serenity | h.s | ON HOLD

four.

Sarita.

Goldie has been running around like a mad-man all afternoon, throwing different articles of clothing at me to pick from.

She has so graciously spared me any detail about the conversation that she had with Juliette at the record store, instead she just kept mumbling words of excitement and anticipation for Sultana's tonight.

All of my friends and I tried our best to get together as often as possible at my mom's bar, usually pushing for every Friday night. Usually it was fairly easy to get meet up, but on the rarity we would have to reschedule and plan for the week after.

Speaking of my friends, now would be the best time to introduce you to all of them and fill you in on their stories.

We can start with Goldie, my wild party-goer Goldie Taylor. Just I had mentioned previously, her and I met at the age of ten while we were both in line to play tetherball on the playground. The school bully at the time had tried to cut in front of me by shoving me to the side, but Goldie was quick to yell out and scare her away. We became best friend's that day.

Next up was Joel, the always protective, always cranky, biggest sweetheart, Joel Angel. We met a year after I had befriended Goldie. There was a small period of time in my life where I was working on not allowing my father's comments to affect me, where I would come to school upset, hiding from Goldie. Joel happened to stumble across the ugly sobbing mess that was me, in the corner of the school gym. Instead of asking me if I was okay, he handed me a pack of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

He still brings me chocolate when he knows I need a boost.

Up next we have my crystal loving, astrology extraordinaire, the one with the most peaceful aura, Esmeralda, who I love to call Esme. It all began when I had stumbled upon a little crystal shop up in Sedona, on the hunt for the perfect crystals for my new collection. I was first greeted by her boyfriend Maël who co-owns the store with her. The two of them have been such an encouraging influence in my life since they entered it, always giving me advice from personal to which crystals would be a best fit for me.

Maggie and Evie, whom you have also met before, came into my life shortly after I met Esme and Maël. Their bright personalities are what formed our friendship, being that they practically threw themselves at me when I first visited the record store. Friday's at Sultana's wouldn't be complete without them as our DJs, honestly if they weren't available, we would be left with Joel playing whatever playlist he's found on Spotify that week on the aux cord. No one needed that.

On the topic of the bar, next to introduce to you is my Aria and Hazel, the best pair of bartending babes. Ones that could convince you to buy more shots just by a simple look and the ones who could have you wrapped around their fingers with their intriguing personalities. Out of the others, I have known them the longest. They were hired around the same time my mom opened Sultana's four years ago, and we quickly became friends.

I was enamored by their eccentric aura the moment I met them on their very first night behind the bar. I remember being so excited to have found them on my life path that I practically dragged Goldie and Joel in the next day to see them in action once again. It was also when Joel fell in love with Hazel, and Hazel in love with Joel. It was extremely cute, honestly. They spent months pretending that there was no chemistry between them but we all knew it was just a relationship waiting to bloom. One of those love stories that you read about in books, something that doesn't happen often to regular people.

"Bella!" my mom's voice breaks me from my inner dialogue, causing me to snap my head in her direction. She walks in with a smile on her face, leaning on the door hinge. "Did you finally pick an outfit? Or am I going to have to hear the sound of hangers clanking together all night?"