Dana grumbled under her breath, "We are definitely going to that mall, and after this, I'm never hanging out with you again."
Cassidy was too caught up in the excitement of Dana having money to notice her friend's barely audible muttering.
While Dana's face was turned towards Cassidy, smiling in a way that could charm anyone, in the mind - Vance's mind, was full of chaos. "The best thing to do is to avoid causing any scandal," he thought. "To avoid causing any scandal, I'll avoid any women."
The turmoil within him was carefully masked by the innocent smile on Dana's face, as he spoke through Dana in a friendly tone with Cassidy.
At that moment, Hollywood droned on,
[Mission 2: Update your superstar stats to an average level and above]
[Rewards: Get bonuses for each stat you update to average]
[Rewards: Get surprise gifts for each stat you update above average]
Vance barely make out the words, focusing on Cassidy's bubbly excitement about going to the mall.
The notification from Hollywood continued.
[The time limit for this mission is unlimited]
Vance breathed a sigh of relief. It was great to know he had all the time he needed.
Cassidy's voice, full of excitement and anticipation as she spoke, "Come on, Dana! Let's change, change, change!" She beamed at her friend, who seemed nervous.
Dana stammered, "You mean... change in front of you? I'd wear the hospital gown then." Her smile seemed a bit forced, but Cassidy was convinced it was genuine.
Cassidy was not about to give up. "Of course. Are you shy? I've seen you change a hundred times before!" she exclaimed with excitement. "Are you really sure you'd wear that?"
Dana nodded vigorously. "Yes, I'm absolutely sure, a hundred thousand percent sure," she replied, with a conviction that was hard to ignore.
Cassidy let out a long sigh, permitting the matter to rest. "All right, you're the boss," she said as she opened the door. Dana followed her out of the room.
Though her money was with Cassidy, Dana didn't seem to mind. She was content to follow Cassidy's lead and find a place where she could prepare for her new mission as an artist.
Vance could hardly contain his excitement, imagining the endless possibilities that awaited them - he and Dana. "This world is about to go down for us, baby!" he thought.
There was bliss and happiness in the air as they walked outside of the apartment towards Cassidy's car. It was fortunate that the apartment was somewhat isolated with no neighbors, and it belonged to Cassidy.
As they reached the car, Cassidy had no worries about anyone seeing Dana in her hospital clothes. Dana was her best friend, and Cassidy was determined to protect her from embarrassment, even if it meant some shame for herself.
She wasn't bothered by the prospect of being seen in such a situation. To her, nothing mattered more than her friend's comfort and happiness.
Arriving at where the red flashy car was packed, Cassidy opened the passenger door and said to Dana, "Climb in, chica. I'm going to take good care of you." She said it in a playful, seductive tone, and then gave Dana a light slap on the butt.
Dana yelped, "Hey! You can't do that!" Vance felt offended. He had been slapped by a woman in the soft area. Where's her dignity?
Cassidy just laughed and teased, "You used to love it when I did that, chica!" She then got into the driver's seat.
Dana felt annoyed, but she didn't want to show it. She knew that Cassidy didn't mean any harm. Vance, meanwhile, thought to himself, "She's not just beautiful, she also acts like..."
He cut off his thoughts, not wanting to think about what he'd been about to say.
No matter how close Dana had become to Cassidy over the years, Vance felt he still needed to sever this stupid friendship.
Dana yanked open the door to the back seat of the car and slided in, instead of sitting in the front, next to Cassidy.
Cassidy gave a light laugh. "You're still annoyed, aren't you?" she teased. "Come on, don't be mad. We're best friends." She offered a reassuring smile. "Okay, you sit in the back seat, and I'll be your chauffeur."
With that, she started the engine and drove off to the mall.
*****
As soon as they arrived at the mall, Cassidy approached the receptionist, who greeted her warmly. "Oh, hello, Miss Keith! How are you today?"
The receptionist's smile was genuine and friendly.
Cassidy forced a smile as she replied, "Oh, hello! I'm doing well, thanks. How are you?" The receptionist responded, "I'm doing great, Miss Keith! And how's your mother doing?"
Cassidy's smile faded slightly. For years, people had known her only as the daughter of the famous Keith. It was frustrating, to say the least. Cassidy felt that people only paid attention to her because of her mother's status.
There was one person, however, who didn't treat her differently because of her mother's fame - Dana. That was one of the things Cassidy most appreciated about her friend.
Despite her frustration, Cassidy answered with a polite smile, "I'm doing well, and my mom is doing great, too. If you want to talk to her, you'll have to call her. But right now, I'm the one here."
The receptionist seemed to understand the subtle rebuke. "Oh, of course," she said, her voice a bit awkward. "So, what brings you here today, Miss Keith? Are you here for the spa or to go shopping?"
"My friend, Dana and I are here for the spa and to get makeovers," Cassidy said with a smile.
"Of course, I'll make the arrangements," the receptionist replied, her voice cheerful again. She picked up the phone and spoke into it for a few moments.
As soon as they arrived, Dana took out her phone. Seeing the contact saved as "Funny Kenny," Dana decided to reach out to avoid potential issues, as Vance contemplated in her mind that it was good to be closer to a male friend than a female friend at such a point.
After sending the text, Dana returned her phone to her purse and looked up to see Cassidy standing before her. "The spa room is ready," Cassidy said. "Let's go!"
Dana nodded but refused to hold Cassidy's hand. "You lead the way," she said. "I'll follow you."
Cassidy suppressed her disappointment, hiding it behind a bright smile.
Although Cassidy was disappointed that Dana had refused to hold her hand, she reminded herself that Dana was paying for the spa day. It wasn't as if Cassidy had asked her to, and she wanted to enjoy the day without thinking of anything else.
So, she put on a bright smile and determined to have fun.
A few minutes later, Cassidy emerged from the spa room, her hair still damp from the treatment. She strolled over to the section with hair sprays and wigs, intent on finding a gift for Dana. Since she knew Dana loved the color pink, she decided to get a long pink wig.
"Dana has such long hair," she mused, "but a longer wig will just cover it completely."
Just as Cassidy reached for the pink wig, another hand grabbed it on the other side. She looked up in surprise, only to find Denver Gray standing there, smirking.