Friday 2nd.
My family were no strangers to a scandal or two. Smiles forced and skeletons locked away in the basement.
Although it was all a lie; the perfected exterior we possessed, it was a lie we wore well. My mother never had a hair out of place and had dedicated her life in ensuring neither did we. Both Caspian and Oliver had a promising future ahead of them with a definite place on my father's company's board. And though I deemed my future path, undecided, my mother has always expected me to follow in her pathway; get rich, marry rich, stay rich. And though my father hadn't voiced to me any expectations he had for my future yet, I knew he was expecting high things.
But thankfully, in amongst the uncertainty of my future, were my friends. Completely insane and irresponsible, they were the most real thing I had going. Separately we were probably nothing more than the conceited rich kids of London's elite but together I liked to believe that we were partially normal 18-year-olds.
"Andra!" Ivy's elevated voice called outside my room. The door flung open on instant and revealed her in all her glory.
She grinned brightly at me as her long legs strutted past my door frame, her high black heels guiding her in. Her short platinum blonde hair was pulled back in to a smooth ponytail and she wore a short black dress that hugged her figure.
Behind her strolled in two other people. Fleur padded her way over to my bed placing herself gracefully down, whilst Chester moved to my desk and sat down on my chair.
"Hey Andra," Fleur smiled softly, slowly pushing a strand of her curled black hair off her forehead. Her faded gold dress crumpled delicately around her on the bed and her hands brushed over the material attempting to straighten it out.
"Hi Fleur," I smiled at her through the mirror at my dressing table, "Chester."
Chester nodded and grinned brightly to me, "How are you?"
"I'm good, why weren't you in school today?" I asked while I continued to do my make-up. I stroked my eyelashes with my brush carefully coating on a layer of mascara.
"Slept in by accident," He smirked sheepishly. He was dressed up in a pair of skinny black trousers and a plain white top, his sandy blonde hair seeming shorter, neater.
"Sure, by accident," I teased lightly "Where's Hugo and Victoria?"
"Meeting us there," Ivy explained having opened my wardrobe and digging shamelessly through it "I'm betting they just wanted a little bit longer in the backseat of his car."
"He said that they were having dinner with his parents," Fleur reasoned, her innocent mind an adorable contrast to Ivy's not so innocent one.
Ivy scoffed, "And I tell people this is my natural hair colour. We all tell little lies honey."
I laughed beneath my breath watching in the mirror as Fleur shook her head at Ivy before dropping her gaze to inspect her painted cherry nails.
A knock on my open door made us all spin our heads around. Caspian stood tall in the doorway, his eyes watching over us all. He had one hand tucked casually into his trousers pocket and he leant all nonchalant against the door frame. I'd yet to convince him to come out with us and this was the perfect time.
"Hey brother," I said sweetly twisting my torso to face him better.
"Andra, do you know where Oliver went?" He asked as his eyes regarded the others, smiling politely at them. His gaze lingered over Chester for a moment longer than it had the others before it dragged back over to me.
"No clue, why?"
"Because he said he was going to come with me tonight to the Lounge," He explained.
"Well I know that he left but I don't know where to," I pretended thoughtfully pursing my lips and shaking my head "but if you want you can come out with us tonight."
Caspian's brown brows knitted together and his forehead creased as he thought over the idea, "No, it's cool I'm just going to find Oliver."
He went to leave when I quickly grabbed Ivy's attention and cocked my brows expectantly in my brother's direction, my head tipping towards the door. Catching on she sauntered towards him.
"No, Casp you have to come," Ivy whined, her voice low "it won't be a good night without you."
Caspian frowned unable to deny the smug smile that broke out on his lips, "I'm sure you'll survive."
My friends having caught the gist of Ivy's intentions, both shook their head in disagreement.
"Please Caspian, it would be so much better if you came" Ivy assured him, persuasively batting her lashes in his direction. Her seduction was something that could never work on my brother but flattery would.
Caspian regarded her with a complacent laugh, "Yeah but I said to Oliver -"
"I'm sure Oliver won't mind," Chester spoke up, flashing Caspian a charming bright boyish smile. The two regarded each other for a second longer, Cas pausing to re-think over the offer.
"I guess he won't," Caspian suggested suddenly changing his mind. He smiled back at Chester and turned to look at me "Let me get changed then we'll go."
I nodded enthusiastically and silently thanked for having my friends here to persuade him. Using his arms Caspian pushed away from the door frame and stepped out into the hallway.
He went to leave but stopped himself from walking, "Oh and Chester?"
Chester's eye looked up to Caspian confused and shy, "Yeah?"
Caspian drew out a silence before speaking, "Did you do something to your hair?"
Caught off guard, Chester stumbled for a response. A blush crawled up his neck and his hand reached up and rushed into his recently tamed lock, "Yeah."
Caspian bit back a pleased grin, pursing his lips out instead and nodding, "I like it."
Chester's face flushed bright red and Caspian chuckled disappearing down the hallway. We all laughed at Chester's tainted pink cheeks. There was no denying that shade of red.
"So, Caspian definitely knows about your crush on him then," Ivy said through her giggles as Chester hid his face behind his hands.
"It's not a crush," Chester grumbled through the small spaces between his fingers. Groaning his hands slid from his face and dug into the crook of his neck.
"That was so cute," Fleur described, her lips pulled up into the biggest smile.
Chester simply shook his head, "You always blow it out of proportion, he does that all the time."
"Yeah, to you. Only you," I argued, turning back round to the mirror, watching him still as the blush failed to tame itself.
"It doesn't mean anything, it's just a joke," Chester attended to reason but it fell on deaf ears.
"I know my brother better than anyone, trust me when I tell you, it's more than a joke."
