Chapter 11
Aliena
“Don’t say a word. I can tell you want to ask again but the answer stays the same, I won’t tell you where we’re going,” Lily cuts me off before I can even formulate the question for the fifth time. We’ve been in the car for forty minutes and I don’t recognize our surroundings anymore.
I hate surprises. I trust my friend though, so I guess I’ll do as I’m told.
“Now, tell me about your day. All we’ve talked about so far is what will happen later,” she adds. I just shrug.
“Didn’t really do anything so far,” I lie before my brain even registers the deception. I’m not even sure why I’m keeping my visit to the gallery a secret from her. It was fantastic and I should be bursting at the seams with the need to talk all about it.
But she’d ask me how I managed to go, and I’d have to tell her that Sebastian got me an invitation. Then I’d have to tell her why he’d do such a thing and I have absolutely no idea what to say to that since it’s a widely-known fact that he and I cannot stand each other. Not really .
“You’re a bore. What would you only do without me?” She sighs dramatically I shove her shoulder. “Careful, I’m driving!” she exclaims. I ignore her.
“Without you, I’d still go to parties with cheap beer and crackling stereos. So thanks for getting a very awesome, very preppy boyfriend with very useful ties,” I tell her.
“You forgot to mention that you’d be absolutely devastated. Don’t forget about that part,” she adds. I roll my eyes.
“Yes, yes, I would be in pieces.”
“I know. Now, we’re here, look!” she says, motioning to the spa right in front of our parking space. I look over at her, feeling a little guilty.
“Lily,” I start but she cuts me off.
“Don’t even, Aliena. I know what you’re going to say. That I didn’t have to do this and that you’d be more than happy to just drink cheap wine with me on my couch and blah, blah. Just accept that I’m conveniently using your birthday as an excuse to go to the spa, okay?”
“I can never pay you back,” I tell her, hating how self-pitying I sound. My friend places a gentle hand over mine.
“I don’t care about that, A. You know that. Now, can we please go inside? I booked us a couples massage. I hope it’s okay that I asked for a male masseur for you.” With a wink, she leaves the car while I scramble after her, laughing to myself.
This woman.
And so we get a couples massage. And no, I don’t mind having a male masseur but not for some questionable reasons. I just like the feeling of big hands on me, and I prefer a lot of pressure. It gets awkward asking a tiny woman to knead me more thoroughly again and again until I eventually have to accept that she simply doesn’t have the right leverage and strength for that. The guy working on my muscles today does wonders to relax me.
“All right, what’s next on your plan?” I ask, my words almost slurred with how blissed out I feel. My friend smiles at me and pulls me deeper into the building.
“We get our nails done. I don’t remember the last time you painted yours. Meanwhile, you have such fantastic, natural long nails. They’re wasted on you,” she complains.
“I just have other priorities. And yes, please take them. They grow too fast, it’s always such a waste of time to shorten them.” If I got a dollar for every time someone commented on how jealous they were of how I could grow out my nails, I’d live in a much better apartment.
“I don’t know how I put up with you,” she huffs, even as she throws an arm over my shoulder.
“You love me. Now, be nice. It’s my birthday.”
Three hours later, we’re at Lily’s with painted nails – hands and feet – and a clean face from another treatment she decided to spontaneously book when she saw the flyer. I don’t think anyone has ever wasted so much money on me in the span of a few hours, and while I appreciate every part of her surprise, it’s also making me feel like shit.
The gallery plus this plus wherever we’re going tonight is just too damn much. I didn’t do anything to deserve all this.
On Lilianne’s birthdays, the best I can manage is a nice picnic with some of the wine she prefers or a trip somewhere all right for dinner. And I save up for months to manage that no matter what a downgrade it turns out to be from Lily’s day-to-day life. It makes it even harder for me to accept her presents.
“Okay, you shower first, I’m setting out a bunch of clothes you have to choose from for tonight. Then we do our makeup. The guys are picking us up in two hours,” she tells me.
I nod without further protest, keeping my inner war to myself. Now’s not the time to voice them. Today’s not the day.
The first thing I notice when we go outside to meet the guys is that it’s not Sebastian’s McLaren waiting for us, so I already know he won’t be in the car. When he’s with us, he drives. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in the passenger seat.
As I get in the backseat, I realize that Mattheo isn’t here either. It’s just Andrew behind the wheel, turning around to beam at me. “Hello, birthday girl. Sorry for the piss-poor greeting. I’ll make up for it once we reach our destination,” he promises. Then he leans over to give his girlfriend a kiss. “Hello, gorgeous.”
She pulls away first. “Shut up and drive,” she teases him with feigned huffiness, then softens the blow with a kiss on the cheek.
“Bossy,” he mutters even as he starts driving. “So, did you two have a good day?”
“Definitely. Your girlfriend spoiled the shit out of me. I’m already scheming for her birthday in three months,” I respond, acting like I’m under a lot less pressure than I actually am. Internally, I’m freaking out.
“Oh, we’ll have to put our minds together for that. I have an idea or two as well,” Andrew interjects. My first instinct is to turn him down since it’s Lily’s and my tradition to organize something for the other’s birthday but I keep quiet. Andrew’s her boyfriend so it only makes sense that he wants to plan something for her.
