BLACK ROSE

Enhanced angel

Alex. 

"I can't believe you really rented the house," Mia says as we enter.

"I honestly don't even know why I did it." Mae admits as she starts to hang up some balloons. "I've attended too many birthday parties so far and it was sort of expected of me to return it."

"And sacrificing your own house is a no-no," Ace shouts as he walks by. I continue setting up the DJ equipment.

"I'm not friends with half of these people," Mae continues explaining the situation to her sister. "But if they come with gifts, which I really hope they do, it's a win-win for both sides."

Mia raises her eyebrows at the mention of gifts. "Really?"

"What? You can't blame me. I admit, I didn't buy a gift for every birthday party I attended, but I definitely bought more than those two did."

"You know more people," I say. "It's only fair."

"A price you pay for starting conversations with everyone, darling." Ace shouts from the other room.

When I'm done with my appointed job, I ask for further instructions, only to discover everything's been done. We finished the preparations just in time for the first guests to show up. I'm leaning against the nearest wall, sipping my rum when two female arms wrap around my waist.

"Hiding in the darkness, observing your prey I see."

"Oh, my prey has just arrived." I wink at Heather and give her a hug. She looks stunning as always. Everything has to be perfect, she always says. It's a curse she's been taught since she was a kid. Always be perfect, no matter the occasion. A foolish façade she's learned to put up, a façade that lets people create all sorts of first impressions and assumptions about her. Heather, though, rarely lets those assumptions get close to her. She always says she's an expert at correcting her first impressions. At first I didn't believe her, but now I know better. I didn't think it was possible to correct a first impression, but this girl has a hidden talent for it. Perfection, she calls it.

"Who do we have here?" Nico shows up dressed unusually formal. "What are we looking at?"

Heather answers for me. "At the insane amount of fake people constantly entering with the goal to get drunk."

He looks disappointed at her. "Why are you kids always like that?" We both raise our eyebrows, answering him that way. "A little bit of optimism has never..."

"It has broken hearts before."

I nod, agreeing with Heather's words. "Optimism is a tricky thing. Remember that, honey." She blows him a kiss before walking to the girls.

"Why is she always like that? That attitude of hers... it's going to get her into trouble one day."

"Ah, teenagers these days."

"You, Alex, have no right to say anything." With these words he walks off to Francis who's calling his name. I shake my head, finish my drink and join my friends.

Somehow naturally we ignore most people coming. We keep to ourselves, being perfectly satisfied with the company. We agreed on not having a basement party tonight, for Mae. It's her birthday party and we don't intend on ruining the night for her. Though, to our surprise, she was the one who suggested it as a hiding place.

More and more people start to come, and the more we start to isolate ourselves. We find a rather calmer place in the other room where we can talk and laugh freely, without being disturbed or disturbing anyone else. At some point, though, Mia comes over to us. Without saying much she asks us to follow her, specifically pointing at me and Ace.