Chapter5

#Chapter5

Maddy

The first week back in class was for some reason more stressful than the three years before, put together. I got the syllabus for each class, and it was a lot. I needed time to design for the new line. Cleo had been working nonstop since we landed in New York. She had a few meetings, none of which I could go to because I was in class, but she said they didn’t need me for those. She did say I was going to have to find some time though because we needed to meet with people for the fabric and things like that were not her forte. I told her I would find the time. She also had a website done. All but the name of course, because I couldn’t seem to think of one and that was driving me crazy. /"We have to figure it out before we can order actual inventory, Maddy./" She had told me on Wednesday, when we opened the box with samples of my designs in it.

/"I know. But this is a huge deal, Cleo. This is what people will know us for. It cannot be stupid. We can’t just decide on something without knowing it’s for sure it./" I was more afraid of picking the wrong name then I had been when Cleo made me go with her to the interactive haunted house last year. I thought I was going to die then but, picking the wrong name for a fashion line I have spent years thinking about would kill me for real. To say that was adding to my stress was an understatement.

Thankfully, it was Friday, and I would have the weekend to think of a name and maybe get some design ideas that had been running though my head down with detail. I couldn’t wait. I opened the door and heard laughing. /"Maddy?/" I heard Cleo from the kitchen.

/"Yep,/" I popped the P as I kicked my shoes off and walked into the living room where I found Kierra and her best friend, Zara on the couch. Destiny was in laying on the floor, books all around her. She is always here studying. She might as well just move into the last bedroom we have. /"What’s up?/" I asked them, throwing myself on the couch across from them, face down. I sighed and moved my head until I could see them both out of one eye.

/"Nothing much,/" Zara said, cocking her head to the side to look at me. /"Long day?/" She was always so concerned about everyone around her. Maybe be because she was raised by two feelings therapist. I don’t know if she is serious but, that is what she called them.

I turned my head to look at her better, /"Long week,/" I sighed then sat up.

/"Still no name?/" Kierra asked. She has given us a few suggestions which weren’t bad at all, but they weren’t right either.

I shook my head at the same time that Cleo walked in and told her ‘No’.

/"You guys will get it,/" Zara told us, and we both nodded. We didn’t doubt an ounce of our abilities. Both sets of parents have always been very encouraging in any way they could. We knew the name would come to us. I just wanted to get it now so that I could focus on the designs and Cleo could focus on the business side.

/"Anyways, lets finish talking about tonight,/" Cleo smiled sitting beside me.

/"What’s tonight? PJ party?/" I smiled. I liked that idea. I could relax and let the creativity just flow into me.

/"Nope!/" Kierra said then folded her lips in and sat back on the couch looking at Cleo.

/"What is going on now, Cleo?/" I asked turning to her.

/"You got the party part right,/" she beamed.

I groan and sink into the couch, knowing where this is going and it’s the exact opposite of what I had been planning.

/"The girls convinced me that we all should celebrate making it through the first week of classes./"

/"You aren’t in school, Cleo,/" I point out.

/"And work,/" she smiled wide, /"look, Maddy. I know you aren’t a huge party girl and that’s good. I wouldn’t want to build an empire with someone who was, but you are going to be so busy this year. We both are really. Who knows when you will get to have a good time again,/" She raised her eyebrows at me.

/"You remember our talk on the plane?/" Kierra leaned forward with a smile. I nodded. /"You promised we would have fun this year. I mean I’m not on campus anymore. I want to have all the fun I wasn’t allowed to last year. Our parties seriously got busted before anyone was even able to have a drink./" Zara was nodding beside her.

I look at Destiny on the floor. She was reading a book that looked like it was about some weird looking part of the human body. She looked up and smiled at me before looking back down at her book, /"I don’t care either way. But I’m spending the weekend here to study./"

/"See, Destiny needs to study,/" I started when her head flew up.

/"Honestly though, she smiled at me again. I could do with a drink and a little letting loose before refocusing again./"

I squinted my eyes at her, /"you will never get into medical school with that attitude./"

She laughed and shrugged, /"I got a full ride to Columbia with that attitude. Everyone needs to let off a little steam. It’s actually a scientific fact./" We all sighed. Usually when Destiny said the words ‘scientific fact,’ we were in for a long explanation. This time however, she started gathering her books and stood up. /"I am going to put my books in the spare room and then start getting ready./" Everyone looked at her. /"What? We all know she will say yes and honestly it’s been such a long week; I don’t have it in me to explain things to you all that you won’t understand anyway./" With that she walked out of the living room and down the hall.

We looked at each other and laughed. /"Wow,/" Kierra said, /"I never thought I’d see the day that my sister said… so little./" We nodded. It was a shock for us all. /"Who knew she just needed some harder classes./"

/"They aren’t hard,/" Destiny yelled from down the hall. We all laughed.

/"Okay, a party sounds okay. But you do realize that our parents pay for this place. It’s in their names…/" Cleo held her hand up to stop me and I gave her a serious look.

/"Even if they find out…/"

/"When they find out,/" I interrupted her. /"You do know my father has the whole building on speed dial and calls the neighbors to check on us, right?/" I rubbed my temples, /"he will find out and I will never hear the end of it./" All the girls faces fell. They knew that I was right, and I did too. But at the same time, I was too so, I quickly added, /"so we better make this an epic party,/" I smiled wide and looked at each of them. Destiny came running into the room and pumped her fist in the air and we all laughed. Both because of her excitement and the fact that she only had her shirt halfway on. /"Destiny, you have to have clothes on though./" We all laughed.

Two hours later, Kierra and Zara had sent out a mass text about the party, Destiny had invited the two friends that she had made so far and Cleo and I had gone to the store and picked up snacks and alcohol. /"You guys get enough?/" Kierra asked looking across our kitchen counter that now resembled the wall behind the bar at our favorite spot downtown.

/"I said the same, but she insisted,/" I said rolling my eyes in Cleo’s direction. She just laughed