Ashlyn Masters
"Yo Theo, where the hell are you going this early in the morning? Doesn't work ever let you sleep?" I ask my brother, who is always is just in a nice flashy suit with a silk red tie I got him last Christmas. He gives me a small smile, ruffling my hair like used to do when we were kids.
He may have been three years older than me, but that didn't mean he's mature. He still acted like a vibrant sixteen year old boy he once was in highschool. He actually looked better than he did in highschool, to be fair in highschool my brother was mostly the dorky one. He skipped grades, read in the library during lunch, was always in those braniac things the school had, and the worst of all the way he dressed and had these braces. Not only that his hair was way shorter— it didn't suite him at all.
"Stop it," I whine trying to get away from him. He lets me go even though we both know he could've easily kept me contain. "I plan on going out later to get a dress for the mask ball tonight. The one your works hosting? You better make sure you get to dance with me. That is if you can tell which dress I'm in," I say winking to him. He wouldn't know what dress I'm wearing since I didn't even know what dress I'm wearing.
"Oh, you plan on going to that?" He asks me scrunching his nose up. "I don't know if I'm going to it or not. They mask ball seems kind of cliche and overused, don't you think? They need to come up with something original."
"Maybe you won't go Theo, but I don't pass up an opportunity to meet the perfect guy. Tall, dark, and of course handsome," I tell him in a dreamy voice. I've always had the masked ball at his work planted in my head as arriving as Cinderella and finding my Prince Charming.
Jumping up to sit on the wide counters, due to the fact my brother loves to cook, I reach over into our fruit bowl of fruit. The almost completely bowl is limited to an apple or a banana. I chose the apple since I've had a banana the past few days.
"Maybe I'll go tonight. I'll surprise you. I have a few extra suits at my work in case I need to stay an over nighter. Anyways I gotta go now sis. Duty calls," he tells me, giving a small wave as he heads out the door.
"Yeah, more like over night with that office slut you guys have over there. I know what goes on, Tony ends up giving me all of the details whether I want to know or not!" I yell out the door to him, he's already in his car pulling out in reverse. He stuck his tongue out at me before he heads off to the direction of work.
With Theodore gone I think what sort of dress I'm getting. Most people have but they're going to wear in and out for weeks ahead. I am obviously not one of those people. Grabbing my keys to my car that my brother gave me for my twenty first birthday a few months ago I head on over to some of the smaller thrift stores in town. Just because my brother had money didn't mean I found the need to go to the most expensive stores and spoil myself. Pretty much all of my clothes are all from the thrift store. My brother always complain that I needed to go and get myself something nice every once in a while. Unlike myself my brother didn't mind flaunting around his wealth— especially when it attracts a bunch of gold diggers. Romantic dates that are expensive, the promises of the things he'll get her, he brings her to a motel or her apartment, and the next day he's done with her. He makes sure he tells them upfront how horrible they are to sleep with him thinking that it'd advance in a relationship. Overrall my brother's a really attractive guy now, he just can't seem to find the right kind of girl.
Almost driving right past the thrift shop I take a sharp turn to the left which emerged multiple honks and people swearing at me as I turn into the small parking lot. I just shrug my shoulders. Sure I almost drove past the place, but the green light indicated that it was my turn to go.
Smiling at the beautiful day outside, despite the morning chill of the October weather I skip inside to the thrift store. I went to these places almost every other week buying a new piece of clothing, which ultimately meant I got rid of some clothes as well. With the approaching winter weather and the deadly chill I often found myself giving the clothes to the homeless folks who could use them during the winter. Tearing them apart and making a blanket or a coat. It felt good to do something for them. Sometimes Theodore and I would bring a bunch of leftover food to where they live in the downtown area. Often you could spot one laying in the alleyways. After all that's where most of them live in cardboard boxes, all of them held their own story. Some people were out there just because they love to travel and see the adventures the world would bring them.
During the harsh cold winter months my brother would often throw a charity event in honor of the homeless where we raised money, invite the homeless, we provide them with food, and for the whole month my brother pays for them to live in the hotel and get whatever they want - he'd pay. None of them ever took advantage of his kindness.
Being one of the richest and youngest guys in the world it also makes him a bachelor. Young, handsome, successful, and of course very caring in the community. We only ever bought organic food, eliminating most of the times all of the chemical food. My brother has even started a greenhouse and a compost as well where we're going to try having a garden in next year. My brother is very busy, but the evenings unless there's an event our always scheduled for him and I.
Walking into the thrift shop I felt a small rush of excitement. I practically knew everyone in the store, how could I not? I memorized their names and we even talk when it's not too busy. Being the early morning and just waking up, most people probably wouldn't be out of bed. If they were they probably were working.
"Hey Lissa," I tell her as she sits behind the cash register, a new romance book in her hand always, the look of awe in her eyes as she reads it. She takes a few more minutes looking at her book before she sets it down on the counter.
"Ah, Ashlyn how wonderful it is to see you again. How are you and is there anything I can help you look for today?" she asks me and I give her a devilish look. Though everything in this store is categorized and put in different sections I still needed help finding everything in here. I just seem to forget where every section is during the week.
"Of course I need you help Lissa. I don't know what I would do if I didn't know any of you guys. I need help looking for a beautiful dress and a mask for tonight. I'm going to a mascarade ball at my brother's business. He's in charge of the whole thing yet he pays people to come up with an idea. One he finds over used. All I know is I hope to meet my Prince Charming tonight. I need a dress and a mask that make me different from everyone else," I tell her in a dreamy state excited for tonight.
I haven't had a boyfriend in a few years, after my best friend was killed in a car crash I started distancing myself from him and then eventually broke it off completely. He understood and told me that he couldn't wait for me, I accept that. We're both still friends and send emails to each other throughout the day spontaneously. He has a steady girlfriend right now and they're both going to the same college for culinary and business. They both talked about opening a restaurant together once they both finish college. Both of them come from wealthy families.
