Mysterious

Chapter 17

Bruno was video chatting with his sisters while waiting for Arissa to get ready for the night. Her whole group of friends that he had already met – plus some more – were slated to come over in about 30 minutes. Arissa understood that he needed downtime too, so she had planned enough time for him to catch up with family and friends while he was with her. He asked her to talk to his sisters as well. It scared her shitless, but she agreed to talk to them for a few minutes before she ran off to get dressed. Both of the sisters he was talking to loved her. As she was running back and forth between the closet and the bathroom he could hear them both gushing over her.

"She's so nice, Brunito!"

"And she's pretty! How did she get her eyes to look like that? Where did she get that necklace? It's so darn cute!"

He heard a knock at the door, telling them he had to go. He blew them kisses closing the window. Arissa came running out the door yelling "I'm coming! I'm coming! I'll be there in a second!"

By the time she got to the door her guests were sitting on the couch watching her freak out.

"Bruno let us in..." Eddie told her.

"Darn it. I forget I have someone to do things for me now." she blushed.

"Entertain them for a bit...I don't have my shoes on yet..." she said running back to her room.

Anna, Natalia and several other girls Bruno hadn't met ran back to her room and closed the door.

"What is he like? You've totally slept with him, right? And oh my god, his hair..." her friend Nicole started to ramble.

"Amazing, yes, and yes – hand me my shoes so we can go." she pointed to the black flats buried under a pile of dirty clothes.

"Why flats? You never wear flats..." Yesenia asked her.

"He's 5'5", Yesi. I'm 5'3". I stand up and am almost taller than him. No heels."

She nodded forgetting he was short.

"Ready?"

"Let's go!" she danced around with them. The door opened. They all saw the boys standing around her kitchen table taking shots.

Ryan handed each of the girls a shot. Arissa started to say "Por arriba, por abajo..." her group joined in and finished the statement taking the shot.

"Let's go!" she said taking Bruno's hand almost running outside.

Arissa and her friends piled into three different cars taking the short drive to the bar. She had explained to Bruno that is was a small place, small enough that it got crowded so not many people would notice him. It was a place where people she grew up with went, so she might see some people she knew. It was a chill place where everyone was friendly. He knew she was rambling about this to reassure herself about this. He felt completely safe where he was – with her.

They walked up two flights of stairs to the bar named The Ivy. There was a line- the large group bypassed the line waving at the bouncer named Adam. Arissa and Bruno snuck in the middle of the group. They grabbed the middle VIP table where a note sat. "Thanks for stopping by Risa! We love you always, Scott, Nathan and Steph."

"Oh, they love you!" Bruno said grabbing the big bottle of vodka to pour for everyone.

"Drinks for everyone?" Bruno asked. "I'm a master..."

"You're going to have to prove it..." Eddie told him.

"You're on..." They started mixing drinks and talking.

"He is just too darn cute." Yesenia told her.

"I know!" Arissa responded grabbing his butt as she talked to her friend. He grabbed her in response making her laugh.