It’s nice, I guess, and it would certainly allow us to go a little more overboard since he has access to much more resources than me. If only I were a little better at handling change.
“Hey! There she is!” Mattheo cheers as soon as I step onto the VIP platform of yet another club I’ve never been to. It’s beautiful; classy and spacious with a raging dancefloor. A crazy light show’s going on with colorful beams of light jumping over the room.
There are more lights, steady ones, casting the room in a blue hue whenever they don’t shut off to leave only the tiny lasers and spotlights to provide light. I don’t want to know what all happens on the dancefloor in the safety of the darkness.
And then there are the flashing lights that occasionally disrupt the steady sounds of the club as the crowd erupts in cheers. To say the party’s already in full swing would be an understatement and I’m convinced it’ll only get better.
The VIP part is elevated a few steps so we can see over the dancing crowd. It’s equipped with three black satin couches that look surprisingly clean and some space for dancing, if anyone wants to put on a private show, I guess. Oh, and there’s a small box that looks like a minibar and a button on top of it that says “service”.
Fancy. This seems like my kind of place.
Mattheo is sitting on the couch, and I make my way over to him before he can bother to stand up, throwing myself into his welcoming arms. I haven’t seen him since the night I was attacked, and I missed the idiot. I clumsily settle on his lap, hug his narrow middle and bury my face in his neck, sighing contently. Oh, how I adore tight hugs. Especially the ones coming from giants like Mattheo that can envelop me entirely.
It’s been too freaking long since I got a hug. One from a guy, at least. A guy that isn’t my best friend’s boyfriend since Andrew hugged me once we got out of the car in front of the club. Embraces like that are obviously appreciated too but it’s not the same. I don’t know.
“Someone’s happy to see me. How are you?” he asks, letting me pull away slightly to look at his handsome face.
“I’m great, thanks. This place looks awesome!”
“Did you expect anything else? You know your best friend has taste,” Lily pipes in from another couch. I smile at her over my shoulder.
“She does. She also spends way too much money on me though!” I insist again.
“We split the price, Sweetie. Don’t worry about it,” she brushes me off. Like that would make me feel any better.
“You all paid for this?” I ask, looking at all of them. They nod.
“Seb too,” adds Andrew. That reminds me.
“Where is he, by the way?” I ask, looking around the empty space apart from the four of us again.
“In the bathroom, I guess. I’m sure he’ll be back in a second,” Mattheo replies, caressing my arm sweetly. I nod at him and smile.
“Well, I’m not waiting for him. Come dance with me,” I say, getting off his lap in the hopes that he’ll follow. Only that he doesn’t. Instead, his face turns apologetic, something I don’t like at all .
“As much as I’d love to do that, and you know how much I would, I’m afraid there won’t be any dancing for me tonight,” he tells me.
“What? But it’s my birthday,” I protest, trying not to sound too pouty or upset. No dancing? What is he talking about? He reaches out and gives my hand a squeeze.
“I know, Amo, I’m sorry but one must follow the doctor’s orders,” he teases, nodding to his right leg. That puzzles me enough to forget being upset.
Instead, I ask, “What? What’s wrong with your leg?”
“Dislocated my knee two weeks ago. It’s still healing. I actually went back to the doctor today for a check-up but I’m afraid I’m blocked for the night. That’s why I met you guys here. Sorry, I really tried,” he explains but I’m already shaking my head.
“But how did that happen? Did you do something wrong at practice?” I prod.
“Not exactly,” he replies wryly. Before I can push him for answers, Sebastian joins us on the platform and redirects my focus.
“Look who decided to make an appearance. How lovely,” I tease him. He just rolls his eyes at me and falls back on the unoccupied couch.
“What are we talking about?” he asks, looking between Mattheo and me.
“Nothing,” my friend replies at the same time as I say, “He won’t tell me how he hurt his knee.” My eyes briefly snap to Mattheo’s in question at his dismissal, but he keeps looking at his friend across the platform. I follow his gaze. The men share a look I don’t understand until finally, Mattheo looks away glumly while Sebastian turns his eyes to me, arching an amused brow .
“Well, Aliena, sometimes people just don’t want you knowing all their business,” he provides unhelpfully. The innuendo about how we first met and how he still holds a grudge because of that isn’t lost on me. Sometimes, I really don’t know what goes on in his head. I think we could’ve gotten along great if only he hadn’t been a dick to me the second I stepped into his house.
As if I wouldn’t have stayed quiet about our first meeting if only he’d asked me to. It could have been our little secret. Instead, he made it the reason we can’t be friends. Idiot.
“It’s her birthday, dipshit. Be nice,” Andrew pipes up. Sebastian just raises his hands in surrender and melts into the couch cushion. For a second, I’m just standing amidst them, unsure of what to do. Then, I decide that this isn’t how I want to spend my birthday and I let go of Mattheo’s hand.
“Well, it’s a real shame you can’t keep me company but I’m sure I’ll find someone else to dance with. Y’all have fun sitting here, losers.”