QUINN
"You look great in the hoodie," Demetri said when our lips parted from our breathing taking kiss.
"I like it, very warm," I said while running my hands through his soft curls,
"Except somebody's cold hands are around my waist."
I tried removing his hands from underneath the hoodie.
"No, I like your warmth," he mumbled into my neck.
We were at his lake house putting the last things in place but that somehow ended up in a make out session and me sitted astride him.
My phone beeped and I picked it up while Demetri tugged at my curls, which were back to dark strawberry blonde now.
I groaned when I saw the message and tossed the phone aside. Michie has a death wish. I'm sure of it.
"Work?" Demetri asked.
"Nope, just Michie," I replied.
"What's wrong, I like Michie," he said with a smirk.
I reddened slightly when I remembered that day. To make matters worse, I could feel his finger tracing the waistband of my Sweatpants.
"Sure you do, she's just bugging me about throwing a party," I vaguely explained.
"For your birthday after tomorrow?" he asked.
"Si, but it's not like a big thing, I'm turning 24 and as far as one is concerned, I could be 50," I explained.
He laughed then said, "Well then you're my favorite granny."
I lightly pinched his nose then poked his forehead.
"Ouch!" he exclaimed, "Why don't you want a party though?"
"Because it's been the same thing since I was 20. Before that I didn't even know what the hell a proper childhood was," I explained.
I did miss a few parts of my childhood.
Michie called this time. I looked at my phone.
"I guess I have to leave. Let me handle this," I told him.
"Okay," he whispered before capturing my lips with his. I felt him pull me closer into him as we deepened the kiss.
He flipped us so that he was on top of me, my back on the couch. I wrapped my legs around his waist. He kissed my neck and shoulders as I felt his hand stroke my thighs.
My phone rang again, cutting us off.
I groaned into his shoulder, making him laugh. I detached from him as he pulled me up.
"I guess I'll see you after this?" he said with an amused expression before pecking my lips. This was enough to send more butterflies to my stomach.
"Yep, let me just go to her place, bye," I replied.
He walked me out. I drove to Michie's place.
August, not one of my favorite months but hey, keep it positive and relaxed.
"YOU DID WHAT??!!" I yell-asked Michie.
"I took the liberty of planning your party. I even invited the guests already, it's gonna be smashing," She said.
"Michelle Olakira Melendez! It's the 1st of August for crying out loud," I said.
"and your birthday is on the 3rd. Enough time," She said, "we leave for Miami tomorrow, you're welcome."
"Ahhh!" I groaned.
"Oh oh," She said before turning but I tackled her to the ground before she could run.
"Oww. You broke my pelvis!" she yelled as she wiggled underneath me, "My man gonna make you pay."
"Oh sure, I've always wondered what it would be like to fight with a nonexistent creature," I said.
She gasped dramatically then reached out to tickle me but I pinned her hands above her head.
"Hello la-," Zion said while walking in, "Oh, I see you're busy."
"Babe, we've been caught!" Michie exclaimed.
"I always knew something was going on between you two," Zion joked.
"F**k you," I told him.
"Is that an invitation?" he replied with a smirk.
The friends I have. Very much love them.
The following day, we left for Miami. Demetri laughed when I told him about Michie doing this. He also told me he'd see me when I got back. I low-key wanted him around though.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" was what woke me up the next morning.
Only, I wasn't on my bed but on a flamingo floaty in the pool of the villa.
The panic sent me sinking through the hole in the middle. Michie and Zion laughed their heads off while taking a video.
The fools drugged my drink last night.
The day was spent doing many activities which were all fun. Michie and I even had a spa day before the party.
At sunset everyone gathered at the marina for the main event. My birthday party on a huge luxury yacht.
"First! Take your sip! Do your Dip!
Spend your money like money ain't shit!
Whoop whoop!! We too fresh!
Got to blame it on Jesus! Hashtag blessed!"
People sang along to 24K magic by Bruno Mars as the yacht anchored just a bit off the east coast.
