Chapter Four

The fourth chapter/day in New York City

            By the time Demi, Noelle and I were out of our room and into the lobby this morning, we were already bursting with excitement. According to the schedule, this afternoon one of our options was a serious shopping trip, and my mother told me that it was okay to stock up on clothes when I told her about my Coach spending.

            For the third day in a row, we ate breakfast next door to the hotel at Melanie’s, this time I ate a pain au chocolat, and uninterrupted by any phone call, a pleasant way to begin my day. I got to sit, eat and talk to my girls, which was all I wanted to do right then.

            When breakfast concluded, the group took off in a bunch of taxis toward Battery Park, where we would take a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and eventually Ellis Island. Yes, I know this sounds bad, but I was a little more excited about the boat rides than either of the attractions—both which I had seen more times than I can possibly even count. Basically, I loved all boats. I guess there was something about being on the water, gliding over waves and cutting through the wind that just intrigued me. 

            As we got on the ferry, Nathan made his way over to me, looking especially good-looking today.

            “Well someone looks happy,” he said to me, smiling.

            “Yeah, I kind of have a thing for boats—even if this is a means of getting to Liberty and Ellis islands,” I told him.

            “No, I get it. I’d be happy too if I got to drive around somewhere in a Ferrari or something like that.”

            “And then there’s the fact that I get to go shopping this afternoon. That kind of helps too.”

            “Yeah, except your shopping is going to send me to a museum—yet again.”

            “Well sorry, I didn’t make the schedule,” I started. “Why don’t you come shopping then if you don’t want to go to the museum?”

            “Easily, I’d be the only guy going with a bunch of girls, prancing around your little upscale department stores and designer boutiques, therefore people would automatically assume that I’m gay,” he replied, in a somewhat jokingly manor.

            “Get Andrew, Grant and Cade to come with you. Besides, who knows, you might end up liking spending a few extra hours of quality time with us. And seriously, even if people did think you’re gay, there’s nothing wrong with that,” I suggested.

            “But I’m not gay,” he told me. Not like I already didn’t know that though.

            “That’s beside the point.”

            “Fine, I’ll see if the guys want to go.”

            “Good, because I wouldn’t want you to go to a ‘boring museum’ so that I could ‘prance around my little upscale department stores and designer boutiques’. Anyways, Shauna, Sidney, Breanne and Peyton aren’t going shopping, so we could use some replacements.”

            “Why isn’t Shauna going?” he asked me.

            “I don’t know, I don’t think she’s really into the whole designer scene, which is where the agenda said we were going. And I think she wants to do something with Breanne since they’re roommates and all.”

            “Oh, well that’s good, I guess.”

            “Yeah,” I replied.

            The boat finally left the dock, and we headed to Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty stands. Since today wasn’t the nicest of days, and the sky was grey, the water was slate grey. Everything around me seemed to be muted and everything appeared much more solemn, rather that the upbeat and happy mood of a sunny day.

            We arrived at the first island, and walked over to the Statue of Liberty. Zach started talking about its history and what-not while we all took pictures, listening with maybe an ear. I mean, I already knew that the monument was a gift from France to mark the centennial of the United States in 1876 from multiple history classes I’ve had to take, I was a little more interested on taking more pictures to email home to my parents, and to my other relatives, as I was asked to do (not just for New York, but of the whole program).      

            “Do we get to go inside?” Pete, the guy Kendra has had her eye on since yesterday (totally a long time, right?) asked Zach, when he asked for questions.

            “No, we don’t have time. We have a lot to get through at Ellis Island and we have early reservations for lunch so that whoever’s going shopping has all afternoon to do so, as requested by Martine,” Zach replied.

            Pete and some others had looks of disappointment spread across their faces. I had been up in the crown of the State of Liberty a few years back when my mother, aunt and I came to the city for a week and it was pretty cool. I could remember wanting to go up so badly, so I knew how they felt. 

