Picture of Luna in gown...

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Chapter 5

“Wow you both look beautiful,” praised Mira looking at both Luna and Nikita. “I know you two are just great for those gowns.”

Mira is a fashion designer from New York. She is Nikita’s auntie who owned a boutique there.  She came to the Long Beach especially for Charity Fashion Dinner for Breast Cancer Association fundraising. Her designs will be for auction and the money will be donated to the association including the tables for the dinner tonight.

She has been admiring both Luna and Nikita as they both have turned out into a beautiful woman. She has been teaching Nikita some modeling work during the pass summer holidays since Nikita was 15. She had tried to persuade Luna to join but Luna’s uncle, George objected it. He agreed that the modeling jobs pay more than what he earned but he didn’t want his niece to be under the influenced of the glamorous life of a model. However, he eventually allowed Luna to do it tonight because of the charity.

 “Thanks Mira,” says Luna, “I hope I’ll do well tonight,” she added nervously.

“Don’t worry, you’ll do fine,” coaxed Mira, “I know you will. You looked really beautiful and elegant in my gown,” she praised again.

“Don’t worry Lu. We both will be great,” injected Nikita smiling at Luna.

Luna smirked, “Easy for you to say. You’ve done this before while I’m not.”

“You worry too much, Luna,” chuckles Mira. “You both have been practicing for weeks now and I’m sure you’ll be fine. Stop worrying about it. Relax you mind. Just keep thinking that you are beautiful and you are doing it for charity. You’ll be fine,” Mira told her and hugged her

“Thanks Mira. I’ll do my best,” promised Luna while hugging Mira.

“Alright everyone,” yell the organizer, “Be ready in five. The show will start soon,” he told them.

Luna looked at Nikita and they hugged, “Good luck. Don’t worry, you’re be ok,” her friend told her.

“Thanks Niki. Good luck to you too,” she said and smile.

At the table, Leo sat in between Andrew and Lindsay. If he doesn’t have the intention to look for his mystery girl, he will definitely try to find a way to avoid himself from coming. He totally ignored Lindsay and only has conversation with Andrew. Andrew too has been ignoring his date for the night. He too was actually being forced by his mother to accompany the girl to the dinner.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” announced the MC, “I hope you enjoyed you dinner. We shall now start our auction on the evening gown from Mira McIvor’s designs. Without further delay let’s starts with the first model.”

He and Andrew wore the same boring face when they both enter the ballroom but both their eyes were wide open when the models started to walk through the runaway and the bid begins. Their table was really right in front of the left runaway so they could see the models clearly. While the girls on their table are awe with the beauty of the dresses, Leo and the rest of guys were actually amazed with the beauty of the models.

“Wow, those girls are beautiful,” praised Leo whispering to Andrew, “Are they all from your school?” he asked Andrew.

“No, they are not. They are real models, idiot. Only Nikita and Luna are not real models,” whispered Andrew back to him, “I’ve heard that the designer is Nikita’s auntie. That’s why both Nikita and Luna are modeling for her.”

“Oh,” nodded Leo.

“But I’m warning you right now. If you think these models are beautiful, wait till you see both of them,” added Andrew smiling wickedly at Leo.

“What do you mean?” Leo impatiently asked.

“Just wait and see for yourself,” chuckled Andrew and when he saw that Leo is getting really impatient he teased, “Be calm my friend.”

Leo rolled his eyes at him and focused his attention to back to the runaway. One by the one the gowns were auction and the prices was really going crazy.

“God, if isn’t for the model, this is really boring, man,” complained Andrew.

Leo nodded in agreement, “Yeah, you are totally right. They should have auction the models instead,” he joked. “I love to buy some of them.”

Andrew laughed, “Agreed, but I would love to have Nikita for one night,” he whispered to Leo. Leo questionably looked at him but Andrew ignored his looks and paid his attention towards the models.

Finally the MC announced two more dresses left to be auction for the night and came out a beautiful brunet hair girl. One look Leo recognized that she’s Nikita as she wore the same hair as in one of her photos in her Facebook.

“That’s Nikita,” Andrew informed him.

“I know,” he whispered nodding his head. When he saw Andrew giving him a curious look he added, “I browsed thought her Facebook,” he admitted making Andrew smirked at him.

“She’s beautiful,” Andrew whispers softly near to Leo ears, “Gosh, she is so beautiful.”

“Careful man,” chuckled Leo, “You’re come with another girl tonight. You don’t want to get smack in you face,” he teased.

