Behind the scenes

"Babes, the Vogue Boutique will close up if we wait any longer!" Ruth said as she applied a final coat of her lip-gloss.

Christine looked up from the book she was reading and turned her eyes to the window by the right side of the large room they have been occupying for four years now. There were so many memories within those walls that Christine couldn't just forget about.

"Are you even listening to me?" Ruth cried out as she noticed the long look on her best friend's face.

Christine turned her eyes in Ruth's direction and smiled. "It's going to rain. I don't think it will be a smart idea to go out—" she started to say but Ruth interrupted her immediately.

"Shopping is never a smart idea for you!" She hissed with a roll of her large brown eyes. "But not anymore. We just finished college and... With good grades. We have to celebrate! You have to come with me!"

"Ruth we can celebrate right here. We don't even have to go out..." Christine tried to convince her but Ruth was not in for that. Ruth was a free spirit. She enjoyed being out and having the time of her life.

"No can't do!" Ruth declared as she started to pull Christine off the bed.

Christine had no other choice but to go out with her friend to the boutique for them to shop for party dresses. It started to rain as soon as they got into the shop and Ruth squealed in victory.

"We can spend the whole afternoon here if the rain wants!" She declared.

Christine only smiled at this. She was used to Ruth's reckless spending by now and she knew that if the rain didn't stop, Ruth could spend her entire inheritance on dresses. Christine now had to silently pray for the rain to stop so she could drag Ruth out of the boutique.

"Yes!" Ruth screeched making Christine jump out of her thoughts. "This is the one!"

Christine walked to where Ruth was standing and screeching at the line of dresses. Christine couldn't find whatever it was that had made Ruth scream so excitedly. They were all... Just dresses.

"Huh... Did you find something?" Christine finally asked her.

Ruth took out two identical red dresses with price tags Christine could never even imagine calling out loud and flashed them at her.

"These dresses are the bomb!" Ruth exclaimed.

Christine looked over the short red dresses a second time and she knew it was wrong... Very wrong.

"Ruth, have you seen the prices?" Christine asked in a small voice.

Ruth just rolled her eyes and placed one of the dresses on her body. "I need to try this out!"

"Ruth, didn't you hear what I just asked you? We can't buy these—" Christine said but then bit down on her tongue as she remembered whose daughter Ruth was. Ruth Davies was the daughter of one of the richest men in the city, Richard Davies of the R & D Enterprise. She could afford whatever she wanted. But not Christine.

"Ruth, I can't buy these."

Ruth turned a cold stare at her and said, "and who said you are the one paying?"

Christine frowned at this response. Ruth had done so much for her already. She was an orphan who had no one but herself and Ruth was the angel who had helped her out throughout their years in college. She couldn't possibly accept this gift from her...

"I am sorry Ruth, I can't accept it..." Christine protested.

Ruth corked her head to the side and smirked. "Accept what?" She asked with sarcasm.

"I won't—" Christine started to say but Ruth was already walking away from her with the dresses held firmly in her hands.

"Ruth!" Christine called out.

"I am not listening to you!" Ruth replied dramatically as she swayed her curves to the counter and said, "I want these dresses packaged. Here is my card." She offered the girl her credit card and waited patiently for the packaging to be done.

"Ruth please, once that money leaves your account—" Once again Christine didn't get to complete her statement before her phone started ringing out from her pocket.

Christine's heart hammered in its cage as she took out the phone to check who it was. Her face turned white as blood drained out of her as she saw the caller, it was Ruth's mother —exactly who she feared.

"Chris pick up your phone. You are starting to embarrass me," Ruth mouthed in irritation as the ringing phone attracted other shoppers' attention.

Christine swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to calm her racing heart before she swiped the accept button and placed the phone to her ear, "Good evening Mrs. Davies!" She said and Ruth rolled her eyes and snatched the phone from her. She knew exactly why her mum was calling.

"What is good about the evening Christine? Why did Ruth just buy two similar dresses?!" Mrs. Davies asked in a cold voice.

"Mum! I bought the dresses because I want them!" Ruth replied with the same attitude.

Mrs. Davies took a deep breath as she heard her daughter's voice. "Ruth..."  She started. "Baby, I don't understand why you will need two dresses with similar descriptions."

"I bought it for Chris. We have a party to attend tonight. And mum, It's good you called. I need more money. Thank you and bye!" Ruth said and ended the call.

Christine's face had even gone paler because she knew exactly what Mrs. Davies would say about such behaviors. She never blamed her daughter. Everything was Christine's fault. Always.

"Ruth you shouldn't have ended the call like that..." Christine said following after Ruth who had picked up the dress and was now heading out of the store.

Rather than reply, Ruth smiled to herself and continued catwalking to her sports car parked right across.

"Ruth, can you listen to me!" Christine cried out.

Ruth turned around and started walking backward as she smiled at Christine. "Sweetheart you worry too much—" Her last word got swallowed by a loud horn that came blaring behind her.

Christine took large steps and pulled Ruth out of the way just as the black Bentley moved passed them.

"Oh my God! What is wrong with people these days!" Christine hissed as she held on to Ruth. But she realized Ruth wasn't paying attention to her. She had her brown eyes fixed on the vehicle as it took a bend and disappeared down the road.

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed as she snapped out of her daze.

Christine just stared at her as she didn't understand what it was she was so excited about when she almost got hit by a car.

"Chris! That was A. P!"

Christine looked on with a blank face.

Ruth face palmed herself and then rolled her eyes. "That was Alexander Pencraft!"