HIS PLUS ONE AND TINDER DATE?!

-CHAPTER ONE-

Late at night after a very tiring workday...

Thank God! After four difficult months I can finally say that I'm done with this project. Don't get me wrong, I love my job as an interior architect and this project was a very challenging one. I mean... The clients! I can't stand people who are so undecided. I don't even want to tell you how many times my team had to redo the whole project. How can people live like that? Constantly changing and so unsure of their decision.

Meanwhile I am ranting inside my head, I prepared some snacks and started to make my living room a little cozy. This takes me a little over an hour which left me two hours to get ready before the girls arrived. It's Friday night and we kind of always meet at my place to drink and talk for I don't know how long. Usually they stay the night and sometimes when needed or just because, we spent Saturday together, doing whatever we feel like. There was a time when we went to a spa very far from where we are used to go or when Viera wanted us to paint with her at her studio. I smiled at that thought, Lilith was so out of her comfort zone and man! That was a sight to see.

Viera is the most artistic of us three then you have Lilith who is very open, sexy, social but she keeps it professional. I don't know how she pulls it off, really. At the same time, she is also the mother of our group. Call it maturity, whatever you want. Anyways then you have me, Sarahi... Shy but when I open my mouth it can come off very cold or brutally honest. Thanks to my friends and my job (aka my team), I can be social but in reality, I'm one silence away from being socially incapable. Sometimes it is very entertaining, especially for Vivi and Lili. That's their nicknames by the way. They call me Rahi even when they could've call me Sara, right? But somehow it doesn't vibe the right way for them and my family.

Two hours later and I'm ready, setting my record player for it to play some 90s r&b songs. I rather listen to jazz or soul music but I know, Lilith wouldn't like it. 90s r&b songs are the one where we all can vibe together. Sometimes it brings back some of our childhood memories and I cannot tell you how good that feels! Connecting with just some music, it always fascinated me. Deep thoughts. Anyways! I'm ready and they can be here any mom-

Bell rings through the appartement of Sarahi.

Here they are! I quickly walk towards the door to open it. "Hey Shawty! Ready for tonight?" with Viera's vibrant signature smile, she hugs me as if we didn't saw each other yesterday at lunch. Her hugs can be suffocating, the little girl is strong I can tell you that. Behind her I see Lilith rolling her eyes at her attics. I smile at her and notice two bottles of an expensive fine wine. This girl and her wine. I chuckled, pulling out of the suffocating hug from Vivi. "Girl!? I'm always ready for a Friday night with y'all and you know it!", I kissed her and then Lilith on their cheeks and mumbled a quick welcome. I don't know if you do it with your friends or not, but we do it. Blame it on Vivi and her European attics.

It goes from junior year, since she was new to our school. Lilith and I already knew each other back then. Vivi just came to us... Actually, it was Lilith that came to her. We kind of clicked directly despised my introverted persona and Vivi's trust issues. We complete each other very well but like all friendship conflicts are common. When we were younger it was rocky at first but at the end it was worth not giving up. Look at us now, successful independent black woman. Well, Vivi is blasian but whatever, she's black as she is Asian and is embracing both. Wasn't easy back then but now she is doing better. So much better.

"Alright. Instead of talking about Friday night, lets live and enjoy it, yeah?" walking in my place like she owns it and turning to us with a raised eyebrow she stands waiting for us to tag along.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Lilith Brown. The woman.

Once we're all in, I quietly closed the door. I hummed, agreeing to what she said. They take place on my leather cough, but we all know that at the end of the night we'll end up sitting on my carpet. I chuckled at that thought and quickly grab three glasses for us.

"Mhm, yeah that's right girl. Well said. Hmm Gosh, so thankful to be one of your best friends Rahi, I literally live for your homemade food!" Vivi exclaimed mouthful. I laughed at her and from my peripheral I could see Lili disapprovingly shaking her head. "Girl, have some manners!" she chuckled finding it remotely funny. Lilith can be such mother sometimes.

Vivi scoffed, "You know Lilith, you amuse me sometimes. Talking about manners and such but the same girl here picks at her nose in one of the most public places without any shame or care in the matter"

A loud dramatic gasp could be heard coming from Lilith and she exclaimed maybe even whined? "That was one time and I really thought I was being discrete about it!" I just couldn't hold my laughs and from the look of its Vivi didn't even try to hold it. Seconds later Lilith joined in and laughed. The most hilarious part of the story was that she was indeed being discrete about it, until some little boy loudly and clearly snitched to his mother like "Look mommy this lady is picking at her nose, why can't I do that?" Lilith's face was priceless. I mean, I would die from shame if I was her. We were in a restaurant with an open buffet, very public as you see.

Poor girl. Still, funny memory.

After a lot more of memories and talks about our last week. Suddenly we became eerily still. Kind of edgy but I found some comfort in it.

Obviously, someone did not.

Vivi sighed, "Sorry for interrupting the silent but girls... I think I'm ready to date. I mean I love my life and y'all, but nothing is wrong with a little of romance, you know?" she smiled sadly at us. "The problem now is, I don't know where to start. I've tried- I mean we've tried clubs, friends from other friends and all that social stuff but nothing! No man to our likings!"

Okay, a little too dramatic for my taste but she is kind of right. I started to think to myself... We did try all those stuff with nothing as result, not even a one-night stand. Maybe Lilith but I'm not sure. Was there really nobody out here for us? Impossible. I can't believe such thing. Loneliness is a choice that you made that eventually can become a lifestyle. I won't do that and I'm sure as hell know they won't either.

"-earth to Sarahi?? Are you even listening to us, to me? Of course not, why do I bother to ask if I already know the answer." Vivi can be so dramatic sometimes. I rolled my eyes at her.
"Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts" I sheepely said with a shy shrug. "Of course, you were, when are you not?" exclaimed Vivi.

I sighed, "I'm sorry Vi, don't take this the wrong way. I was just thinking how right you were, about the dating part and us trying. Maybe we tried too hard?" I wondered... Lili raised her eyebrow, trying to register my words, "Trying too hard? For what? Finding a man? Could never be me, honey. I didn't desperately participate with the dating shaningangs you two were doing. I was just more open to some options than I normally would never give the time of day."Scoffing at the end, outraged to think that she would ever do such thing.

Vivi narrowed her eyes at Lili, feeling kind of insulted. "Wanting some romance or a partner in life isn't directly seen as desperation. If that's what I want, then I'm going to try to make it happen and not foolishly waiting like a damsel in distress for her prince charming to come. I'm too impatient for that and that is just not me and knowing you two it isn't you either."

Silent. This is one of those moment where Vivi left Lili speechless. "I'm sorry Lili but Vivi is right for this one. I mean we're not desperate or something, we just want it. If working for it to make it happen sounds desperate to you then so be it. You do you and we do we, I still love you thought." I spoke.

Lili nodded and apologized to Vivi, which was very rare. I don't know why but it is. Apologies are not really Lilith's her thing.

We kept talking about dating and all that stuff when suddenly, I had an idea...

"You know, maybe we should try Tinder?"