The deal day was finally here, Mia's birthday party. The reason she had tirelessly worked for 3 whole straight days to make sure the event turned out perfect and as planned, just like evey other thing in her life. She didn't go through all the stress for herself. Hell no!! She knew her birthday party were another means for her family to seal deals and create new partnership so she needed that day to be nothing less than perfect.
She sat quietly in her dressing room, staring at herself in the mirror. She couldn't say for sure why but the person staring right back at her felt like a stranger. Her mind has been on what Natasha said about her being mummy's pet. The truth behind that was that it was not a lie. Here she is, turning 19 with no single thing of her own. No plans, no memories of any sute that belonged to her. Everything she did was for her parents. Her life was basically not hers. She felt like a caged bird but the only difference was that she was not physically caged. She felt suffocated most times but she had to endure it after all, she was the reason why her brother left. She did give him lots of stress on caring for her while her parents were away that he ran away. That's what she have always believed and told herself and no one cared to prove or tell her otherwise.
She sat quietly at the mirror as her dressers tried their best to make her look like a Barbie doll. That's what she was after all, a doll met for her family use. They applied different types of make up on her which she really didn't get why, cause the party was an evening event. But she did not utter a single word of complain. She just let them do their job cause she knew that was what her mother wanted. Few hours into the whole preparation thing, they were finally done and indeed she looked beautiful. She wore her white long beautiful dress that made it look like it was her wedding day. She paired her dress with a pair of sliver heels and had her red bouncy hair pined in the middle while the rest were left to fall graciously. She looked like one of those animate creations.

The only thing she loved about herself were her looks cause that was the only thing she so rightfully owned. She's good at a lot of things, no doubt but that's cause her parents made her master them. She even took self defense class considering the kind of business and man her father is.
She was lost, staring at her self in the mirror and recalling how bad her life has been in the last 19 years. She had never complained about anything. She just did what she was told to do like a good little doll so she didn't understand this thought of lack of satisfaction she have been having this pass months. She was lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the door open as a slender tall figure walked into her room.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Ava asked with a smile on her face,drawing Mia out from what so ever self pity she was into.
"Ava, you're here" Mia said giving her a fake smile which she knew that Ava knew way too well.
"Okay, talk. What's going on?" Ava asked. She was not a fool. She have noticed how soar and absence minded Mia have been of late. She thought maybe it has been the stress of the birthday preparation. But now she thought of it, when has stress ever made her look this loss in thought. Something was definitely wrong, she concluded.
"What do you mean?" Mia asked as innocent and clueless as ever. She did know that she could not fool Ava. The girl has been with her as long as she can remember, but she was not sure if Ava will understand how she felt. After all, Ava's life was the complete opposite of hers. She was the only child of the Chris family but she got all she wanted. She went out, had fun and did all she wanted to do without her parents detecting them for her. This made Mia envy Ava a lot. She wished she could have a life that was outside hers.
"Seriously? Are we going to play this game?" Ava asked her while giving her the are you kidding me look.
"Ava,.....it's..." She did wanted to tell her but she was having a hard time putting it the way Ava would understand.
"Hey, you can talk to me. I'm right here and I promise to understand" Ava said reassuring her that she will understand. The look she gave her made her want to wrap her hands around her best friend as she poured out all her troubles to her. But she knew she could not do that unless she would spoil her make-up and she knew just how strict Mia's parents were.
"I'm tired" she simply said. She was expecting Ava to ask her what she was tired of but she didn't. Instead, she watched her closely and gave her a small nod as a sign of encouragement for her to continue. "I feel so dam tired. I feel suffocated like I'm drowning. I want to live Ava, I really do want to live. Not the kind of life I've got now cause obviously this isn't a live" she said while letting out a small laugh of pain. "I really do want to live Ava. I want to find myself. I don't want to be this animate doll they created me to be. For once, Ava I want something that isn't this!!" She said letting out a frustrating yell.
"Hey, hey. It's alright, clam down" she said trying to clam down her friend that was at the bridge of crying. She looked at her for few moments trying to select the right words to say to her. Ava was never the kind of girl that cared about anyone or anything but when it comes to Mia, she cared a lot. Mia was the only person she did care about a lot apart from her parents. She loved mia like a sister and she did understand what she was going through. "You know what? Fuck that lie I just told you. It's not alright but you do need to clam down cause we don't want to drew attention. I was starting to wonder when you will grow fed up with that your asshole of a parents. No offence tho". Ava said looking unapologetic about what she just said.
" none taken " Mia replied her with a sad smile.
"Now, listen up. If you do need my help, you've got to do exactly what I tell you to do. Understood?" Ava asked her starring at her to make sure she understood what she meant.
She hesitated for a while before shaking her head and replying her "understood!" She said giving her a smile filled with pain and longing.
"Now, today is your big day and you've got to enjoy it. I need you to go out there with your head held high and your best smile and do all you want to do, unapologetically". She said giving her the serious loom to let her friend know that she was not kidding.
" but mum..... "Mia said but was cut off by her friend voice.
"No buts Mia. You ain't a child anymore. You're fucking 19. Now, you will do what I've told you and tomorrow, we are going to party. Not your usual party tho, this will be far better". Ava told her smiling widely like she could already see how her plan will end up.
" and how are we going to pull that off?" Mia asked bearing In mind that she has an assigned bodyguard that keeps track of her all the time.
"Don't worry your pretty self, I've got the situation under control". Ava told her sounding so confident in what so ever plan she had.
" okay" Mia said to her. She had confidence in Ava but she knew her mother won't be easily fooled. She just silently prayed that everything will go well. "Do you think Zach is proud of me and what I'm about to do now?" She asked feeling sad again. Her brother was a touching topic to her and she was surprised with herself for bringing him up so casually.
Ava gave her the pity looks and immediately masked it cause she knew how much mia hate being pitied. "He will my love, he will" with that, ava pulled her in for a hug. She knew no amount of words could console her Friend's bleeding heart so she hoped that the hug she was giving her presently would work some magic. She held onto Mia so tight like she was scared of letting go.
After few minutes of them holding each other tight, Mia felt much better. She freed herself from Ava's strong holds and took one last glance at her self on the mirror, turned towards Ava and said "here goes nothing. Let's get this over with" with a happy and determined smile, the girls left the room and went down the stairs to go meet their date for the night. And together, they made their way to their different couple's car and drove off to the destination of the event.