LILIANNA'S POV
My eyes are heavy and my mouth is tough and coated in a vodka hang over. Head is pounding, eyes sensitive to the thin light that creep through my bedroom curtains. I feel like death.
Water. I need water and lots of it. I could happily submerge my entire body in a room temperature pool of pure water and feel like it would remedy all my symptoms from my excessive drinking last night. Lord knows why I decided to drink the way I did, but it gave me the courage to stand up for myself against Alec and his insistent hands while also letting me brush off the drama of the night to actually enjoy the packed dance floor.
I scoot out of bed in search for something to hydrate the rancid coating on my mouth and tongue while Mesha groans at the movement I make of the bed.
"Mmm." She groans unapologetically.
"I'm getting a water, do you want one?" I ask her quietly, she keeps her eyes closed but nods.
After fetching us both a bottled water each I climb back into bed and grab my phone to check my notifications.
"What time is it?" Mesha asks sipping on her water.
"Almost ten. Tiff wants to know if we'll be ready by eleven for brunch." I inform her.
"Fuck me, I'll be lucky if I manage to eat a fucking crumb with the way I'm feeling." Mesha claims and I snicker at the pedantic way she goes on after a night of drinking.
"You'll feel fine after more water and a shower." She always bounces back after freshening up. I admit, washing away the night before always helps the morning after.
"I'm surprised you didn't end up at your secret boyfriends last night." I tease Mesha and she smiles at me even though she tries her best to suppress it. Even the mere mention of her man she becomes all smiles and giggles. It's quite sweet actually.
"Oh hush, he had work so you'll have to put up with me." Mesha smirks.
"Do you want first shower?" I offer her, to which she nods and rolls out of my bed. Slugging her way to the bathroom while retelling me the small snippets of last night that she'd remembered.
Last night was... well slightly intense. After Tiffany's exit I made it my mission to confront Alec about his lies. And quite the confrontation it was. He assured me he told Tiffany no such thing of me making a move on him. Which I knew he was lying about. But then proceeded to try come onto me which I blamed his alcohol consumption on. Alec had never acted so forward with me while sober so I can only assume his wondering hands were a result of the drinks he had consumed. We seemed to come to some kind of resolution though; that he would leave me alone and not continue to lead Tiffany on like he had been. He gathered I was in the least bit interested in him romantically, and unfortunately it took me slapping at his chest for him to take me seriously last night but he seemed to get the message. I also think the gorgeous blonde standing next to him at the bar was a good distraction for him.
I still don't know how to tell Tiffany. She left and as soon as she did he was busying himself with chatting up other girls. I know it will upset her but I feel as though she needs to know that Alec isn't anything serious and he doesn't plan on dating her if that's what she's hoping for.
This brunch today is going to be more than a casual debrief on our night. In fact I think it was originally set as a play by play and female dissection of each other's night pulling potential male interests. Although with Tiffany leaving early and Mesha staying in my bed with me it seems none of us pulled last night. Not that I had planned I would, I know it's been months since I slept with anyone or even kissed a guy but I'm still struggling with even the idea of it. My dreams are still heavily clouded with Seven, so to bring some random I've met at the club home with me just feels kind of wrong.
Tom was such a gentleman last night, but even so I still can't force that connection with him. He would be the perfect boyfriend, just perfect for someone that isn't me is all. I hope he took home that girl he was dancing with last night, for his sake anyway.
After our showers Mesha and I both change into a comfortable attire to join Tiffany at a cafe for brunch. I opt for loose but comfy fluffy black sweat pants and a plain crinkled black t-shirt. It's rather chilly outside so I grab a random oversized faux fur coat to throw over myself for extra warmth. I don't bother to brush my hair and instead rake my hands through the stray strands to untangle my bed hair before grabbing my wallet, phone and keys and following Mesha to her red Mini Cooper.
"God I'm craving an iced latte." I admit sitting down at the table in the small cafe.
Mesha doesn't remove her sunglasses as the light seems to be treating her harshly with her handover.
"Black coffee will be my best friend right now. That and a couple of nurophen." She claims skimming over the menu. I read through the laminated menu myself, my stomach setting on a simple eggs on toast.
"Hey babes!" Tiffany's voice sings far too cheerily for both mine and Mesha's hang overs.
