Chapter 3: Meet You Again

The prospect of spending the day together, exploring the labyrinthine halls of the mall, filled Ariadne's heart with joy.

Katniss emerged from her room. Her outfit was a reflection of her vibrant personality - a flowy bohemian dress adorned with intricate patterns, paired with a wide - brimmed hat that cast a playful shadow over her face.

Her infectious smile seemed to hold the promise of a day filled with laughter and adventure.

"I hope you're all ready for a shopping extravaganza!" Katniss declared, twirling around the room.

Ariadne exchanged excited glances with Connie and Vanessa, who had assembled in the living room, each dressed in their own unique styles.

Connie wore a chic yet comfortable ensemble - a crisp white blouse paired with tailored pants, with her glasses to match.

Vanessa donned a leather jacket over a flowing boho skirt, striking the perfect balance between edgy and free-spirited.

Ariadne quickly slipped into her favorite jeans and a soft sweater, her heart fluttering with anticipation.

She had always admired her roommates' fashion sense, and the opportunity to spend the day exploring fashion trends and sharing in their style secrets was a dream come true.

With laughter and excitement reverberating through the air, the girls made their way to the mall. Soon they arrived at the largest mall in the city.

The bustling corridors echoed with the sounds of shoppers and the scent of freshly brewed coffee. And the array of stores seemed endless, each beckoning with promises of new fashion discoveries.

Ariadne marveled at how her roommates effortlessly expressed themselves through fashion. In a little while, the shopping bags piled up, each one filled with a piece that reflected their individuality.

“Ariadne, do you like this dress?” an excited Katniss threw the question to Ariadne, shoving a bright red silk gown at her. “I think this will look enthralling on you”

Ariadne was slightly taken aback, smiled and gaped at the gown, saying nothing.

She stared at the dress in Katniss’s hands, it looked so elegant and graceful. Its cuts and bodily fit was made such that it will properly flaunt the curvaceous nature of the wearer.

Ariadne was a naturally curvaceous beauty, and so Katniss felt that such of it would accentuate Ariadne’s looks and grace.

Ariadne hesitated. She has never worn such a delicate piece before and doubted if such a dressing style will suit her. “I don’t usually wear this style of dress, I don’t think it will look great on me”

Katniss would not take no for an answer. “Try it on, I believe you will look peculiarly gorgeous in it”, and proceeded to push her into the fitting room.

“Yes Ariadne. Katniss is right. This dress suits you, just try it on” Vanessa chimed.

Seeing how they all anticipated her look in the dress, she was left with no choice but to wear the dress.

When Ariadne stepped out of the fitting room, she resembled a phoenix breaking out of fire. The red silk gown flowed effortlessly, completely accentuating her glowing skin, leaving her friends mesmerized and drooling all over.

Awe stricken, Katniss exclaimed “Wow, Ariadne. You look glorious. If you weren’t my friend and roommate, I could have mistaken you as the floral goddess herself” she teased.

“Just look at how this dress fits, like it was custom-tailored just for you. What??? You ain’t leaving this shop if you don’t buy this dress or I won’t forgive you”

“Do you mean it?” Ariadne stood in front of the cheval mirror and admired the beauty in front of her. She couldn’t help gushing over her own eccentric appearance. She felt like a princess in a fairytale.

Even if she doesn’t want the dress, it would not be nice of her to drop it seeing how much thoughtfulness Katniss had put in to make her fit the dress in the first place.

And the dress did turn out super amazing so she has nothing to worry about. She decided to take the dress, which erupted euphoria in Katniss’s heart.

She couldn’t help taking another look at herself in the mirror and when she did, her face flushed. Letting out a deep breath, she spun on her heels and moved forward in cheerful steps.

They paid for the dresses they already picked, then proceeded to check out the other departments in the mall.

“Today’s your birthday Katniss, but you made such a big show to get me a dress. Anyone will think I’m the celebrant myself, Ariadne spooked Katniss slightly as they checked out lip glosses and foundation at the cosmetic department.

Katniss grabbed her arm, disregarding her minor resistance, asking all coquettish. “Does it matter? You’re a young girl yourself, you also deserve to spruce yourself up. And what’s more, you’re my friend.”

Ariadne shook her head in amusement. It really feels great to have a caring friend who loves me like she would love her own sister.

Nevertheless, she was convinced by Katniss and she decided to pick out some makeup products for herself too.

Having shopped the entire afternoon, the four girls were impressed with themselves and decided to go home. They giggled loudly as they headed towards the exit, distributing infectious smiles to some other customers in the mall until Ariadne froze in a spot.

