Gypsy Candles

Chapter One: I Wish

Chapter One::I wish.

My auburn hair danced up into the air as I spun around and around, only pausing when my dark green eyes started seeking out the matching ones of my twin sister who was dancing with some friends a few feet away.

"Blair!" I called, trying to be heard over the loud music. Unfortunately, that was near impossible as the DJ was playing our favorite songs as loud as possible. Multi-colored lights bounced around the club and I bent down to grab a blue jello-shot that one of my friends was carrying past me.

She glanced up at me and I merely smirked as she rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Anything for you, birthday girl." I laughed and downed the vodka-soaked jello piece before jumping off the table and heading to where my sister was dancing.

"Blair!" I called, grasping her arm. She turned to face me, smiling towards me as she pushed some sweaty pieces of aurburn hair back from her face. "Have you seen Evelyn?" I yelled over the music, referring to my best friend. Blair shook her head.

"I haven't seen her all night!" She called back. I frowned.

"But I need her! I'm not nearly drunk enough and I'm going to make her take some shots with me!"

Blair looked offended.

"What? You need Evelyn in order to do that? Come on!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me through the crowd, smiling and thanking people for the birthday wishes they offered as we made our way to the open bar. I jumped up onto one of the black stools and crossed my bare legs before I brushed down my black skirt. "Hey! Can we get six shots over here?" Blair called to the bartender. He quickly poured six shots and Blair divided them among the two of us. "Alright, we each drink three as fast as we can. Whoever finishes first gets to open the first present of the night."

I snorted.

"What presents?" Instead of birthday presents, we had people give money donations to a local homeless shelter our Mother had recently become very involved with.

"Just shut up and drink. Ready. Set. Go!" We toasted our first shots before downing them as quickly as we could and unfortunately, because the alcohol burned down my throat and made me want to throw up every time I swallowed, Blair finished her third shot moments before I was even onto my second.

I rolled my eyes as Blair took my third shot and finished it for me.

"Gee, thanks Blair," I mumbled and she tossed her loose red curls over her shoulder.

"Like you would have been able to stomach it anyway," she teased.

"I could have-"

"Aubrey! Blair! Oh, I finally found you two! Thank God." I turned on my stool to see Evelyn standing next to me in all her blonde haired, brown eyed, 5' 7" glory. Other than Blair, Evelyn Bloomer had been my best friend growing up. Her father was my parent's financial advisor and since we were the same age, it only made since that our parents introduced us in our early childhood.

Blair, Evelyn and I stuck together like glue through our early school years; however, when Blair and I ended up attending boarding school for high school, Blair and Evelyn's relationship fizzled while I managed to keep my friendship with the girl alive. To this day, even though Blair has made it clear to me that she dislikes the blonde girl, Evelyn and I have remained best friends.

"Yeah, I was looking for you," I spoke, standing from the stool.

She tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her ear and I was once again struck by how pretty my best friend was. With her long legs, thin shape, high cheek bones, and blonde hair that shined like gold and bounced like nothing I'd ever seen before, it was easy to understand the 'sex-bomb' label that the media had stamped her with. Blair and I were beautiful, but Evelyn practically oozed sex, which was something I was never able to do.