"there she is" cari exclaims, running over to alex who decided to meet us after the show and come to times square with us. the blonde girl gives us both hugs and holds both of our hands as we begin walking around the corner to where we are going.
"you ready?" alex says to me, and i nod.
crowds of people fill the streets, lights illuminating everywhere. it's even better in person than how it looks on pictures. i let go of alex's hand and look up at the huge buildings and billboards.
cari grabs hold of me and pulls me into her body as i almost bump into like five people. "thanks" i say, feeling her front pressed against my back. she stays there, putting her arms around my shoulders and leaning into me as she looks around with me. we all stand there admiring our surroundings.
"it's beautiful" i say, there's so much going on that i have no idea where to even look.
"shall we go and get some food?" alex asks, turning to the both of us. we both nod, cari let's go of me and we all start walking to a little italian restaurant.
"hey table for 4 please" alex says to the person at the door. cari and i instantly look at each other with our eyebrows frowned wondering who the forth person is. but our questions are soon answered when reggie appears out of nowhere, pecking alex on the lips. "hey guys" he says to both of us and we smile at him.
we sit down at a table inside which looks out to part of time square. "it's a double date" alex says, her and reggie sat opposite me and cari.
"oh this isn't a date" i tell them, pointing at me and the girl beside me. "it is now" cari says. i look at her, a smirk on her face, once again drawn to dimples on her cheeks.
"shall we go for a red wine this time?" she asks me, showing me the different options on the menu. "sure but your not paying for it" i tell her and she shakes her head.
"of course i am, i can't take you on a double date and not pay for you" she says, twirling a piece of her hair around her finger while she looks at me.
"hmm good job this isn't a date then" i tell her, raising my eyebrows.
"i'm still paying" she says, whispering it in my ear and straightening up in her chair again. i laugh to myself, listening to her butchering the name of the wine to the waiter. luckily he understands what she meant by her pointing to it on the menu.
"it was an A for effort" i tell her once the waiter leaves after getting our food orders. she looks at me and playfully hits me in the arm. "oh be quiet,
my italian pronunciation is amazing, don't be jealous" she says sarcastically. i roll my eyes and smile as the waiter brings over both of our bottles of wine, and four glasses.
cari does the honours and pours it for us both, definitely pouring too much but i won't complain. "you look good in my dress" cari says, playing with the bottom of it, her hand purposely brushing on my thigh.
"oh really" i say, taking a sip of my wine.
"mhm" cari hums.
"ok ok ok, why don't you two stop flirting and admit you like each other already" alex says, obviously been watching our interaction the whole time.
"woah relax it's been three days, there's nothing wrong with a playful flirt to distract us while you two have got your tongues down each others throats" cari says and i instantly start laughing. alex shakes her head in embarrassment and rests her forehead on reggie's shoulder.
the waiter brings over our food, placing my bowl of pasta in front of me which smells amazing. "wanna have a lady and the tramp moment?" cari asks, picking up a piece of spaghetti from her plate.
i look at her and raise my eyebrows realising she means me. "not really" i say, but she sticks out her bottom lip pretending to be sad. "i've always wanted to do it, and i can't do it with either of them two" she says.
"but i don't wanna kiss you" i tell her and she looks at me with a fake shocked expression. "why not, am i ugly" she says jokingly.
i roll my eyes and grab the piece of spaghetti, her face instantly lighting up. she tucks my hair behind my ear and puts one side of the pasta in her mouth. we both move closer as the spaghetti disappears into our mouths, all we can hear is alex and reggie laughing.
as her lips brush on mine, i bite the pasta and pull away. "you didn't even kiss me properly" she says, holding her hand on her heart pretending to be hurt.
"i'm not kissing you with pasta in my mouth" i tell her, and then start tucking into my own food.
i grab my phone and text my mom back who still won't leave me alone, still worrying about being in new york.
i think i'm going to go and see my dad tomorrow for the first time in ages. he doesn't know i've moved here yet, but i know his address thanks to my oldest brother. i'm scared to see him actually, the fact that he hasn't spoken to me in years obviously shows that he doesn't really care.
he's too bothered about his new life with his wife and kids to even have time for me and my brother.
i put my fork in my bowl after finishing my dinner and move it aside out of my way so i can also finish the rest of my wine. out of all the alcohol going, red wine usually is what gets me the drunkest so i'm taking it easy. "you good?" cari asks me.
i look at her and smile, "yeah are you? you look a little tipsy" i say. cari was drinking earlier before we came out too and hadn't eaten anything till now.
"maybe a little tipsy, but i'm ok" she tells me, a grin on her face.
the waiter comes over with a cheque after we all finish our food. alex and reggie pay their half, and cari pays for me and her, once again before i have time to protest it.
/
we finally arrive home after a long night, it's 11pm and i am once again exhausted. i sit in my bedroom, taking my makeup off in the mirror and applying my night time moisturiser.
cari appears in the doorway, leaning on the frame. "can i come in?" she asks, her words a little slurred but she's not too drunk.
"yeah of course" i say, she enters the room and for some reason closes the door behind her. i smile at her as she sits on the edge of my bed, watching what i'm doing. i get up and go to my closet grabbing a t shirt to sleep in, and i'll just wear my underwear beneath them.
"do you mind doing the zip on my dress?" i ask, not being able to reach it at the back. cari nods and comes over to me. she stands behind me and moves my hair gently out of the way. slowly, she pulls the zip down, my back coming on show.
"thank you" i say, once i turn back around to face her.
she smiles and gently tucks my hair behind my ears, her hand resting at the side of my neck.
i smile and look down at my feet shyly, but she soon lifts my head up again by my chin. "your so beautiful" she says, in almost a whisper but just loud enough for me to hear her.
just as i am about to respond, cari leans in and presses her lips to mine. both of her hands come up the sides of my neck and she pulls me in closer. her lips perfectly move with mine like it was supposed to happen.
i pull away after a few moments, "goodnight cari" i say to her.
"goodnight emilia" she says, kissing my forehead before disappearing to her own room.
YOU ARE READING
better version ; fletcher
Teen Fiction"i want someone who's never going to leave me, that can have the better version of me"