"Ugh." Mesha exclaims and rubs at her temples at the same time I greet Tiffany.
"You two look a right state." Tiff smirks at our pathetic appearances. Tiffany is dressed in a two piece skirt and jacket; both bleached white and ironed perfectly. The white material plays background to the black abstract faces that cover like a pattern over the matching skirt and jacket. Her black pumps and Gucci handbag match the outfit perfect - in true Tiffany fashionista form.
"What can I get you ladies?" The young waitress asks us. She looks no older than eighteen as she scribbles down the orders we read out to her from the menu.
"How was everyone's night last night?" Tiffany smiles too brightly.
"Great." Mesha groans an answer and pours herself a glass of complementary water.
"The question is how was your night, Tiff?" I can tell by the slight puffiness to her eyelids that she must have cried a little more than she did when we saw her in the club.
"Not much to report. I went home after I left the club and watched Twilight." She shrugs and I let out a weak laugh at her choice of film.
"So what happened with Alec?" I ask her before I tell her what happened in the club with him after she left.
"I basically told him that I knew he was lying about you kissing him and he tried to deny it and say it wasn't true. He said something like I was dumb to believe you over him and basically tried to gaslight me so I told him to leave me alone." She shrugs and keeps a brave face even though I can tell what happened last night between them bothers her.
"He's honestly trash. The guy was smooching on another girl as soon as you left." Mesha spills and I send her a disapproving look. I was hoping to try break that information to Tiffany lightly.
"I'm not even surprised to be honest." Tiffany answers and genuinely doesn't seem shocked by the revelation.
"I confronted him after you left. He said the same thing that he said to you but in reverse. Basically saying you were lying about what he said and that you were trying to cause drama but I knew better." I don't tell her about his attempts to try come on to me yet again. That will just be twisting an already deep knife.
"God why are men such pigs." Tiff groans. And I nod, selfishly holding in the knowledge that even her father is no exception to the statement. I hadn't seen much of Mr Harding while staying in Tiffany's guest house so that whole situation has been easy to avoid. I think it'll be something I'll take to my grave at this point. That and my secret stint of working for a gang at a strip club.
"You're damn right about that." Mesha finally lifts up her sunglasses to rest on her head and rubs her temples.
"Can't live with the dick, can't live without the dick. But just when you finally start to get over the fuckers they bloody show back up to ruin everything." Mesha gulps down her water as the waitress sets our drinks down on the table for us. Mesha's statement seems rather specific but I don't question her on it. I wonder if she's referring to this guy that she's been seeing or is just generalising the statement. She's not wrong though, god I'd have no idea what I'd do if Seven were to show back up in my life.
Would I even want him to?
As irrational and pathetic of me as it is I know deep down of course I'd want that. The way my body reacted to seeing someone who looked similar to him yesterday morning during our research session is enough confirmation that even though he has hurt me, apart of me is still very much attached to him.
"Lily?" Tiff brings me out of my thoughts to begin telling us of the full time internship she's hoping to be shortlisted for.
I tune in and out of the conversations flowing over our brunch. But I somehow keep being reminded of the life I was living mere months ago. Seven had a way of making things exciting, working at the club was both intimidating but entertaining. I think about the friends I had made; Kitty and Penny and immediately miss them. I haven't let myself drive to that side of town where Club Venus is in fear of bumping into Victor. But for some odd reason, even with all the drama that came with the secrets and sneaking around, I actually miss it. Danger and all. And I don't know how I feel about that.
My eyes wonder around the cafe, and later around the shopping mall. I skim the clothes wracks while Tiffany continues to talk and Mesha gives her input here and there as we window shop. I have a weird feeling, almost like an intuition I guess to look around. I feel as though someone is watching me but I don't understand how or why. It's just a feeling. Like when you make eye contact with someone and look away but you can still feel their gaze on you, that is how I feel. Only I can't seem to locate where the burning gaze is penetrating me from. I had that same feeling when I use to be followed by that black sedan, but that intuition was fear based. For some reason I don't feel threatened by what I'm currently feeling.
The rest of my day continues much the same; distracted and lost in thought. The girls and I disband at around five in the afternoon to go home for the evening. My afternoon is spent cooking myself dinner, studying and staring out my huge living room windows, people watching out at the park across the road hoping to find a set of eyes looking back at me. But I never find them.
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