Chapter 3

Carina

I stood in front of the mirror, trying to adjust my dress over my hips. I cupped my breasts, then shook my head. Why couldn’t I have large breasts like Freya? I look terrible in this dress. I quickly snatched it off and tossed it into a growing pile near my closet. It was the fourth dress that I tried on since I had gotten out of the shower. I grabbed my phone off my bed and scrolled through until I landed on Freya’s number, debating whether I should call her and cancel. I knew she wouldn’t stand for it though. She was liable to come over and make a scene until she got me out of the house. That was just the kind of friend she was.

Begrudgingly, I tossed my phone back onto the bed and went into the closet to search for another outfit to wear. Two dresses and one mini-skirt later, I found something that I finally felt comfortable in. It was a little cocktail dress that I bought for a wedding, a couple of years ago.

The red dress hugged my hips like saran wrap with a small slit up the left side. It was cut low in the front, making my small b-cups look a tad bit larger than they actually were. I looked at the mirror and started to second guess myself. Screw this shit, I’m not going, I thought. Just as I picked up my phone to call Freya, I heard my doorbell ring. It was almost 9 pm, and I knew it was her. I huffed, rolled my eyes and stormed to the front door. She met me with a smile and invited herself in.

“Girl, are you ready to have some fun tonight?” She pranced into the front room and removed a half-pint of liquor from her purse, along with two shot glasses, then sat down on the couch.

“I brought my own things because I know you only have coffee mugs and energy drinks in your fridge.” She paused. “Hmm, you know what? Those energy drinks might be a good combination for this liquor. Kitchen, right?”

She started into the kitchen as I called out to her. “Freya?” She ignored me, singing one of Beyoncé’s songs off key. I heard her open the refrigerator door, then slam it closed. Cabinet doors slammed shut moments later, and suddenly, she reappeared from the kitchen with two glasses in her hand, along with two cans of energy drinks. “This is perfect! Come on, I’m going to pour you a drink. We need to pre-game.”

I sat down on the couch. “I’m not going, Freya.”

She seemed to ignore me as she mixed a good amount of liquor into our cups with the energy drink. She slid it in front of me, then made herself a drink.

“Freya? Did you hear me? I said I am not going.” She continued singing as the energy drink cascaded into the glass until it filled three-fourths of the way up.

She put it to her lips and took a swallow. “This is perfect! I should be a bartender part-time or something because this is one of the best drinks I’ve ever made.”

“Freya! I said I am not going.” I snapped.

“Yeah, yeah, I heard you, but I am not paying any attention to that right now. I’m already here, you’re already dressed. We are going. Besides, Jade, Rhea, and Margo will be meeting us up there, so they are expecting you.” I didn’t say a word. Jade, Rhea and Margo had all become close friends with Freya and I since we started working at the same school together.

Freya placed her glass on the table and faced me. Her lip gloss reflected a dull shine beneath the lights in the front room. “Alright, Carina, what is wrong?”

I shook my head, then exhaled. “I look like crap, Freya. I tried on a thousand dresses until I found one that I feel halfway comfortable in and even now, I still feel like I look like shit.”

She looked at me blankly. Her eyelashes batted like butterfly wings. Her lips pushed to the side of her mouth, and finally, she sucked in a breath. “You are insane, Carina. Seriously. You are one of the most gorgeous women I know, and you’ve got one thing I wished I had. Hips and a nice ass. Every-freakin’ Kim Kardashian in the world is paying for what you already have. Those damned Italian genes must be gold mines.” I rolled my eyes at her and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Carina, a night like this is what you need,” Freya said and she placed her hands lightly on my shoulders. “Get around some guys your age so they can help you realize how beautiful you are. And who knows? You may just find someone you like.”

I pushed her on her arm. “Shut up, Freya. I am not going out to find someone. I am just going out because I know you won’t let me stay in this house.”

“Damn straight.” She grabbed my glass and handed it to me. “Now, drink up because I’d rather not have to pay for too many drinks tonight.” I took a deep breath, then grabbed the drink. The strong stench of liquor stained my nostrils and forced me to wince as soon as it got close. Freya let out a laugh.

A small smile spread across my face and I finally tilted the cup to my mouth. The liquor burned my throat on the way down. I clenched my eyes tight as Freya burst out into laughter.

I smiled and put the cup to my lips again, swallowing a few more gulps from the glass. Soon after, we climbed into her car and headed for Luzano’s. It was a popular bar in downtown Chicago that most people in their twenties spent their weekends.

The music pumped as soon as we got in. The base vibrated the walls. Lights flashed on the dancefloor as hookah smoke clouded the air. Freya grabbed my hand and pulled me close, yelling into my ear so I could hear her above the music.

“Stay close,” she said.

The liquor had already gotten me to a place I needed to be. My tolerance wasn’t extremely high because I hadn’t been a heavy drinker since my college days. Jade, Rhea, and Margo were seated at a table on the side of the room.

“Oh, my god! Look who Freya pulled out of the fucking dungeon!” Jade shouted as she stood up, smiling from ear to ear. “You look good without that fucking school teacher shit on,” she said as she wrapped her arms around me.

Jade was much shorter than the rest of us, even with her high heels on, but she was cute as a button. Long, black hair flowed to the middle of her back, and two dimples engulfed her cheeks as she smiled.

“Not you too,” I said,

We laughed out loud as the music thumped around us. I nestled into the booth next to Margo as she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. We all worked together at Madison Prep and had formed a good bond over the last couple of years.

I glanced throughout the room. People held drinks in their hands as they danced on the main floor. Smiles flashed onto their faces as Freya and Jade spoke between each other. Just then, a waiter approached our table with drinks on a platter. He slid them in front of us as we all made eye-contact with each other.

“Um, sir? We didn’t order any drinks,” Freya spoke up.

“Yeah, I know. These drinks are on that group of gentlemen over there.” He pointed to a table of three guys. One of them waved at us as the waiter tucked the platter beneath his arm and walked away.

“Well, ladies,” Freya smiled. “Cheers to our first drinks. But, as soon as they come over here and try to talk to us, I am married because they look like shit.”

We all laughed and tapped our glasses together. I took a sip of my drink, but as soon as the liquor touched my tongue, I knew that as soon as I finished it, I would be as drunk as I’d been in years. I quickly sat the glass down. My eyes wandered around the room until they landed on a man seated at the bar. His hair was cut low, and his muscles bulged from beneath his white t-shirt. Even at my distance, his arms looked like boulders. The chatter around me seemed to fade. The words within the music was barely distinguishable. All I could do was look at him.