Crave

Chapter One: Beautiful Strangers

My twenty-first birthday has most certainly lived up to my expectations. It's such a beautiful night outside as my best friends and I make our way downtown in the city, where we have spent most of our day together. The air around us is warm although the slight breeze makes a very nice chilling sensation against my skin. Happy smiles claim our faces while we make our way down the sidewalk, weaving in and out of the people who are standing outside of the stores. Stars fill the cloudless sky over our heads and all four of us stroll beside each other in laughter, and I'm having the best birthday.

We're all on our college spring break and it couldn't feel anymore amazing to finally have an incredible time with my girls. Parties in our dorms don't exactly bring out the excitement, because of drunk frat boys and slutty girls stumbling everywhere you look, but there's one place we know we'll have the most fun. A club downtown, called Crave. I'm the youngest out of our small group so we've all been waiting for my first time to be able to legally drink, and I couldn't be any happier than this.

My stylish black dress ends just a few inches above my knees and even though I'm usually not the type of girl to wear something this revealing, I figured tonight could be an exception. My red stillettos give me much more height than my usual five foot four frame and they happen to match my red leather jacket, my long blonde hair standing out from the bright color I'm wearing. With my makeup done, red lipstick, eyeliner, black eyeshadow, along my sexy outfit I'm sure this will be a night where I'll be looked at and for the first time in a while I don't think I'll mind it. My ex boyfriend of two years, Andrew, had cheated on me a few months back and ever since I broke up with him I've been very distant from men. I lost my virginity to him and he ripped out my heart - but I've finally gotten over it.

"Twenty one, Lillian!" Lucy exclaims, linking her arm through mine.

Amanda laughs and takes a small sip from her nip of smirnoff. "It's about time you can legally come out to party with us, bitch. Of course we could've gotten you in a long time ago but you wouldn't let us corrupt you. It isn't like you don't have a fake ID to begin with, though."

"I was saving the excitement, okay?" I say with an anxious grin. "For my birthday."

"Yeah yeah."

I sarcastically roll my eyes at her and sigh. "Shut up, Mandy."

"Oh, leave Lil alone." Courtney defends me, taking the nip and downing the last few drops of alcohol, tossing it into the nearest trashcan we walk by on the sidewalk. "We drink together when we go to parties. She's just wicked smart and focuses mainly on school, and if anything we should all learn from her and get our shit together. My grades are slipping terribly this semester-"

"What the actual fuck!" Lucy curses, and we all shoot our stares in her direction. "Mine are dropping, too. I didn't want to say anything since we're on break and school is the last thing that is supposed to be on our minds but it's really been bothering me."

"Yes, me too. Usually I don't let anything get to me but I'm paying for these classes so I might as well get good grades! My parents are going to disown me if I don't get them up."

"Talk about buzz-kills," I tell them, sighing under my breath. "Don't kill my vibe!"

Amanda lets out a loud laugh, her voice coming out extra raspy. "Seriously. I agree with you. We're attempting to have an exciting night and you two are over here speaking about how badly you suck at school. Let's change the subject already before my ears bleed."

"Just because you don't care about your grades doesn't mean we shouldn't," Courtney retorts.

"Well whatever. You guys know you could always ask me for help if you're confused about something. I'm not a total nerd. This all just comes natural to me, you know? It always has. We've been friends since elementary school."