"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?" Bryce asked, running a hand through his smooth, black hair.

"Well, what do your parents say about that?" Malia asked, taking a close look at the paper once again, "That gathering is tomorrow night."

"They said that they're going, because they're both friends with Juliet and Eric."

"My mum's friends with them too. I saw strange envelope on the table this morning, and I didn't bother to check it out. I think it was from them, but I'm not really sure." Mal agreed, messaging her forehead in distress.

"Do you think we'll be going with our parents?" Beatrice asked, turning to stare at her friends. The others nodded.

"Pretty sure my parents will drag me with them. They always do that." Ben answered. Mal nodded in agreement, muttering a small 'me too' as reply.

"Guys, we're missing out on the point here. The parents first announce that their son is missing. We go to their house, and Juliet is acting all weird. Then they take down the posters, and later they tell you that they told the police to stop the search for their son. Not to mention that suspicious business gathering," Mal listed, using her hand while counting, "clearly something is going on. And I don't need to say that nobody is looking for Dash anymore."

"What do you think the reason to all of that?" Arjun questioned, rubbing his chin.

"I don't know... But I have a feeling that there's something more sinister behind this."

-

As soon as Mal went home, she was met by the sight of her mother standing in the hallway, staring up and down at her.

"You can't go to that business gathering like that." she muttered, taking in the details of her daughter's outfit.

"I didn't say I was."

"What I meant is, you and your siblings barely wear any fancy clothes, and you don't go dressed up to parties."

"Mum, what's your point of saying that? I already know that I'm not a big fan of fancy clothes. Even though they make feel like I'm walking on the red carpet. But that's only because I wasn't going to the red carpet when I was wearing them."

"You already went to the red carpet once. What more do you want?" Mal rolled her eyes at the comment.

She did go to the red carpet once, to support a friend. But that was pretty much it. She never had to wear such fancy clothes after that, even when acting. Yet she chose to wear heels most of the time.

"Look. You and your siblings need to wear something black and white, and since there isn't much in your closet that can be fancy and black and white, I picked you all something on my way home. Wear it just for the night, and we can give it back to the store later."

Mal nodded, giving her mother a side smile.

"Go to your room now. We can figure that out tomorrow."

The girl nodded again, then gave her mother a peck on the cheek before hurrying to her room.

Now there was a business gathering to worry about.

________________________________