His bidding

"Guess who's the newest graduate in town?" Janice yelled happily followed by Nadia popping a bottle of champagne while they yelled the roof off. "This is not going to make up for missing my graduation ", Gemma frowned at her best friends as she shoved the bottle of champagne from Nadia's hand and gulped almost half of its content down her throat. "You're so uncouth", Janice said mimicking Gemma and the accuracy of it made Nadia laugh. "I don't sound like that" she protested. "And I'm still very upset," she added, still wearing a frown.

"We're sorry" Nadia and Janice said as they pouted and joined Gemma on her bed. "I had a busy day today, you know I would be there if I could" Janice said. "Same here honey, I swear I was on my way coming when I received an email. If you see the offer you'll understand why I couldn't come. Sowwi Gee" Nadia said in a child-like voice.

"What gig?" Gemma asked, trying to keep her frown on, which she failed horribly.

"So... I saw this advert on a very coded site, might I add, for an opportunity to shoot at the King Fundraising Gala this year". "The Kings? Janice cut in excited and Nadia nodded her head vigorously. "Is that like something huge?" Gemma asked eager to join her friends seeing how happy they were.

"You're such a grandma, how come you never know what's trending?" Janice asked as she faced palmed herself in frustration. "Because you're so pretty and I love you so much, let me educate you free of charge," Janice said.

After over thirty minutes of talking about the King family, Janice finally stopped talking while Gemma had her mouth agape. "First of all, I still cannot believe that people are on the brighter side of life, and secondly, why do you guys know so much?"Gemma asked, finally digesting the information she had just received.

"How do you know so little?" Nadia laughed, answering Gemma's question with one of her own. "So... will you take us?" Janice asked, almost pouncing on Nadia. "Whoa! Easy,easy tiger, I never said I got the gig" Nadia said and chuckled. "Oh please, shame on them if you're not chosen, everyone knows you're the best. So... will you take us?" Nadia asked again with the same glint of hope in her eyes. "Of course, I'll squeeze my plus 2 into my team", Nadia said.

"Yes! Janice said, dancing around the room and shouting hysterically, making the others laugh. "How did we end up with you? Nadi I really hope you get it though. For your own sake", Gemma said looking over at Janice who was still dancing and shouting. "When is the Gala?" Janice asked when she finally got back to earth.

"It's a week away," Janice answered.

"I'll be meeting my prince charming in a week" she said dreamily. "Prince charming?", Gemma asked with an eyebrow raised.

"An-huh!Rufus King of course" Janice moaned as she said his name. "And you're sure he doesn't have tons of girls?" Gemma asked rhetorically. "Gemma, I'll settle for his whore if I need to", Janice said in finality. You're silly, I'm sure he's not all that" Gemma said as she got out of bed and changed out of her graduation attire.

"He's all that", Janice and Nadia said in unison while Gemma put her hands up in surrender.

Gemma was at work when a pair of hands covered her face. "Don't scream, or else I shoot", Janice said in a deep voice with two fingers pointed at Gemma's back imitating a gun.

"Janice, what are you doing here?"

Gemma asked unamused as she took Janice's hand off her face. "Kill joy", Janice muttered while Gemma rolled her eyes at her.

"So?" Gemma asked all the while filling a customer's cup with ice cream.

"So what?" Janice shrugged feigning ignorance. "What are you doing here?" Gemma asked uninterested with another eye roll. She wasn't in the mood for her friend's childishness that evening, working at an ice cream shop was one of the part time jobs she enjoyed, but like every job, there were bad days and today was one of those. "Nadia received an email about the almighty gig she informed us about and guess what?" Janice asked all giddy as she followed Gemma to the counter.

She had it! I'm meeting my crush, she said, jumping , causing customers to stare at her.

"I'm meeting my crush!" she shouted at a couple of kids who scrawled at her.

Janice, of course, couldn't give a damn.

"You're so chaotic, gosh! Follow me" Gemma said as they went back to the shop's kitchen.

"Are you not happy for Nadia?" Janice asked, annoyed as her friend did not share her enthusiasm. "Of course I am, but Janice I'm working and the truth is I'm also tired. And on a day like this I just wish I was home you know, being here and seeing all these kids so happy with their family? It's killing me. They called, and I honestly wish they hadn't. I saw her today, and they called to congratulate me. Nadia she's dying and I don't know what else to do. What breaks my heart is seeing daddy so broken, if she doesn't survive... Nadia it'll break my dad. And the bills keep rising. I feel like I'm a big failure. I mean who decides to move away for a degree when her family is gradually tearing apart? It feels like I'm not doing anything right" Gemma said and slumped herself on the floor. "Gemma, I'm sorry I didn't realise you're at your lowest right now. I should've chosen you over work, I'm sorry" Janice said and knelt down so that she was at Gemma's level and then engulfed her in a tight hug while Gemma sobbed on her chest.

"Its not your fault, we need the job, or gig or whatever the we need to do to survive" Gemma said after her sobbing fits and wiped her tears.

"I have to get back to work", she said and got up from the floor followed by Janice.

"That's not the major reason why I'm here, Nadia actually sent me to get you, she'll be here in a few minutes. Since we're the best best friends in the world, we decided to take you out. It's not everyday that my best friend graduates as the best hotelier in her batch" Janice said excitedly. "My shift is not over and I thought we're spending wisely " Gemma said looking for an excuse to opt out.

"I know you're trying to opt out, but you'll fail. Nadia sent me here for a reason", Janice said, dragging her friend out. "But my shift..." Gemma began but Janice shut her up by showing her a text from her boss.

"How'd you convince that woman?" Gemma asked, curious. " I have my ways, can we go now", Janice curtsied like a 70's chauffeur. With a roll of her eyes Gemma stepped out.

She raised an eyebrow at Janice as she whistled when they got out. Gemma looked in shock as a limousine approached them while Janice had a grin on.

"Are you getting in or what?" Nadia asked from the back seat. Janice sighed and shoved her friend into the limousine as she was still shocked to enter the car by herself. "What's going on?" Gemma asked halfway through the journey. "Look who finally found their voice" Janice teased.

"We're taking you out, I received a bonus payment which I shared with my team and I... we reasoned we should take you out", Nadia said and cleared her throat as Janice was staring daggers at her for almost leaving her out.

"Ok, I get all that, but a limousine?" Gemma asked. "Did we overdo it?" Nadia asked.

"Of course not, there might be a charming prince out there. We need to make a statement, Janice said and flipped her soft, shiny blonde hair. "How many charming prince's are you hoping to have in this lifetime?" Nadia asked and Janice shrugged. "It's the thought that counts" Gemma said and rolled her eyes at Janice for cutting her off.

"So we did good right?" Nadia asked and Gemma nodded. "Drama queens", Janice said, making the two ladies erupt in laughter because they both knew who was dramatic amongst them. "Where are we going anyway?" Gemma asked.

"The new Sanders Hotel and club opening.

Surprisingly the ticket was very low", Nadia whispered the last part.

"And let me guess you found all this out from a coded site?" Gemma asked and Nadia nodded proudly while Gemma just shook her head.

Some weird friends she had, she thought. "Guys, am I going in my jeans and top?" Gemma asked, looking down at her attire.

"Yes, or you can choose to enter with your apron only" Janice winked.

Ignore her, we'll pass over Janice's saloon. She already talked to her boss" Nadia responded.

"One very sensible friend. I'll count myself lucky" Gemma jokes. She yelled when Janice hit her on her lap.

It was now Nadia's turn to say Drama queens.