He gave me one month of freedom while he made some lie up about me staying with a rich associate of his in Bel-Air to assist with a charity ball being held there.
That’s it.
I was already the black sheep of the family.
The only daughter who’s willing to question his decisions.
The real question is what will life look like being Gabriella Carmichael, ex-Carmichael heiress, and homeless bum on the streets, since I have nothing to my name?
Oh, I take it back, I have a college degree majoring in English. The only decision my parents approved of, me attending college at Yale University. I found out after graduating that my father only allowed me to attend to make our family’s image appear more prominent in our over-privileged society. As soon as I arrived back home, the realization of my so-called family responsibilities became apparent. My college degree meant nothing if I couldn’t use it to get an actual job.
My mother was quick to point out at the time that my social life, once I became the new Mrs. King, would be my only focus, and a career would simply be unnecessary.
Decisions, all of which were thrown at me and which were never mine to make. The path had supposedly been paved, and whether I liked it or not, I would be walking down it with Sebastian King as my husband.
Inside the pocket of my white linen shorts, my phone vibrates. Pulling it out, I quickly glance at the screen to see the name Prince Charming in a text message.
“Speak of the devil,” I mutter.
Aubrey waits in anticipation. She admitted over brunch one day that as of late, life had all been about Chance and CJ, so girl talk was refreshing. She lived vicariously through my complicated love life.
Prince Charming: Did you get the gift I sent?
I sigh, raising the phone so Aubrey can read it. She purses her lips, pulling her hair out of its ponytail only to tie it back up into a messy bun.
“What are you going to respond with?”
Aubrey was out front yesterday when the cute UPS driver arrived with a very large package. I signed for it, made small talk with him, then opened the box. It was a stuffed pet pig. Since I was a small child, I’ve had this fascination with pigs. My mother said it was extremely unladylike to have a fascination with such a filthy animal. I remember pointing out to her that if she thought it was so filthy, why did she eat ham on her fancy sandwiches. I was banished to my room and punished by not being allowed to eat at the dinner table. The joke was on them—I hated dining with my parents anyway, and the maid brought extra ice cream to my room.
“I don’t know. The whole point of a break and me moving out here for the summer is to find myself. How can I find myself when Prince Charming is sending me a dozen texts a day, not to mention gifts?”
“Do you know what you need?” Aubrey questions, tapping her index finger against her lips. “You need to completely forget that the world back home exists. Do something wild tonight, something you’ve never done before. Once you get a taste of this so-called new life, chances are you probably won’t look back.”
Aubrey doesn’t understand my life back home. It’s nothing like this with fancy dinner party after dinner party, charity balls, political trails. The list of wealthy social events goes on.
But I have, in the two weeks of staying here, gotten somewhat of a taste of this new life. I’ve spent most of my time on the beach reading, practicing yoga, and lonesome dinners attempting to cook. Harder than you think considering I grew up in a privileged household, and our cook, Pierre, prepared every meal. I’ve mastered eggs—a small accomplishment making me prouder than I thought possible. “You’re right. I’m not tied down. Well, technically, Sebastian and I are on a break.”
“How very Ross and Rachel of you,” Aubrey giggles.
“You know what I mean.” I place my phone back into my pocket with newfound confidence “Can I ask you for a favor?”
“Is it to borrow Pixy to attract guys? I tell you, it’s not the first time I’ve been asked, and honestly, he doesn’t like the pressure of being a pawn in someone’s dating game.”
“No.” I laugh. “Everything I own is very… um… conservative. If I’m going to experience life, I need an outfit that screams ‘look at me, I’m in California.’”
“Oh,” Aubrey mouths. “I have just the dress.”
I follow Aubrey into her house quietly, careful not to wake CJ. Chance is sprawled on the couch wearing a beaten-up tank with this arm underneath his head, immersed in some soccer match while Aubrey motions for me to follow her to the bedroom.
Inside her wardrobe, she pulls each garment aside before removing a black dress from the back.
It’s simple, sits mid-thigh with thin straps over the shoulder. Better than anything I have sitting inside my wardrobe. I’m not fond of shopping, in fact, I despise it. Everything I own is my mother’s doing.
“I wore this dress on a night out with Chance in Vegas. Kind of the beginning of us but also the end.”
It didn’t make sense, and my confused expression must have relayed that.
Aubrey laughs. “I know, complicated. Anyway, it’s yours for tonight.”
I kindly accept the dress, placing it against me as I stare in the mirror.
Aubrey was right. Tonight, I need to let my hair down and enjoy life. This is what I came here for, and no one else controls what I do here but me.
If I am going to do this—live life to the fullest—I need to do it to the best
