A/N – Thank you so much for your replies, I'm glad people are enjoying the story! Here's a quick note to say the pick that inspired Stef's dress is the usual start, vintageous, com, v2281, then jpeg..... yeah lol
…….
Ryan squinted from the morning sunlight as he sat up on the bed, and surrounded by unfamiliar yet spectacular scenery. The view from the pool house was amazing, with golden rays skimming over the glittering pool and streaming in through the windows. Amazing; far better than a downtown urban view of trash.
Scrambling up he pulled on the nearest clean clothing he had and left the pool house, heading towards the kitchen doors which would allow him into the house to cook breakfast, it had been routine for him to do so back home when he was living with his mom. He didn't really expect anyone to be up, but upon entering the house he was quite surprised to hear and sense movement in the next room.
Cautiously, he left the kitchen and entered the lounge – to find Stef lying across the sofa covered in an oversized blue dressing gown, with a magazine in one hand – that strangely looked like a manga and a glass of orange juice in the other hand as she seemed to stare through the pages and lost in thought.
Ryan cleared his throat and Stef sat up, twisting her body around to look at him, "Ryan? Isn't it too early for you to be awake?"
"I could ask you the same thing, considering you managed to get tipsy last night" Ryan folded his arms. "Got a headache?"
"I'm fine" Stef said lounging again and taking gulps of her juice, draining the glass.
"I was just about to go cook some breakfast so"-
"You don't have to, you're the guest after all" Stef said, setting the glass on the coffee table and chucking the magazine aside on the sofa. "Besides, you don't know where anything is. What do you want, I'll get it"
Ryan shifted on his feet as she got up and passed him, "I was going to go with a full out cooked breakfast" he admitted.
"Oh… well unless you like everything crispy, to the state of ashes" Stef gave a shy lopsided smile, "I got called lady flambé by my food tech teacher for a reason"
Ryan laughed. "Just help me find the ingredients and stuff and leave it to me then, and if there are any fires we can say it's my fault, your parents would probably believe and expect that"
"I'm sure Arson would make a nifty addition your criminal record" Stef snorted with laughter.
After a while they'd got everything out and prepared for the cooked breakfast – Stef assisted on helping, which basically meant she chatted away to Ryan while he did everything, however she did set the table.
They sat side by side at the dinner table eating their breakfasts. "Dear God Ryan, this is like…like…sex in your mouth! Not that I'd know, but my eggs are slightly salty – the eggs on the plate I mean. I mean you're a good cook!" Stef rambled out almost blushing.
Ryan had just laughed, "Well uh, thank you, it's nice to know you like it. My cooking" he smirked and cut up a piece of bacon.
"Mmm what's that smell?" Sandy stretched as he walked in, "Breakfast…kids, you cooked?" he mocked shock and horror.
"Ryan did actually; if I had, the fire alarms would have woken you like last time. It's a delicious breakfast dad; you're going to love it"
"Well as I'm assured neither you nor your mom cooked it, I know I'll love it" Sandy said picking a plate up off the side, "thanks Ryan, you really didn't have to"
"That's what I told him" Stef spoke with her mouthful then swallowed.
"Its no problem really, I wanted to do something to say thank you, breakfast is the least I could do" Ryan spoke up as Sandy joined them at the table.
"Aww dad, you should get all your clients to cook for us" Stef mumbled.
Kirsten then entered, all dressed up and looking ready to go out.
"Mom, are you going to join us?" Stef asked as she picked up her glass of juice.
"I'd love to steffy, but I've got so much work to do for the fashion show fundraiser tonight" Kirsten sighed, "I need to pick some stuff up, and Sandy can you get Ryan suitable clothing for tonight to join us?"
"What?" Ryan asked, "You want me to go?" he didn't look that impressed and also in some state of disbelief.
"Everyone's going Ryan, just think of it as an opportunity to meet more people and have a night out" Sandy smiled.
"Dad, you don't want to go as much as he and I do; you're going because Mom's making you" Stef cut in.
"Well even if I'm going against my will – which I'm not" Sandy shifted on his seat, "you're both coming too, to support Kirsten and make an effort"
"To what? Make more idiots of ourselves?" Stef muttered into her glass as she drank more juice.
"I'm uh, sure it'll be okay once we're there" Ryan hesitantly spoke.
"I'm so glad you all can at least pretend to be enthusiastic" Kirsten drawled sarcastically and tutted, "Stef, please tell me that you have a dress for tonight?" she asked, knowing what she was like.
"A dress?" Stef's eyes widened, "Mom, you know I don't do dresses, I'll look like a drag queen surrounded by bitches – oh and teenaged girls"
"Stef! Every girl there will be wearing dresses, you know look pretty when you make the effort, and don't be so rude" Kirsten snapped annoyed, "you promised me the other day you'd buy something for tonight! I bet you bought some game instead" she scowled.
