Billie Bossa Nova

53.

Twenty minutes into the night and Adan Rivera was yet to make an appearance. Most family members had yet to arrive as well.

"It's a Rivera thing," Julianna said to Billie as she handed her a glass of sparkling champagne. "Six PM to us is like eight PM. No sense of punctuality."

Julianna's aunt, Jasmine chuckled next to Billie. "As if the Morettis are any better. Half the family is yet to arrive!"

Billie gaped. "There's more family members?"

Julianna replied with a nod and said, "More than are going to arrive. Some of Bruja's family will be coming as well. It'll be fake smiles and everything for the remainder of the night."

Jasmine laughed, but Billie couldn't help but frown. She wondered who Julianna could have referred to as a witch and why this person was still invited if both Julianna and Jasmine seemed to have a problem with it.

Upon arriving, Billie was introduced to so many people that she wouldn't know their names if they were to show up to her again. Once she greeted Jasmine, who was with Julianna and her boyfriend, Rafael when they approached, she was immediately snatched away from Kai.

"Raf, go with Kai," Jasmine had said. The woman, who was around Julianna's age, had a rather thin Italian accent that you'd have to listen closely in order to hear. She spoke hastily, Billie noticed it the more time she spent with her. "We have girl things to talk about."

Jasmine was Amelia's little sister, but was born two years before Julianna, making her more of Julianna's sister than Amelia's. Billie was quite nervous as to what she might say to them without Kai beside her, but they kept the conversation light. Shark had been shy since the night had began, sticking to Billie like glue and turning away anytime someone tried to pat him. Billie should have known he'd be overwhelmed at such a crowded setting, but she had no dog sitter for him.

"Who is bruja?" Billie asked the question she'd been itching to. Her fingers absently stroked Shark's fur.

"See for yourself," said Julianna, pointing at the table across the room. Cordelia sat between two young men who appeared to be in their twenties, chatting merrily while looking dashing in her white dress and hair falling down her back.

Jasmine scoffed. "She has a nerve coming here. In fact, I wish to chase her out. I know for a fact that Amelia would never speak to her if she found out what she did to Kai."

"No, leave her be." Julianna shook her head. In a relaxed and elegant manner, she lifted her glass and sipped her champagne graciously. Julianna had an effortless calmness that made her beauty ten times more conspicuous. It was an alluring sight. "It'll cause too much drama and Kai doesn't like drama. If anything happens tonight, he'll never come to Mammì's birthday ever again."

Jasmine shook her head while muttering something that sounded really indecent in Italian.

Billie asked, "Who is she sitting with?"

"That's Ryan and Kyle," replied Jasmine.

"Kai's best friends," Billie said when the names clicked. Cordelia had told her about them the night that she came to visit Kai. The night that Billie had caught them kissing right before she and Kai's shower incident. Safe to say, the night was too eventful not to remember every detail.

Julianna corrected her, "Used to be. They're not friends anymore."

"What happened?" Billie asked. She was a little concerned. Kai spent alot of his time working and the remainder of his day, with her. She was assured that after she left, he at least had some friends to pass time with to keep himself from missing her as much as she would him. Hearing that he didn't was not too assuring.