2. ~Aurora~

~2 years ago~

"This is such great news!" Bianca Stanley, my best friend, squealed as she jumped around in our apartment. I rolled my eyes, sitting back on the couch and resuming the movie I was watching.

"I know." I smiled. "Dad finally thinks I am ready to face the world."

Bianca stopped hopping around and looked at me with a wide smile on her face and pride in her eyes. "My baby is all grown up." She sniffed dramatically as she wiped away invisible tears making me roll my eyes. "You make Momma hen so proud."

"All right drama hen. Sit down!" I patted the spot next to me on the couch. She sat down excitedly and gave me a side hug, not failing to rearrange a few bones in the process. She had too much strength that she wasn't aware of.

"We will go clubbing!" She exclaimed. "I will inform all our friends and we will go clubbing to celebrate you finally getting the job that you wanted in your dream company."

She was already on her phone as she spoke and I knew better than to try to talk her out of it.

Once Bianca Stanley decided on something, there was no going back.

The news was announced on our friends' group which consisted of me, Bianca, Roselyn Anderson, Kevin O'Brien, Zoe Wilkins, and Eric Rogers. Bianca and Roselyn, and Kevin and Zoe were the couples in the group. Eric was our resident playboy while I was the workaholic who was not interested in any relationship, mainly because of a certain reason. More specifically, a certain someone.

I had no choice but to go clubbing, did I?

"Let's go find some sexy outfit!" Bianca clapped and hopped up from her seat, pulling me up with her.

"We have like six hours, woman. Calm down. Relax and take a deep breath maybe!" I rolled my eyes as I was dragged to my bedroom.

"Honey, now that you have a job, we have to find you a decent guy." She said and turned to me. "You are beautiful. And your compassion and intelligence make you even more. There is not one person in the whole world who could know the real you and not be in love with you."

I stood there in awe, touched by her words.

"But... You won't find someone who actually deserves you if you stay cooped up in a stupid room or cubicle. You need to spread your wings and fly around the world."

And the crackhead actually spread out her arms and flapped them around as she ran in circles.

I rolled my eyes. There she goes again!

"Okay okay, I get what you mean. Let's choose outfits."

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"Why did I agree to this?" I sigh as I lean onto Roselyn's shoulder who just giggles at my miserable comment. The both of us hate shopping, or at least the long hours of shopping that our other friends Zoe and Bianca enjoy.

Bianca was not at all pleased with the collection of dresses I have at home - in her words, "These just aren't tight or slutty enough!". So she texted all the girls to go shopping.

"How are you two even together?" I turn to her, genuinely curious how it is possible for someone as put-together and composed as Roselyn to be in a relationship with someone like my best friend who is quite possibly a crackhead chicken in a human body. 

"She is the yin to my yang." Roselyn shrugs, looking lovingly at her girlfriend. I sigh. 

Someone, please find me someone who will look at me the way Roselyn looks at Bianca.

Oh, wait, I guess that is exactly what my Bee is trying to achieve for me today. 

My best friend's got my back! Teehee. 

Am I high on exhilaration?

Well, I do have my eyes on a certain someone. Have had my eyes on him for a long time now. And I am one step closer to him. I have gotten myself a job at his company.

"Finally!" Bianca exclaims and I look over at her. She has a long-sleeved dark green sequined wrap dress in her hand. "Ladies, we have a winner!"

"Go try it on!" Roselyn ushers me to the trial rooms.

Though it looked uncomfortable at first glance, it is surprisingly very comfy to wear. I am not going to lie – I like what I am wearing - though it is a bit too short, and the neck a bit too deep.

"And these heels to go with it!" Bianca announces as she comes in with a pair of black stilettos.

"Nope." I wiggle my finger as soon as I see it.

"Yep!" She looks at me with a devilish grin.

"Bee, I haven't gone out in so long. I don't want to fall face first and injure my nose on my first night out." I state. I agreed to go clubbing and I agreed to go shopping but this is one thing I am not going to agree to no matter how much anyone tries.

"Come on...Pleaaaaase?" Of course, her next move is to pout and be a puppy.

"Not happening." I roll my eyes and lean against the cubicle.

"Fine." She huffs. "What are you going to wear then?"

"My Adidas."

"Woman-" I push her out of the room before she can say anything. I am wearing my Adidas and that is the end of the discussion.

