“I’m just looking out for the both of us,” she pointed out. “I don’t want to cause you trouble either.”
That sentence shut him up. That’s right. That was what I used to wish for, too.
The flashy car eventually arrived at Skylar’s destination and slowed to a stop by the roadside, drawing the attention
of many passers-by.
She didn’t even think about saying “bye” or “thank you” before rushing out of the car and making a beeline for the
studio.
The job this time was a photoshoot for a magazine cover. Skylar was the main star of the photoshoot, while Molly
and a few other trainees were the extra models.
The last time she’d met Molly, the girl had spilled an entire cup of coffee onto Tobias at the company building.
Molly approached her as she was getting her makeup done. The trainee was dressed in a schoolgirl outfit, complete
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtwith white thigh-high socks and black Mary Janes that complimented her slim frame.
Skylar couldn’t help but admire the way puberty had helped Molly grow into the beautiful girl she was today. The
latter hadn’t lost an ounce of the confidence her family had taught her; she still seemed like a spoilt princess
wherever she would go.
Clinging onto Skylar’s arm, Molly excitedly told her, “Hi, Skylar! I specifically went to buy some handmade candy
from the shop near our place when I heard you’d be coming today! You used to love that candy, right?”
There used to be a shophouse in the residential area Skylar used to live in that had been popular amongst kids for
its selection of snacks such as homemade candy, pretzels, and donuts.
She’d even paid a visit a few days ago and had been delighted to learn that the owner of the shop was still the
exact same one from when she was younger. Unfortunately, she felt like the taste of the snacks sold there had
changed greatly.
Perhaps it was because her preferences had changed after growing up. She recalled with nostalgia how she
couldn’t bear to finish the candy in one go as a kid and would nibble at it slowly to preserve it for as long as she
could.
Sometimes, she would bring the candy back home to eat while watching Powerpuff Girls. Sometimes, grandma
would appear with a broom and telling her to turn the TV off, going on and on about how watching too much TV
was bad for Skylar’s eyes and that it was a waste of electricity.
Even in hindsight, Skylar never once thought of her grandma as being too stingy. She knew it had been hard for her
grandma to raise her with a salary of only a thousand a month.
If only Grandma was still around. I would finally be able to spoil her. I would buy her everything we couldn’t afford in
the past.
Skylar shot Molly a polite smile. “It’s the thought that counts. Thank you for thinking of me.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Molly’s grin widened even further. “Don’t mention it! We’re best friends after all!”
Skylar’s mind blanked. A small voice that sounded like Kate’s in the back of her mind chimed in, “When you get
popular, the entire entertainment industry is going to want to be your friend.”
Since when have Molly and I become so close that she regards us “best friends” now?
Dressed in a simple white T-shirt and blue skinny jeans, Skylar looked perfect under the camera lens. There wasn’t
a single flaw on her face, and not a single strand of her shoulder-length dark hair was out of place.
The photographers kept praising her amazing body proportions, going on and on about how she was born to be a
star.
In a small crowd of trainees that stood off to one side and watched the photoshoot, someone whispered into Molly’s
ear, “You and Skylar are friends, right? Do you know if the whole ‘rags to riches’ Cinderella story she used to sell is
true?”
Molly kept her gaze fixed on Skylar, who was posing and throwing a cool look of disdain towards the camera. “Of
course it is,” she replied, smirking. “She led quite a pitiful childhood, actually. Her dad abandoned her, so she was
raised by her grandmother. Yet, she’s still maintained her values and views of money, even after becoming a
celebrity. You see that necklace around her neck? It doesn’t even cost a thousand.”