you though.”

“Yes, I actually am. My parents are here and I want to do well for them. However, they have a bit of an obsession about perfectionism. It always kind of made me nervous. Maybe that is why I have been feeling stressed and a bit grumpy for a while. As you know, on top of that I broke up with my boyfriend back home. Lots of stuff going on in my life.” Madison told me with a serious and concerned look on her face.

“Oh, I am so sorry to hear that. I understand your concerns. You must have felt a ton of stress and pressure. The expectations of a perfect performance are simply unrealistic. What is perfect? How is it defined? I don’t think that perfectionism exists and therefore it is not something you or anyone else can achieve. There is always room for improvement. Anyone can trash a great performance and complain. You know and I know that you are the best Belle this school could have asked for. You are an excellent singer and actress. I believe in you and if your parents complain, bring them to me. I will gladly teach them a lesson if you want me to.” I dramatically let my new friend know.

“Wow, that was great Riley! Thank you!”

“Glad you are feeling better, Belle! Now go out there and show people who the musical boss numero uno is!”

“Got it.” Madison responded with a big smile on her face.

By now, the auditorium was close to completely filled. The excitement was rising. You could feel it in the air.

Our big show was about to begin. I was so excited to be a part of this. It was also nice to be behind the scenes and observe everything from a distance. The singing of all of the actors was amazing. The performances by Belle and the beast were excellent. Rightfully, our crew got a huge round of applause every time they finished a song or when there was a little break.

Intermission happened. We all took a break and hugged. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Madison and Allie whispering in each other's ears and giggling and sometimes looking in my direction. Oh boy! I knew that those two were up to no good.

Not even a minute later, our musical director joined them and they were whispering some more. I needed to know what the heck was going on so I decided to walk on over there. Once I was with them, our director left because she seemed to be busy talking to other students.

“So, what are you two up to?” I inquired.

“Nothing. Why would we be up to anything?” Allie, trying to sound innocent, asked me.

“I don’t know, maybe because you two were whispering and laughing a bit and looking in my direction the entire time?”

“No, we are totally innocent.” Madison told me, while having trouble not starting to laugh.

The next moment, Madison came close to me and asked me very seriously if I trust her.

“Of course, I trust you.” I assured her.

“Great. So whatever I am going to do, just follow me, okay?” Madison added.

I was a bit confused but agreed.

“Awesome. Get ready.” Madison said, while Allie could not stop smiling.

I guess I was going to find out soon. Intermission was over and the second part was about to begin. The audience welcomed the crew back with a huge applause.

I continued to enjoy the performances of our awesome musical crew. Before the last act was about to happen, there was a final but short break. This gave everyone a little bit of time to focus and discuss anything if needed.

All of a sudden, Allie, Madison, Maria and Mrs. Taylor came up to me which they seemed to have planned a bit earlier.

I was totally confused but curious about what they wanted.

“Yes? What can I do for you?” I asked.

“Well, Riley. You said that you trust me and that you would follow along if I asked you to?” Madison wanted to know.

“Yes, I think so. Why?” I wanted to know.

“We have decided that you should do the final act with Maria together. It is only fair since you worked so hard on preparing for being a backup.” Madison told me.

“What? Are you crazy? Mrs. Taylor, are you okay with this?” I urgently wanted to know.

“Yes, I am. Madison made some good points.” she answered.

“You are not allowed to chicken out.” Allie said in a matter of fact kind of tone.

“That’s not fair. I am not prepared for this.” I protested.

“Yes, you are, princess! We have all prepared for this moment. I want to share this with you. You can do it.” Madison told me.

I was ready to protest again but Madison, Maria and Allie gave me a big hug.

“Alright. I will do it.” I told my friends, seeming not so sure.

“Okay, we have about three minutes, Mrs. Taylor said. Everyone get ready for the final act.”

My knees were weak but I was determined to not let my friends down. I was nervous as hell facing such a big audience. They are probably going to be confused about this much shorter Belle but what the heck!

Once I came out on the stage and looked into Maria’s eyes, I forgot about the audience. She had such passion and so I did my part. I sang as well as I could, I danced as well as I could and I acted as well as I could. The audience gave us a huge standing ovation and Madison came back on the stage again so that we could both hold hands and bow. It felt fantastic wearing this beautiful dress and being loved by so many people.

At the end the entire crew was on stage and everyone got an even bigger standing ovation and the loudest applause I ever heard.

Once we were back behind the stage again, we all hugged and congratulated one another. What an amazing energy and so many feelings and emotions that I was flooded with. I have never experienced anything like it.

“You were amazing!” I told Madison while giving her another hug.

“You were too, princess! Bravo!” Madison told me.

“Aw, thanks. Maria, you were an excellent beast. I felt so protected in your arms” I let her know.

“You were great, Belle! “ Maria assured me.

Out of nowhere, Allie came up running to me and gave me a big hug.

After many more hugs and congratulations, Lilly came up to me.

“Hey, there is my philosophy partner. Great performance!” Lilly said while hugging me.

“Yes, thank you! I appreciate your support.” I told my friend.

“Everybody is so proud of you.” Lilly assured me.

“Thanks, darling. It was so much fun.”

After a lot more congratulating and hugging and kisses, Allie and I made it back to our dorm. It was way past midnight but that did not bother any of us. Eventually we both fell asleep. Of course, I told my big sister Mary and my parents know all about the musical and that I actually had a chance to perform.

The next few weeks went by so fast. I had a lot more fun with my friends and of course I learned a lot here at Cherry Blossom Hill. Before I knew it, the last few days of school were among us. About a week before school was over, Mary and I had a conversation through FaceTime about this upcoming summer. Mary was already home because College was done earlier.

“Oh sis! I can’t wait to see you! I missed you so much.” I let my big sister know.