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"You look so hawt!" Roselyn says as she gives me a side hug. "You got my heart doing somersaults." She jokes.

"Keep your distance, women!" Bianca growls. The both of us look behind us and laugh at the obviously jealous girlfriend.

"Don't worry babe, no one's ever going to be hotter than you in my eyes." Roselyn winks at her while she just grimaces.

"Oooh, where ya going, hotness?" A strong muscular arm is thrown around my shoulder, pulling me towards him. I look up at my friend, Eric, who is about a foot taller than me. He is looking hella good as always in his black shirt and blue jeans, his blond curls jelled back.

"You are to stay away from her," Zoe interjects, prying Eric's hand off of me.

"Why?" Kevin too joins us.

"Because we are trying to help her get laid and we don't want this asshole to scare away the men." Roselyn pipes in, making me roll my eyes. My girls are just impossible!

"You mean, you don't want me, a lion, to scare away them, the kittens?" Eric asks in his usual cocky tone while we all just give him our signature 'Seriously bro?' look.

"Let's go in."

We are VIPs (sort of) so we don't have to stand in line or anything. The bouncers let us in as soon as we reach the entrance.

The flashing lights of the large room hit my eyes, blinding me, and my heart immediately synchronizes with the thumping of the beats.

"Let's sit down and catch up before we go our separate ways," Kevin says, holding onto Eric as he does because we all know that he is always the first to leave our side and shove his tongue down some girl's throat and only show up the next day.

"Of course, of course, I was not planning to take off in the first place." Eric rolls his eyes.

"Right..." Zoe slurs, giving him a flat look as we all walk over to a booth upstairs.

"I need some liquor before I start talking." Bianca sings.

"Me too." Zoe nods. "I am exhausted from the week."

"It's your treat, right?" Eric asks.

I give him a flat look while Roselyn flicks him on his forehead.

"Oww..." He whines like the man-child he is, rubbing his forehead while the five of us laugh.

"So how is life?" I ask.

"Well..." Roselyn bites her tongue as she looks between all of us. "I think I am finally ready to come out to my family."

"Yes!" Zoe and I yell.

"Babe!!!" Bianca is over the moon. And I am over the moon for my best friend. 

"Man, I wanna be there when your family realizes that Bianca wasn't there for just sleepovers." Eric laughs while we all turn to him. 

"Sorry." He says, taking a sip of the water on the table.

"So when do you plan to rip the bandaid?" Zoe turns to Roselyn. 

I smile when I feel my best friend's hand wrap around mine, her grip tightening. Aww, my crackhead chicken is a nervous chicken.

"I am thinking... next Saturday when we have our monthly dinner." 

"Woohoo!!" 

We laugh out loud as Bianca whoops in joy. 

"Let's drink to that!" Eric raises his glass of water.

"Let's get some real drinks!" Kevin yells, smacking Eric's head and he calls over one of the waiters.

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"Excuse me... Give me some space, please." Eric makes his way between me and this super annoying guy who was getting very touchy-feely with me.

"Do you mind?" The guy asks him.

"Nope." Eric shrugs and starts dancing. "Bye."

"You, my friend, are a jerk magnet." Eric starts bobbing his head.

"You are scaring away all the good ones." I pout. I might have had a drink too many and am feeling tipsy. Drunk me is... well, childish. So is drunk Eric. Well, Eric is childish at all times. 

So the two of us just decide to dance with each other, at least until we find some decent partners. But why hasn't my chick magnet not found a mouth to shove his tongue down yet? Is he sick?

"The world is spinning..." I sing as I pull away from him. Eric just nods and continues his dumb dance while I make my way to the bar, hailing the bartender.

"Lemon juice with some honey?" He asks, a small smile on his face. Frank is my neighbor and he and I drink a lot together when Bianca is out with Roselyn, and also when Bianca joins us. He knows exactly what I need when I am drunk. And he is also the reason why we get VIP treatment at this club. 

"Yes please." I smile lazily at him, supporting my head on my hand.

"Can I get you a drink?" A new voice joins me.

I blink my eyes open and stare into the most beautiful set of deep blue orbs that I have ever seen.

But... Wait a minute... This is not my first time seeing these beautiful eyes. 

I sit up and take a good look at the face of the owner of these beautiful eyes.

Well well well, if it isn't my crush of seven years.

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