Fabriella Starr

Chapter Five

"They're in the other room waiting their turn," Caleb explained. "Mr. Rigg is very strict on cheating." He also probably wouldn't approve of them using his lab room without permission, but since there wouldn't be any erupting volcanoes—thankfully none of them were dedicated enough to build one—he would never even know they were there.

The parents nodded their understanding, but Ren continued to give him that weird look she gave when he arrived at her doorstep. Filled with a mix of suspicion, confusion, and shock, her eyes roamed his hot red, giraffe print jeans and black shirt with red, puffy C's all over it. He was used to the stares, and the laughs, whenever he sported his self-made threads. Especially from his "trendy", unoriginal peers. He didn't let it get to him, though. They were just peeved they hadn't thought of it first.

"Please follow me this way." Caleb led them to a lab table where a large object sat covered by his cactus covered bed sheet. "I give you Mouse Versus Maze!" He yanked off the sheet to reveal a stuffed, basketball sized mouse in a maze crafted out of a large cardboard box. At the end of the maze lay a slice of Swiss cheese. Clearly, the giant mouse was way too big to fit through the pathways, but it was the best he could come up with in so little time. The project didn't need to be A worthy. It just needed to be convincing enough so the Clarkes wouldn't catch onto the fact that the science fair they were now attending didn't exist. Seeing the baffled looks on their faces, he probably should have aimed for at least a D-.

Mr. Clarke opened his mouth to speak.

"Shh!" Caleb homed in on his experiment. "He's concentrating."

Ren's weird look intensified. "You're a strange dude."

***

Backstage, Ariella added a ribbon tied bracelet set to Mae's outfit. The outfit that was supposed to be worn by one of her models, but since there weren't any models present, she had to improvise. That was the last time she would hire random strangers to work for her again. "Thanks for doing this, Mae. What would I do without you?"

Mae began to speak then snapped her mouth shut. "KITY."

Ariella already knew what she was thinking because she was thinking it too. She was just glad Mae was gracious enough not to say it out loud. "Are you ready?"

"If ready means on the verge of losing my last meal, then yup." Mae nodded. "I'm all set."

Ariella felt bad for putting her on the spot like this, but she was the only person she could get on short notice. If it weren't for her wanting to look like a professional, she would have pulled people out from the crowd. She owed Mae one big time. "I believe in you. You can do this."

Mae took a deep breath and lifted her chin. "I can do this."

"No you can't." Torin strutted off the stage twirling a flaming baton. It was too bad she wasn't a magician too. Then she could accidentally make herself disappear.

Ariella looked out to the auditorium. At the edge of the stage, a catwalk had been built out of desks pushed together in a row and veiled by a stretch of purple fabric. It was time for Ariella's clothing line debut.

Danny stood behind a podium holding note cards. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, get ready for our first ever fashion show. Feast your eyes on the original styles and designs of Ariella Clarke."

Purple and blue lights glowed and techno music pounded through the speakers as Mae appeared onstage. Ooh's and ahh's rippled through the crowd as they observed the simple, yet stunning patchwork jeans, and the royally gorgeous jeweled denim vest. Mae strutted to the beat like a pro and posed at the end of the runway. Ariella couldn't have been prouder.

Danny read off the cards. "This brilliant ensemble is embellished with gems that will have heads turning and eyes twinkling. It is also one hundred percent made out of recycled denim. Go Green!"

Mae lifted a thumb approvingly.

***

Back in the science lab, Caleb stared intensely at the stuffed mouse while the Clarkes stared strangely at him. A bing from his pocket broke the silence. He smiled apologetically at his guests then pivoted to check his new message. It was from Ariella.

He pivoted back around then purposely bumped his hip against the table. The mouse tilted over the maze's cardboard borders and planted face first into the slice of cheese. "Now he's just showing off," Caleb laughed as he moved backward toward the door. "Our next presenter will be right with you. In the meantime, help yourself to the cheese." He raced out of the room.

***

Caleb rushed backstage to a frantic Ariella. "I got your text. I couldn't make out what 'pamuc' meant, but it sounded like an emergency."

"Panic!" Ariella said. Even her autocorrect was against her. Her heart was racing. Her hands were sweating. Is this how it felt to be a contestant on Mission Catwalk? "I'm starting to panic. Mae had to show off one of my designs because none of my models have shown up. What am I going to do? We're running out of time."

"Just relax," Caleb soothed. While she was quickly sinking into hot mess territory, Caleb remained calm and stress-free. "Have a little confidence. Confidence makes everything work."

Ariella's phone binged in her hand. She checked the message. "My models just canceled!" Now even Caleb looked pamucked. "Everything but that."

***

What do you think of Ariella's fashion show so far? Would you rock any of her designs? 

-Love, Charly