"He's not even out, plus he dated that girl the other month, Izzy. You said he was really into her," Chester insisted rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
"So? He's dated a lot of people Ches, boys and girls," I said, pouting my lips and rolling on a deep cherry shade of lipstick.
Chester went to say something but Ivy cut in, "and need I remind you that you've also had experiences with girls. Don't completely disregard that time with me at your fathers Christmas party."
Chester laughed joyfully at the memory, "that was a good night."
I cringed at the thought of Chester and Ivy in a position other than one friends would be in.
"Can you please stop, the thought disgusts me," I uttered, my expression scrunching up and head shaking away the imagery. They both laughed.
After a few minutes Caspian was back at my door
and we began leaving the apartment. We took the elevator down to the lobby where my father was at the front desk talking animatedly to Andrew, one of our receptionists.
Out of the corner of his eyes my father saw us and politely excused himself from his conversation. He strolled over to us, his shoulders broad and tense and the permanent tired bags underneath his eyes, still permanent.
He greeted all our friends and then me and Caspian, "You off somewhere?"
"Yeah, that ok?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Of course, enjoy your night," He nodded at us as my friends said goodbye and headed for the lobby exit. I waited till they left to speak to my father.
"Sorry I was late home, I know I promised that we would catch up," He apologized sympathetically. Though with my father reading him was hard I knew he'd never mean to purposely avoid spending time with me. My mother on the other hand, I could never be sure.
"It's ok, there is always tomorrow," I said lightly choosing not to making a big deal out of it.
"Are you taking the limo?" He asked.
"Yeah, Jonathan's on shift tonight."
"Ok, well I'll see you tomorrow," He kissed my forehead softly and walked back over to the front desk. I left the lobby and met everyone outside, who were waiting by the backdoor.
"Ready?" Caspian asked me as I made my way over to them.
I nodded before jumping into the backseat, sliding over on the plush leather seat whilst everyone else filtered through back door. After a 20 minute drive, we finally pulled up to a towering building.
20 floors up and we arrived at The Outset, a rooftop bar that looked out across the city of London. The bar had a relaxed and mellow atmosphere and the rooftop was decorated with modern outdoor table and sofa sets. Lights hung all over the space and a bar fitted to the far right of the rooftop.
Ivy had found the place whilst on a date with a guy from an older year in school. The next day she had ditched her date and brought us all up here. We'd grown so attached to it since then, we visited it almost every week.
"I'll get the drinks," Caspian said "Chester can you help?"
Chester nodded smiling. They left for the bar as me, Ivy and Fleur went to our table, which was beside the railing looking out over the view. Four sofas guarded the table that was placed in the middle. I fell down onto a sofa and relaxed into the comfy cushion. Ivy sat next to me and Fleur sat opposite on another sofa.
Lifting her heels up on the glass top of the table, Ivy's head rested onto my shoulder and she sighed heavily, "I meant to tell you."
"Yeah?" I responded, peering down at her on my shoulder.
She paused for a long second, an irritated expression consuming her make-up beaten features, "I broke up with Alistair."
Both me and Fleur's eyes jumped to Ivy, frowning at her, confusion sewn into our creased foreheads. I wasn't completely surprised, she's been giving me all the signs of her pulling away from him, I just hoped that it wasn't true.
"I thought you really liked him," I said to her as my arm slid around her shoulders, my hand moving to her shoulder and rubbing it soothingly.
"I do, I mean I did but," she paused to sigh again "he was just too ... good."
Fleur's brows knitted together, "and that's a bad thing because?"
"Because, it just is," Ivy snapped send a sharp glare in Fleur's direction. I dug my fingers into her arm and she hissed pulling her arm away from my grip. She jerked her body up and stared at me.
"Don't act like that. You're getting defensive again," I uttered to her underneath my breath to her as Fleur sank back into her spot, withdrawn and silent.
"And you never are?" Ivy said, her tone brash and bitter.
"Don't turn this around on us. We're your friends," I consoled, though fractions of my voice held a warning that I knew she'd be able to recognize "And for the record, no one's too good for you Ivy."
I knew she wouldn't want to talk about it anymore but I wanted her to know I understood why she'd done it. I wanted more though for her to see herself through her friend's eyes.
Sighing for the third time she lent up and moved off the couch and onto the one with Fleur wrapping her arms around her, "I'm sorry."
"And I'm sorry it didn't work out with Alistair," Fleur comforted, hugging Ivy back.
The boys came back soon after, their hands full with drinks. They handed them out and then took their seats.
Both Caspian and Chester unsurprising sat extremely close on another couch. Still a respectable space rested between them though, which I knew they desperately wanted to close.
A hoot came from behind us and I spun my head to see Hugo and Victoria, walking towards us. Their hands were linked together and they were both smiling from ear to ear. Ivy was definitely right, they were doing much more than just having dinner.
"Hey everyone," Victoria greeted as she and Hugo both joined the group.
Hugo half hugged Caspian and Chester and nodded at the rest of us. Victoria skipped the hugs and sat down on a sofa, her hand pulling Hugo down with her. They molded together, Hugo's arm round her shoulder and her hand on his thigh.
"Dinner good?" Ivy asked sheepishly.
"It was ok," Victoria grinned and I knew she was lying, whatever it was they had done, it was more than ok. But I didn't mind her hiding it, I thought it was sweet how they still liked to keep their intimate life intimate.
"We got you drinks," Caspian said pointing to the glasses on the table.
"Thanks," They both mumbled, grabbing them and gulping them down.
My phone bleeped signaling a text. I pulled it out of my bag and opened the message.
Ivy
9;24
Dinner must have made them real thirsty.
I laughed though I shouldn't have and shook my head at Ivy who was grinning to herself whilst shoving her phone onto the table.