5

"No! Angelica put it back." I hissed as I walked past her, but she grabbed my hands just in time for me not to slip away. 

She gave me a pointed look as she shoved the red laced thong panty in my face. I scrunch my face in disgust as she did that. "Look at it! It's beautiful! You should totally buy this!"

"Give me one reason to buy it." I pushed the thong out of my face as I glared at the black-haired beauty in front of me. Her pink dress was waving in all directions as she impatiently tapped with her sandals on the tiled floor.

 "It's not like I will get laid in New York," I said, pushing a strand of hair out of my face.

"Of course you will not get laid if you keep on wearing that granny underwear of yours!" Angelica shouted, grabbing the attention of basically everyone in the store. 

I groaned inwardly as I leaned in and whispered icily in her ear: "Really Angel? The whole store has to know?"

She snickered and threw the red thong at me. A big smile plastered on her face."Buy it! Trust me when I say you will need it when you're in New York."

I grumbled a string of curse words under my breath as I made my way towards the cashier. 

If it wasn't for Angelica's constant whining I would have not been here right now. According to Angelica, I needed 'bomb' clothes for my stay in New York. 

Usually, I just order my clothes online, because it saves me a lot of time but this time Angelica literally dragged me out of my office to go shopping with her. I had to cancel all my afternoon appointments only to accompany my best friend on her shopping spree.

This was the millionth store we went in and I was already exhausted. Walking around, store in and store out, in Louboutin heels is not exactly a great idea. Of course, I have mastered the art of walking in heels gracefully over the past few years, but not for long hours. And with long hours I mean six hours straight. Without a pause. Because that's how long we have been out shopping.

"Did you buy it?" Angelica asked as we exited the store. Her face was glowing in happiness as I nodded my head. "Do you want to go to another store or do you want to have a rest?" she asked energetically.

"A one-minute break would sound amazing, Angel," I answered tiredly, my feet were hurting so bad and I don't think I could stand being in a store for another hour. "How can you still be so full of energy?"

Angelica shrugged her shoulder as she pointed at a bench one foot away from us. "I love shopping. It's such a good way to relieve stress."

"You think this is a stress reliever? Have you ever tried reading a book?" I plopped down on the bench as I let out a deep tired sigh. Finally. "Damn my feet hurt." 

Angelica sat down next to me as she watches me kicking out my heels. We were both surrounded by our shopping bags, that there was hardly enough space to sit comfortably. 

"Reading books is boring. Shopping brings you to a whole new world." Angelica answered, grabbing a handful of her hair and throwing it in a high ponytail. 

"No, that's not--," I wanted to argue, but got interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She rummaged through her bag and when she finally found her phone she looked up at me and I immediately knew that look.

I groaned internally as she gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry, it's Alex. Give me five minutes?"

I, out of all people know that five minutes will turn into an hour. But instead of complaining I just nodded my head at her to pick up her phone. 

"Where's the driver?" Angelica took off her sunglasses and looked around the empty airport. "You told Milan that we were coming today, right?"

"Yes, I did. I called him last night." I furiously tapped on my phone searching for my dear brother's contact. I had told him exactly what time I would depart from California and if he would do simple math he should know what time I would arrive in New York.

But no, it was already thirty minutes since Angelica and I have arrived and still, there's no sign of Milan nor a driver. 

Just when I was about to call him up a black sleek car drove by and stopped in front of us. The windows were tinted and on the side, I saw the Vasilios logo.

It was about damn time.

The driver stepped out and made a small bow for us. "Sorry for the wait Miss Vasilios, there was an accident on the road." 

I nodded my head at him and pointed at our suitcases. I was too tired to even function now. "Can you put that in the trunk? Thank you."

Stepping inside the car Angelica nudged me from the side. I quirked an eyebrow up at her and she grinned widely. The entire flight she had been sleeping, while I was busy working on my laptop. I told Daphne that even though I would not be in the office for the next four weeks, it was her duty to facetime me every night and report everything that happened that day.

"I cannot believe that you are going to stay one month in New York. It's so exciting!" Angelica squealed. "After five years. It's just wow."

I shook my head and rolled my eyes at her. She is so dramatic. "Let's hope for the best, yeah? I can always catch a flight back to California."

"You would totally not do that. Especially when you will see Zane!"

"Why do you need to bring him up?" I groaned out annoyed.

Angelica shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "Maybe because once upon a time you two were practically inseparable."

"You said it yourself, once upon a time."

"And I still think that there is a teeny bit of love for him deep down inside your heart." she continued, smiling cheekily at me. Sometimes I wonder why we are still friends. Angelica always gets on my nerves. 

"There is not!"

"Yeah, whatever you say. Anyways what I actually wanted to tell you is that Zane has a party planned for you."

"What?!" I yelled out, totally in shock. So he knows that I'm coming! I groaned as I leaned back on the leather seat of the car. I wanted to keep my stay in New York a secret for as long as possible, but I guess that's not going to be the case anymore.

"Yeah, I know right. He's planning a party for someone who hates him so much!"

I scoffed. "I'm not going."

"Of course you will. I haven't told you the fun part yet."

"There's nothing fun about a party that Zane is organizing."

"I'm assuring you there is." judging by the way Angelica was looking at me I should have known it was not something good. She leaned in closer to me and whispered in my ear. 

"The party is  going to be a masquerade ball."