Are you here yet?"
Isabella paused, glancing around while pushing her car door close with a foot. Her gaze landed on a store across the street, a giant sign reading FARFETCH glowing in the afternoon light. She headed towards it.
"Sí, I think I am. Farfetch, right?" She asked, switching the phone from her right ear to the left while adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. (Yes)
"Good. I was afraid you had forgotten your way around the city."
She scoffed. "Oh please María, I wasn't away that long enough to forget —" A smile bloomed on her face. "—I see you now."
Isabella disconnected the call, her simple flats slapping against the concrete floor with her increased pace. She could see María through the transparent glass walls of the store, waiting. She pushed open the glass door.
"Gurlllll!"
A squeal of delight tore from María's lips at the sight of her, bringing the attention of everyone in the store to them, but Isabella saw nothing, heard nothing. She made her way to her best friend, arms stretched out and a wide smile on her face. They ran into each other's arms, pressing their faces into each other's neck.
"I thought you weren't going to make it," María whispered into her neck.
"We made a promise to each other, girl. And as annoying as you can be, you're one of the few people I would move mountains to get to."
They were both born in the same year, with just a few weeks gap between them. While still in college, they had made a promise to celebrate their 25th birthday together, in grand style, no matter what. And the no matter what had involved Isabella cutting short a vacation in Hawaii and hightailing it back to Barcelona.
"Okay. Get away from me now," Isabella said, making a show of pushing María away from her. "We don't want a headline saying the Montez heir is into women, now would we?"
María chuckled. "Oh. I can imagine how scandalized your old man would be if that happens."
María gave Isabella a look, knowing fully well that the Lass would have something up her sleeve. Isabella grinned at her, cleared her throat and straightened her spine into a ramrod posture. Her voice carried a deep, rough resonance.
"Isabella Iona Montez, what disgrace! You've 15 minutes to get to my office now!"
They leaned into each other, their laughter resounding in the store. Eyes turned their way once again, and Isabella pressed her elbow into María's side rolling her eyes. "Shh, allow the sanctimonious shop in peace. God forbid that girls actually laugh out loud."
María shook her head, her eyes bright as she gazed at her friend. "I missed you and your scandalous mouth."
Isabella pouted, pulling her into a side hug. "Aww. I missed you too, pookie. So, what are we going for?"
"Does he know that you're back?"
Isabella sighed. "Let's leave the elephant in the room until the alcohol from our birthday party wears off. We're turning 25, girl!"
Not giving her an opportunity to reply, Isabella walked further into the store, making a beeline for the section that had the dresses. María let her be. She knew, probably better than anyone, what demons she was fighting. Or rather, what shackles she couldn't shake off. And yes. She did deserve to celebrate her birthday without worrying about what her old man had to say. For once.
"Prada, I'm guessing."
Isabella winked. " You can never go wrong with that, babe. I'm going for black, of course, that's my color. And you can go for White or Red to complement it."
Isabella led the way through the racks of dresses, her eyes scanning the vibrant colors and sleek designs. María trailed behind, occasionally picking up a dress to examine it more closely, "I think I would prefer a red dress, white doesn't seem like a good option for the kind of party we have in mind, don't you think?"
"And I think I found just the right one—" Isabella fished a red dress off the rack she had been examining and turned around with it. "—Ta-da! Breathtaking, right?"
María ran her fingers over the dress, a smile stretching across her face at the feel.
"C'mon, go try it on."
Isabella shoved the dress into her arms, and guarded her gently towards the try-on room. "Let me know if you need my help, okay?"
María took just one look at the small area she had to change in, and her lips turned down. "You know we could have asked for a private fitting suite, right?" She called out to Isabella.
Isabella nodded, her eyes still scanning the store for a black dress. Remembering that María couldn't see her, she spoke. "The mundane things of life, Mar. You speak like we didn't goof around in spaces just like that in college." Her eyes sparkled as she reminisced on those days. "I'm actually surprised you didn't mention how I'm dressed."