“Same here. I want to do a million things with you. The same goes for Alyssa. She also can’t wait to see you.” Mary let me know.

“Actually, I have an idea. What do you two think of a possible fashion show? Since it will be summer, we could do this outside and we would have a lot of room.” I pointed out.

“That sounds exciting. I think that Alyssa and I would agree.” Mary added.

“I think I should invite Sammy too. I don’t know that she would actually accept but you never know. At least, she and I should maybe meet at Claire’s Cafe so that I can apologize to her in person for my quick exit from our relationship.” I said, feeling thoughtful.

Mary looked at me silently and slowly nodded.

“Wow, babe. I am impressed. Looks like you learned a lot more than philosophy and science and how to sing, act or dance at Cherry Blossom Hill.” Mary let me know.

“I agree.” I let her know with a little smile on my face.

“Oh, before I forget. I wanted to ask mom and dad if I can invite Allie to stay with us for a week or so since she is my girlfriend and it would be fun to have her at our fashion show.” I let Mary know.

“Okay, I will go shopping with mom later and I will try to toss around the idea so that she can get used to this a bit more.” Mary assured me.

“Thank you, sis. You are the best. I hope that Allie’s parents are okay with this idea too.”

“Aw, thanks. Also, dad and I will pick you up at school when you come home for the summer. I can’t wait to see you. Alyssa can’t wait either.” Mary told me.

“How exciting. I will see you in about a week. Love you big sis.”

“Love you too, babe.”

After this conversation I asked Allie if she would consider staying at my house for a fashion show and a lot more silly girly fun. Allie was excited and liked the idea. She had to ask her mom and dad first who eventually after speaking to my parents on the phone agreed to this. Mary did not have to work hard to convince my mom either.

Soon the last day of school arrived. Allie and I packed up our things and we were ready to go. It was decided that Allie would come to our house right away and after the week was over my dad and I would take her to the airport to go back home.
At about 12 PM I saw my dad pulling his car into the parking lot and of course, Mary was with him. Allie and I ran down the stairs and once I saw my big sister I ran into her arms giving her the biggest hug ever.

“Mary, I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, babe.”

After a few more hugs, I had eyes for my dad whom I gave a big hug as well.

“Dad, this is my girlfriend Allie. You never got to meet her because you already left after I moved into our dorm and Allie had classes during that morning of course.” I let my dad know.

“I remember. It is so nice to meet you.” dad said while shaking her hand gently.

We packed all of our stuff and soon were on our way home. This time I was sitting in the back with Allie and Mary was riding in the front next to dad.

Allie and I told Mary and my dad all about our super awesome musical. They both seemed amazed and excited at the same time. We even showed them some pictures from our show. A few pictures even showed me on stage wearing that beautiful yellow dress.

“I can’t wait to show mom all of these.” I said when we were almost home.

“She already loved hearing about you performing on stage. I think it was an excellent idea to give Madison a break and to tag you in, babe.” Mary let us know.

“I am not sure if I would use the word “excellent” but I liked it. I was hoping that not too many people were confused about the much shorter Belle that was on the stage all of a sudden.” I replied.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. If they got confused or even upset about it they can kiss my you know what.” Allie said, sounding determined.

Everyone in the car started laughing out loud.

“Those are some strong opinions.” Mary said while still laughing.

“I like that.” Dad added to our fun time.

A little bit later, we pulled into the driveway. Mom was already waiting for us and came running towards the door. We all hugged again. After putting stuff away and eating an early dinner, the three of us giggling girls decided it was time for a conference to discuss fashion show plans and I needed to talk to them about Sammy.

“Can Alyssa come to our fashion show?” I asked my big sis.

“I think so. She would not want to miss that.” Mary pointed out.

“So, as long as we do it within a week the day doesn’t matter. Are you two still smooching?” I asked Mary, feeling a bit frisky.

“Maybe, a lady doesn’t talk about those kinds of things.” Mary replied with a big smile on her face.

Allie and I laughed a bit but we moved our topic back to the fashion show. We planned whose clothes we will use, what accessories we will need, what music we should pick, what kind of snacks and drinks we need and so on.

We decided that our fashion show would take place in our yard the next upcoming weekend. We recruited mom and dad to take pictures. Our preparations went well. There was one more important thing to do which is talk to Sammy. I texted her and we both agreed to meet at Claire’s Cafe the next day. Mary dropped me off while her and Ally went to the mall to do some shopping.

I gave Sammy a careful hug when she arrived. We both ordered an iced tea and a sandwich.

“Thank you for coming.” I told Sammy, who seemed not to be too mad at me. At least that’s what I observed.

“You are welcome. You look good.” Sammy told me.

“You do too. Before we continue exchanging more awkward pleasantries, I wanted to apologize to you for dumping you so fast when I met Allie at Cherry Blossom Hill. I should have tried harder to make our relationship work but I gave up too quickly.”

“Thanks, Riley for saying that. As you know, I was hurt a lot. However, I worked my way out of the dark clouds and I have a boyfriend now.” Sammy let me know.

“Oh wow, that’s great. What’s his name?” I inquired.

“His name is William and he is super sweet.” Sammy told me.

“Great. I am very happy for you.” I assured Sammy, who seemed more relaxed now.

“Thanks, Riley. Oh, before I forget it. I have a gift for you.”

“What is it?”

“Wait a minute. Let me get it out of my purse. Ah, here it is.” Sammy said while reaching out a hand holding a small package.

I took it from her and realized it was a pair of black sheer pantyhose.

“Oh, wow. Thank you so much.” I said.

“This is how our story began.”

“Yes, that is very sweet of you.”

“I definitely saw girl potential in you and I had a feeling this was only the beginning.”

The End