"Having fun?!" Michie asked, practically yelling over the music.
"Yah!" I said then took a sip of my drink. I actually felt happy and engergised.
I fixed my crown which Michie managed to make work with the 70s theme. It was like we were at a 70s disco party.
"Tammy come on, loosen up," I said to her when I found her seated somewhere.
"Tamara doesn't have the word fun in her vocabulary," Angelo teased from behind me. Tammy shot him daggers.
"Looking good darling," Angelo said to me. I hugged me and I thanked him.
"Now don't worry about your assistant, I'll make sure she has fun," Angelo said while pulling her up and dragging her.
"You won't be disappointed if you see her tits plastered on the internet tomorrow, right Quinn?!" he yelled and left.
I shook my head in amusement then went to one of the lounges where I found Lucas.
"Boun compleanno Quinn," he said while standing up and hugging me.
"Grazie," I curtsied when we parted. He laughed and we sat down to join the ongoing conversation.
We ended up playing games. People jumped into the ocean, danced around, took shots. The party was an exclusive no camera zone so that people could loosen up. Pictures were only taken at the beginning of the party and at certain times.
"It's an automatic dare Lucas," someone yelled, "I dare you to throw the birthday girl into the pool."
"No!" I said firmly.
Lucas stood up and I got to my feet to run. People cheered for Lucas to catch me. I ran for my life. He eventually caught me and carried me to the pool.
"Lucas, I am warning you, I swear," I said while clutching his shirt.
"Happy birthday," he said in reply.
"F**k you," I said as his hands released me over the pool.
My grip on his shirt was tight so I pulled him in with me. People cheered.
"Well played," he said while I laughed.
"Sorry about the shirt though," I said when I noticed his now ripped shirt.
"It's okay," he said then reached out and fished my crown from the water.
He placed the crown back on my head.
"Better."
LUCAS
These were the times one can see Quinn have this much fun. She had karaoke with Michie, participated in games and danced, a lot.
"It looks like so much fun," Royanne said during our video chat.
I was in one of the private rooms of the yacht. The public spots were a no camera zone, indirectly a no phone zone too.
"Keeping tabs on me now," I teased.
"No, social media is going wild with this so I just-" She responded quickly.
"Baby, I was just messing with you," I said and grinned.
"Wow, I-" she started but the door opened.
"Lucas, shirt," Quinn said while walking in. She tossed the shirt to me while putting her drink to her mouth and walked out.
"Sorry, you were saying?" I asked Royanne.
"Uh. Mom called me for a movie, three hours behind remember," she said.
"Okay, I'll call you when I leave," I told her. We said our goodbyes and I changed into the new shirt that Quinn had brought.
I walked to where everyone was gathered. People were preparing for to light their lanterns and release them at the exact time Quinn was born.
Michie handed me my lantern and said, "I will never get tired of doing this. Thank God she's in love with Tangled."
I laughed then asked her, "Where is she?"
"Boo!" Quinn said from behind and stood next to us.
"Ready to be born," Michie asked her.
"No one's ever ready for anything, you just do it," she responded.
The lights dimmed on the yacht and a slower and calm song came on. People lit their lanterns.
At 11:33pm, the were released into the sky. It was beautiful and calming.
"Happy actual birthday Tesorina," I told her.
"Thank you," she said and smiled.
The yacht began heading back to the marina after a few minutes. I just had to bump into Zion.
"Makarios," I said.
"Kim-Rea," he responded flatly, "shocked you came."
If you haven't already noticed. We don't like each other.
"Didn't expect me to get an invite?" I asked.
"Of course, isn't it obvious," he responded.
"Look Makarios, I came here to celebrate the birthday of someone important, so I'll not waste my time on unimportant people," I said.
"So she's important now?" he asked while taking a step forward, "After what? your work?"
"My flaws are none of your business," I responded while taking a step forward too.
"Of course they aren't, doesn't change the fact that you were bound to mess up Kim-Rea," he said.
