“These are gorgeous,” said Ashley. She closed her eyes and took a whiff of the flowers. “Who are they from?”
“My father,” I replied.
Jade’s eyes bugged out of her head. “Are you fucking kidding me? After nineteen years, he decides to acknowledge you now?”
Her tone was suddenly angry, but I couldn’t bring myself to share her feelings. I was used to being nonexistent to my father, and I had no room in my heart for anger when it wouldn’t change anything. I had one man in my life that had raised me, and he turned out to be enough. I’d done just fine without my father, and that wasn’t about to change.
“Oh, and Shelly,” I added. My stepmother was half my father’s age, and the very definition of a trophy wife, fake boobs included. Our interactions had been minimal while I was growing up, and I’d aimed to keep it that way.
“Seriously? I bet your dad’s assistant sent them,” said Jade, voicing my initial thought on the subject.
“Am I missing something?” Asked Ashley. Her question was innocent, but I knew it would only set Jade off. She had no problem airing her disdain for my father and his bimbo of a wife.
“Uh, yeah. Kennedy’s father puts the ‘A’ in ‘asshole’ and his wife puts the ‘G’ in ‘Golddiggingwhorewithnobrains’,” replied Jade, just like I thought she would. Once she got started, there was little to be done about stopping her.
“That sucks,” remarked Ashley.
“You have no idea,” said Jade. “They’re the worst people ever, made from the rotting flesh of Lucifer himself.”
My brows lifted. Jade had never used that one before. Oddly enough, I myself couldn’t have come up with a euphemism more fitting than that.
“Anyway,” Jade flicked her hair over her shoulder, “we’re wasting precious oxygen talking about those…parasites…and getting ready for the party tonight would be a much better use of our time.”
“Amen to that,” I said, glad for the swift change of subject.
Ashley’s face broke out into a grin, and she turned her gaze to Jade. “Can we give Kennedy your gift now?”
Jade returned Ashley’s grin, and took my hand before leading me to her room with Ashley behind me. She left me in the center of her room, and disappeared quickly. She returned with one of her mannequin dress forms, and pushed it in front of me. The cloth covering it hid what was beneath, but when Jade pulled it off, a gasp escaped my lips, and my eyes widened.
Draped across the mannequin was a one-shoulder royal blue sheath mini dress. The sleeve was made of chiffon, and embellished with crystals, while the remainder of the dress was made of matte satin. It was breathtaking.
“What do you think?” Asked Jade. She bit her lip, and for the first time since I’d known Jade, she looked nervous.
“It’s incredible,” I said. “What’s it for?”
“It’s your last birthday present, for when we go out tonight,” she replied.
“Did you make it?” I asked.
Jade nodded. “I’ve been working on it for the last month. Do you like it?”
“Like it? I freakin’ love it, Jade. This has to be the most beautiful item you’ve ever made.”
“I bet it will look even better once you have it on,” said Ashley. “You have no idea how hard it’s been to keep quiet about it. I was sworn to secrecy.”
“I don’t know what to say,” I half-whispered. I was in awe of it, really. Jade had an incredible talent when it came to designing, and constructing clothes, leaving me in wonderment of her too.
A lump formed in my throat, and my eyes grew wet.
“Thank you,” I lifted my eyes back to Jade. “I really do love it.”
Jade hugged me, and I heard her suppress a sniffle. “I’m so glad, because it was a bitch getting all those fucking crystals sewn onto the sleeve. I would have cut you of you didn’t like it.”
We all laughed, and stared at the garment in question a little longer. It was just too stunning not to admire.
“Okay bitches, let’s get ready,” said Jade. “It’s going to be a fan-fucking-tastic night.”
KOLONY WAS SITUATED in the main road that separated the university campus from the sports fields. It was also the hot spot for most of Brighton’s students on a Friday night, provided there wasn’t a football game.
The line outside was all the way round the block, and on any other night we might’ve joined it, but Jade hooked her arms through mine and Ashley’s and led us straight to the door. When the bouncer saw us, or more specifically Jade, he smiled. He was huge, with muscles that bulged everywhere and hair shaved in a military cut. His black suit hugged him a little too lightly, but judging by the indent of the firearm at his side I guessed it was intentional.