The morning of the gala, Rebecca woke up to someone knocking on her door. "Ugh..." she rolled over. The knocking wouldn't stop so she finally threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She walked down the stairs and swung the door open. Standing there was a delivery man with a big box.

"Delivery for a Miss Rebecca," the man read her name off the paper on his clipboard.

"That's me?" it came out as a question instead of a statement.

The man handed her the clipboard for her to sign and then the box after she handed it back to him. "Have a great day," he said before walking away.

Rebecca closed the door and walked to her kitchen. Placing the box on the counter, she picked up the note to read it. Before she got a chance, her door swung open. "Becs!" she heard Joni shout.

"I'm right here," Rebecca answered.

Joni turned around quickly and her eyes caught sight of the big long box on the counter, "O.M.G. Who sent you flowers?" She shouted before clapping her hands.

Rebecca lifted an eyebrow, "how do you know its flowers?" she asked her friend.

She rolled her eyes, "how do you not know what a flower box looks like?" she looked at her with a 'duh' look on her face.

"Of course, you know what a flower box looks like," Rebecca threw her hands up in the air. "And I don't know who it's from. I was just going to read the card when you barged in," she sighed before going back to read the card.

Thank you again for accompanying me to the gala tonight. There is an appointment for you this afternoon at Jana Bonella's showroom. Pick out whatever dress and shoes you want. I will send a car to drive you around for the day. I look forward to seeing you tonight – Vincent Bellandini

"O.M.G." Joni squealed from behind Rebecca. "Your mystery guy is Vincent Bellandini?"Rebecca nodded her head. "That is crazy! He is like the hottest man in all of Chicago," she clapped her hands a little and started dancing around.

Rebecca started to laugh as she watched her best friend dance around her kitchen. She looked at the card again and realized that she would be at work while she was supposed to be at her appointment for a dress. She didn't know what she was going to do. Joni watched Rebecca's face drop, "what's wrong?" she asked.

Rebecca took a deep breath, "I can't go to this appointment. I have to work," she sighed as she walked to her couch and sat down. "I didn't think about how I won't be done working until an hour before he will be picking me up. What am I going to do, Joni?"

Joni picked up Rebecca's phone and scrolled to the number for the hospital. Pushing the call button, she placed it to her ear. Rebecca watched her friend with a look of curiosity. "Yes, I am calling for my sister, Rebecca Jones. She has gotten food poisoning and she is not going to be able to come to work today," Joni said into the phone. Rebecca lunged for her friend but missed and fell on the floor. "Yes, of course, I will let her know. She will see you tomorrow," Joni hung up and looked at Rebecca.

"What are you thinking? It's only my second day. I can't call in already," she shouted swinging her arms around.

Joni laughed, "don't worry about it. Besides if anything happens you know daddy will handle it for you," she stood up and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator before returning to the couch again.

"Joni. You understand nothing," she sighed laying back on the couch.

"I understand that you have a date with the hottest man in town and you are going to score a second date and then you won't even need a job," she clapped her hands again and Rebecca was beginning to really hate her doing that.

"I'm not going to get a second date with him. He doesn't date. I'm just helping him out because he needs a date and-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Joni interrupted her. "One. You were the girl he chose to take. He could have picked anyone else, but he didn't. Two. You are going to look so amazing that there will be no way that he can resist asking you out again," she smiled like she had just said the most intelligent thing in the world.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "well you already called. Not much I can do about it now," she shrugged.

"Exactly! So, you need to get ready to go shopping. I, of course, am going with you. So, go shower and I will do the same," Joni said standing up and heading for the door before Rebecca could say anything she was gone.

Rebecca headed for the shower. She wasn't sure what to expect so shaving was going to have to happen.

When she got out of the shower and was dressed, she grabbed her purse and keys before heading across the hall to Joni's apartment. Joni answered the door shouting goodbye to Isaac over her shoulder. She looped her arm through Rebecca's, "I am so excited to go shopping," she clapped her hands.

"If you keep clapping your hands like that they're going to chap," Rebecca laughed.

"Ha. Ha," Joni rolled her eyes.

They pulled up in front of the showroom and Rebecca got nervous. She couldn't believe that she was actually getting a dress from her favorite designer. She could never afford something from here. Even if this was just a one-time thing, she was going to eat up the benefits. "Becs, come on," Joni called bringing her back to what was going on around her. Rebecca nodded and followed her into the shop.

After an hour of looking and trying on dresses, Rebecca was about to give up. When the sales girl came out carrying one that made both girls gasp, they looked at each other and knew it was the one. Rebecca didn't even need to try it on she just told the girl to ring it up.

