TweetyGram

7 - #50ShadesOfPink

Everywhere I looked, I saw pink. A set of millennial-pink abstract paintings adorned the blush-pink wall, cheerful bubblegum-pink furniture filled the living room, and a baby-pink shag rug covered the floor, to name a few. Even the grand piano nestled near the winding staircase was pink. There must've been at least fifty shades of pink in here.

I was about to sit on the rose-gold sofa when Nat linked her arm with mine.

"This way, please," she sang, pulling me toward her bedroom and leaving Almond, who was busy with the dogs, in the living room.

Nat's bedroom was thrice the size of my bedroom, complete with a king-sized bed, an 85-inch TV, and a crystal chandelier. As I stepped into the room, I felt the poisonous serpents in my head watching me with malice, ready to crawl out of the jungle.

This is ridiculous, Lindsey. Stop it.

I glanced around in search of something to distract me. My eyes fell on the book on the bedside table.

"Since when did you start reading?" I teased, picking up the raunchy novel.

Nat stopped in front of the vanity across the room, her cheeks flushed bright pink. "Don't tell anyone, but I still don't. If I didn't get an offer to star in the big-screen adaptation of that book, I wouldn't be reading it either."

I gasped. "You're going to star in the Fifty Shades of Pink movie? As Anabella Silver?"

"I got the offer." There was a hint of pride in her voice. "But I haven't accepted it."

"Why not? It's going to turn you into a superstar," I joked. "Not that you're not a superstar already."

"That's exactly what my agent said. They keep telling me I need to do more mature roles to be taken seriously as an actress, and they're not wrong. I can't keep on being a teen soap opera star forever. But I just . . ." A shadow of hesitation crossed her face. "The book is so raunchy and—never mind." She put on a cheery smile and picked up a pink envelope from her vanity. "Here's the list of people who told me they got"—she held the envelope to the side of her mouth and lowered her voice into a whisper—"you-know-what by you-know-who."

"Thanks." I opened the envelope and pulled out a note, frowning when I saw what was written on it. "It took you three days to get three usernames?"

"Sorry." She offered an apologetic grin, shrugging a little. "I was busy."

"It's alright. Thanks."

My eyes scanned the short list of usernames on the note and paused when I saw a familiar name: @OliviaMWalker.

"Something wrong?" Nat asked.

"I used to tutor a girl named Olivia Walker back when I was in college. She's a junior at Rietveld-Beaumont," I replied, keeping my voice down. "I wonder if it's the same person."

I was about to check the user's TweetyGram account when Snowbear and Cocobear scurried into the room.

Almond knocked on the door and peeked into the room. "Hey, guys. Sorry to interrupt. I have to get going. It's nice to meet you again, Lindsey. See you tomorrow, Nat."

"Oh, Almond, wait. I got you a little something." Nat rushed to the living room and picked up the pink box on the coffee table. "Happy graduation!"

Almond brought her hand to her chest. "Oh, Nat. You shouldn't have."

"Please. You deserve it." Nat handed the box over to Almond, whose eyes flickered with curiosity. "Go on. Open it."

Almond placed the box on the sofa table, feet tapping on the floor with excitement. She unwrapped her present and squealed with delight when she saw what was inside the box: a teddy bear wearing a graduation cap and holding a handwritten note from Nat, a jewelry box shaped like a graduation cap, and a novel.