The Masked Singer

[Chapter Fourteen]

"I have a present for you," I say, hoping to make her feel better.

"Really?" Her eyes immediately light up.

Grabbing the plastic bag off my bed, I wave it across the screen. "This has everything I brought in New York, I'll show you when you get here." I smile cheekily.

"So evil." She frowns.

"Seriously?" I scream, "You live like, right across the road from me." Lucy pokes her tongue out, and then disconnects the call.

"You're so lucky!" Hannah says as she walks inside my room.

"Eh?" I frown.

"You got to go to New York, stay in the best hotels. Soon enough you'll be dating a hot celebrity, and touring the country," she says.

"All with a catch sister," I point out.

"I'd take it any day," she says with dreamy eyes. "So, what's in the bag?" Hannah plops on the side of my bed.

"Stuff." I shrug my shoulders, trying to play it cool.

Hannah rolls her eyes, and crosses her arms across her chest. "You're so excited, you're about to jump out of your skin," she says.

"I'm so excited." I bounce.

"How were you born first? You're nothing like an older sibling should be," Hannah notes.

"Well..." I wink at her. "When a mommy, and daddy..."

"Ew," she shrieks.

"... Anyways." I smile. "It's the stuff I brought in New York." I take a seat on the bed next to her, and open the bag. The first shirt I pick out is a cool pastel blue, with white fluffy clouds on it, along with a picture of the Effie Tower in animation.

"That's adorable!" Hannah compliments.

"Good, because that is for you." I hand it to her.

"Really? Thank you!" She hugs me tightly.

"Welcome." I chock out.

I half expect her take the t-shirt and run out of the room, but she clings onto my body. "I missed you," she whispers.

"I missed you to, oddly." I pat her back. "After Florida, you guys could visit me in New York, come see my performance – my shout of course." I giggle.

"Are you going to add a shopping trip?" She sniffles.

"I'll have to talk to my people about that... But I'm sure I can arrange something awesome like that." Hannah pulls away, and brushes a stray tear with her finger.

"You're kind of the best sister in the world..." she says.

"Kind of? Is that supposed to be a compliment?" I ask.

"Oh be quiet, you!" She smiles.

Poking my tongue out, I make her laugh. "I have to pack so that I can actually get to Florida, let along New York," I say. Hannah gets up, and starts walking to my door. Her shoulders are slumped, and she's dragging her feet along the ground. My heart pangs with guilt. "But I supposed you could help? I could do with some help."

"That would be great." Hannah chucks her shirt on my desk, and dives straight into my wardrobe to compose outfits. "What kind of look are you going for? Something pop?" she calls out.

"Think originality, I don't want to look like some clone in the magazine you read," I reply. I hear some laughter, and that scares me.

"We need to go shopping, your wardrobe is lame."

"Are you seriously calling Gucci lame?" Lucy shouts as she walks into the room.

"What?" Hannah pokes her head out of the wardrobe.

Lucy doesn't stop to explain herself, she grabs one of the shopping bags off the ground, and throws it at Hannah – the outside of the bag has the Gucci symbol on it. Hannah is quick to pull the content of the bag out.

"You have a Gucci shirt? I'm so jealous right now." Hannah holds it up against her body, and looks at herself in the mirror.

"If you're good, maybe I'll let you borrow them." I giggle, patting her on the head. Hannah crinkles her forehead, and then shakes her head.

"Hey," she grumbles.

Lucy and Hannah start rummaging through my clothing while I sit on my bed and watch. Every so often, one of them comes out holding two pieces of clothing up for my approval. They're relatively silent, but that's only until Hannah stumble upon my gift from Marina.

"What's in here?" Hannah shakes the garment bag. Lucy stops looking through clothes to stand near Hannah. As she unzips the garment bag, the green dress pops through.

"It's beautiful," they both whisper.

"Have you warn it yet?" Hannah asks.

"Of course she's worn it," Lucy cuts in. "Who wouldn't?" Lucy's fingers brush over the beading work on the bodice of the dress.

"To dinner last night," I answer. "Dad had business to attend on the last day, so I went shopping with the hotel owner's wife, Marina. She brought the dress for me, something about it being a crime in fashion if I didn't wear it." I chuckle at the thought.

"She sounds like an awesome person," says Lucy.

"She is," I agree. "But I probably won't be able to wear it again, fashion and all..." I tease.

"I could though," Hannah adds in excitedly.

"You can wear my Gucci shoes, this is all mine." Climbing off the bed, I pry the dress from their hands and place it back in my wardrobe. "This is special to me, and I've got better plans in mind for it."

"Really? I so love you right now." Hannah happily screams. She pulls me into a tight hug, squishing my body again.

"You're pretty cool yourself," I whisper. "Come on, I'm yet to see an outfit for tomorrow – you need to earn the privilege to wear Gucci!" I laugh.

"Well, I do have a couple of ideas, but you're going to have to try them on first."

"If I have to," I groan.