- Gabriella -

"Morningggg!" Vin shouted energetically when she spotted me and Claudia walking out of the gates of the university. Shayla is also there waving at us.

"You two beat us, damn it!" Claudia laughs.

"Hey, morning." I said smiling at their excitement. It's Friday late afternoon and according to the plan, the girls decided to meet up after class so we could shop for what we want to wear for the welcome party.

So far, things are turning out okay and it wasn't as bad as I thought. Shayla and Vin were appointed to be in charge of the preparations and they are pretty inclusive.

"Ready for our mini shopping trip?" Shayla looked at each of us, a sly grin on her face.

"Oh stop it with the suspense already. Just tell them." Vin said as we huddled together, forming a little circle.

Shayla rolled her eyes but she opened her mouth to continue speaking. "It's official. The Science department voted for a summer theme. So we're all gonna get ourselves each a nice dress with summer vibes." She purred.

"Ooh cool theme." Claudia said, her eyes turning round and wide. "That's the most overrated party theme but you know what, at this point I think I'm in love with it." I shook my head, laughing. Something I learned about Claudia is that the girl practically lives for parties. No wonder she had to rope me into this.

We booked a public hover transport, the usual 10-seater ones, which I usually avoid. But I decided to let it pass since it should be a fun trip. I don't mind compromising my usual private one-seater transports.

Surprisingly, the hover tube is only partially filled with three other passengers; an old lady carrying a grocery bag, a man reading a book and another, a businessman who's busy talking on his phone. I guess the day is turning out well after all.

We hopped into the vehicle that's suspended several inches above the road, it's small but still spacious enough to fit ten passengers with room to stand and stretch. Vin immediately starts tapping away on her new phone with the latest design inspired from Prince Damien's inputs.

It wasn't that the Prime Minister's son was an expert in phone designs, but he had requested a phone with custom made specs because he found current phones to be lacking. Soon after, a mobile company designed a model with specifications similar to his phone, and it became a huge hit.

Now, it's called the "phone inspired by the prince", and all his fans are eager to get their hands on it.

Shayla and Claudia were discussing some hip-hop dance groups and I was listening to my playlist when suddenly the public screen in the hover tube started showing a particularly interesting news feed. It was last night's news.

"Prince Damien, could you give us any hints on the date you'll be arriving at Soren's University? As your fans, we're dying to know so we can give you a surprise welcome." The lady reporter was speaking into the camera and the minister's son was surrounded by his usual crowd of paparazzi. Prince Damien nodded and smiled, looking straight into the camera to reveal a pair of extremely mysterious onyx eyes. "Sorry to say, but that's classified information." He shrugged into the camera.

"If you have any questions about the university however, you can check out their website. It's a rather prestigious school and I would recommend setting your sights on it." He winked. I chuckled under my breath. What a way to leave them hanging.

Through my ear buds, I can hear Vin squealing loudly. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, it's him!". Claudia and Shayla immediately stopped conversing and swivelled their heads to the screen in shock. I watched in amusement as they gasped and their eyes became fixated on the screen.

"Please Damien one more question. Will you be arriving alone? Or are the children of your father's entourage also in the same exchange programme?" The reporter asked him in a desperate last attempt. She's placing her manicured fingers on his tailored jacket sleeve. I smirked at that act of false possessiveness. Everyone knows they can't take a plae in that boy's heart. He had already announced that he will remain single fo rthe rest of his life. Of course, due to some pesonal reasons that were not disclosed. But I know the reason why, or I guess I do, from watching him in his public speeches and stalking him on the web tabloids.

It's subtle, but there were signs. The way his eyes kept drifting to someone else outside of the camera angle. The small smirk that plays on his lips once the person made eye-contact.

"No. They're not involved in this programme or exchange and of course I will not be going alone. There are bodyguards assigned to me during my stay. I suggest that the welcome surprise you guys are planning to be held under the university's notice and regulation. Please check with them about their campus rules as well as ask for permission." Prince Damien frowned as he tried to leave but was blocked by several of his fans asking for a photo.

Somehow, a group of people wearing black uniforms materialized and stepped in to handle the crowd. For a moment it seemed like they had it under control, until a couple girls broke out and started running after him.

"Where did he go? He was just standing here a moment ago!" One of them cried. The sound was muffled but I could still make it out though the feed. "There! There he is!" Another screamed and the whole bunch of them peeled off towards the direction of her voice.

"Jesus those people are plain crazy." Vin half-shouted as she watched those girls shrieking and tailing after their idol. "What the hell? He deserves to spend his time on more important things than to spend it by taking a picture with you." Shayla commented folding her arms with a huff.

"Haha, hey that's what I would do if I happened to chance upon the prince. You girls are crazy if you don't want a picture with him!" Claudia said indignantly.

"Oh what? You think he will take a picture with you? You gotta be kidding. If he should take a picture with one of his fans, it should be me okay." Shayla said, flipping her hair.

"Oh no no no. It would've been me." Vin says shaking her finger at Shayla. Great, in a hover transport of all places?