Andrew chuckled with him, “Yeah, I remember that, but I couldn’t help myself. She is just so gorgeous,” Andrew praised again.

“You like her don’t you?” asked Leo and Andrew nodded. “Why don’t you just ask her out instead?”

“I’m scared she might reject me. She just thinks of me as her friend. That’s all. I don’t want to spoil whatever we have,” explained Andrew sighing heavily but his eyes were still on Nikita.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to make her agree ok,” soothed Leo and Andrew smiled. Nikita turned toward their table and when she saw Andrew, she gave him a sweet smile. Leo could see Andrew face flushed when he returned her smile. Gosh, his friend really like this girl, he told himself.

After Nikita gown was bid and sold, Luna finally came on to the runaway. She looked so calm and confident when she walked down the runaway. Her long chestnut hair was partly let down covering her chest while the other half was tied to the back looking so beautiful and elegant with black strap gown that shows every curve of her teenage body.

“Close your mouth, dude,” teased Andrew when he saw his friend looking at the girl in the runaway with mouth and eyes wide open. Leo immediate shut his mouth and flushed.

Andrew chuckled and added, “Uh hmm, that Luna, Nikita’s best friend,” nodding his head the same time.

“Are you her good friends too?” he whispered to Andrew without taking his eyes off Luna, looking at her every move throughout the runaway.

Andrew chuckled and nodded proudly, “Yep.”

“Wow, lucky you,” said Leo softly still looking at Luna.

When Luna walked nearer towards their table, Leo takes the opportunity to snap her picture, not once but uncountable.

“Do you like her gown?” asked Lindsay when she saw him snapping away.

“Yeah, it’s very beautiful,” he nodded. “The gown really looks beautiful on her,” he told Lindsay with his eyes still on Luna who is now standing on the runaway, waiting for the gown to be sold.

“I think I want to have it,” Lindsay said to him cheerfully, “I think it will look better on me, don’t you agree?” and started biding for the price.

Leo gave her a disgusting look and rolled his eyes. That gown looks very beautiful on the girl who is wearing it right now, he told himself. He still couldn’t take his eyes off her. She is the most beautiful girl he ever seen.

“Is she the one at your party?” whispered Andrew suddenly waking him up from his thought.

“I’m not sure,” he shook his head but eyes still on her, “The girl’s hair was pulled back all the way up in a small bun that night,” he told Andrew. “But I don’t think I care, anymore. I want to get to know this girl. You think you could introduce us?” he asked Andrew without looking at him.

Andrew chuckled, “Sure.”

“We’ll go to the backstage after the event,” Leo told him.

“Huh? You think they allowed us?” asked Andrew.

“Sure they will,” nodded Leo, “My mother is the main organizer.”

“Alright, but what are we going to do with our dates?” Andrew queered.

“Let’s just dump them,” suggested Leo who still looking at Luna who has stopped to posed right in front of their table. “I’ll call a cab to send them home. Agreed?”

“Hmm good idea,” nodded Andrew, “But what excuse should we give them?”

“We’ve decided to go somewhere, just us guys, girls not invited,” he chuckled and at the same time saw Luna looking directly at their table.

He saw Luna smiling at Andrew and then turned her attention to him. Leo immediately cast a smile at her but he realized that Luna suddenly become nervous and looked away. She managed to remained compose but Leo could still sense her nervousness. Why is she nervous when she sees him? Is it because Lindsay is sitting besides him? She must have thought that Lindsay is his girlfriend. Damn it, he cursed in his head.

Luna tried to act professional and remained calm on the runaway. God, she never expected Leo to be there tonight. He must have accompanied the girl who’s sitting besides him, she thought. The same girl she saw him with last night at his party. Maybe that’s her girlfriend, she thought again. She didn’t realize he was there until she walked nearer to the table and saw him smiling at her. Does he recognize her? Dear god let hope not, she prayed in her mind. Walking back to the centre of the runaway, she waited for the gown she’s wearing to be auction. Even though she has moved away from him, she could still feel his eyes on her. She told herself to remain calm and smile sweetly at the audience who were busy biding for the right price for the gown. She let out a relief sigh when the gown finally sold and the rest of the models walked out to join her at the runaway displaying the gowns that were sold for the night. The models have their last walk on the runaway before disappearing to the backstage.

“Excellent,” Mira praised her models including Nikita and Luna in the group, “Great job girls.”

“You two were great,” she said smiling proudly at both of them. Luna and Nikita grinned widely, happy with Mira’s complements.