"It has been taken care of by Mr. Bellandini," the sales girl said looking her up and down with a judgmental look that made Rebecca feel very uncomfortable. She heard Joni clear her throat beside her and looked over to see her best friend glaring at the sales girl. Biting back a laugh. As she reached for Joni's arm, she heard her phone go off.

Rebecca felt herself blushing a little. He was really thoughtful and she liked that. She let out a huff and shook off the feeling. She could not start thinking like that. It was one night.

"Joni, I have an appointment for hair and makeup. We better go," she grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the door.

Three hours later, Rebecca was following Joni into the car that had been driving them around for the day. Rebecca had gotten her hair, nails, and makeup done. She still had two hours to spare. "I am already tired and I don't even know how I'm going to make it through tonight," she sighed looking at Joni.

Joni gave her a reassuring smile, "you are going to be fine. I have been to so many gala's they are not that bad. I mean are they boring? Totally, but you are going with the hottest man on the planet. I'm sure you will have something to keep your interest," she waved her hands in a dismissive manner.

Rebecca laughed, "he went from hottest man in Chicago to on the planet real quick," she raised an eyebrow.

Joni laughed, "I had time to think more about it." Rebecca laughed at her shrugging as if it was no big deal. "There is something you should know though. Most people that go to these things are total snobs. Make sure to keep your head up. Don't give them even a hint that you feel like you don't belong there," Joni held up her hand when Rebecca started to protest, "Becs' I know how you think. You can get super nervous and you don't really show a lot of confidence when that happens. Just remind yourself that you are amazing and they aren't any better than you are. No matter the amount of money they have," she patted Rebecca's hands that were folded on her lap. "I promise you're going to be okay."

Rebecca nodded and thought about what her best friend had just said. She was so thankful for Joni. She was blunt and always said what was on her mind normally without care, but in their long friendship, she had learned that Rebecca took things to heart sometimes and learned how to talk to her while still tell her the hard truth. She knew that there was some truth to what Joni said. She never really liked being around rich people. Most of them were rude and they always looked at her like they were better than her. It was like they knew she didn't belong.

She was in such deep thoughts that she didn't realize that the car had stopped in front of their building. "Becs, can we go I want to make sure that you are completely ready when lover boy gets here," Joni said pulling her out of her thoughts. Blinking she stepped out of the car and nodded to the driver that was holding the door open for them. He nodded back before shutting the door behind Joni and walking back to the driver's side and getting in.

Joni looped her arm through Rebecca's and led her to the elevator. "I need to go and see if Isaac is home. Why don't you go and get your dress and heels on and I will come over and look over your whole look before he gets here," Joni turned to her as they stepped off on their floor. Rebecca nodded her head.

She walked up the stairs to her bathroom and looked in the mirror. Her makeup was perfect. She had told the makeup artist to keep it light and natural. She had given her a very subtle, smokey grey eye with pink along her waterline. She had light, barely there blush and her lips were covered in pink lip-gloss. Her hair was loosely pulled back into a pretty bun leaving her neck on display. She almost didn't recognize herself. Maybe this look would help her fit in better tonight. She sighed and went back to her room to put on her dress.

"I'm here, I hope you're decent," she heard Joni shout as she put her last heel on her foot.

"I'll be right down," she responded. She stood up and looked in the full-length mirror next to her closet. "Well this is as good as I'm going to get," she said to herself before heading down the stairs.

She heard a gasp as she reached the last stair and her head shot up to look at her best friend who had her hands over her mouth and her eyes were huge. Rebecca looked down at her dress and smoothed it out. She wondered if there was something wrong with it. Before she could ask, Joni spoke, "you look incredible," it came out like more of a whisper. Rebecca smiled big. She was starting to believe that this night wouldn't be such a disaster.

"So, you approve?" She asked her. Joni just laughed and nodded her head. Rebecca heard a knock and her head whipped to the side to stare at the door. Her head whipped back to look at Joni and then the clock on the wall behind her. He was early and now her hands were wet with sweat. Another knock sounded from the door and she felt her heart began to pound and her breathing went heavy.

"Hey," Joni said grabbing her by the shoulders, "It's going to be okay," she said. Rebecca looked her in the eyes and nodded while she tried to calm her breathing. It was no use. She was nervous and nothing was going to change that fact.

She felt Joni push her towards her door so that she could answer it. Taking a deep breath, she turned the nob and pulled the door open. She heard herself gasp at the same time their eyes met and he did the same.