Chapter 2

One year later.

***

Rae

Someone nudges my arm, waking me up.

Moaning I roll over, popcorn and confetti sticking to my skin as the room comes into focus. The glitter on my chest is itching me, and my mouth taste like ass.

"Where am I?" I croak.

"You got to go, check out is in an hour," a tall Mexican man says, looming over me as I blink myself awake.

Holding my pounding head, I push myself up and pull my dress down that has hiked up in my sleep. It feels like a sledgehammer is going to town in my skull. What did I do last night?

The motel suite comes into view and everything slowly strings to memory. Quinn and I were invited to a party and we rocked that shit. I think.

A flashback of me riding a fake pink flamingo comes to memory. A sliver of Quinn rubbing herself down in shaving cream and imprinting herself onto the front window of the suite.

One eye open, I look toward the light filtering through the window and see a smudged body print on the glass. Yep, that happened.

That's all I got as far as memories though.

"What time is it?" I smack my lips, my mouth feeling dry. I need toothpaste. Bad.

"Noon," the young man answers. Something flickers in the back of my head, as if I had something to do today.

"RAE!" Quinn yells at the top of her lungs and I cringe from the loud sound.

"I'm in here," I snap hatefully.

Quinn steps over trash, her hair sticking everywhere as she makes her way toward me. Her mascara has run down her cheeks, and her dress is wrinkled as if she's slept in a closet all night.

"I feel like shit," she whines, holding her forearm over her forehead.

"Me too," I whisper.

"What time is it?" she questions.

"Noon," I reply.

"Oh shit, don't you have that lunch thing with your mom today?" Quinn looks at me with wide eyes.

"Oh damn!" That's what I had to do today.

I jump over a half-naked guy, kick a fake pink flamingo out of the way and rush out of the hotel room.

"I'll meet you at the house?" Quinn hollers.

"See you later!" I wave, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I was supposed to meet my mother, and sister for lunch. I cannot believe I forgot!

Stopping at the stairs I take my heels off and run as fast as I can to my car. Mom is going to kill me!

Getting to the restaurant I run my fingers under my eyes to wipe the smudged eyeliner. I finger comb my hair down, which isn't really working, and pull my dress up to hide my cleavage some. Licking my palm, I rub it along my collarbone to erase some of the lingering body glitter. Quinn rolled it on me last minute regardless of my protesting. She takes looking sexy to a stripper level.

I didn't even know they still made body glitter.

Clearing my throat, I casually walk inside the restaurant and find my mom and sister sitting at a table in the back.

My mom glances at me before doing a double take. That look, I can tell she is not pleased. That or I look like someone brought in a stray cat. Probably both.

Her eyes are wide, her nostrils flaring, and the corner of her mouth is slightly turned upward as I near. Her hair is big and blonde, her makeup light, barely noticeable as she hardly wears any.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. Traffic," I lie.

My sister, Lani, stands and hugs me. She's a good kid, but is a follower. Always looking to please everyone but herself. It's where her and I differ. I'm the black sheep.

"You smell like tequila," she whispers in my ear, and I laugh. If that's all I smell like, then I'm winning.

"Rae, you look like hell, honey," Mom complains, and I ignore as usual before sitting down.

"What's good here to eat, I'm starving." I grab a menu and examine the appetizers. Only thing I ate last night was some stale popcorn and I think Quinn found a corn dog in the hotel freezer.

I pause mid thought. Did I eat that corndog? God, I hope not.

"All right, I'm just going to say it. Rae, this has to stop," Mom states firmly, pressing the palms of her hands onto the table precisely. Here we go. I knew this was coming. I should have just called and said I wasn't coming, I could mute her then.

"You are twenty-five years old and act like a damn nineteen-year-old. You're out partying, and-"

"Having fun?" I supply, setting down my menu. That's all I'm doing. Having fun. I'm not doing drugs, I'm not knocked up by a pimp. I'm having fun, and staying out of trouble... for the most part.

"Look, we all know you had a life changing experience when Jacob dumped you-"

"On my wedding day," I add, angry she brings it up all the time. That day was hard on me, but it was also hard on her. She was so excited to see her oldest marry, and was over the moon about having grandchildren soon. I feel like I disappoint her every day since then.

"I think it's time you settle down. As your mother I insist this pity party ends now!" Mother points at me and I roll my eyes. The smell of warm buttered bread rolls at the table catching my attention more than my mom's schooling. She acts like I'm humping the Tennessee defensive line.

"You know, I know a guy-"

"No!" I cut her off. No more dates. My mom has horrible taste in men, how she landed my father I'll never know. "That last guy you set a date with me was beyond creepy!" I flail my arms around indicating my point.

"You're being dramatic," Mother huffs, taking a sip of water, eyeing me out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh, I'm being dramatic? Anyone who has a clown collection should be locked in a padded room and anyone that has ever seen the movie IT would agree." My voice wavers as I side-eye my sister who is actually nodding in agreement.

"Don't look at your sister for backup. She's got her life figured out and has a nice young man who is going to marry her one day. It's time you be the big sister and settle down, Rae. Go find a nice gentleman and give me some grandbabies," she continues and I snort. A little me running around would be something.

"How do you even set these dates up? Do you go up to them and say, 'Hello, I need you to date my daughter who has enough baggage to fill a plane. I need you to marry her and give me grandbabies as soon as possible,'" I imitate my mother's voice.