"Hey, guys... let's not get into this conversation." I said, glancing at them worriedly. Vin and Shayla are narrowing their eyes at each other and Claudia looks like she's ready to throw something at them.

"Hey. You there. That girl. Lower your volume, man. I've got a call to take and you guys are interrupting my client!" The man in the business suit glared at me pointedly before returning back to his call. I shook my head in disbelief but I didn't bother correcting him.

"Goodness, teenagers nowadays. All extremely rude I say. Such dreadful manners." The old lady reading the newspaper tutted as she looked at us through the rims of an elegantly wired reading glasses perched on her nose.

By this point, Shayla, Vin and Claudia had stopped glaring at each other. Instead, Vin is staring daggers at the businessman and Shayla has an expression on her face that looks like she tasted a lemon. Claudia was the only decent one who looked genuinely embarrassed. "Even my grandmother is much nicer than that nice-smelling granny. She looks so poised but her tongue is like a whip." Shayla whispered scowling.

"Destination reached. The Shopping District." The robotic voice emanated from the speakers of the hover transport sounding slightly masculine this time. "Please pay your transport fees before you leave. Have a nice day." The hover transport slowed to a stop and I heaved a breath of relief as the automatic doors slid open, thanking the stars silently. We filed out of the hover tube.

"Where should we start?" Shayla is asking Vin excitedly, the events that happened a few seconds before were thrown into a gutter in her brain.

Smiling devilishly, Vin said: "Welcome to my playhouse where I practically breathe and live here." She flourished with her arms at the bustling place. Various designer brands stood out from the buildings that marked the district, their electrical buzz signs blinking at us from above. The brands and shops in the district stretched out dizzyingly, up and down the streets. This place is really a shopping paradise. Or should I say maze?

***

We're at a small boutique tucked away in a corner of the street. It's the tenth shop we visited and several hours had passed without much luck. It seems it's the time the shops are pushing out their old out-of-season clothes for the new incoming batch.

"I swear they changed the dates! It wasn't supposed to be stock-in day until next week!" Vin was complaining to us as we entered the boutique. The bell of the door chimes, announcing our entry to the shop staff.

"Hello, welcome to Stella's. The manager in charge of the district was switched so all the stock-in dates were moved forward I'm afraid. And oh how may I help you ladies?" A lady in her mid fifties, with soft snow blonde hair tied in a neat and elegant bun greeted us.

She gave us a small smile, her summery blue eyes wrinkling at the corners. I blinked, not expecting to meet someone of such elegance in her age.

"Hello Stella. You're our last hope! Please tell me you have some dresses that are still in this season." Vin said as she entered the woman's embrace who opened her arms welcomingly. I watched as the shop owner air-kissed each side of Vin's cheeks and Vin doing the same.

"Mademoiselle Vin, you've come at the right time it seems." She says winking at us. "Come. I have in fact several of them collecting dust here in this old shop of mine. Might as well bring it out for you girls."

Me and Claudia shared a glance and she whispered. "I'm pretty sure this is going to cost a dent in my pocket." I shrugged as I followed Vin as she happily trailed after Stella. Too late for that now.

We climbed up the narrow stairs of the small shop in a single file and reached a place where everything is covered with protective sheets of thin wrapping paper. Stella headed straight for one of the paper wrappings and unveiled a piece of dove gray tulle dress with small beads sewn at its bodice. It took my breath away.

"This is beautiful Stella, definitely one of your masterpieces. But we're looking for something summer-themed. Gray is a little too dull don't you think?" Vin said as she inspected the dress.

"Mm hm. Summer-themed. Then it should be this section dearest." Stella said as she placed back the wrapping paper over the dress and walked over to another corner.

The dresses here are also protected but instead of being wrapped with paper, they are covered in translucent coverlets modified to fit over each dress like a layer.

She reached over the rack and plucked one of the hanging dresses by their hangers, and handed it to Vin. Through the coverlet, I can see an indigo dress with capped sleeves and translucent gauzy material extending to the elbows.

"It suits you perfectly." Stella said as she leaned back to admire Vin holding the dress in front of her. Vin nodded smiling. "Yes. This is it. Stella you're the best!" She announced as she stared at the mirror. "Go on and try it then." Stella laughed. Vin nodded excitedly and disappeared into the changing room.

"Now shall we get you girls fixed too?" Stella said as she stared at each of us, measuring our sizes with her sharp eyes and cataloging them in her head.

"Mm this one will suit you well. Curvy and short girls make the best elves. And this for you lean dancers. You need to showcase your gorgeous legs more often instead of hiding them in jeans." She handed Claudia and Shayla each a dress.

"Now. For the last one." She said as she scanned the rack. "You're a bit different from the average build. A little too tall and slightly broad shouldered. Yet not too curvy. Not too straight. Perfect proportions at the right places."

She tutted under her breath as she pushed the hangers searching for a dress for me.

"Aha, this one. This will suit you young lady." She said as she pushed something into my hands and nudged me towards the changing room.