"That was because we couldn't afford something better. Or rather, I couldn't and you were in your rebellious phase," María shot back from behind the curtain. " And I assumed your dressing was an attempt to fit in... Um... much easier to recognize the Montez heir if she's decked out in blinks and luxury brands."
Was it really a rebellious phase? It was the last time I felt like...me.
Isabella didn't bother with an answer, not liking the rocky path the conversation was swerving into. The last thing she wanted right now was to talk about anything that brought the conversation remotely close to her father.
"What's taking so long?" She asked instead moving her weight from one leg to the other, like a kid waiting to be given her favourite candy.
"Just a sec! Uh... Okay. I'm done."
María exited the fitting room, and Isabella's face lit up the moment she saw her, "I knew this was it!" She exclaimed excitedly. She stepped forward, pulling María towards a mirror. "It offers a perfect blend of feminine charm and classic sophistication — not too much, not too little — just like you like it, don't you think?"
María gazed at her reflection in the mirror, her fingers spreading over her abdomen. The crimson red gown had a gentle scoop neckline that offered a soft, romantic touch without plunging too low. A side slit, slightly above the knee provided graceful movement and a peek of leg — enough to be alluring but still classy.
Her white pearls came into display. "Yes. It screams me. I like it."
Isabella whooped. "Girl, you need to pay up, you know how much fashion designers earn on a weekly basis?"
María rolled her eyes. "Just go find your dress while I change out of this."
Isabella was across the store before the last word could leave María's lips. María stood, watching her as she walked among the racks of dresses. She shook her head at the way she skipped from rack to rack, a child-like excitement on her face.
She's such a bundle of energy. Wonder who's going to keep up with that. Or make her show it more often.
The smile on Maria's lips widened as Isabella stopped in front of a gown, her eyes big and bright, twinkling, the way they did when she was doing something she loved.
"She loves shopping and dressing up, doesn't she?" María murmured under her breath, a long sigh following immediately. "What kind of father wouldn't want his daughter looking like that, she's practically glowing."
With another exhale, María turned back into the fitting room to change out of the dress. Just as she pulled the zip up on her jeans, Isabella burst into the room, all smiles. She held a black silky dress up, her eyes dancing.
"I found it! The perfect dress!" She announced.
María couldn't help smiling along. "Go on. Try it on. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a killer though."
The corner of Isabella's lips tugged up, smug. "You bet!"
"Such a bragger," María teased, stepping back – closer to the curtain obscuring the space – to give her room to change into the dress.
Isabella squirmed out of the skinny jeans she had on, grunting as she did. María's phone pinged with a message and a frown appeared on her face as she read it.
"For our necklace, I was thinking we could go for a sleek, modern design. Maybe something with a delicate chain and a subtle sparkle. What do you think?"
Silence.
"You don't like the..."
"I need to make a call, Isa, give me a minute," Maria interrupted, leaving the fitting room.
Isabella paused, her eyebrows coming together. She popped her head out from behind the curtain. "Mar?"
María stood a little further from the room, speaking into her phone. She raised a hand up to Isabella.
"A moment," she mouthed to her.
Isabella nodded but made no attempt to move. Her eyes traced Maria's face, trying to decipher if something was wrong.
"Don't you have better things to do!" There was a scowl on her face. "You could just send someone else. Or Xan. You don't usually pick me up from shopping. Why are you insisting this time?"
Isabella's head tilted. Who is she talking to?
It wasn't long before María was walking towards her.
"Who was it?"
"Harry."
Isabella's eyebrows drew together. "Harry? Your brother?"
María nodded. "He wants to pick me up from the store when we're done."
An eyebrow shot up on Isabella's face. "And? When we were in college, you were always whining about how he lived in another state and you guys don't spend enough time together and all that. You wanted to bond, didn't you? What changed?"
