“It’s so cool that you got to come home with me, your Mother is so… carefree,” Danielle giggled as she and Jackie walked up a long, cement driveway. “My Mother is so controlling I could die,” she continued, throwing her head back for emphasis. Danielle’s hair stopped just below her shoulder blades. She clearly had touch ups done as her roots were starting to bleed through. Danielle had the kind of hair that Jackie wished she had. It fell in perfect ringlets that had somehow managed to stay intact throughout the day. Although a familiar bulge in the girl’s bag told her she kept a hair straightener on her. It looked soft to the touch.

“She can’t stop me,” Jackie joked, hands tucked in her light blue skinny jeans. Laughing, Jackie nearly started choking when she saw Danielle’s house. Perfectly trimmed bushes and gardens lined the front, a centre piece with a fountain in the middle sat where the drive way went around it. staring in awe, Jackie quickened her pace to almost overtake Danielle. The house itself was just as amazing as the greenery. The two story structure had two stone balconies and unnecessarily large doors. “Your house is actually the bomb.”

“I’ve never had that one, but thank you,” Danielle giggled, swaying her hips as she climbed the steps to the front door. “Dad’s city job pays really good,” she pulled out a set of glistening silver keys, a singular pink pompom hung from them.

“Danielle, your aesthetic is killing me sis,” Jackie laughed, following Danielle into the house. The floor of the interior was clean, grey marble. The hallway was so open and clear that Jackie could almost hear the voices coming from further in the house clearly. Danielle walked on. She didn’t check to see if Jackie followed. Jackie didn’t slow in fear she would get lost.

“Mum! I brought a friend with me,” Danielle called loudly, going through her phone as she walked towards what Jackie guessed to be the kitchen. The sound of someone using the cutting board was clear and evident.

“I’m on the phone, Danielle,” came a snappy voice in reply.

“Love you too Mummy,” Danielle scoffed quietly. “Come on, I think Jon is making us a snack,” she giggled, grabbing Jackie by the wrist and dragging her along. They stepped into the kitchen, and the sight before them nearly made Jackie fall on her knees and cry. In the kitchen, stood a very attractive man in a chef uniform. His buttons were done up perfectly and the black material complimented the man’s dark skin. “Good afternoon Jon, this is Jackie.”

“Hi,” Jackie responded nervously, watching the insanely large knife the man had.

“My name is Jon, do you like smoothies?” he asked with the nicest voice Jackie had heard. His manners were impeccable. His accent was like honey – a soft husk that had Jackie almost blushing. Jackie could only nod. She loved smoothies.

“Jon is actually an amazing chef, but Mum has him making stupid stuff like ‘diced fruit plater’,” Danielle scoffed, rolling her eyes as she stole a sliced strawberry off the cutting board.

“Or she has me chopping mangoes for her – the little diced ones,” he scoffed, keeping his voice low so only the two girls heard him. It shone through that Jon loved to joke. That he was joking. Jackie politely laughed. “Oh, I’ll just have a mango – Oh sorry Jon, I’m not hungry,” Jon’s voice he put on to imitate Danielle’s Mum made Jackie laugh. And Danielle too. “Dinner, that is when I get to actually make something.”

“Remember that dish you made – Nini Bellini?” Danielle squinted her eyes, trying to recall the Italian dishes name. Jon nodded her on encouragingly. “I could eat that forever, you totally need to make it again,” Danielle demanded, watching as Jon scooped everything into an expensive blender. “Jackie, this is me unofficially inviting you to my birthday next month, we will have Nini-whatever then and you will love it.”

“I bet I will,” Jackie laughed, leaning against the counter as she watched Jon turn on the obnoxious blender. “When is your birthday?” Jackie yelled over the blender.

“Like… two months away or something,” Danielle said, picking at her nails. “I need to get the invitations out soon, not too soon that people will forget, but soon enough that people will talk,” Danielle grinned, excited when the blender cut off and she could stop yelling.

“I really like that you’ve planned it out,” Jackie laughed, watching Danielle eye the smoothies that were being poured with determination. The light pink liquid looked absolutely mouth-watering.

“There you are girls,” Jon set the two drinks down in front of them, going the extra mile to pop a straw in their tall glasses. “If you run into little man, tell him I got one of those with his name on it.”

