love & war | in progress

18 - big 24

elizabeth

I wriggled in my seat in excitement. Angelo hadn't fully told us what restaurant it was we were going to, but as I saw us slow down in front of Elite, my heart beat spiked up. 

Elite was a new restaurant/club that had a waiting list longer than Rapunzel's split ends. 

Angelo mustve noticed my curiosity, because he placed his free hand on my thigh whilst he reversed into parking. 

"I made an investment into Elites. And the owner and I go way back, so he pushed the waiting line back for us."

Celeste, from the back seat, scoffed and I heard a camera shutter. "This is some rich people shit."

Simultaneously, Angelo and I turned around to shout. "Don't post that!"

Her eyes widened as she looked inbetween us. 

"Wait. This little work romance is against the rules isn't it?," A smirk crept its way onto her face and I groaned. "Kinky."

Angelo chuckled and looked at me. "She's funny."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, until she becomes annoying." He smirked at me and placed a chaste kiss on my lips. 

Oh.

He pecked me. 

We didn't do pecks. Pecks were the types of kisses old married couples gave each other. Boyfriends and Girlfriends. Which we were not. Despite whatever feelings we had for one another, dating was completely out of the question.  

I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and just assumed I was reading too far into it. "So, Mr Stone. Are you just going to sit there or are you going to escort me out?"

He grinned and then got put of the car, circled it and then opened the door for me. "Oh of course, Miss Gray."

It was only as I got out of the car I had noticed he parked in the back, where there was no paparazzi and lack of bustling people. Once I was stood up, I dusted off my dress and watched as he opened the door for Celeste. 

When he wasn't looking she mouthed to me. 'Holy shit!'

I grinned and mouthed back. 'I know.'

Together, the three of us walked through the back entrance into the restaurant, where Angelo shook hands with a security guard.

And the second we stepped in, I was nonplussed.

The restaurant was jam-packed with celebrities, influencer, and nepo-babies. I felt extremely out of place. 

One one side of the restaurant was lined up booths and tables where people were casually eating and drinking. But on the other side, there was an empty stage and poles with no dancers on them. As I squinted, I could also see that there was a DJ's bar that was just underneath what seemed to be a VIP section. 

How could anyone possibly afford to go VIP in a VIP restaurant?

Angelos hand warmed the lower part of my back, and he pulled me back into focus. "There they are."

I followed his line of sight and saw our friends seated comfortably in a booth a bit further from where we were. A smile plastered on my face as I saw Amelia and Saron there. 

I picked up my pace, and ended up running into Amelia's arms. "Hi, beautiful."

Saron gave me a full grown grin and I pulled back from Amelia, and gave Saron a hug with the same amount if intensity.