Bad Habits

chapter three: blinding lights

a/n: drug use, angst. be responsible out there, ya'll.

Two days later, Lilly finds herself still thinking about Bucky and what he said in the kitchen that afternoon. He always knows how to piss her off. Its even more infuriating when he looks so fucking hot all the time.

Those blue eyes have always been able to get James Buchanan Barnes anything he wants. There was a time where Lilly would have done anything Bucky asked of her, just like any of the other girls. Now she'd do the opposite out of spite.

A sharp jab in her side snaps Lilly out of her daydream.

"Ow, Nat, fuck!"

The redhead smirks, pinning a large piece of black silk and tulle at Lilly's side.

"What? You were off in la la land. What do you think?"

Lilly runs her hands over the floor length gown Natasha is designing for the Barnes' annual gala. The dress is easily the most expensive thing she's ever worn, a gift from Winnifred. The neckline is a sweetheart cut corset with black fishnet material going to her throat, covering her cleavage. A long black tulle skirt flows to her feet with gold glitter that makes her feel like the night sky. Her long legs peek through the thin material, since the top of the dress is made like a bodysuit.

Natasha Romanoff is one of the newest and most incredible designers in New York. She graduated from the Pratt Institute two years ago and since then, everyone has been obsessed with her. Her boutique is off of Madison Avenue, tucked beside a Chanel store and a block from the iconic Tiffany's headquarters. Visits are by appointment only, but she always makes time for Rebecca and Lilly.

Becca squeals from her spot on one of Nat's oversized couches, a mouth full of french fries.

"It looks amazing, Lil! I'm gonna have to step it up if you look like that."

Lilly laughs out loud.

"Becca, your dress is cut so high you can almost see your vagina. I think you'll have all the attention."

Becca almost chokes on her food while Nat wheezes, helping Lilly out of her dress. She designed Becca's dress too and knows Mrs. Barnes is gonna lose her shit. Becca's blue eyes are wide and sparkling as she takes a sip of her cucumber water.

"It's gonna be amaaaazing! My first event since turning eighteen and I plan to take full advantage of it."

Natasha snorts.

"Yeah, unless Bucky's there and then no one is going to touch you with a ten foot pole."

Lilly's body tenses when he gets brought up, which Nat notices out of the corner of her eye. Becca snorts, rolling her eyes.

"He's not coming. He said he has, and I quote, 'better things to do than have a dick measuring contest with old man Rogers.'"

Lilly gets off the podium in the middle of Natasha's workroom and heads to the changing area.

No one hates Bucky more than Joseph Rogers, which is saying something. Since Bucky turned 21, he's been using his substantial trust fund to invest in real estate, like his father before him. The bad blood started when Bucky began buying condos and townhouses out from under the nose of Rogers' construction company. Every time Lilly hears about it from the family she wonders if it's out of spite.

Lilly starts getting dressed, listening to Nat and Becca gossip about the Rogers family. Joseph and Sarah come from newer money, which in the Upper East Side means fighting for the respect that comes natural if your last name is Barnes or Wilson.

Lilly has been over to their mansion a few times, on the opposite edge of the park from the Barnes. Bucky would drag her there in high school for parties so he could sneak off to see Steve. It was like a game for him towards the end, Lilly during the week and Steve on the weekends. A game Lilly played for about a year until it got old.