With love, your dearest hater

Chapter 5 (Past)

On the uber to the influencer's house, she won't stop going all about how she's gonna pretend she doesn't know Ethan Brooks, how she's gonna play uninterested while a bunch of girls we'll be throwing themselves at him. One sentence out, one shot in for her, another in for me.

What can I say? Over half my job is done and I'm a hella supportive friend. When we get to our destination, the fireball bottle is half empty and we're both very tipsy. The doorman has our name on the list and we're let upstairs. The hallway is impressive, it smells like old money.

It's a penthouse in Fort Greene and the elevator takes us directly to the apartment entrance. The place is packed with people. Big windows from the ground up to the high ceelings, the ground is made of rustic dark wood, there's a big fireplace directly in front of us, and the furniture is well stuctured and in a crude color. This place is everything I ever dreamed of. I cannot stop looking at all the details in this place.

"Nono, do you see him?" — Annie asks looking very anxiously around. Hunting her celebrity crush down. Better be drunk for this and I'm still too sober.

"So much for pretending he's unimportant" — I chuckle while I turn her to face me, I place both my hands on her shoulders. She didn't hear a word I just said — "Keep cool, the place is huge, but eventually you'll run into him. Chill, Annie! Let's find your hostess friend and say hi" — She keeps nooding while I talk, understanding our next mission, good old sole focus after drinking too heavily.

We make our way into the apartment and it gets bigger and even more impressive. We spot the hostess surrounded by people, Annie and I get in the middle of them making our way towards her. But by the time we get closer to her, she's already flooded with more people, until she spots Annie. She immediately lightens up.

"Annie!!" — she yells waving in our direction and skipping through everyone. When she gets to us , she throws herself at Annie's arms in a tight hug and she reciprocates. Damn LA people, very warm — "I'm so glad you could make it! Please be an excuse so I don't have to talk to all these people!" — Annie chuckles. They act like they were forever best friends, but they have only met last summer. Am I jealous? I don't trust her.

"Consider done! Now where is he?" — my girl really is on a mission. My god. I laugh and attention is now drawn to me. "Fuck sorry, Nono! Piper this is Noelle! My bestfriend and roomie here in the city. She looks stiff but deep down she has a heart! ...Most likely! At least that's what we like to think" — they both laugh.

"Nice meeting you, Noelle!" — She throws herself at me in tight grip — "I get you! Us girls gotta play tough in this world." — She chugs the whole drink she was carrying without making a face. "So, drinks are over there! Get whatever you'd like. The mimosas are out of this world. Hey Mikey!" — She yells to the guy behind the bar making the cocktails — "You treat my girls good, you hear me? Their wishes are an order" — now turning to us again she says — "You girls go and have fun, I'll be around, gotta keep the brand, you know the drift"— she winks at me. As I nod and motion to say anything, she's off to her next audience. Did she really need saving from other people? I look at Annie to see if she got the same impression as me but no. She's too excited, looking around like a lost puppy.

"Piper's great, isn't she??" — she says still very euphoric not expecting any answer. Nope, not at all.

"She's great!" — I lie. And then it happens, she spots Ethan on the distance and stares at me hopefull. "Go ahead, go get him, tiger! I'll be fine, I'll get us drinks, ok?" — she looks grateful and motions in his direction. I make my way to the bar, hoping to find something strong. I don't even have to look, behind my back I know's she's rushing into his direction to join his femine audience listening atentively to any achievements he's telling them about. By then I get to the bar.