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"Dove!" Emma bursts into my room, her brown hair flowing behind her. Off to the side, I see Adonis wave at me.
If I had been sleeping, it would have been a rude awakening, but it's still startling regardless of the fact that I've been up for a few hours. "Mhm?"
"Me and Addi were thinking that we should have a girl's day, free from the boys. You in?"
I can't remember the last time I just had a girl's day that I enjoyed. Maybe high school. Usually, Selene would just tell me we were going somewhere and if I dared to argue, I would reap the consequences. At every turn, Emma has been a better friend to me these past few weeks than Selene has for the past decade. "Sure, what did the two of you have in mind?"
"I figured we could head out to Coastal Grand, go to the spa and shop, then go get lunch. That sound good to you?" Adonis chimes in.
"Sounds like a plan, I'll meet you guys downstairs, alright?"
The girls nod and leave me to my own devices. I don't need to do much, just grab my phone and purse then head downstairs. As I'm making my way down, Hudson's on his way up. I smile and wave at him on the way to the door, but he meets me halfway.
"Where are you off to?" he asks.
"On a girl's trip with Adonis and Emma." I feel like my excitement doubles now that I'm so close to the door. Never in my life have I wanted Hudson to move as much as I do right now.
He must sense how much I want to get out of here, because he steps to the side so I can get past him. "Well, I'll see you when you get back, okay?"
Even though both of us should be moving, we just stare at each other as if waiting for the other to do something. But it's not coming. And I need to go. "Bye, Sunny."
I keep thinking "I don't know what just happened" as I head out to Emma's BMW. I didn't want to assume that Emma came from money, since she works at Victoria's Secret, but one look at that car and I know she does. I should ask why she would choose to spend her time working in a mall when she could literally be doing anything she wants.
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"Finally! There you are!" Emma exclaims once I'm in the backseat.
Adonis turns around and smiles at me. "We were worried you fell in the toilet or something."
"That's not true. I knew that she was falling, but not in a toilet," Emma gives me a knowing smirk and I try my best not to blush.
"You guys are the worst," I tease.
The drive to Coastal Grand isn't too bad at this time in the morning. If we had left a little earlier or a little later, we could have been sitting in traffic for hours. It's kind of funny. I started on this path at this very mall, and here I am again, a month and a half later. The only difference is I actually adore the people I'm with. For once my input matters. If I had told them I didn't want to come, they would have respected my decision. If I had suggested going to a different place, they would have compromised. They've honestly been so sweet, and I'm glad to know them.
"Alright, are we shopping or going to the spa first?" Adonis asks.
"Spa," Emma and I tell her in unison.
As it is said, so it shall be done. As the three of us walk to the spa, we just end up having small conversations, telling each other more about ourselves. It's surprising that Emma has known Adonis since they were kids, yet there were some things that she didn't even know. I found out that Emma's family owns one of the largest wineries in the South, and that Adonis has been dating Damon since they were in middle school and I told them about my dad and Lucas.
"Your brother sounds like a sweetheart, I'd love to meet him one day," Emma chirps.
I love the fact that we're so open to sharing things about each other. For once it feels like I matter as much as Emma and Adonis in this friendship, and I love it. Nobody is using my trauma against me, and no one brings it up unless I introduce the subject, which I'm steering clear of. This is a new start for me, and I'm not ready to blend those two halves of my life. Not yet. Not now.
I think this is what real friendship is meant to look like. What I had with Selene was a perpetual cycle of pain that I didn't know how to escape until now. She had been my best friend since I was 3 years old, letting her go was not something I was capable of until someone showed me that I deserved better. It was a parasitic relationship. I fully believe that if I was attached to her and by extension Mick for any longer, I would have died young.
The three of us walk into Star Nails & Spa. Dad would take me here whenever I could. It's not like money was tight, but living on the income of a single parent was hard. And it was especially hard for us to find time to spend together. He had a good job, but he worked long hours. Still, he made it to every track meet and made it every time I got an award. He's the best Dad in the world, honestly. Even now, I come here to get my nails done whenever I get a chance.
Angel, an employee who recognizes me as a regular, waves to us as we enter. She nods to three open spots and motions for us to approach. Emma and Adonis look at me, but I give them a reassuring look. Angel started working here when I graduated from high school, and she's the only person I trust with my nails. If she's not here, I usually just go home.
"Hey!" She grins as we approach. "It's been a while since I've seen you out here. I was worried you'd gone and moved."
I laugh awkwardly. "Not yet, but soon."
Emma's eyes widen and Adonis raises an eyebrow. I forgot that nobody knew I was leaving Myrtle Beach this summer, outside of my Dad. I'd called him that night after my conversation with Hudson and he told me he would ask Lucas to come by and help me pack all my stuff up next week.
"We are so talking about this in a minute," Emma murmurs and Adonis nods in agreement.
Angel frowns slightly. "Well, you'll have to come see me before you go. Promise me, Dove!"
"I wouldn't dream of leaving without saying goodbye to you."
The corners of her mouth pull up into a smile again. "Great! Now, what can I do for you three today?"
"Mani-pedis!" Adonis says excitedly.
"Sounds great," Angel motions for two other girls while the three of us settle into the spa chairs.
As Angel and her friends start working, Adonis and Emma decide it's the optimal time to question me about the impending move. "Now what's this about you leaving Myrtle Beach?" Emma probes.
I sigh. I was going to tell them, but I didn't realize I'd tell them now. I thought it would be a nice surprise for when they're leaving if I just showed up and announced I was coming with them. "Hudson asked me to go to Chicago with him...and I told him I would."
"Are you two dating?" Adonis squeaks.
"No!" I answer a little too quickly. "I mean— no. We're not, I just happened to tell him I Wanted to get out of South Carolina, so he asked me if I wanted to come with him."
"Are you gonna stay with him and Damon in the penthouse?"
I shrug. "I haven't thought about it, yet."
Emma, Adonis and I end up fantasizing about what it'll be like having all three of us in Chicago. Emma offers that if I don't want to stay with the guys, I can room with her in her apartment. While it's not as large or expensive as the penthouse, it's still considered to be luxurious. Turns out, Emma only stays in South Carolina during the spring and summer, spending the last half of the year in Chicago. Adonis on the other hand reveals that Damon asked her to move into the penthouse when they get back to Chicago. She reassures me that there's more than enough room for the four of us. Overall, the conversation in the spa settles the very few worries I have about uprooting my entire life.
We leave the Spa and head toward the department stores. "Is there anything you guys want to get in particular?" Emma asks.
Adonis and I both shake our heads. In the end, we decide to just hit up a few stores and buy whatever we want out of there. We didn't end up getting much of value. Emma got some new shoes, Adonis bought some shirts for Damon and I decided to save my money. It's not that I couldn't afford anything, but I just didn't see anything I really wanted. Emma and Adonis both offered to buy me things, but I just brushed them off.
After lunch, we decided to just end the day at the pool. Overall, this was a really fun day and I'm glad we did this. Even though I met them just over a month ago, I can tell that we're gonna be friends for a long time to come. I wouldn't have it any other way, honestly.
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