Return to Sender

[ 2 ] "WOMAN LIKE ME"

 The air wasn't any less humid inside the club than it was outside. We waited a good thirty minutes in line to even reach the front door. Irritation prickled my skin as I squeezed by a cluster of sorority looking girls near the entrance. Max was snickering in my ear, pushing in close to my back, only making the fabric of my dress stick to my sweat slick skin.

Frowning, I searched the sea of faces impatiently. We had found out we didn't even need to wait as we did, because our name was on a list that would've allowed us to bypass all that. I spotted the VIP section, and began cutting a path, cursing under my breath as I'm forced to elbow and shoulder my way through the ocean of bodies.

Maybe I should've stayed home with Walter instead. Then again, at least there was access to alcohol to make everything more bearable. I dabbed at my face with the edge of my finger, trying not to mess up my make-up. 

"Over here!"

I turned fast enough to catch a flash of movement before Becca appeared shoving a glass of champagne into my hand, a bright smile on her face. She was practically glowing and glittering in the dance lights, the red dress she wore barely covering anything. I'd never have the confidence to walk out of my apartment like that, but this was Becca. She did everything effortlessly and gracefully.

Max popped out from behind me, and the smile on Becca's face dropped a bit. Then it shot back up when Adele followed. I had the sensation of a mother duck, but it wasn't abnormal. My height usually placed me at the front of the group, forging a path for the others.

"Who is this?" Becca squeezed past me, and pushed past Max, throwing an arm around Adele's shoulder. "You're so cute. Do you work at PK, too?"

Adele gave a hesitant smile, glancing over at Max and I. "Yeah, nothing special, just maintenance on the computers and such..."

"Save the sales pitch," Max said, reaching out and grabbing hold of Adele's arm and pulling her free. "She's not interested in anything but your free drinks tonight."

Becca held up her hands, and gave a charming smile—an innocent smile. "Of course. The more the merrier." 

She beckoned us to follow her, grabbing onto my hand as she passed. "We are going to make sure this night is so good that none of us remember it."

"Who did you sucker into working with you?" Max called out from behind us.

Becca snorted and tossed a challenging smirk over her shoulder. These two were like day and night or maybe cat and dogs was more appropriate for how they reacted to one another. Opposites that enjoyed antagonizing one another—of course, if anyone else tried to make fun of the other they were quick to defend each other.

"Ever heard of 4ever?"

Adele let out a high pitched squeal, and I turned with wide eyes. That was the most emotional response I'd ever heard her make. Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red and she covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry. It's just—are you really working with 4ever?"

Becca was wearing a smug grin and nodded her head.

"Should I know who that is?"

Adele shot a look of surprise toward Max. "They're a K-Pop group that I've been listening to since freshman year in college. They've only recently begun to explode internationally." 

"Wow, that's great Becs! Though I'm not surprised, this is you we're talking about," I said.

She leaned in, pressing up on her tip-toes. "You still sure you don't want to drop PK Corps and come work for me?"