JUNE MET APRIL

The party.

April stood behind the glass counter at The Fashion Vault, carefully wrapping a delicate necklace for a customer. The shop was quiet today. As she handed the customer her purchase with a polite smile, the familiar jingle of the shop's doorbell rang out, followed by a burst of energy that only one person could bring.
"April!" Lola's voice rang through the store, immediately grabbing her attention.
April looked up, her eyes widening in pleasant surprise.
"Lola! What are you doing here?"
Lola sauntered over, her usual swagger on full display. She wore her favorite yellow jacket and a pair of high-waisted jeans, her short, dyed hair styled to perfection.
"Had to come check on my favorite workaholic," she teased, leaning casually against the counter.
April rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling.
"Just trying to keep up with school and, you know, life."
"How's it going?" Lola asked, pulling out her phone and absently scrolling through her feed.
"Not perfect but I'm managing." April sighed. "work's been...well, work."
Lola nodded, her attention still focused on something on her phone. April narrowed her eyes, curious.
"What are you watching?" April asked, trying to peek at the screen.
Lola smirked, holding up her phone so April could get a better view.
"A party, duh."
"A party?" April repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, April, a party. And guess what? We're going."
April blinked, caught off guard.
"We're...what?"
"We're going. Tonight," Lola declared, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"It's gonna be wild—everyone's going."
April opened her mouth to protest, but before she could get a word out, the door to the back room slammed open, and in came Mr. Carrick, her boss. As always, he wore his stern expression, his dark eyes sweeping across the store, landing on Lola.
His gaze narrowed at Lola and with a single look, he communicated everything without uttering a word. His message was clear: Buy something, or get out.
Lola rolled her eyes dramatically, giving him a defiant smirk before picking up a small gold earring from one of the nearby displays. She walked over to the counter, tossing it down like it was a burden to even hold.
"I'll take this." she said with an exaggerated sigh.
April tried to suppress her laughter as she rang it up. Lola slapped a bill onto the counter and after paying, slid the tiny jewelry bag into her pocket with a pointed look at Mr. Carrick, who merely huffed and stalked back into the office.
Once he was gone, Lola turned back to April with a mischievous grin.
"He hates me, doesn't he?"
April chuckled.
"I think he hates everyone."
Lola leaned in closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially.
"Anyway, about that party. It's today."
"Today?" April asked, incredulous.
"Yep. And you're coming with me."
April hesitated, glancing around the shop.
"I don't know, Lola. I've got work, and I'm exhausted. I don't think—"
"No excuses." Lola interrupted, shaking her head. "You've been working and studying non-stop. You need to unwind. Just a few hours, and we'll be out of there. Promise."
April bit her lip, feeling the pressure. Lola always had a way of pushing her out of her comfort zone, for better or worse.
"Fine." April finally said with a sigh.
"But only for a little while."
Lola grinned triumphantly.
"That's my girl! We'll make a night out of it. Just you wait. You're going to thank me for this later."
April wasn't so sure about that but with Lola's relentless enthusiasm, she knew there was no backing out now.
After chatting with April for a few more minutes, Lola eventually said her goodbyes, blowing a playful kiss over her shoulder as she strolled out of  The Fashion Vault. April smiled as she watched her friend leave, but soon the smile faded as she turned back to the table where orders from online customers were piling up.
"Back to work." she muttered to herself, moving towards the table where boxes of earrings, bracelets, and necklaces sat waiting to be packed. Each order had its own sticky note detailing the customer's preferences, and as April began to wrap the jewelry with care, her mind drifted. She packed each piece with the same rhythm, occasionally glancing at the clock. Before she knew it, hours had passed, and it was almost five.
At last, she clocked out, rubbing her eyes wearily. The day had dragged on longer than expected, and the energy she'd felt after the exam had long since drained away. She stepped outside, flagging down a taxi as the sun began its slow descent. Once inside the cab, she leaned her head against the window, letting the gentle hum of the city lull her into a daze. All she could think about was how badly she needed her bed.
By the time the taxi pulled up to her apartment complex, April was practically asleep. She paid the driver, dragged herself up the stairs, and finally reached her door. Fumbling with her keys, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, barely registering the familiar cracked walls and stickers of her favorite artists. She dropped her bag on the floor, kicked off her shoes, and collapsed onto her bed. The soft sheets wrapped around her like a cocoon, and within minutes, she drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.