“You look nice,” Jared comments, gesturing towards me in my tight blue bandage dress and embellished nude platform pumps. I guess my wardrobe got a bit of a makeover too.
“You too. Wow, did you hit the lottery and not tell me? Those shoes are sick!” I remark. He actually does look great. The update makes him look older and more mature.
“Yeah, uh. Gifts from Aurora. She likes me to dress this way.” Jared shrugs.
“Yeah, but do you like it?”
“I guess it’s not bad. The jeans will take some getting used to though. A bit tighter than I like,” he says scrunching up his nose, making him look boyish and cute. It’s the first glimpse of the old Jared I’ve seen all day. “Hey, I just wanted to say thanks. For trying with Aurora. I know she can be a bit much. And you don’t really like girls like that.”
“I don’t have any problem with girls like Aurora. I just don’t like silly, slutty girls. Aurora is…fine. Maybe I’m a bit biased but if she’s what you choose, then all I can do is be happy for you,” I smile. I mean it; Jared’s happiness means the world to me. “Now let’s go before Morgan loses her shit with us for being late.”
Jared extends a crooked arm towards me so I can link mine with is. I do and smile up at him brightly as we exit the room and join our friends in the living room. Everyone is dressed and ready, including Aurora who looks like she is about to have an aneurism. As much as I enjoy her discomfort, I try to make good on my promise to play nice and casually untangle my arm from Jared’s. He acts as if he doesn’t even notice her brooding stare. After we’ve all taken a shot of tequila, toasting to our first night in Breckenridge, we pile into the taxi van that has just arrived. Nothing like alcohol mixed with contempt to fuel the fire.
The taxi drops us off in the heart of the historic district and the partygoers are already in full swing. We step into Cecilia’s, supposedly one of the hottest places to be on Friday nights. A hostess leads us to our section which is a bit smaller than we anticipate. It’s just a couple of round tables with some bar stools, not at all what I’d expect from one of Morgan’s hook ups.
“Excuse me, Miss, but I think you may have mixed up our reservation with someone else’s,” Morgan says to our hostess as we observe the cramped space.
“Nope, I don’t think I did. This is what was set aside for you and your party,” she replies snippily. This chick is obviously not happy with her job.
“Look at the reservation again,” Aurora commands. The hostess fixes her lips to say something indignant when she looks up to meet Aurora’s icy glare. A visible shiver runs down her spine and she quickly looks back down at her tablet.
“Oh, yes, I apologize. Right this way please,” the hostess mutters, clearly shaken. She leads us to spacious private section with modern white couches and low tables with a view of the dance floor and DJ. Now this is more like it! However, the hostess’s reaction to Aurora does not go unnoticed by me.
“Wow, thanks, Aurora! How did you do that?” Morgan gushes after the hostess has left us with our menus. Trembling bass lines vibrate us in our plush seats.
“Oh, I’ve been here a few times. She must’ve recognized who I am.” Aurora turns to meet my gaze. It seems like her iciness was not only reserved for the hostess.
“Well, whatever you did, thanks!” Miguel says.
“Yeah, babe, that was awesome.” Jared cozies up to Aurora and kisses her on the cheek. She giggles like a schoolgirl.
We order an array of appetizers and drinks and dance around our little section. After several overpriced, pretentious cocktails, we’re all feeling pretty spirited. Jared and Aurora are dancing closely in a corner while Morgan and Miguel flirt and chat on the couch. James has made friends with a group of girls here for a bachelorette party. Which leaves me- pitiful, lonely Gabriella.
I decide to venture out to the main dance floor to get away from the PDA. The party is lively and infectious, and I quickly ease into the crowd. My head is a bit foggy, though I feel totally coherent as I feel someone come up from behind me and begin to sway with me. At first I think it’s just James playing around, but then I feel warm lips on my ear and cool breath on my neck. My body begins to tingle from head to toe, and not in a good way. The hairs on the back of my arm stand to attention and my body feels heavy as if it has been submerged in quicksand.
“Align with the Dark or die,” a voice whispers. Even with the music pounding loudly in my ears, I hear it clearly.
I quickly spin around but no one is directly behind me. My eyes dart around frantically at the sea of tipsy party goers. No one seems to be paying me any attention. The tingling sensation has ceased and I go into survival mode, crouching into a defensive stance, my fists hard and tight. Someone from the Dark is here. They’ve followed me. My thoughts are racing a mile a minute and I can’t seem to line them up with my actions.