"Listen up, Firstly, I got her first while you were praying I could mess up so you could have her," I said,
"and secondly, I did mess up, but guess what, you still don't have her."
I spoke angrily. Control your words bro. Relax.
"Oh and for the record, despite how very low the chances of her and I getting back together are," I spat, control, composure, "it's still larger than the possibility of you ever getting with her."
Too late for control. Next thing I knew, Zion's fist collided with my nose. Pain coursed through my nose and back as I hit the railing.
I could feel the blood threatening to trickle down my nose so I punched his jaw to return the favor.
This fight has been pending for a very long time.
He regained himself and attacked me, so I attacked back.
We were immediately being pulled apart but neither of us gave in.
A huge, bold, black guy instructed his buddies to pull us apart. Both Zion and I nursed bloody fists and a burst lip or bloody nose.
"Lovely party you got here," the black guy told Quinn who was standing there with an unreadable expression. She walked away.
The men released me. I walked away and found myself in a lounge area. Quinn sat while drinking something out of a glass.
"Did you boys finally get your tension dealt with?" she asked. Her words laced in sarcasm.
"Probably not," I responded.
She was about to reply when her eyes caught sight of a gift box. She walked towards it and read the card on the box. She sighed upon reading the card. I couldn't see what was inside properly but I could see a princess tiara peeking out.
"Marco?" I asked.
I'd noticed that he would always send her gifts accompanied with a tiara for her past two birthdays.
"The crown on your head is beautiful princesa, but this suits you more. Love, papa," She read the card. Lacing sarcasm at the end.
We just stood there in silence as the yacht docked at the marina. Well this was an eventful night.
ROYANNE
"Being rich must be fabulous," Jess said on our group video call with Chelsea.
"Jess, you're rich," Chelsea pointed out. She really was. Her dad was a Lord and her mother a famous politician.
"That's my parents money, but otherwise look at the pictures," Jess said.
I scrolled through social media. They sure had fun. From them waking her up in a pool, to the day's activities, to the GRWM videos. Don't get me started on the 70s disco theme party on a yacht. She even did that Rapunzel thing.
"Well, they just docked at the marina and guess the scope my sister just gave me," Chelsea said. Her older sister was at the party.
"Zion Makarios and Lucas Kim-Rea apparently got into a fight," Chelsea explained, "over Quinn."
"How come that hasn't come out yet? We know the party was exclusive and they did not show much but this is something that had to come out," Jess questioned.
"Some men came and made sure no one had an record of it," Chelsea said. The same thing happened at the auction dinner.
"What happened though?" I asked.
"Something about Lucas telling Zion off that he will never get Quinn and blah blah blah, you know, ex vs guy who's also always liked her," Chelsea explained.
My insides tightened.
"Uh, I think my mom is calling so I'll talk to you girls later. Night," I said and left the call. I closed my laptop.
My phone rang and I looked to see my agent's caller ID.
"Hey Sugar," She said when I picked up.
"Hey Margie."
"You sound blue, luckily I have great news. You got the part kid. They are casting you!" She exclaimed.
I couldn't believe. I hope she was not kidding with me. Oh my gosh.
"Speechless I see. Congratulations kid. Just called to deliver the news.
Now we'll talk properly tomorrow, but on Monday we are going to the studios okay. Bye love," She said.
"Bye," I said.
"Oh wait. Remember what I told you about, you two have been stalling for way too long," Margie warned.
I groaned then sighed. "Noted, bye Margie," I said and cut the call.
I didn't want to talk about that.
I got casted for 'The Academy'. It was like the coolest upcoming dance series ever. Acting and dancing. Everything I love in one. I went to bed so happy, on Monday I would begin acting on the big screens. I'd soon be on red carpets. Maybe then I'll feel better about myself being with Lucas.
Quinn talked about how it's easy to set goals but harder to work towards them. It's about time I worked for what I want.
One if the reasons she inspires me.