“Thanks Jon,” the two girls chorused at the same time. Danielle led them back through the hallway, but she took a sharp left where there was a staircase Jackie hadn’t noticed before stood.

“I feel like you’re going to like my room,” Danielle said genuinely. “It is… aesthetic?” she laughed, pushing open a door and stepping to the side to let Jackie in.

If the private chef had her nearly sobbing on the ground, then Jackie was no way near ready to see Danielle’s room. A sea of shaggy pink carpet covered the floor beneath them. . Her bed sheets and couches were cloaked in white, along with her curtains. She had two desks that were kept tidy and with pink stationary. But what really caught Jackie’s attention was the pressed-out blouses and different coloured, lengths, sizes and makes of plaid skirts. A section of her rooms wall was covered in clippings of clothing and models, along with make ups and so many other things. Danielle Adams had a pink themed mood board on her wall.

“Your mood board… it actually has me shook, babe,” Jackie said breathlessly. Shuffling towards the wall, Jackie inspected it closely. On the mood board there were clothes Jackie had, had seen or some she knew Danielle must have printed off the internet. “I have wanted a mood board my entire life, you are amazing,” Jackie praised the overlapping and colour scheme that Danielle had given it. “This is art,” she continued to gush, getting close as possible to stare at the small cut outs.

“Thank you,” Danielle’s laugh was small and sincere, her cheeks warming. “This kind of the fashion I want.”

“There’s isn’t any plaid…” Jackie said, stating as her eyes trailed over the stripes, cuts and the gloriousness of Danielle’s mood board.

“I – yes it does,” Danielle defended, taking a long sip from her smoothie before pointing a skirt that was mostly red with thin lines across it. “See… plaid.”

“How did you come to get into wearing plaid?” Jackie asked, following Danielle as she walked across the room to sit on one of her white couches. Jackie joined her. Danielle didn’t skip a beat before replying, she already had an answer.

“My Daddy owns an accounting firm in the city, I’m going to work reception when I leave school,” she giggled, tilting her head in a pose. “So, I need to dress totes profesh to get into the role.”
Jackie had no idea or way to explain why she wore what she wore, she was almost jealous that Danielle had her fashion expression expressed. The difference between what Danielle wore was a total contrast to what was on her mood board. Mood boards were an idea, a dream, a way to express a goal in which someone wants to be. They were two completely different people.
Jackie and Danielle jumped when the door to her room swung open, revealing a short fourteen-year-old boy. His dark hair was tousled, and he was screwing his face up as she looked into the overly pink bedroom. He made no note of Jackie as he walked into the room. He had very similar facial features to Danielle. This must have been Henry. “I need you to sign this so I can go to football,” he demanded, shoving a crumpled piece of paper into Danielle’s face.

“I’m not your Mum,” she scoffed, put pulled a sparkling pink pen off the side table. She signed it anyway. The signature must have been their Mother’s.

“Thanks – wait, where’d you get the smoothies?” He whined, pointing at the pink drinks they both had. “Whose that,” his finger stayed pointing at Jackie.

“That’s Jackie, she’s friends with Nia,” Danielle smirked, satisfied when the younger boys face turned bright red. “Anyway, Jon said to tell you there’s a smoothie for you in the kitchen,” the boy did a celebratory dance, snatching the singed form off his sister before running out his sister’s room.

“I’ve never seen someone go so red before,” Jackie laughed, watching Danielle put the pen back. Laughing, she nodded her head enthusiastically.

“He does it every time,” Danielle said, a slight scoff following her statement. “Hey, just between us, my Mum isn’t really interested in us as you can tell – but I can trust you not to go around and spill that to anyone?”

“Definitely, I’m not going to tell anyone Danny,” Jackie said softly, placing a hand on her friends’ shoulder. “I understand what it is like to not have a parent in your life,” Jackie let her hand fall slowly from Danielle’s shoulder.

“Is your Mum…” Danielle trailed off, hope in her tone. Her eyes were such an interesting colour. It was like the sun shone into them all the time, making them glow brightly. A rich honey that it was a solid colour of brown. Her eyes nearly matched the dark colour and thickness of Jackie’s mother’s hair. It was like her eyes were chocolate. And in those chocolate eyes was a small girl who was looking to relate to someone.

