𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 ✓

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝

"I changed my mind, I want to go home." Odessa nervously laughed, leaning back into her seat. She hoped she'd just sort of sink into it and not have to do this, but it was a bit too late.

"Nope. You specifically told me to not let you back out of this before we left." Thalia said.

"I don't recall doing that. Either way, I've changed my mind. I would like to go home. I have to study anyway."

Thalia leaned over and opened the door on the passenger side, then pushed Odessa roughly out of the car. It took all Odessa's balance not to land face first into the concrete, especially in her heels. She whirled toward the closing car door at Thalia who simply smiled.

"I'll pick you up in an hour if everything goes wrong, but if it all works out just order an Uber." She instructed before giving a cheeky wave and driving away.

Odessa let out a sigh, watching the car go down the street.

Finally, she turned around.

A small gasp escaped her. The building ahead wasn't nearly as intimidating in the Google Maps photos.

The Marley Art Museum.

The gleaming white structure couldn't have been less than four stories, a flight of stairs leading up to a grand sort of pavilion held up by marble pillars. Large blue banners waved from them, decorated with the museum's crest and name. Spotlights illuminated both the banners and doors.

The significance of the black tie event was more than evident in the attire of the guests milling about. Fitted tuxes and flowing gowns dotted the blue carpet that was rolled out. Odessa had not anticipated all this. It looked like the entirety of the New England elite had turned up for this event. She was even starting to feel a little frumpy in her plain navy cocktail dress.

Odessa floated awkwardly, shivering in the cold and cursing herself for not bringing at least a shawl. She milled around the entrance for a while before finding a particularly audacious group to blend in with and slip into the building. From that point on she was confident enough to strut around like she was supposed to be there, even if her name wasn't on the guest list.

The lobby, outfitted with a coat check, was grandly decorated with a lineup of limestone and marble sculptures, even more of those blue banners woven between them.

Past the lobby, was the main room; a large mahognay, high ceiling-ed foyer-ajacent area. Catering staff whirled around the room. outfitted with white gloves and silver trays of either wine glasses or hors d'oeuvres. A chandelier illuminated the room, casting mischevious shadows on everything below it. On a dais to the very back of the room sat a chamber orchestra, elegnatly playing something that may have been Bach, just loud enough to hear over the clamor of voices and glasses clinking. Odessa finally noticed the polished wood easels spaced evenly around the room, where various cavases sat with alabaster sheets splayed over then.

Her attention could not be on them long however, because soon the music began to die down and a man stood on the dais to get the crowds attention. The voices quieted, as the man was handed a michrophone.

"Hello everyone," He began. "And welcome to the twelfth annual Joshua Marley Art Exhibition and Auction."

The crowd let up a light applause, then the man continued.

"This year all procededs collected from the auction will be donated to the Susan J. Crowley Foundation for Childhood Leukemia Research. We'd like to begin by introducing the contestants for the exhibition and to do that, we'll be inviting Mr. James Barlowe to the stage."