A LIFETIME WITH YOU

CHAPTER TWO: THE LOOP

I couldn't believe my eyes. The man that was standing there nearly ruined me. With the way he treated me for the past five years, he's lucky I even call him father. I look at him up and down. His eyes are the same sunken in eyes that I left. His arms are covered in marks from all the people he has slept with since my mother's death. I count thirteen. My mother never had any marks. Neither did my father, at least before he met my mom. His marks are on his arm because that what happens when your soulmate dies before you and you sleep with other people after their death. Sometimes people get them covered with tattoos or take a pill to hide the marks temporarily. However, my father being the drunk he is let's them show.

"Briar..." the middle aged man stands up from our couch.

"Why are you here? Don't you know I don't want you in my life? Wrenn how could you let him in?"

"Darling, I just wanted to wish you a happy 21st and give you these flowers along with a few brushes your mom once used." He says setting down those items on the coffee table.

Shocked that he sounds sober I loss my words and feel tears starting to form in my eyes. "Thank you but you really need to leave." I look down at the ground trying to hold back my tears. My father then nods and makes his was to our front door.

"Oh and Briar?" he turns around looking my me.

"You're mother would be so proud with where you are at now." my father then turns back around and closes the front door in one swift motion. I let out a sigh and just like that my tears have vanished. I then go over to the flowers and paint brushes he left on our coffee table. Sure enough, the brushes were the ones my mom had onced use and the flowers were the flowers my father use to bring home from work when I was a kid.

Wrenn then appeared in the hallway prepared to leave. I roll my eyes at her knowing I no longer want to celebrate my birthday.

"Briar, I ordered an uber. They should be here in five minutes" she informs me as she applies her lip gloss.

I don't respond, instead, I just play 'Foolish Games' on the piano waiting for the uber. Almost ten minutes later, Wrenn tell me that the uber was there. We got into the car and the driver apologized for being five minutes late. By the time we got to the restaurant we were eating at it was already 6:00. Within minutes, Wrenn and I were seated at a fancy booth and the waiter came to great us and take our order. I ordered a glass of bourbon on the rocks and fettuccine alfredo pasta. Wrenn orders two tequila shots, a glass of champagne, and spaghetti and meatballs.

"To twenty-one years and never growing old" she passes me the shot glass once it has been delivered to us

"To twenty-one glamorous years and never growing old" I correct her and together we take the two shots.

Once we finish our food it was only 7:58. Wrenn dialed an uber to take us to a club the had recently opened a few blocks from the restaurant we were at. When the uber arrived we got it and headed to the club. We stepped out of the car and my eyes were immediately drawn to a big neon sign the read "The Loop".

"The Loop?" I looked at Wrenn with confusion.

"Yeah! It's more fun on the inside though so eventually we'll need to go in" she mocks and walks towards the usher.

She then tells him our names and points at his clipboard. She always did have easy access to clubs. He looks at me and nods. Once he let's is past the red velvet rope we walk down stairs and through a doorway covered in beads. When we are completely in the club we are offered two complimentary shots. Wrenn had already reached for hers and handed me the other one. In one swift motion I take the shot with Wrenn and then head out to the dance floor.