She slipped back into the fitting room.
"I don't know." María leaned on the wall beside the fitting room. "Nothing actually, he just seems different from the brother I knew and envisioned from when we were younger. He..."
"Is a weirdo?"
"Not that."
"Psycho? Culo?" (Asshole)
"Not those either. He just seems to be involved..." María shaked her head, trailing off. "He's overprotective. It's suffocating. He's such a playboy too."
Isabella's laughter rang out from the fitting room.
"It's not funny!"
"It is, girl. Aren't all brothers protective? Especially the older ones. And I mean, boys are playboys, especially ones as fine and hot as the guy you showed me his pictures were. If he is half as fine as those pictures were, girl, I'm pretty sure he has fucked his way around Barcelona."
You don't get it. There is more. I... I just don't know how to explain it to you.
"Anyone that heard you say all that wouldn't know how much of a man hater you are."
"I'm not a man hater, girl. I hate boys. Big difference." Isabella emerged from the fitting room, twirling to show off the black satin gown.
"Woah. You look stunning, Isa. Bonnie Lass" (Beautiful young woman)
Isabella strode towards the mirror, hips swaying subtly from side to side. She came to a stop with a hand on her waist, and her leg on display through the high thigh slit on one side of the dress. She raised her chin slightly, and made a playful beckoning gesture.
María watched her with a grin. "You should really become a model or something."
Isabella twirled around to face her, the dress billowing around her. "Exactly why I can capture their essence, the vibe and spirit through a lens." She made a shutter with her fingers and looked at María through them.
With a light laugh, Isabella turned back to the mirror, her fingers running along her sides. The dress shared a similar silhouette to María's —fitted at the waist, flowing at the hem, and made from silky satin fabric that caught the light beautifully.
"It's bold. Just... Just like me."
Noticing the catch in Isabella's voice, María came up behind her. "I'm pretty sure you will have all the boys dying tomorrow in this," she grinned and nudged Isabella's shoulders. "Why don't we go and find the heels and accessories to go with that, huh?"
Isabella's face lit up once again at that thought. She was talking as she sashayed back to the fitting room.
"— Chandelier-style earrings featuring a cascade of delicate, crystal-encrusted drops. You know, something that catches the light as we move. I already talked about the necklace while you were on call with your brother, but don't worry...."
Before long, they were making their way out of the store with bags of the stuff they bought, big smiles adorning their faces.
"Since your brother is not here, do you want me to drive you back? We could catch up, maybe grab a coffee or something. I've missed the Cortado from Café del Sol." Her lips pressed together, protruding forward.
"Girl, stop pouting, I'm not your boyfriend," María laughed. "Since the party is tomorrow night, we can meet up early tomorrow morning and go to the spa. Get our hair and nails done."
Just then, María noticed the Tuscan Black Audi A8 turning into the street. Her lips pressed down into a thin line. She gently took Isabella's hand, tugging her towards her car.
"You should go back and rest, Isa, you just got back after all. Also, Harry already texted me that he's on his way, so I Will be fine. See you early morning, right before you wake."
Isabella hesitated as María opened her car door for her. "Promise?"
"Promise. Text me when you get back."
"You act like a Mami, Mar." Isabella gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheeks. "Chau!"(Goodbye)
María released a breath of relief as she watched Isabella's car disappear into the distance. She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself to confront Harry. She turned toward the Audi A8 pulling to a stop in the spot Isabella just left, her eyes narrowing slightly. She opened the passenger seat door and got in.
"Your friend?" Harry asked the moment María slammed the door close.
"What do you care about my friends, Harry," María retorted. "What did I say about coming to see me or pick me or do anything at all when my friends are around in those outrageously expensive cars?!" María glared. "I did mention to be particularly careful around Isabella, I don't want her thinking I lied to her!"
"But you did, Germana. And she will find out sooner than later, you might as well tell her yourself."(Sis)
I will. Just not now.