"Why do I even have to go anyway? I'm not modelling or anything, I'll just be standing around while everyone else is on their diva high horses"
Kirsten ignored Stef's comments "you'll have to go with the men and buy something from the mall, and I want you to make an effort and get something suitable"
Stef rolled her eyes and frowned, turning her glare to the toast left on her plate.
"We'll make sure she gets something nice hunny, don't stress out about it – just go do what you have to do and leave these two to me" Sandy spoke up.
Kirsten rubbed her eyes before picking up her car keys, "alright. Don't any of you dare let me down alright?" she muttered as she left.
"She means me. She thinks I'll let her down" Stef muttered.
"Of course she doesn't Stef, she's just stressed out about tonight and has many things on her mind"-
"Yeah yeah" Stef cut off her dad, standing up making her chair scrape back across the tiled floor. "Well I better go get ready for the mall then" she muttered unenthusiastically and left.
…….
Stef wore shades and her wild hair was loose hung around her shoulders, she folded her arms and looked totally unimpressed by the surroundings. Even in a mall of all places, she looked out of place in her paint covered ripped jeans, and her baggy long sleeved black top under a Jane's addiction t-shirt.
"So do any of you guys have clues where girls buy dresses from?" she asked glancing to her father and Ryan who was stood awkwardly either side of her.
Sandy put a hand on her shoulder, "How about you go into that store?" Sandy said pointing to the nearest one which looked 'minimalist but expensive'.
"Do I look like a toothpick that can somehow carry a purse full of cards and cash?"
"Money's no issue"-
"I know, damn it, having money means I can't use that as an excuse" Stef sighed.
"At least go look, make an effort for your mom's sake. If we return and none of us have anything to wear for tonight she will go completely mental"
"Good, I can't go naked so I'll have to stay home"
Sandy smirked and patted her shoulder, "you go on in, and we'll meet you in there soon. So no causing trouble – don't insult everyone and don't steal anything, or"-
"I'm going I'm going! Look how about we meet outside the store in an hour okay? I'll leave you two guys to swoon over shoes and use makeup testers or whatever you do" Stef sighed and walked off ahead to the store.
"See you in an hour Steffy" Sandy grinned after his daughter.
"Is she always this…difficult?" Ryan asked Sandy as they turned and walked off in the opposite direction.
"She's usually a hell of a lot worse and its not even that time of the month" Sandy muttered, "so fancy getting a coffee or something first?"
Stef had entered the store, which for her was like entering the twilight zone or something. Upon her immediate arrival and nervous walking towards a rail, the shop assistants had immediately begun to swarm around like bees around honey made of money.
Stef blushed and seemed to flinch from the look one of the assistants gave her; like she was complete dirt. But what did she expect, a girl like her entering a store like this? With a nervous "sorry" she shifted the straps on her shoulders from her backpack and left the store mumbling "bitches". She sighed and glanced around, then knew immediately where she wanted to go.
…….
Ryan uncomfortably walked beside Sandy holding a bag containing the clothes he'd bought from an expensive designer store. He'd just spent money on three items of clothes that must have cost more than his entire wardrobe from the past three years. He felt somehow nervous and embarrassed about this, and out of place. But Sandy had only smiled at him, told him he had good taste and they left.
"We should probably be meeting Stefanie – sorry Stef right now" Sandy gave a lopsided smile to Ryan after glancing at his watch. "God knows what she's bought, if she has got anything at all" he sighed.
They rounded the corner and walked towards the store, where they saw Stef standing there with a bag in one hand, ready and waiting for them. Upon spotting them she began walking towards them. "You took your sweet time" she spoke up.
"Sorry dear" Sandy smirked, "so what's in that bag, is it alive? Electronic?"
"Haha" Stef rolled her eyes and playfully hit her dad's arm, "it's a dress, don't have a heart attack dad, but yeah I managed to find one that I think mom will thinks okay"
"Well aren't you going to show us it?" Sandy asked, "Kirsten would want me to check it out before we actually take it home"
Stef frowned, "God, lack of trust much?" with a sigh she glanced around before opening the bag, "alright a quick look" she reached into the bag and as she pulled her hand back out black material seemed to spill around before she held it up right for them to see.
Sandy's and Ryan's eyes widened as they stared at the long slinky black evening gown Stef held up. "Wow Stef… that should keep your mom from complaining about you choosing your own clothes for at least…a while"
"So it's okay?" Stef quickly put it back in the bag, "Karen helped me pick it"
"Karen?"
"The shop assistant" Stef rolled her eyes.
Sandy grinned, "You talked to the shop assistant? You socialised" seeing Stef's look he put an arm around her shoulders, "so how much did you pay this Karen for the dress?" he asked bracing himself for a high figure.
