Once Upon A Century...

CHAPTER - 5

Tiara looked like she had seen her missing piece. Awestruck. If Kiki didn't know better, she'd have thought Fikayo was in the store. She resisted the urge to shake her off whatever reverie she was in.

Without taking as much as a glance at Kiki, Tiara shoved her aside. Like a hypnotized five-year old trailing candy, she walked straight to the mannequin standing right in the middle of the store without blinking even once. Kiki, on seeing the dress, mirrored her friends actions, the dress, acting like a magnet, pulling them in. They both stood in front of the dress and gawked at it like forever.

"I'm taking it!" Tiara chirped, breaking the silence. "This is the feeling I've been wanting to feel... Love at first sight."

She signaled to one of the store attendants for her attention. A 5'7ft tall, dark skinned lady wearing a puff-sleeved floral wrap top on skinny jeans, with her hair packed into a bun, approached them with a seemingly fake smile that made Tiara wonder if her cheeks hurt. She probably had to put on a smile for every customer - poor thing.

"Good evening, Madams, how may I be of assistance?" The lady asked, her cheeky plastic smile not wavering, both hand clasped together in front of her.

"We like this dress" Kiki responded, mirroring the lady's grimace-looking smile. Tiara immediately shot Kiki a warning look that screamed 'be nice' while Kiki responded with a casual shrug. They both returned their gaze to the store attendant as she spoke.

"Well, this dress you see here is one of its kind. Quite an expensive one." She said, shifting her gaze from one lady to the other, nodding slightly as she spoke.

"The stones you see on this piece, are real diamonds," she continued, laying emphasis on 'diamonds' as she made eye contact with Kiki. "It is in fact, one of the best of the best of the Calista Magnito 2021 bridal collection and I strongly doubt you can afford it." She concluded, looking Tiara up to down as politely as possible, the fake smile not leaving her face.

Kiki tsked, inching closer to Tiara to whisper, "This is what you get for asking me to be nice"
Then she went ahead to whisper little louder,
"Looks like someone's thirty-five and single because they couldn't afford even the cheapest of wedding gowns." Looking everywhere but at the store attendant.

Tiara snorted out laughing but quickly caught herself by throwing a hand over her mouth.

The store attendant's mouth was agape in embarrassment. "I. Heard that." She said through gritted teeth, glaring at Kiki.

"Oops!" Kiki said, turning to Tiara "she heard me" wearing an innocent look.

The attendant clenched and unclenched her fists, breathing in and out to calm her nerves as she summoned back her professionalism.

"Ahem! To save all of our precious time," she said elegantly, getting into professional character. "This dress is five hundred and eighty two thousand naira, only. Now ladies, if you'd excuse me" She turned to leave, a smirk appearing on her face.

"Where can I make payment?" Tiara asked, stopping her in her tracks.

She turned to them looking like she was having a hard time breathing.
"You're... You're buying the dress?" She stuttered.

"Yes, we're... We're... Buying the dress" Kiki responded, mimicking her.

Tiara heaved a deep sigh wondering what she was supposed to do with her friend.

"I mean... Sure, you'll pay to me. Cash, transfer or debit card. Any means you want. You can also try it on to see if it's a perfect fit, otherwise, the designer can adjust it to your perfect fit."