Crossroads

Chapter 2

"We'll see about that." Liam's voice echoes through the room, the delight clearly audible.

Fucking great. My younger brother tells me what to do. Every girl's dream, huh?

We arrive at the bar about half an hour later, and I can't help but sigh happily when I clock my best friends at a high table, both of them waving as soon as they spot me.

"Ri! Jer!" I walk over to them, and they just open their arms to embrace me in the three-person-hug we all know too well. 

"Happy birthday, nerd." Jeremy interrupts Riley before she can even think to speak.

"Yeah, happy birthday, bee! Again." 

Riley has been my best friend for years now, we went to high school together and followed the same career path afterwards. With Jeremy it's different, we hated each other in high school, but when he sat down next to me in one of my college classes and shared a bag of nerds with me, a sudden friendship formed. 

"Thanks, guys. I'm glad you're here."

"Of course! Even though I'm still a little hungover from yesterday." I can't help but laugh at Ri's whining. She does look a little pale.

"Yeah, I swear your grandma really can hold liquor. Such a badass woman."

Jeremy rubs his forehead like he's thinking of the hard liquor that went over the table yesterday, and I have to laugh at his scrunched nose when we break the hug. My grandma is a real badass, and as much as I hate being the center of attention, I do love having my friends and family around.

"But of course you look ravishing again, Mia. how the fuck do you do that?" 

Ri studies me up and down with that mischievous grin on her face, and I immediately raise my finger to stop her from thinking the wrong things. This unusually beautiful Moroccan woman likes to meddle with my love life.

"Don't you dare, Riley. I will hunt you down." 

I warn her, definitely not feeling in the mood to fend off her matchmaking services. She made it her mission to find me a man, and I can't deny that it irritates the hell out of me.

"Ugh, fine. I'm just saying..." She rolls her eyes.

"Come on, Ri. Let it go. It's her birthday..." Jeremy intervenes, and I shoot him a quick thankful smile.

"That's exactly my point..." 

"Riley Anisa Alami..." I try to sound as threatening as possible as I interrupt her, and I actually see the fear in her eyes when she hears the use of her middle name.

"Oh shit. Full name time..." She laughs, and both Jer and I can't help but join in as we bump shoulders, knowing that in the end, we will always love each other.

"Okay, okay... I'll stop. I'm just saying, you're entitled to a birthday fu..."

"A birthday what, Ri?" Max interrupts Riley before she can say something she might regret in front of my now appearing brothers. Both Liam and Max look utterly unimpressed while Finn stifles a laugh, obviously loving the tease about my love life.

"Oh, uh... A birthday bash! That's why we're here, right?" She tries to smoothen the mood, and fortunately Max raises an eyebrow at my best friend, who suddenly turns absolute crimson before hiding behind Jeremy. 

"Dude. I don't want to face his wrath." Jeremy whispers, even though all of us can hear. 

"Toughen up, bro. That's what you're here for, right?" She replies. And even though I find this conversation very amusing, I immediately redirect my attention to Finn when he throws his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side.