"$95" Stef grinned and laughed at the men's face expressions and spluttering of disbelief.
"I didn't even think a store like that would know figures under at least a couple of hundred"
"What makes you think I bought it from that store?" Stef snorted and received one of her dad's famous attorney questioning looks, "I got it from Karen's vintage store okay"
"A vintage store?" Her dad exclaimed.
"Come on dad, even you think that this 1970's classic is good looking, and even for $95 I'll look way more classy than those other bitches who'll just grab the latest $500 trend"
Sandy sighed, "It does look alright for tonight, so your mom will be pleased" he smirked and laughed, "and you claim to not be interested in fashion"
Stef looked a bit flustered suddenly with embarrassment and annoyance, "Vintage daddy, vintage – there's a difference, this kind of stuff is classy and and rare, it's like…like comic book collecting, only with material instead so… shut up"
Sandy laughed at his daughter. "Well I'm sure you'll look great in it, don't you think so too Ryan?"
Ryan who'd been pretty much silence since arriving seemed to double take from the sudden involvement in the conversation, "well uh, I can't imagine in you in anything other than jeans so I'm sure it'll be interesting to see you in a dress" he nodded.
Stef gave a 'sure, whatever' smile as they thankfully left the mall and went home.
……………
"You look wonderful" Kirsten admired her daughter, who was stood before her in her bedroom, wearing the dress she'd bought earlier that day. Stef looked uncomfortable in a nervous lack of confidence way, rubbing at her arm. Her now straightened hair - as forced by her mother and a scary set of hair straighteners – swished against her shoulders and down her back.
"Well I feel like an idiot" Stef muttered.
Kirsten took her daughter's hands in hers, "You shouldn't, you look like a million dollars" she smiled.
"How can I look anything but ugly – with these" Stef pulled her hands away and wrapped her scarred arms around herself.
"Steffy" Kirsten sighed wearily and ran her hand through her daughters tamed hair; she pursed her lips as she studied her daughter for a moment.
Stef stepped away, "Its alright Mom I'm just being stupid… look you have a million and one things to get on with"-
"But you're my daughter, you're more important. I want to make sure you're alright with tonight"
Stef gave a tired looking smile, "you've worked hard for tonight Mom, so I'll be there…and I'm fine, everyone will be too busy watching the show and admiring the models and clothes anyway to pay attention to me. I'll be fine. Okay?"
Kirsten watched her daughter for a long moment. "Any problems, you find me or your dad okay… if you want to leave early just tell us"
"Yes Mom"
"Alright" Kirsten pulled her daughter to her for a brief hug, "put some lipstick on" she smiled.
Stef rolled her eyes and whined "Mom!" as she left the bedroom. Stef sighed as the door clicked shut and she turned to look in the mirror, attempting a smile before giving up and turning away with a frown.
………..
"I hate ties" Ryan mumbled for the third time, pulling at it lightly.
"Me too kid, but we'll just have to put up with them for a few hours" Sandy said from where he was sat beside him on the sofa.
"As long as I can still breathe by the end of the night, then okay" Ryan mumbled.
Sandy laughed and glanced to the clock before calling "Stef, are you ready? We need to leave in a minute"
"Yeah" came a wavy nervous call back, "I'm ready just… don't point and laugh too much okay?"
"Stef just come on out and give your old man a twirl" Sandy grinned as he stood up waiting for Stef to step on out. Ryan stood up besides him and exhaled as he too waited.
There was a hesitant click as the handle was turned, then the door was pulled open slightly a jar, "Dad, if you have a heart attack – well, I'm sorry in advance" Stef mumbled before forcing herself to throw open the door and step on out.
Ryan held his breath as Sandy brushed past him. "Hunny, you look gorgeous" Sandy sounded like an honest proud father as he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"And all for less than the price of the coffee table" Stef nervously laughed.
"Stef you look… like a girl" Ryan rambled out as he looked at her. "Your hair isn't crazy, and you're in a dress"
"Someone just graduated from charm school didn't they?" Stef spoke sarcastically as she threw a smile to Ryan.
"Sorry I mean, like your dad said, uh, you look nice. I can't believe you're not in jeans or a t-shirt"
"Under all that grungy stuff you have a wonderful figure Steffy"
"Oh you two, stop" Stef flailed a hand dramatically, "before my ego grows to the size of Pamela's bosoms and I won't be able to get out the door!" she made her dad laugh. "And you two gents look peculiarly handsome, but don't tell Mom I said that, she thinks I bitch about everyone and never pay compliments"
Sandy kissed his daughter on the cheek, "urgh dad!" Stef whined and wiped the back of her hand across her cheek. "Come on then kids, we have a fashion show fundraiser to go to" Sandy announced.