The Hierarchy

Chapter 21: These Dresses are Hideous

"I'm here!" I hear Valerie's voice tumble through the hallways of the foyer and into the kitchen where I'm sitting at the counter on my laptop.

A smile curls on my lips and I bolt up from my chair and rush over to where her voice is coming from. I get into the foyer and she's standing there in shorts a t-shirt with her suitcase and bag in hand. let's not forget the newly purchased sunglasses that are perched on her nose. She has a dazzling white smile on her face.

"Valerie!" I exclaim rushing over to her and lifting her into a hug.

"Ah! I love it here and I've only been here for two hours!" she squeals and I laugh.

"It's a hard place to hate." I agree with her.

"Your grandparents' house is..." she looks around walking in a circle.

"Huge? Rich? Expensive?"

"Basically, yeah," she remarks.

"Come on. I'm alone here with the cat." I point out to Fernando, my grandmother's cat who is laying on the counter. "The boys and the twins are with my mom and dad somewhere. My grandma is prepping for another photo shoot and my grandpa is out golfing. So we, have the whole day to look for a dress for you."

"And to tell me about Spence Channing?" she probes hopeful for me to spill any juicy details I have to offer.

"Val, it's nothing. I've told you th—"

"Reece?" I hear his voice and I want to slap myself.

I didn't want Valerie to get to know Spence for reasons no one will understand. Can I explain it? No, I cannot. To give it to you straight, I trust Valerie with my life but not my love life.

"I'm in here, Spence!" I call back and a smile slips into my best friends face. A smile she better loose soon.

He walks in with another guy at his side. One I don't particularly recognize. Spence smiles at me and walks over to wrap me in a hug.

"Hi!" Val cuts in. "I'm Valerie, Reece's best friend."

"Oh um, hey. Nice to meet you I'm Spence, Caprice's friend." He shakes her hand and smiles at me.

"Reece, this is my brother Donovan. Don this is Reece."

"Hey, I doubt you remember me but I dated your friend for a summer when you visited. Mackenzie? I think was her name." Donavon tells me.

"Mackenzie? Yeah, we aren't friends anymore considering she stole my boyfriend of three years and stripped me of my popularity," I explain and the room falls silent.

"Right...sorry." he murmurs and stuffs his hands into his jeans.

"Caprice!"

"Is everyone suddenly home now?" I mutter and turn to the doorway where my grandmother stands.

"Who are these people?" she asks looking around before her eyes land on Spence. "Hi, darling."

"Hi Darlene," Spence says smiling.

"Grammy this is my best friend Val I was telling you about. She came for the ball. And that is Donovan, Spence's brother." I introduce each other to my grandma.

"Donovan? It can't be you're so grown up!" she exclaims and pulls him in for a bone-crushing hug. "You've changed so much! Your build and facial structure have changed significantly."

"Thank you," Donovan says not hiding that his proud of his appearance.

"And you," My grandfather points out Valerie and Valerie's eyes widen and look at me. "You don't have a single flaw in you."