            We left the island by ferry, obviously, and headed toward the next island, Ellis Island. I had been there before too, and I always thought it was kind of cool yet a little creepy and haunting. I think it was the fact that the island was the place of so many persons first steps on American soil happened there.

            Our group toured the main building, led by Martine’s audio and was back on the ferry in a little under two hours, ready for lunch, despite the fact that it was 11:30 and we had only eaten three and a half hours ago. It didn’t matter though, I was starving.

            At the restaurant, I sat with my usual people. I felt kind of bad that I had never spoken to Peyton, Breanne, Pete or Tyler. I mean, Shauna really likes Breanne, her roommate, so I figure that there’s no harm in talking to her, how bad could she possibly be. Shauna said that Peyton was cool too, just a little on the quiet side. I knew absolutely nothing about Tyler and Pete, however. I think I was going to make an effort to talk to them all as soon as I possibly can.

            Directly following lunch, the group split up, Shauna, Breanne, Peyton, Sidney, Andrew, Talon, Cade, Tyler and Pete went the museum with Zach and Dan, and Kendra, Ari, Noelle, Demi, Nathan, Jake and Grant took a couple of taxi’s down to Bergdorf Goodman on 5^th Avenue to begin our shopping spree. Not that the three guys had any interest in actually buying things.

            Once the group walked in the doors of Bergdorf, Demi instantly clung to my arm, seemingly with the intent of never letting go.

            “Harlow, my fellow shop-a-holic, we cannot go crazy,” she stated.

            “Why?” I began. “We’re going to Patagonia next week. How much shopping are we going to do there? Why not shop while we can?”

            “Fine, fine, I guess you’re right. But you’re going to regret letting me do this when we get back to the suite.”

            “Nah,” I replied as she dragged me over to look at Chanel nail polish, which I would end up buying two bottles of—organdy, a bright light pink, and midnight red, a poppy color.

            After the nail polish it was the rest of the makeup section, which I did seemingly well in, buying nothing else, the lotions department, yet again nothing, the fragrance department, where I bought a bottle of my desired Marc Jacob’s Daisy. We all finished up the bottom floor (home scents, hosiery, bath and body and hair care) buying nothing else, and headed up to the first floor.

            Upon arrival on the first floor, Ari, whom was open about her addiction to buying handbags dragged us all over to that department, where she knew every worker by name, insisting that we all buy a bag to ‘remember our time in New York with’. All of us girls did buy something, most small clutches they instantly fell in love with or wallets. I however, cringed as I dropped nearly 2,000 dollars on a blue patent leather Jimmy Choo tote. I made a mental note to donate a few of my lesser used totes to Good Will to make up for my purchase.

            It seemed as if the rest of our time in Bergdorf’s flew buy. Besides the nail polish, perfume and the tote I bought: Roberto Cavalli aviators ($320), a teal blue Prada belt ($380), black Prada boots ($795), a purple Versace long cardigan ($1,560…another major cringe buy), a strapless Shoshanna dress ($340) and a brown top from Splendid ($79), which made my total come to well over five thousand dollars. At the first store no less. I was going to have some serious Good Will-ing to do.

            Next on our list was Saks 5^th Avenue. I did a little better here, buying: a light blue BCBGMAXAZRIA top ($82), a burgundy BCBGMAXAZRIA top ($68), a floral print DKNY top for ($160), a red Miss Sixty top ($119) and a red Splendid top ($74). At Barney’s I didn’t buy anything, which was definitely a good thing.

            Finally, Angela and Martine took us back to the hotel, where we had to get ready for dinner. I changed into the Shoshanna dress I had bought earlier that day and put on a pair of silver Steve Madden sandals, a woven teal bangle, and a pink rhodonite stone necklace from Elsa Peretti. To finish, I lightly misted myself with my new Marc Jacob’s Daisy perfume, refreshed my makeup and ran a brush through my hair.