“Oh – no, not my Mum,” Jackie shook her head. “But my Dad died almost a year ago… so he’s not around.”

“Jackie… I’m so sorry,” Danielle said, tearing up slightly, she wrapped her arms around Jackie’s neck. Moving their smoothies out the way, Danielle held on tightly for a few moments. “I didn’t mean to complain – here I am talking about how my Mother doesn’t talk to me enough while you – “

“Just because you feel someone has it worse, doesn’t mean you still aren’t hurting,” Jackie frowned, bringing her smoothie up to her lips again, before continuing. “I love this heart to heart we’re having right now.”

“I’m digging it,” Danielle said smiling, allowing the conversation to change. The two conversed about plaid for what felt like forever – but it had only been an hour. Danielle pulled the crop top and skirt she had bought out. She held it close to admire it, a sweet smile on her face. “Jackie, you’re my good luck charm,” she turned to Jackie with a twinkle in her eye. “I can’t believe I’m going to wear something like this to a party, thank you so much.”

“Hey, it was no problem. You’re a hoot to shop with,” Jackie smiled, bumping her shoulder against Danielle’s. Danielle wriggled excitedly in her spot, the largest grin Jackie had seen from the girl, on her face. “We definitely need to do it again sometime.”

“Yeah, except ditch Sal and Sofia,” Danielle snorted in distaste, rolling her eyes. “I’m sorry that they tried to bag Nia and Oliver out like that – they’re just losers,” she didn’t meet Jackie’s gaze, she stayed focused on the material of her clothing. Jackie nodded, biting her lip she watched as Danielle stood up. “But don’t let them ruin anything, you do you boo,” she popped her hip, swaying her hips as she picked up a coat hanger.

“I’m super excited for this weekend,” Jackie said, fist pumping the air. Danielle cheered as well, hanging her weekend party outfit onto the coat hanger.

“I know I am going to be dropping jaws, considering this isn’t plaid or a blouse, but what about you? I can only assume you will look hot,” Danielle asked, clearly eager to know what Jackie’s clothing choice would be for the big start of year party. Jackie wanted to keep it more on the lowkey, but she knew what Danielle was wearing, she may as well even the playing field.

“I’m wearing a red dress?” Jackie said, but made it sound more like a question.

“Red, the colour of passion, I dig it,” Danielle giggled, hanging her outfit off one of the roller racks she had in her room. In total, there were three roller racks in Danielle’s room. It made Jackie feel like she was in a stylist’s pad – or that it was some sort of at home shop. All she knew is, she wanted one. “I think your Mum is here,” Danielle said, looking out her window.

Jackie stood up, looking out the gigantic window, she saw her Mother’s car pulling up the driveway. “That’s her,” Jackie nodded, standing up to get a full view. “I believe that is my cue to scoot,” swinging her bag over her shoulder, Danielle latched onto Jackie’s arm, leading them both out of her room. “I had a very lovely time, Danny.”

“Yes,” Danielle agreed, dragging out her s as they walked down the stairs. “Mum! My friend’s leaving!” Danielle called into the house, the echo surprising and nearly made Jackie jump.

“I’m on the phone Danielle!” was the response she received.

Jackie and Danielle, arm in arm, walked out the front door. Jackie’s Mother was stumbling up the steps, rifling through her purse. She wore a purple suit jacket and skirt, with matching stiletto heels. Danielle’s jaw dropped as she took in Jackie’s Mother.

“I was wondering where Jackie got her killer style,” Danielle spoke up, releasing her grip on Jackie to approach a started Diana. “Jackie, you never told me your Mum was this gorgeous – Hi, I’m Danielle,” Danielle gave Jackie’s Mum a toothy smile, tilting her head to the side and extending a hand for the woman to shake.

“Nice to meet you Danielle, I’m Diana,” Diana took her hand respectfully, shaking it gently twice before turning to Jackie. “Everything good, didn’t miss me too much?” she taunted, reaching out and tugging on her daughter’s hair.

“Mum,” Jackie whined, swatting her Mother’s hand away.

“I guess we’ll be seeing you around Danielle,” Diana smiled, brushing her hand against the young girl’s arm. Jackie wrapped her arms around Danielle, squeezing the girl tightly.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jackie said grinning, pulling back from their hug.