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“Fine.” I sigh. “I’ll go with you. Just let me text my dad to let him know.”
“Nope.” Scarlett jumps off of me and scoops my phone up. She turns the phone off before slipping it into her cleavage. “You are not asking your daddy for permission. Tonight, you’re going to have fun.”
I quickly stand up before Scarlett changes her mind and pushes me back to the ground.
“Let’s go then.” If I appease Scarlett and go to a bar for an hour or so, then I will still have enough time to come back, call my dad, and get some studying in before bed. No harm done.
Scarlett laughs. “Oh, Kins, you know nobody goes out this early. Plus, we need time to change if we are going to find a guy for me to hook up with tonight.”
She grabs my hand, and I follow her past my kitchen where my favorite chocolate-colored chandelier hangs overhead. Then, we go down my hallway to the spare bedroom that I turned into a closet—or boutique is more like it. The room is overflowing with clothes I was given from various designers after doing shoots for them. The other half of the room is filled with every brand of makeup and every jewelry and accessory that I have ever worn. It is every girl’s dream. I’m just not sure it’s my dream.
Scarlett begins scrolling through the clothes in my closet, as easily as she would if it were hers. She is attracted to the tight skirts and cleavage tops that will show off her bought curves. She begins stripping before trying on a variety of my clothes, and then she throws them onto the floor after deciding they aren’t sexy enough.
I sigh. I’ll have a mess to clean up tonight. Unlike Scarlett, I don’t have a maid to clean up after me. It’s not that I can’t afford one. I just like my own space. I don’t want someone coming into my home, touching my things.
I head to the other end of my closet, toward the clothes I just got after the last shoot I did. I find the black crop top that I was given. I take my simple white T-shirt off and replace it with the black crop top. I leave my dark skinny jeans on but replace my flats with a pair of black high heels.
I take a seat at the table in front of a large mirror where I begin to touch up my makeup. My long blonde hair is already curled as it hangs down my back. I apply some red lipstick to finish my look before I look at myself. I’m happy with what is staring back in the mirror until Scarlett stands behind me.
We are both models and both beautiful in our own right. But while I model for Seventeen magazine, Scarlett models for Victoria’s Secret. I look seventeen, and she looks twenty-five. Guys find me attractive, but guys want to sleep with her.
It’s for the best that guys never want to sleep with me. I shouldn’t date anyway, not when my father and grandfather are the ones who will be choosing who I marry.
“All right, I’m ready.” Scarlett glances at herself in the mirror one more time. “Let’s go.”
I grab a silver clutch, and I throw some cash and my ID into it. “Can I get my phone back now?”
Scarlett smiles. “Maybe.”
I roll my eyes.
I have a terrible feeling about tonight. I shouldn’t be doing this. My father is going to be pissed when I don’t call him tonight. But what’s the worst that can happen? I’ll get drunk and end up puking on Scarlett’s couch. My father will yell at me tomorrow for the first time in five years. Then, everyone will get over it. It’s not like one mistake can ruin your life.
Except, I think as I pause at the open door of my apartment, one mistake can.
I shake my head. That was five years ago. This is nothing like that. This time, it won’t be a mistake.
The bouncer hands me my ID that I slip back into my clutch, and then I follow Scarlett down the stairs to the bar. I’ve never been into a bar before—at least not one like this with bouncers—but I try to keep an open mind as I enter the bar that is, for some reason, below a building. There are no windows as I look around the barely lit room. The smell takes me a bit to get used to. A mix of sweat, puke, and urine makes my nose scrunch.
The noise though is what makes me want to turn around and run out. It’s loud. No, it’s louder than loud, eardrum-bursting loud. A band is playing on the far side of the bar although I don’t hear a word they are singing over the bass thumping loudly throughout the room. The place is crowded, much more crowded than what is probably legal for such a small space.
Drinks, Scarlett mouths to me.
Or it’s what I assume she mouths before she begins making her way through the crowd up to the bar.
I follow Scarlett as I watch people staring at us. It’s not unusual. In fact, it feels pretty normal to have people stare at us. I jump when someone slaps my ass. I glance back and see a man devouring me with his eyes as he whistles my way. I blush, shake my head, and keep walking behind Scarlett. I don’t know how else to react to a man slapping my ass. Scarlett probably would have punched the guy or made out with him.
We finally make it to the bar, but there is only enough room for Scarlett to stand at the counter.
“Excuse me,” she says to a man sitting on the stool next to her. “Do you mind moving, so my friend can sit here?”
She flutters her eyes in his direction, and I know the answer will be yes. The only person who doesn’t give Scarlett an immediate yes is me, and even then it’s usually maybe. I can never flat-out say no to her. No one can.
“If you let me buy you a drink,” the man says in return as soon as he sees Scarlett.
“Sure.” Her eyes light up at an offer from an attractive man. “I’m Scarlett. This is Kinsley.”
I smile shyly at the man. He barely glances my way before focusing back on Scarlett. I’m happy the attention isn’t on me.
