Chapter Thirteen

"I don't have anything to wear."  Scarlett groans.

I find those words funny because she looked hot in everything she wore and she has a lot more she hasn't tried on. There's a heap of clothes just beside me, it makes me feel bad for the person that will rearrange them.

"How about I just go like this?" I hear Scarlett say before she comes out of the dressing room in red lingerie.

In reflex, I turn my head to the side.  I don't know why I did it but I turned so fast I must look so stupid.  With all these unknown feelings that are building up, Scarlett in that little thing is not going to help matters at all.

I don't even know what this is.

"What, never seen a woman in lingerie before?" Scarlett jokes.

Not as hot, but I rather say, "Y-yeah, I have." I let out a nervous laugh, turning my head back. I try to look at anything – the bags, arranged based on colors sitting pretty on the shelves- other than Scarlett.

Scarlett leans on the door frame and stays silent for a second, "Do I make you nervous?" She asks out of the blue.

"N-no." I lie. My palms are already sweaty, my eyes dancing around and I am letting out an annoying laugh.

Yes, you do.

"Good, because I want you to be comfortable around me,"

"Are comfortable around me?"  I ask, finally looking up at her. And damn, she's absolutely sinful.

"I am in fucking lingerie, with my boobs and ass out. I am pretty comfortable"

I chuckle.

"Seriously yeah, I am comfortable around you, weirdly since the day I met you," Scarlett says with a small smile which I already have on my lips as well.

We get interrupted when Scarlett's housekeeper walks in with a tray of shots. She knocks slightly to gain our attention.

"Good, shots!" Scarlett claps.

The housekeeper places the tray on the dressing table.

"Gracias Maria," Scarlett says picking up two small glasses.

Maria nods before leaving the room.

"Take, drink up." Scarlett hands me a glass, which I reluctantly take.

"Don't think we should be sober when we get there?" I ask as I watch Scarlett drink it all in one gulp.

"Trust me, you don't want to be there sober."

I close my eyes as I take a huge gulp of the heavy liquid. I feel it burn my throat as I place the glass on the tray.

"That's what I'm talking about," Scarlett yells, as she walks over to her phone to turn up the music.

This is going to be fun.

~~~

They've barely climbed the yacht and Scarlett has been greeted by five people at least. It's crazy how popular she is here, makes me kind of wonder what it will look like in Chicago.   The greetings are short, she keeps them short. They try and recall when they last saw each other, they compliment her dress and she returns the compliment.  While I fade into the background until Scarlett introduces me. She always introduces me.

"This is my friend, Audrey."

Friend, I am her friend.

Usually, this type of setting will make me uncomfortable but Scarlett wouldn't let go of my hand as we walked down the docks. I can tell she wants me to feel comfortable and seen.

Just when we are about to enter a red-headed girl stops us. "Scar, you look so good."

With Scarlett's facial expression, she doesn't like that nickname or she doesn't want to be called that by an acquaintance.

"My brother's ex." She whispers in my ear before letting go of my hand to greet the girl.

My hand feels empty. Just a second she let go of my hand, and I feel lost.

Unseen,

"Thank you, so do you," Scarlett says with the fakest smile.

I start scanning around as the ocean breeze blows on my face. Tonight is absolutely beautiful. The dark waters, the city lights from New York traffic far ahead, the music and everything, I should see more of it.

"I will just look around,"  I say noticing the woman has started to engage Scarlett in a conversation she can't easily get out of.

"You sure?" Scarlett asks.

I nod with a small smile.

"Okay, I will see you in there," Scarlett calls out to me.

~~~~

"Okay okay, I got this one." I laugh finishing another glass of wine. "She has been looking at the other girl in red's shoe and outfit since they began their conversation. She's regretting her choice of clothing and she probably will be sad throughout the night." I turn to Scarlet with a victory smile on my face, knowing I killed it.

Scarlett nods impressed. "What about the guy and the other girl?" She gestures at another group of people, just feet away from the ones we were just analyzing.

"The girl in red is talkative, I doubt she listens to herself speak and the guy doesn't really care about what she has to say as long as he gets laid tonight."

"Wow, you are good at this. It actually sounds accurate."

"Of course, it does, drink up," I smirk.

We have been playing a game of reading the people at the party, what they are thinking or the friendship dynamics. I didn't start off strong, that's why I am a little bit tipsy. Maybe the drinks gave me a brand new perspective. Now it's my time to get Scarlett drunk. .

"Scarlett?" A man in a pink suit stops in front of them.

"Kyle!" Scarlett yells, hugging him.

Scratch that, I think she is already drunk.

"Cuz," He lifts her a little. "You look beautiful as always, girl."

"Thank you,"

Oh, he is her cousin.

"I am mad at you." He says releasing her from the hug. "You are staying in New York and you haven't visited me." Kyle frowns dramatically.

"You are the reason I am here at this lame party, so don't be mad. "

"Lame? I guess you missed the fight at the shrimp tower."  He pulls her closer ready to give all the details when his eyes fall on me. "Who's the cutie?"

I decide for the first time tonight to introduce myself, instead of Scarlett doing it for me. "I am Audrey."

