Gone Girl 2

Chapter 38

Veronica's POV

I told Shanice I'd think about coming to her party and I decided to do it for Nicole.

We haven't been hanging out much and spring break happens next week and she isn't coming to my house anymore. She will try to fix things with her mother.

She always tries, but it never works out. Her mom seems keen on making everything harder for my best friend. I know Nicole won't admit it, but I see how much it affects her when my mom treats me like every daughter should be treated.

"I decided to keep the party a bit smaller this time. I only invited twenty people," Shanice says.

"That isn't very small," I point out. Still plenty of people I don't know.

Dominic scoffs. "You should have told me sooner, I would've gone to the other party."

Shanice messes up his perfectly curled hair as he yells for help, "I was kidding!"

"Good luck with that," Irenè jokes.

"Where is the alcohol?" Nicole asks.

"Guys, bad, bad news. They threw me out before I could buy the alcohol," Dominic confesses.

"Fuck off," Shanice is exasperated. No drinks no party and it doesn't help that Shanice lost her ID.

"How can that even happen?" I ask, remembering how he never failed to buy drinks two years ago with his fake ID. He is turning 21 soon too.

Nicole cups Dom's face and squeezes his cheeks. "Look at him, he has such a cute baby face." We all burst out laughing and Dominic pouts.

"Let's be real, Derek was the one who bought the alcohol all these years," Shanice says and the mood completely changes in two seconds.

Especially for me. We all miss Derek and it's weird how distant we've been for the past one year and a half when everyone was so close with him before.

Dominic and Derek were the best duo and they were the life of the party, even Dominic feels weird without him.

It's just not the same. I don't know how long we will last before we start looking for Derek, even against his wish.

I promised Shanice I will help her with cleaning afterwards, she decided to invite fewer people because of me. For once we could have a smaller party without idiots.

Her new house is also pretty big but not as big as the one from two years ago. That place still gives me a weird nostalgia. I kinda miss it but at the same time I hate it.

Suddenly someone knocks on the door.

I go to the door and I welcome Brandon and Cyprian, Nicole's mysterious lover. Brandon immediately smiles and greets me but Cyprian seems a bit frozen... and starstruck.

I still think he looks familiar, but now I've known him for a few months and at this point familiarity is normal, I have no idea where I would even know him from.

Nicole told me about her date with him and their kiss, and that he lives In Tennesse which isn't far from us. Maybe I've interacted with him before.

Brandon dressed very laid back but Cyprian kept it more formal, a slightly unbuttoned light blue shirt and dark jeans. He always looks so polished.

"Hey, glad you came," I say. "We have just one small problem. We couldn't buy alcohol."

"What happened?"

"It's all Dominic's fault, he shaved his facial hair," I say amused.

"Not that he had much," Shanice mocks him. "That little mustache barely growing there and three dark strands sticking out from his chin." Irene and Shanice burst out laughing.