They both giggled happily when Mira leave them alone to change with the rest of the models, “That’s was cool, isn’t it?” Nikita asked Luna.

“Not bad,” nodded Luna but at same time pulled Nikita closer to her, “But I nearly loose my composure when I saw Leo smiling at me just now,” she whispered softly making sure others didn’t hear her.

“Oh yeah I saw him. He sat besides Andrew,” admitted Nikita, “Gosh, both of them look so dashing, especially Andrew. Don’t you think so?” Nikita smiled dreamily. Luna knew that Nikita has a crush on Andrew but scared to admit her feelings. She scared what they have together will ugly if Andrew would reject her.

“Niki!” Luna hit her waking her up from dreaming, “We’re talking about Leo here, concentrate!”

“Oh, yeah, Leo,” nodded Nikita, “He smiles at you?” she queried and Luna nodded her head vigorously, “What did you do then? You smile back at him?”

“No, I did not,” Luna shook her head, “I too scared. I afraid he could recognize me?” turning around for Nikita to unzip her gown.

“You think he didn’t?” asked Nikita.

Luna grimaced, “I hope not.”

“Maybe he would recognize you when he sees the mark on your neck,” teased Nikita giggling at the same time pressing the hickey on Luna’s neck.

“Ouch,” whined Luna rubbing her neck at the same time, “Jerry has it nicely cover-up for me when he did my make-up,” she poked her tongue at Nikita. “I didn’t know Andrew is coming tonight?” she said while putting on her shirt.

“Yeah, me too,” admitted Nikita, “But did you see the girl sitting besides him? Who is she? Is she his date?” zipping up her jeans.

“I guess so,” nodded Luna and sat in front the mirror cleaning up so of her make-up from her face.

“She’s beautiful isn’t she?” compliment Nikita sadly.

“Not as beautiful as you. You are more beautiful than her Niki, believe me,” soothed Luna.

Nikita smiled at her friend, “Thanks Lu,” and start combing her hair.

“God, Nikl, you should tell him how you felt. We’ll be leaving for college soon. Won’t you feel regret not knowing how he feels towards you? Who knows he felt the same? The way I looked at it, he does felt the same,” Luna told her.

“I don’t know Lu,” Nikita sighed, “I’m scared.”

“Nikita Edwards scared?” Luna chuckled, “Really?”

“Yes really,” admitted Nikita, “I don’t want him to hate me.”

“He won’t,” soothe Luna, “You won’t know until you tried.”

Nikita gave a week smiled, “Why don’t I just hinted to him about you,” suggest Luna, “Who knows he will tell me how he actually feels towards you?”

Nikita shook her head and biting her finger, “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Well, at least you know how he actually feels towards you. I got a feeling he’s scared to admit his feelings towards you too,” Luna said to her.

“You think so?” asked Nikita unconvinced.

“Yeah, I’m sure he does. I could see the way he looked at you,” said Luna again.

“The way he looked at me?” Nikita smiled. ‘How does he look at me?”

“Well….,” Luna paused as if thinking of a word to say while Nikita was waiting patiently for her reply, “He look like he can’t wait to get into your pants,” she ended the words with a loud giggled.

“Why, you!!!” yelled Nikita angrily and throwing her rubber band at Luna who was now laughing hysterically.

After they both changed and cleaned up, saying goodbyes to the rest of the models whom they have make friends with they walked out from the dressing room.

“Hi girls, you both look great on stage,” greeted Andrew once they were out surprising both girls.

“Who is better looking on stage?” asked Nikita teasing him “Me or Lu?”

Andrew chuckled, “Lu, of course,” he said kissing Luna on her cheek, “She’s my favorite.” Luna hugged him playing along with him, knowing he’s only teasing Nikita.

Nikita pouted her lips angry with Andrew remarks, “I’ll never talk to you again,” she sulked and turning away from them but Andrew was fast managed to catch her elbow.

“Aw, don’t be angry,” soothed Andrew pulling her closed and kissed her cheek, “You looked beautiful as always. You both are. You both are my favorite girls.”

“Hmm, right,” chuckles Luna shaking her head at the same time. “I thought you came with a date tonight?” she asked him.

“Yes I did,” he nodded, “But we send them home by cab,” he chuckled.

“We?” both Nikita and Luna asked at the same time.

“Yeah, we,” he admitted, “Me and Leo, we send our date home themselves,” and Leo suddenly appeared from behind him grinning widely at the girl but his eyes were on Luna who look at him with wide eyes.