"Kyle." He waves, "Love your hair, fabulous"

I smile. "Thanks,"

"Heard you broke up with Mr Billionaire, knew it wasn't going to last." He resumes to talking to Scarlett. "So are you back in the community, is she your new boo?"

Shocked and caught unawares by his statement, "No!" I blurt out before Scarlett answers.

The way I yelled defensively sounded so bad. I look so bad and I am too scared to see Scarlett's reaction. I bet the two of them are looking at me in confusion.

I didn't even know Scarlett was a lesbian.

Or did I?

Everything is so confusing. I slowly move my eyes to her face and I can see Scarlett is annoyed, this is the first time I have ever seen her annoyed at me.  She's about to be furious though.

I feel the need to defend my outburst, "I mean no because I am engaged." I say.

"She's my assistant anyways," Scarlett says, ignoring my initial statement.

No longer her friend? That hurts.

"Ooop," Kyle says before he whispers something into Scarlett's ears and walks away.

Scarlett eyes leave mine. She stops a waiter carrying glasses of champagne on a tray and she takes two out.  She drinks both on the spot and returns them to the tray before the waiter leaves.

My heart is beating out of my chest. This night has taken a weird turn and I don't have a good feeling about it. I play with my fingers waiting for Scarlett to say something.

"You didn't have to lie that you are engaged," Scarlett says looking unimpressed.

She thinks I am lying.

"I am not."

"Okay," She rolls her eyes in disbelief.

"When I said I ran away from home, I meant I eloped with my boyfriend. Not exactly eloped since we aren't married but we are waiting till things get better, so we can get married. His name his Tripp and I have a picture of him on my desk in the office..." I continue ranting.

"I need to use the toilet." She cuts me off. Barely waiting for my response, she walks away leaving me in a room full of strangers.

I feel tears welling up in my eyes as I watch her leave.

~~~

I spent half an hour waiting for Scarlett to come back and the other half searching for her.  Checked the bathroom, asked around, and still she is nowhere to be found.

She wouldn't leave me, would she?

I feel like a child whose father told her to wait somewhere, promising that he is coming back but never came back. But then, I am just being dramatic, I am a grown woman and I am capable of finding my way home.

It hurts though.

I look down at the empty glass cup I am holding, and from there, my eyes go to a group of women that are clearly looking and talking about me. I can't blame them. I look lost and out of place. Scarlett is the one that made me feel like I belong.

I walk to the bar side of the party, away from the wandering eyes. I drop the glass on the counter and the cute waiter in white takes the glass. I take my phone from the cute silver clutch Scarlett gave me, to try and give her one last call before I leave.

"You are looking for Scarlett?" I hear a familiar voice behind me.

I turn around to see Kyle. I was also looking for him, hoping he would lead me to where Scarlett is.

"Yes, do you know where she is?"

"She's drunk. I took her to her car. She and her driver are waiting for you outside."

"Oh, thank you," I say smiling, putting my phone back inside my clutch. I begin to walk away but then I turn to ask one question that has been on my mind since the left. "Is she mad at me for something?"

Kyle maintains a neutral face. "All I know is that she is drunk and that's usually because she has more control than that."

His answer just leaves me with more questions.

"It was nice meeting you, Kyle." I smile before leaving the party.

When I got to the car, Scarlett was asleep and the car drive was silent. I kept on looking over to her side to confirm if she is truly sleeping or just avoiding me.

I hope it's not the latter.

I had to call Maria out of the house to help me with Scarlett, so we could get her to bed. The most difficult was climbing the stairs while Scarlett is mumbling for more drinks or telling us to call her twin.

We finally get to her enormous room and safely place her in her queen-sized bed.

"Thank you, Maria," I say to the woman I had to wake to help me out.

"I am going to get a bowl or something where she can throw up in." She says rushing out of the room.

I turn to look at this woman who still looks insanely beautiful even though she shit face drunk. I feel this warmth in my heart, making me smile as I watch her sleep.

I walk up to the bed to put the covers over her but then I feel her hand on my wrist tugging me. I look down at my wrist and than at her. She still has her eyes closed. "Stay," She mumbles.

Like I am hypnotized by just one word, I climb into her bed and lay beside her. We are facing each other, she still has her eyes closed.  I study her facial features. I didn't realize how thick her lashes her or that she had freckles spread on her face.

Absolutely mesmerizing,

I am so tempted to push the hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ears but I am afraid to wake her.

"Why didn't you tell me you have a fiancé?" She asks, opening her eyes.

Our eyes lock and we stare at each other like we are searching for something. I don't know what I am searching for. I don't know if she knows what she is searching for.

But we are searching.

"I don't know," I say honestly.

"I know." She simply says before closing her eyes back.

With her eyes closed, I kept on staring at her like she is code, I am yet to crack. I didn't know when I fell asleep.

The next morning when I woke up, Scarlett wasn't beside me and it hurt. Twice as much as when Daisy did the same thing to me. When I got downstairs, Maria said that Scarlet had work but I felt she was still in the house and didn't want to see me.

How did things get so confusing?