Sapphire.

Chapter Three

SAPPHIRE'S POV

After the awkward silence throughout the car ride, I arrived at my apartment building, feeling exhausted and a little uneasy after the night's events.

"I'm so sorry about tonight, Sapph," Rhys apologized. "I should've never brought you to that party."

"It's fine -." I couldn't finish my sentence before Rhys lunged over and shut me up with a kiss.

I loved when he gave me surprise kisses.

"Goodnight," I said, smiling hard.

We hugged and Rhys dropped me off at my doorstep.

I unlocked the front door and stepped into the small apartment I shared with my roommates, Kai, Zaara and Astrid. The place was cramped, but it was all we could afford on our meager salaries. Well, Zaara technically owns the apartment, she gets lucky if either of us even pays rent on a quarterly basis.

As I entered, I was greeted by the sound of laughter coming from the living room. Zaara and Kai were sprawled out on the couch, talking about something while Astrid was in the kitchen making dinner.

"Hey, guys," I said, dropping my guitar case by the door. "How was today?"

"Better than yours, I hope," Zaara said with a smirk. "I mean, you were just out there singing your heart out for a bunch of strangers. Can't be too good for the ego."

I rolled her eyes, but couldn't help grinning. I can't get enough of Zaara and her quick-witted sarcasms.

Kai nudged her with his elbow. "Seriously though, how was it? Did you make any new fans?"

I shrugged. "I guess so. A few more people seemed to like my songs."

"A few? That's it?" Zaara said, pretending to be shocked. "Guess you're just not as good as you think you are."

I laughed, knowing that Zaara was just teasing me. "Well, I'll have you know that my boyfriend thinks I'm amazing," I said, playfully sticking out her tongue.

"Ohh, Rhys," Kai teased, a smirk on his face. "How's the love life, Sapphire?"

I rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth. "It's good, thanks for asking," I said, leaning against the kitchen counter. "He's so sweet, you guys. He bought me a drink and we talked for a while."

"Aw, that's cute," Astrid said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Astrid let out a sigh. "You're so lucky, Sapphire. I can't even get a date to save my life."

Kai rolled his eyes. "That's because you're too picky. You need to lower your standards a bit."

Astrid looked up from her cooking. "I don't want to date someone just because they're breathing, Kai. I have standards, you know." She said, as she scowled at him.

"Do you want to watch a movie?"

I nodded eagerly. "Yes, please. I need some distraction after tonight."

Kai grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I've got just the thing," he said, walking over to the bookshelf and grabbing a DVD. "Have you guys seen 'The Room' yet?"

I groaned, but couldn't help laughing. "No, I haven't. Is it really that bad?"

Kai nodded, popping the DVD into the player. "It's a masterpiece of terrible filmmaking," he said, settling onto the couch. "You'll love it."

"Well, no movie-watching yet," she said with a playful glint in her eye. "Now come help me set the table. Dinner's almost ready, and I don't want us to miss a minute of this amazing meal."

"Fine," I replied with a smile, my own excitement growing with each passing moment.

I followed her into the kitchen, marveling at the way she effortlessly moved between the pots and pans, orchestrating a symphony of flavors and textures that promised to delight our taste buds. As we worked side by side to set the table, I couldn't seem to get over Astrid's energy for doing things.

As we gathered around the table and prepared to dig in, the tantalizing aroma of Astrid's cooking filled the room, making my mouth water in anticipation. I had always been impressed by her culinary skills, and this meal was no exception. With each bite, I savored the rich flavors and perfect textures that only a truly talented chef could achieve. In fact, I couldn't help but think that Astrid should seriously consider a career in the culinary arts, as her talents in the kitchen were simply too good to go to waste.

Of course, not everyone at the table was as impressed as I was. "This is a bit salty," Zaara remarked with a wry smile, her playful teasing earning a laugh from the rest of us. But even with her good-natured critique, there was no denying that Astrid's cooking was a true culinary delight, and Zaara would always be Zaara.

Kai Smith, with his razor-sharp focus and unwavering dedication to his computer science studies, was the latest addition to our eclectic group of roommates. In stark contrast, Astrid Jackson exuded an infectious energy and passion for acting that was impossible to ignore. Two years ago, it was just the three of us - myself, Zaara, and Astrid - living under the same roof, but when Kai joined us a year ago, we quickly realized what a great addition he was. With his quiet intelligence and thoughtful demeanor, he brought a new perspective to our conversations and a sense of balance to our otherwise lively household.

Together, the four of us formed an unlikely but incredibly supportive family, each bringing our own unique strengths and quirks to the mix.