Chapter-4

When life gives you lemons, you make a lemonade out of them and then enjoy that lemonade in scorching heat. But here everyone had different ideas of recreating these bunch of lemons life was throwing at them mercilessly. Our scheming queen, Abrams was certain that if she squeezes these tiny lemons, she can make red wine out of them. And the idea itself seems illogical to everyone around her, but she was already working on it!

"Elise why are you not ready yet?", Abrams called out for the nineteenth time.

"I am almost done!", she said as she had been saying all this while.

"I don't even know how you convinced her to wear that dress.", Leo was still in shock.

"I have a talent Leo, trust me I do!", she smirked. Well, Abrams did have a talent.

"But Rams, do you think she will forgive us for setting her up like this.", Leo asked again.

"Yes! For a milliontheth time yes!", Abrams replied, 'again'.

"That's not even a word!", Leo muttered under his breath. He was certain Elise will never forgive them, ever!

"I am done! Rams, why did you pick such a complicated dress! It is easy for me to learn the taxonomy than wear this dress.", Elise finally walked out of her room, wearing a purple, white dress, with intricate pattern in self. It was beautiful, and Elise looked more like a sane woman wearing that dress.

"Wow! You look gorgeous!", Leo said in awe.

"But I am not wearing a dress to go on a dinner with you two!", Elise fairly pointed out that she was not comfortable.

"You are already in that dress!", Abrams said.

"And now I am changing!", Elise replied.

"Why even bother wearing it when you had to change?", Leo was trying to understand how a female brain works.

"Oh! I just wanted to figure out this dress. It seemed like a challenge, which I have now solved!", Elise chuckled and went inside her room, locking it firmly, so no Abrams can enter.

"You are not going to stop her?", poor Leo was still trying.

"Of course not! She deserves to wear whatever she likes. I figured we can do this much for her.", Abrams smirked.

"Abrams, what are you planning now?", Leo asked. He knew Abrams never lets anything sabotage her plan. If she planned that dress on Elise for today, it must be that way.

"I am not planning anything Leo! I am serious about it. I'll use this letting the dress go thing as help when we beg her to forgive us.", Abrams explained.

"How can you even think Elise will let this go only because you let her wear whatever she wanted.", Leo made a point.

"You mean, how I let her dress like a homeless person!", Abrams said in a grave tone looking at the staircase. Leo followed her gaze.

There stood Elise, wearing a worn off jeans, which was a beautiful midnight blue when she picked it up from the store. Now all that was left was a patch of Yale blue and other parts were all grey. She was a disaster when it came to fashion, as the jeans were paired with a plain T-shirt. White T-shirt with nothing on it. Not even a single print! Not even a word!

"Change of plans, you wait outside, and I'll bring her. I should have never trusted her!", Abrams sighed as she climbed the stairs with her intense gaze focused on the T shirt, which Elise will soon find in the trashcan.

Leo ran outside as he heard Elise complaining about how Abrams was dragging her back into her room, for a change of clothes- again! Living with two girls is never easy. And when the girls are polar opposites, it makes your life a living hell.

"Are you guys done?", Leo finally walked inside after waiting for 30 minutes.

"Almost!", Abrams assured him.

"I don't want to walk out looking like this!", Elise's voice followed Abram's making Leo intrigued about what she was wearing.

"Yes, you will! Now get out!", Abrams screamed. She was done! She has lost her calm!

Elise was pushed out of the room. How does Leo know? Well, Elise came out stumbling and falling. But the dress she was wearing, was enchanting! A red dress with black embroidery, it came till her knees, and she wore black heels with strings tied beautifully, almost artistically around her calf. This dress was never in the plan. Or maybe, this dress was the plan since the beginning!

"Wow!", Leo couldn't help himself.

"Thanks!", Elise blushed.

"Not you! The dress!", he said with utmost honesty. Elise glared at him and then without a second thought threw her purse at him.

"Exactly! Even a dress this beautiful couldn't make you a little sophisticated!", Leo smirked catching the purse which he realised later, also had Elise's phone inside it.

"Did you just throw your phone at me? I could have died. You do know your phone is a brick!", Leo asked shocked. Elise smirked.

"Why are you two still here?", Abrams asked stopping the fight from escalating.

"Why are you not dressed?", her attention was now on Leo.

"Me?", he asked.

"Yes you! Go wear the clothes I have kept on your bed.", she said and went inside.

After 15 minutes, where Elise was almost asleep, her two best friends walked out all ready to go for their dinner.

"Wow! You guys booked a fancy place, I guess!", Elise chuckled looking at her overdressed friends.

"Yeah! Maybe!", Abrams said as she walked out of the door followed by other two.

"Guys! We are dressed like this, and we are walking in a café, where half the students come in their worst clothes!", Elise stood in front of the café, dumbfounded.

"That's the fun about tonight!", Abrams sounded excited.

"We will become the joke of the university. I am not interested in becoming a meme!", Elise said and turned around to walk away!

Abrams caught her hand and stopped her best friend from leaving.

"Your promised! Plus, we are here too!", Abrams pleaded.

"Come on let's go inside!", Leo held her another arm and pulled them towards the café.

Elise was still not sure, about this idea but she let her friends lead her inside. And as she expected, the moment they entered the café every single pair of eyes was on them.

"Guys! There is still time to save our reputation.", Elise whispered.

"Oh god! Just shut up and walk.", Leo was the one losing his calm now. He was also embarrassed but preferred whisper yelling at Elise for making a fair point.

They took the seat at the far corner, near the window. It was a little isolated and away from prying eyes. Abrams was calm, Elise was clueless and Leo, well Leo was sweating even with the air conditioner set on a chilly 24 degrees.

"Are you okay Leo?", Elise asked observing her friend wipe his forehead third time in just a minute.

"Yes, I am fine!", he smiled keeping his handkerchief aside. Abrams was already glaring at him.

"I forgot my phone in the car. I'll just get it back.", Abrams finally stood up and initiated the final stage of her plan- to leave Elise alone.

"Can you not go? I don't want to sit here overdressed alone!", Elise pleaded.

"El, I will be back in just 2 minutes!", Abrams said and left without listening to any of Elise's pleads.

"Okay! Come back fast!", Elise called out as her best friend walked out of the door, to never come back tonight.

A minute passed but Abrams was not back, and Leo was still sweating profusely.

"L you don't seem fine!", Elise was concerned.

"Yeah! I just need some fresh air!", he said standing up.

"Let me come with you. You don't look well!", Elise was about to get up when Leo pushed her back in the seat.

"No!", he almost screamed.

"Uhm, what happened L?", Elise asked, now more concerned than ever.

"I just need some fresh air alone!", he stuttered.

"Why alone?", Elise asked.

"Because someone has to stay here, or we will lose our seat. The place is filling up quickly.", he pointed out at the other side of the café which was full of people. Not a single empty seat could be seen.

"Maybe we shouldn't even be here, dressed like this!", Elise muttered annoyed with people judging her attire. If she would have walked a debutant ball in this dress, she could have been the 'it' girl! But here she was just a source of mockery.

"Are you sure, you want to leave me alone here?", Elise asked one last time.

Leo didn't want to leave his best friend alone in this place swarming with people staring at her. But all this was for a good, better, and bigger motive.

"I'll be back in 2 minutes!", he said and walked out of the café. Well déjà vu is exactly what it was.

Elise sighed annoyed. She had no idea what was happening but she knew her friends would walk in any minute to give her company. She looked through the menu unaware that her best friends were already out on a stroll at the other side of the street, laughing and celebrating, thinking their plan was a success. Well, was it?