The room they had entered was full of women who wanted manicures and pedicures , help with hair and relaxers . Therefore she and her sister had to wait while her mother recieved special treatment because she is Mrs Woods , she was cut to the line and they attended her .
Mila held a small dusty-pink book in her hand that consists of different hairstyles and hair dyes , including nail sets and polishes . She was mindlessly staring at the hairstyles ; told by her younger sister to choose a style that they will both choose . Her mind was circulating with many thoughts . She missed her old life and she wondered if her friends still hold and value her just like the same . It is no lie that they call and FaceTime her just for silly chats , but it is no longer the same when a week passes where they haven't talk over the phone or them bugging her to invite them over for breakfast or dinner . Or them even visiting her house at all , even though knowing they will face the nasty and judgmental looks of her mother . She had to admit , her friends have changed on her and she could not stop the nagging thought at the back of her mind saying that they only called today because it's her birthday and they want to confirm where she is having the majestic celebration and at what time .
It's not that she is underestimating them or anything , but her friends could never afford the reservation at The Pearl Room . She knows her friends , they played their cards right and had predicted she would say no since she had long posted on her story about Jasmine coming for a visit and her saying how long she had last seen her young sister and off course , it was very predictable that she would be spending the whole day with Jasmine and wouldn't have much time with them and Jasmine would make it a plan not to let her leave her side because Jas is not a huge fan of Victoria and Sophia . But Mila could not blame Jasmine , nor force her to spend even a minute with them when her heart doesn't want to .
At the corner of her eyes , she sees the woman draped in baggy clothes and a long satchel bag hanging to her side . Mila looked at the painting she was hanging on the wall , she needed a reason to approach Wren and the painting plays a huge part in her plan . She places down the small book before she leans over to Jasmine who turns intrigued , thinking that she is about to say something juicy when in truth , it's the opposite of something juicy . "I want to have a word with Wren , just tell mom I went to the ladies room if ever she bursts out of that shining bubble of hers ."
Before Jasmine could say anything , Mila had already stood up and approached the lady . Jasmine watched , her mouth parted slightly . Their mother would cause a scene if she hears or finds out that Mila left to speak to the lady . The two sisters never really understood their mother's dislike or disgust for priests , fortune tellers , prophets or prophetess . Their mother doesn't even believe in God ! The thought had angered the religious and worshipping Jasmine when her mother had said they are praying to nothing but air and when they kneel in those churches , they are kneeling to the evilness in the world . Her mother had said that pastors are doing the work of the devil. How ironic . She believes in evil but not the good . It's like believing into Satan , the devil and not God .
Jasmine's black eyes , the same as her mother's and father's , a total opposite to Mila's golden brown eyes look at Mila accidentally bumped into the lady , which wasn't really an accident but her mind-tricking and slithery of a sister made it appear as an accident .
Jasmine watched as the duo exchanged words before they suddenly left the room . Jasmine glanced at her sister with alarmed eyes , the latter didn't even turn to spare her a glance . Her black eyes turn back to her mother who was still wrapped in that bubble of hers before she stood up and she rushed over to follow them .
Jasmine halted by the corner , peeping over the corner to see the duo enter a room . As she was about to follow them , she meets the eyes of little girl looking at her weirdly . The girl must be wondering why she is peeking over corners like a freak . She offers the little girl a small smile before she runs a little in her heels .
Standing over by the white door , Jasmine leans her head over to the door . She waited and strained her ears to listen . She heard nothing , until two teenage girls passed by her , they were looking at her weirdly and she could only cock her eyebrow up in a snarky manner and the teenage girls widened their eyes slightly before they bumped shoulders and spoke under their breathes to one another .
After they have disappeared , she concentrates on the door , but she still hears nothing . She grows irritated before she places her hand slowly on the handle and before she could turn it , the door suddenly opened , pulled her hand foward but she quickly jerked it back , placing it innocently on her chest while she looks at the person who opened the door innocently .
Thankfully , it wasn't her sister who opened the door , but Wren . The woman was shorter than you could imagine . Even though she was suspicious at why Jasmine stood by the door and was trying to eavesdrop on their conversation , the woman didn't show on her face but remained staring up at Jasmine. Yes , staring up at her , she is that short .
"Is Mila inside ?" Jasmine blurted out ," Mila Woods ?" She questions .
The woman still did not pass her a strange look , she rather remained expressionless and answered after her sweet time ," Yes ." Without further ado , Wren , so they called her , passed by her .
Jasmine looks back inside the room and she realised that it isn't a room but a door that leads outside . Before she could even be caught , Jasmine headed back to her seat .
Plopping herself down on the couch , Jasmine lifts up the book while eyeing her mother who seemed to haven't noticed their disappearance . She turned to glance behind to see if her sister had followed behind , but there is no sign of her . As she trails her eyes back to the book in her hand , her eyes caught a slight glimpse of the peeking stem out of Mila's book .
Frowning , she stretches her hand to the book and opens it slowly . A single red rose with thorns
The sudden halt of footsteps in front of her pull her to look up . She looks at the unsettled Mila clenching and unclenching her fists . Mila's golden brown eyes trained on the single red rose with thorns to where her book once sat . How did it get there ?