Lemonade

2. Shut Up & Bounce, Baby!

"Woah!" Aria exclaimed, her brows getting together in displeasure as she scrunched her nose, "This looks too -" she was cut midway by her friend and assistant, Ellie.
"Let me call Ethan first. Your expressions are not for my existence."

Ethan James was their colleague, more like a marketing executive and surprisingly, happens to be head over heels for Aria Wright, but, apparently, Ms. Wright doesn't find him interesting. No matter how hard he'd tried to hunt down ways to impress the beautiful woman, Aria just doesn't seem to budge. Seems like, the suitor doesn't like to give up as he was the reason behind the party - Aria's success bash to be precise, and to his dismay, she appears to dislike it just by the look of it.

Aria gave Ellie a look containing disbelief, "New year's around the corner."
"Success got in your head or what? What are you talking about Ari?"
"You better take a resolution about being less dramatic."
"Sounds more like you!" Ellie teased her.

"I made sure that I want a decent celebration? What kind of a frat party is this?"
"Again, Ethan! Not me!" She exclaimed in response, holding her hands up in surrender. She soon added with a smirk, "Well, decent and party don't go together well in a sentence, just so you know."
"A celebration party? Ever heard of that?" She snickered, "Weren't you two together in this?"

"Well, kind of, but he was simply too involved in this; I couldn't break his heart," Ellie answered and immediately growled, "Like you."

"Shut up!" She takes a close look at the area as she groans, "This definitely looks like the ones we used to host during our teenage years. Oh! Look over there, what a sight to behold." Ellie chuckled witnessing an annoyed Aria huffing and puffing in irritation.

It wasn't her fault though. It was all messy around the area. The bottles lay on the ground, waiting for someone with no sanity to tip over them. The music couldn't be termed as impressive for her liking.

"Could you see that Ellie, everyone's already drunk or tipsy? And the slightly sober ones just making out or just talking. I called this for my achievement. This seems like a teenager hosting a wild house party!" Aria continued to whine.

"Alright, what's wrong with the place, isn't it beautiful?" Ellie asked expectantly, "We're early. There's gonna be fancy people, though."
"You mean drunk people." Aria continued expressing her displeasure.
"Aren't we not supposed to celebrate?" The former reasoned out.
"We were, but, under sober situations."

"Parties include drinks, Ms. Wright." Ellie chuckled remembering the fact that her friend doesn't drink at all. She'd tried plenty of times to break the record but Aria being a hard catch, simply doesn't seem to budge.

Ellie parted her lips to speak, but Ethan's sudden presence made her silent.
"Hey! How's it going? Are you liking the party?" He glanced towards Aria as she pressed her lips. She muttered under her breath, "I am trying to."
"Good girl," Ellie mumbled back.

Ethan gave them a questioning look as Aria shook her head. Immediately plastering a fake smile, she answered in an audible voice, "Loving it, Ethan. I am delighted to have been invited to attend."

He shrugged accepting the fake appraisal as he shifted a bit closer to her. "You talk too properly, sweetheart. This is for you," he paused signalling towards the entire area as he added in an uncertain tone of voice, "Loosen up a bit. Don't be so distant."

Ellie suppressed her grin as she clears her throat. Ethan recognizes her presence as well as he momentarily steps back a little as he expressed in a normal tone, "Here, take this Aria. Have plenty of sips of this," he forcefully shoved a beer in front of her face. "I guess you need this more than anyone else in this room."

"Thanks, Ethan, but I don't drink -" before she could finish, Ellie interrupted with a teasing smirk dancing around her lips, "Stop this nonsense, Aria. Loosen up a bit. Don't be too stiff and distant."

"I'll just be right back. You carry on." Ethan's face turned red with embarrassment and he immediately excused himself.

"What is wrong with you? That was humiliating, you idiot," Aria hissed at her friend beside her.
"Well, he should finally take note that you are not going to consider. It's been 2 years, Aria, when will he stop?"

"Why does it bother you though?" She inquired intrusively.
Ellie gave her a narrowed gaze, "Because, baby, I see your struggle to deny each time he passes those crystal hints."

Aria gives her a look of gratitude. Ellie adds, "There's no humanity left in this world. I am helping you and instead of appreciating such a fact, all you do is doubt my intentions." She finished dramatically.

"Damn, shut up," she responds and the next moment, they both laugh in unison.

"Woah! Why haven't I seen him at work?" Ellie hissed the moment her gaze accidentally fell on the guy in the blue shirt being in his own little world. He had a phone in one hand and some flavoured drink in the other. It appeared as if he had no connection to the outer world as he simply rooted his gaze inside it.

Aria noticed his brown hair and grey eyes. For her, his personality and features ring a bell. The more she looks at him, the more she finds him familiar. "He looks familiar, Ellie. I think I know him from somewhere."

"Exactly. I feel it too." She responded as she closely looked at the guy, "I think his looks match with someone famous or a celebrity." She shrugged.

"Really?" Aria muttered, "Maybe that is it." She dismissed herself but she strongly felt like she'd known him personally but couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"I thought you were going to approach him!" Aria expressed glancing at her friend, Ellie. Immediately, her nose scrunched.
"Never," Her eyes expressed displeasure, "I don't think he's planning on taking his eyes from that device in his hand."

"Right." Aria chuckled sarcastically.
"In fact, what do you think about him?" Ellie signalled towards a guy in black surrounded by a group of beautiful, sexy women.

"Do you think he's going to notice you?"
"Well, that's the main point, darling. He might choose me over all those sexy, leggy blondes." Ellie gulped her remaining drink in one go as she shoved the bottle away. With a wink passing towards her friend in a challenge, she started moving towards her target but not before having a nervous sigh.

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