August in Miami is extremely hot. Like, I'm not even joking. I've been sleeping without my blankets on, the fan spinning 24/7. Style Squad's social media has become part of my morning routine. I literally check those platforms before checking my personal accounts. The following of all the accounts is growing steadily each day. I'm stunned. I feel like a celebrity!
I get a text from Sandra. Have you heard?! 😃😃😃
I was confused. Heard of what? What do you know that I don't know yet? 😕
She responds: Skype me!!!
Ok, opening the app now... 😌 I text.
"What's up?" I ask when Skype connects me with Sandra.
"Nothing but the ceiling! Oh, and the big news!" Sandra says. "Just lemme get Vera and Lexi on here..."
"What's happening, Sandra?" Vera asks when she connects. It looks like the Skype call woke her up. "Hi, Elisa," she yawns.
"Hey," I say, waving at the screen.
"Hey, girls! What's going on, Sandra?" Lexi asks, her face showing up on the screen.
"Yeah, Sandra. We're all here now!" I giggled.
"Well, Mr. Crimson emailed last night at, like, ten o'clock or something to tell us something hugely important! For some reason, it only went through to me. Basically, this was the email. Hold on..." Sandra picks up her phone to read us the email. "Okay, here we go! Ahem."
"'Dear Elisa, Sandra, Vera, and Lexi, I am emailing to inform you of something extremely important to Style Squad's future. I'm sure the money we've made so far that hasn't been spent on rent and new pre-made white clothing has already been deposited into your personal accounts. I made sure your parents knew that the new bank accounts that we made have the top security in the nation. The chances of your accounts getting hacked are about 0.923 to 10,000. Crazy, right? Anyways, back to the importance of this email. Since the original Style Squad in the Dolphin Mall has done so well, I think we should expand the chain to other cities. I was thinking Kendall, Tampa, Punta Gorda, Jacksonville, The Keys, Tallahassee, etc. However, since you girls own the business, we need your input. What do you think? Your manager, Walter Crimson'"
We sit in silence for a few minutes. "This is huge," I finally gasp.
"I think we should do it! Mo' money!" Lexi laughs.
"It's a great opportunity, alright. We should totally do it!" Vera says, brushing her messy hair out.
"Of course we should expand Style Squad! Basically, we're just opening stores around Florida. If that doesn't work out, whatever! We're already making a good profit off of the one we have here in Miami," Sandra says.
"You okay, Elisa?" Vera asks.
I take a deep breath. "I'm fine. Are you guys sure we should do it? I'm a little nervous about the outcome."
"Don't be!" Lexi says.
"It'll be fine," Sandra adds.
"C'mon, Elisa!" Vera squeals.
I close my eyes. We're rising eighth graders. We shouldn't even have a business! Sometimes I think that Style Squad shouldn't exist. The store has me more stressed than my summer work.
When I open my eyes, the girls are staring at me through the screen of my phone. I succumb.
"We'll do it."
YOU ARE READING
Style Squad
General FictionBest friends Elisa, Vera, Lexi, and Sandra were assigned a group project at their Miami middle school: Create a business. What started out as a school project quickly turned into something far from fictional. The girls soon opened their own store...
