Sabryna goes back to the hotel

“Hmm...really goes with my dress,” Sabryna muttered to herself. She stared in the mirror and traced a finger around the outer edge of the necklace's pendant that hung above her chest. “Never thought green was my color...”

She had found her way back to the shops in the hotel and went into a womens' clothing store. It was pretty empty and she had only seen a couple other women around the aisles looking at dresses. But Sabryna’s attention was completely on her reflection. The necklace was just a piece of jewelry but it felt...right. For the first time that she could remember, Sabryna felt attractive.

She was broken out of her thoughts by her phone buzzing in her purse with a text. She pulled it out and checked the screen.

‘Are you okay? Thought you were coming back.’

Sabryna bit her lip and exhaled. Her father could be so overprotective.

‘Not feeling too well. Going to head back to the room.’

She typed out her response and hit send before the guilt could hit her too hard. She hated lying to her father but she couldn’t stay at that business party anymore. The endless stream of dinners and galas and always pretending to be happy around her father’s business partners really wore on her. She just wanted a break from her life.

“It’d be nice to be someone else for a bit,” she muttered, slipping her phone back in her purse. It was probably just her imagination, but the necklace seemed to grow warmer against her skin.

Sabryna took one last look in the mirror and started to make her way out of the shop. Since she’d bought some time with her lie, maybe she could explore around the hotel a bit.

“Didn’t find what you were looking for?”

The voice interrupted Sabryna’s thoughts. A woman was at the sales counter by the door, staring at her with a smile. She looked to be in her early 30’s and was wearing a white blouse. Her long auburn hair framed her face. She looked as elegant as the store was.

Sabryna shook her head.

“No, thank you though,” she said.

“That’s a beautiful necklace,” the saleswoman said, brushing a strain of her hair behind her ear. “It matches your eyes.”

“Erm...thanks,” Sabryna said, blushing. “It...was my grandmother’s.”

Her stomach sunk as another lie slipped out of her mouth.

“You know, we’ve got some outfits in the back that I think would go with that. We always keep the good stuff hidden. I could show you some.” The saleswoman was leaning forward now, her arms crossed on the counter. Her eyes bored right into Sabryna’s and it seemed like they were clouded with a green haze.

“Um...” Sabryna stammered again. Her mind was starting to feel fuzzy and something in her was screaming at her to say yes. She started to take a step forward but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

“Actually, I’ve got a better idea,” a voice said. Sabryna turned her head and saw another woman behind her. This was the type of woman her father had always warned her about. Her lopped black hair was styled in a pixie cut and her eyes stood out against dark eye shadow. She stood a bit taller than Sabryna, with a stud in her nose and a choker on her neck. She seemed to be a little older than Sabryna, but not by much. Maybe her mid-20’s.

“I saw you at that party for rich kids,” the woman said. “Glad you got away from that, doesn’t seem like your style. You look like you want to unwind. I know some fun stuff that’s going on.” She winked at Sabryna and her eyes glinted with that same green haze.

“Thanks, that seems...” Sabryna’s mind got even fuzzier. She would have never imagined accepting an offer from a stranger like this, but it was so tempting now for some reason.

“Excuse me...” yet another voice said, accompanied by a tug on Sabryna’s arm. Sabryna looked over and saw another woman standing at her side. This woman looked to be Sabryna’s age, though a couple inches shorter, and had her red hair done in a braid that hung over her shoulder. With the hand that wasn’t holding onto Sabryna’s arm, she slid her glasses up her freckled nose.

“There are better places to get away to,” the redhead said in a quiet voice. “There’s a good coffee shop just a little ways away. I’d love to show it to you. Um...if you want to.” Her eyes ducked down from Sabryna’s face and her face blushed red. Sabryna had never used the word to describe another woman before, but she was adorable. The redhead darted her eyes back up to Sabryna’s quickly--sure enough, they had the same green glint as the other women--and she smiled.

Sabryna’s heart pounded in her chest. Maybe one of these women was the chance she was waiting for to get a break from her usual life. Then again, a small voice in the back of her head seemed to be screaming as loud as it could that she should run away, that something wasn’t right about any of this.

The necklace seemed to burn hot against her chest now and Sabryna’s mind couldn’t take any more. She had to make a decision.