Ariadne’s sudden silence caused a drift in their conversations. The girls looked her in the face and noticed that she was absent minded. Vanessa trailed her gaze and caught sight of a man and a woman standing side by side, outside the mall.

The man is an exceptionally handsome man whose build looked as fine as the carved porcelain work of a carpenter. She felt that his aura exuded that of a top elite. Meanwhile, the lady beside him looked like she put in a lot of effort in picking her outfit, there were just so many details.

She curved her lips in a smirk, thinking that Ariadne was merely drooling over the hot guy and gently rasped on her shoulder to draw her back to consciousness.

Ariadne retracted her gaze momentarily, then proceeded to walk towards the handsome man’s direction. Unaware of what was going on, her friends followed suit behind her as they stepped out of the mall enclosure.

After a while, Ariadne slowed down and stood in front of the handsome man. She managed to force a coy smile on her face, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness.

“Hello Denver. Nice to meet you again. What a surprise to see you here."

Denver's face lit up as he recognized Ariadne.

"Ariadne! Hey!" He gave her a warm hug, momentarily melting away her worries. "It's been ages! How have you been?"

Ariadne fought to compose herself, not wanting to reveal her inner turmoil. "I've been good," she replied, her voice a little strained.

"Just enjoying the summer break with these amazing friends of mine." She gestured toward Katniss, Vanessa, and Connie, who offered friendly smiles.

Denver's eyes flickered with curiosity as he scanned Ariadne's friends, his gaze lingering on Molly Wickham, the girl by his side. "Oh, Ariadne, I want you to meet Molly," he said, his tone filled with warmth.

Ariadne's heart sank like an anchor, and a pang of disappointment shot through her.

She darted her eyes in the direction of the woman beside him, sneaking peeks at her as if she was seeking for explanations from her reactions. She mustered courage and looked her in the eye, her smile now waning.

"Nice to meet you, Molly," she said, her voice sounding strained and lacking its usual cheerfulness.

Sensing her uneasiness, Molly felt smug and flashed her a mischievous smile. "Likewise, Ariadne," she replied, extending a hand.

“Denver has told me so much about you."

Ariadne hesitated for a moment before shaking Molly's hand, her heart aching. She felt foolish for building up a fantasy in her mind, only to have it crumble in an instant. Her gaze shifted back to Denver, and a flicker of pain crossed her face, unnoticed by him.

When she chose to come to Leyland university, she had pictured so many scenes of what their reunion would be like. She had looked up to this encounter for so many years.

But this meeting now wasn’t as she expected it. She had never expected to encounter him here, especially not with another girl. Her mind raced, and her stomach twisted with a mix of hope and disappointment.

Who is this lady beside him? Could she be his girlfriend? Or fiancée?

It seems like the past six years have changed a lot in our lives. Do I even stand a chance now?

Standing before him, reality dawned on her that all her speculations of what their reunion would be like was but her own wishful thinking.

It was just her fantasy. Ahh, I’m clearly living in my own nation, called Imagination.

Ariadne felt a burning feeling in her chest, feeling dejected, she cursed away silently as her sweaty palms itched to fumble each other. Beads of sweats tinkered down her delicate face, leaving Denver puzzled.

Denver was surprised by the scene before him.

Shouldn’t she be happy to see me again? Why does she react this way? What does her reaction mean?

He racked his brain frantically in an effort to come up with a logical reason for her fidgety behavior.

“It’s really my pleasure to see you again. Caspian told me you applied to Leyland university instead. You must have been here for sometime now. Are you enjoying everything here?”

“Of course, Leyland is an amazing city and I’m having the fun of my life here” she replied.

Ariadne felt a myriad of emotions course through her body, from disbelief to anger, to a pang of intense sadness. She dug her nails deeply into her palms, her damp fists crushing the hem of her blouse while her kid boots tapped a rapid rhythm.

Noticing her bodily reaction, Katniss subtly nudged Ariadne and whispered, "Are you okay?"

Ariadne forced a smile, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just caught off guard, that's all."

Oblivious to the undercurrents swirling around him, Denver continued chatting with Molly and introduced her to Katniss, Vanessa, and Connie.

Meanwhile, Ariadne struggled to push aside her feelings of heartbreak and disappointment, silently vowing to keep her emotions hidden and make the best of the encounter.

She was grateful for the presence of her friends in that moment, otherwise she didn’t know what embarrassment she would have brought upon herself if she were to handle this scene alone.

Mustering the last drop of courage within her, Ariadne sauntered away from the mall and out of their sight….. She still has to attend Katniss’s party. She wouldn’t let this encounter destroy her mood.

Let’s get wasted tonight and forget the bad memories.