Something About Alice Murphy: BOOK 3

P A R T - T W O

"Shit, I don't know what I'm going to wear either. Let me see your ideas." He said quickly, making a subtle excuse to leave as both boys turned and walked off, talking quickly and excitedly about who had what in their wardrobes the other could borrow.

Meredith sighed heavily, turning around as they left to look over the decorations one more time... feeling a wave of nerves and anticipation for that evening. She wanted desperately for Magnus to like it, hoping that this gesture would somehow smooth over the rough patch that they'd been going through and put them on the right track. She could feel herself falling for him even more, and disliked how she only began to realise this as they potentially neared a break up... but she put those thoughts to one side and went to get her car keys, letting her friends know she was leaving to get the birthday cake and go home to eat and get ready for that evening of celebrations that was steady approaching...

* * *

Later that evening, Alice and Amara were standing in the kitchen, dressed in comfy lounge wear with their hair in rollers to prepare for the party, picking different wines to take with them as a gift for Meredith's boyfriend and a 'thank you' to Meredith for being invited. "I hate how my mom raised me so polite, now I can't do shit without feeling guilty or rude." Amara muttered, sliding a bottle of red she didn't like over to the gift pile. "Do you know how many people will just roll up and not even think about this."

"It will probably be just us." Alice giggled. "Wait not the Pinot Noir. I like that one."

"Ugh." Amara scoffed, putting it back into the keep category. "Which ones do you not like so we can do this quickly, you're making me do all the damn work."

"Just give them anything recent." Alice said, "Julia gifted us the oldies as a house warming present, I want to save those." She continued and Amara sorted through the wines and presented four to be given away. "Yup," Alice approved, "This is good. They can have the cheap ones."

"Girl... the way you said that," Amara laughed, "they can have the cheap ones." She mimicked Alice in her accent, "You're such a snob sometimes."

"And what about it?" Alice mused with a smirk, reaching for a bottle of champagne and began to open it. "And you say that as if you have a list of stores you won't walk thirty feet next to in case you catch... what was it? What was the phrase you used?"

"I told you that in confidence." Amara shot back and laughed, "Look at you telling the whole room."

"There is no one here." Alice laughed and the two girls continued to joke around as the champagne cork was popped and drinks were poured. At the same moment Lucas parked Alice's car in the garage, reaching to the passenger seat to get the food in a large white plastic bag he'd brought home for them all to eat before heading out. He could hear them laughing from the open window and smiled to himself, hearing a low electronic hum a few seconds later.

"Welcome home, Lucas." M's voice sounded. "Would you like me to unlock the side door for easier access to the property?"

"Yeah, thank you." He replied, getting out of the white convertible and locking it as the garage door closed. He could hear the side door unlocking and walked towards it, opening it with ease and walking inside where the girls voice's got a little louder and clearer to hear as he entered through the laundry room. The door locked behind him, and Alice and Amara looked up as they saw the door from the kitchen to the laundry room open. "What are you giggling about?"