"What?!" Bella exclaimed with wide eyes when she saw the price tag on the red gown the sales attendant pulled out from the clothes rack and handed her.
"Why are you yelling?" Joan asked, walking over to take the gown from Bella. She examined it closely, wondering why Bella had yelled.
"It is soft and nice. I think it will suit you really well," Joan said before returning the gown to Bella, "Go and change into it."
Bella quickly dragged her to the side, away from the sales attendant. "What are you doing? That gown is too expensive," She complained. She couldn't bring herself to wear such an expensive gown, especially one she couldn't afford.
"I'm paying for it, not you. So why are you so worried? Don't tell me you're trying to back out of your promise," Joan asked with a frown.
"I know you're from a wealthy home and don't mind throwing around money this way, but I won't feel comfortable walking around in a gown that costs more than the amount of money my parents earn from their little restaurant in a day," Bella said in a hushed whisper.
"Besides, it is your birthday. I should be buying you a gift, not the other way round," Bella said, shaking her head.
Joan was by far the most loyal friend she had ever come across in her entire life. And she was surprised at the way Joan always let her push her around even though she was one from a wealthy home.
"I already told you what I want for my birthday. Go and get dressed. I'll keep your phone," Joan said authoritatively before taking Bella's phone from her and pushing her into the changing room, and shutting her in.
A few minutes later, Bella stood in front of the mirror, which was in the changing room, with a scowl as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Dressed like this and in makeup, she was sure no one would mistake her for her identical twin brother, and she didn't like it.
She couldn't believe how easily she had allowed herself to fall into her best friend's trap. It was Joan's 24th birthday, and she had asked Joan to mention whatever it was she wanted for her birthday.
Joan had asked that she would allow her to do anything she pleased with her for the whole day, and she had agreed without reading much meaning to it until Joan's driver dropped them in front of a beauty salon.
"WOW! I can't believe it! You actually look like a real girl," Joan gushed in admiration when Bella stepped out of the changing room with a scowl, dressed in a short red gown with black knee-high boots.
They had been best friends for over fifteen years already, and this was the first time Joan was seeing her in makeup and wearing such feminine clothes.
"I hope this day ends really fast so I can take this nonsense off me," Bella said grudgingly as she tried to pull down the gown to cover her legs, making Joan giggle.
"You're so beautiful. I wonder why you choose to be a tomboy. You will have so many young men eating from your palm if only you can..."
"Enough! You know I don't care about such useless things," Bella hissed at her, "So, what else do you want to do now?" She asked Joan, who was still grinning at her.
"Let's go to the Cinema," Joan said as she stood up to pay the cashier before leading the way out.
A few minutes later, they got to the cinema and joined the queue to purchase the tickets. Bella scowled at the young men she caught glancing at her appreciatively.
"C'mon, you should enjoy the attention!" Joan told her in amusement when she noticed what was going on.
"There is nothing to enjoy in this nonsense. Just get the tickets so we can leave already. I'm not comfortable in this nonsense!" Bella muttered, pulling the gown down.
Just as Bella stepped out of the queue to lean against the wall while waiting for Joan to purchase the tickets, she saw a guy grabbing a girl's ass. Her brows furrowed in a frown when she saw the girl push his hand off her, but he stubbornly grabbed her ass again.
Without thinking, she stepped forward and roughly grabbed his hand, twisting it behind his back before pushing him to the ground and kicking him roughly with her boots.
"The lady doesn't want your attention! Don't you get it?" She asked him in an angry whisper, making the lady turn around to look at her.
"What are you doing to my boyfriend? Security! Security!!" The lady she had been trying to save from him yelled angrily. The other people in the queue turned around to look at them, including Joan, whose eyes widened in surprise.