            “Someone looks pretty!” Demi said as I walked through doors of our bedroom and into the living room.

            “Thanks,” I replied. “You look amazing as well.”

            “Thanks,” Demi replied and smiled as I walked over to sit next to her on the sofa. Noelle was showering because she didn’t get to earlier that morning. We woke up a bit late and therefore she volunteered to shower later in the day, aka now.

            “Today was interesting,” Demi said.

            “Yeah, I’m actually surprised that Angela bought those Jimmy Choo’s,” I replied.

            “Me too. She doesn’t really seem like much of the shopping type, but she looked as if she was enjoying herself the whole time. I wonder how the museum was.”

            “We’ll have to ask Shauna.”

            “Do you think she really wanted to go to the museum with Breanne?” Demi asked me.

            “I honestly don’t know,” I began. “I think part of her did, but her facial expression looked really pained as the left for the museum, but I definitely don’t think it was because of Breanne.”

            “No, neither do I, but I noticed that too. I remember her saying that she didn’t ever wear designer stuff, but I also remember her saying that she really loved shopping.”

            “Maybe it’s strictly financial.”

            “Yeah, maybe,” Demi began. “Let’s just not bring shopping up tonight if we can help it. If it is a financial thing, I don’t want to pressure her to tell us about it. I mean, she’s still going to be the Shauna we’ve gotten to know over the past few days and love either way. She could come from a family living in a shelter and I wouldn’t care.”

            “I agree, completely,” I started. “My judgment on her would still be the same, too. I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves on that one, though. If there is a reason and Shauna wants to tell us, then she’ll tell us, you know?”

            “Yeah, I don’t want to make her uncomfortable, and I don’t want to think of any other theories on this one too. For all we know, they could be completely wrong.”

            “Haven’t you noticed something weird going on with Breanne and Jake?”

            “Kind of, yeah,” Demi said, in a tone like she was deep in thought. “They’re both from Boston, though. I wonder if they knew each other and are having a hard time getting used to the idea that they’re both here.”

            “I don’t know, I think it’s a little weird, but what you said is definitely a possibility. I just find it funny that whenever Shauna brings her up and he’s around he gets a really weird look on his face or changes the subject quickly.”

            “Hmm, yeah I noticed that too. That is a little bit weird.”

            “Maybe Shauna knows.”

            “That’s a possibility. Let’s ask her tonight. That should delay, if not eliminate the shopping conversation.”

            “Good idea.”

888

            That night, after dinner, back in our suit, the girls of the ‘posse’ were sprawled out around our living room eating more food, finishing a bunch of math worksheets. We finished reading our journalism chapter, did the corresponding worksheet and then moved on to our ridiculously simple algebraic equations. After whipping off four of the nine math worksheets, we put our books down and began talking.

            “Hey Shauna, Har and I have a question for you,” Demi said. Shauna instantly looked panicked.

            “Yeah?” she answered, hesitantly.

            “What’s the deal with Jake and Breanne?” I asked her, and she looked a little bit relieved.

            “Oh, they went to school with each other back in Boston and apparently they didn’t really like each other very much. I think they were both a little surprised that they were going to the same high school. I think Breanne’s gotten over the initial shock of seeing him here, but I don’t think she plans on becoming friends with him anytime soon. She wouldn’t tell me why she doesn’t like him that much, though,” Shauna told us.

            That made sense. Now I just wondered why Breanne didn’t like Jake and vice versa. I wasn’t going to push finding out. It really wasn’t my business, I was just very curious. I knew that Demi would ask Jake though. Whether or not Jake would say would be interesting.

            The six of us talked for a while longer—about all different things from guys in-general, to tomorrow’s schedule, to Patagonia next week and what we thought the guys were doing right now. They all left around ten-fifteen that night. My roommates and I were quite tired, so we got ready for bed quickly, and then fell fast asleep, wondering what tomorrow would bring. Hopefully something interesting and out of the ordinary would happen!