Pleasurable Expectations

t w e n t y - n i n e

"So, how was everyone's Valentine's Day?" Hannah questioned from the driver's seat. Her eyes found Sienna, Desiree, and I in the backseat through the rearview mirror. "You guys probably saw Cindy and me on my story, so I won't tell you how mine was." Hannah's shoulders shook with laughter as she grabbed her re-usable Starbucks cup and took a sip.

"Me and Ricardo spent the night in," Adrienne answered from the front seat. "Between wedding planning and packing, we needed to chill."

Hannah nodded, an understanding frown gracing her lips. She turned around to look at the three of us in the backseat as we rolled to a stop at a red light. "What about you, Si? I saw a few story posts on the Jones jet."

Sienna ceased fiddling with a smudge on her very unnecessary sunglasses. "First, it's Sienna Airlines. Second, I flew to Hawaii to see King real fast," she shrugged. "We went out to this bomb Hawaiian spot for dinner and then just chilled at his place on the beach."

I envied the nonchalance Sienna had for her situation. It was as if hopping on a private jet to Hawaii to surprise your boyfriend for Valentine's day was no big deal. I knew it wasn't to her—I'd been Sienna once upon a time—but I still felt like she should have hyped it at least a little more. This must be how Adrienne felt when I would tell her about my impromptu weekend trips.

"I wish I could've taken a day trip to freaking Hawaii!" Desiree sounded. "Sean and I had a nice night, though. We went to that new Topgolf Lounge that opened in Kirkland; it was hella fun."

The conversation came to a halt as Hannah squeezed her rather large Range Rover into a spot and turned the key in the ignition. "We have made it to the bridal boutique!" She hopped out of the car and continued, "Let's hope the fourth boutique is the charm." Her eyes rolled to Adrienne.

"I will not look less than perfect on my wedding day." Adrienne's arms crossed her chest. "Besides, you agreed that I still haven't found 'the one.'"

Hannah pointed a finger in her direction in agreement. They exchanged a laugh before Hannah pulled the door to the shop open, all of us filing through the doorway. No matter what direction your eyes looked, they would be met with all kinds of white dresses. There were poofy, princess-like gowns displayed in the window, with the more sleek and modern dresses visible when you first enter the store. Headless mannequins were dressed in variants of mermaid-style dresses, each placed perfectly in the center of their respective pedestals.

"You better be able to find your dress in here, Ri," Desiree spoke with a warning tone. "Watching you try on all these dresses is making me tired." Her phone chimed, and a moment passed before she added, "And Cindy is waiting on us for dinner."

Adrienne looked over her shoulder and said, "You can tell Cindy to wait." Then, she turned her attention back to the woman she was speaking with about getting a stylist.

"Where are y'all tryna eat?" Sienna asked. "Cause at this point, I'm honestly ready for the food." Her attention dragged to the new notification that vibrated her phone.

"You never fail to be just a little bit removed from whatever's going on around you, do you?" Desiree asked with a slight roll of her eyes.

"Oh, I don't like the judgment I hear in your tone." Sienna's phone found her shoulder bag as her lips puckered. "And after a while, I need a switch up. How can you wedding dress shop for the whole day? That doesn't get boring?" Her head bobbled with genuine questioning. "Besides, I learned from a young age to tune out what doesn't interest me; I'll just smile and look pretty for the cameras while everyone else takes care of business around me."

I laughed to myself as I scoffed at Sienna. She's lucky that it was me who lost her wealth. "What would you do if you weren't basically born to be a socialite?"