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Chapter Three: Roland's Party

AVA

Swiping her lipstick along her lips one last time, Ava gave herself a once over. It was a Friday night, the night of Roland's party and she was busy getting ready. The time was half-past seven, the girls were still downstairs finishing their dinner and Ava was just about to complete her look, all she needed was a pair of shoes.

She looked at her wardrobe and sighed.

Shit, she thought, I need to start cleaning up my clothes.

Shoes were strewn in a haphazard manner all around the mouth of her closet and random articles of clothing were everywhere. One red and lace-laden bra hung from the corner of her closet door and a small mountain of panties rested to one side. Ava knew how to dress, but she wasn't great at keeping her room and her clothes in an orderly fashion. She didn't thrive in chaos, but she struggled to find the motivation to fix it.

With a trendsetter as a mother, Ava never had any problem with picking the right outfit. From an early age, Vivian had coached her daughter in what colours matched, when one would wear heels over a pair of wedges and how to navigate the worthless crap that filled the local mall in order to find a rare gem.

Because Callister wasn't a large town, both Vivian and Ava relied on online shopping to fulfil their stylish needs and only took to the mall when a social matter was involved. As a result, both women had wardrobes that stood out against the rest of the town and both were known for their image.

Ava chose the pair of low-lying wedges that were hanging out of her wardrobe, begging to be worn. They'll be easy to dance in, she thought as she slipped them on, knowing her mother would be proud of her choice.

Vivian was working late, and although she was aware of what her daughter's plans were for the night, she had no idea that Roland's parents weren't going to be there, let alone the fact that alcohol and narcotics would be available. Ava made sure that her mother knew just enough to make Vivian think her daughter was responsible and mature, but not so much that it prohibited her weekend activities. It was the perfect relationship: shared respect and the illusion of a close bond.

Percy was licking Ava's ankle and she bent down to give him a quick scratch behind the ear. "You'll be alright on your own tonight, won't ya Perc?"

He wagged his tail as a response and tilted his head to the side.

Ava giggled as she leaned down to give him a kiss on his cheek, which left a little red mark. "Be good for me, Perc... and don't pee on the carpet, else mummy will be mad."

She stood, Percy still sitting at her feet and walked down to where the girls waited. After a year of walking up and down the stairs in heels far higher than the ones she was wearing, Ava no longer relied on the rail nor wall that accompanied each step.

"I'm just excited for the tequila," Ava could hear Alexis as she spoke freely of her intentions for the party, "I don't know how long it's been since I had good quality spirits and we all know Roland delivers."

"Don't forget, he's basically the only boy in our year that doesn't give a shit if someone plugs their own Spotify into his sound system," Ava jumped in, grinning at her friends as they all turned towards her. "I'm so sick of those anal pricks who can't admit that Eminem isn't everyone's cup of tea."

Scarlett rolled her eyes, "Amen to that!"

"But," Paige interjected, planting one hand on her hip as she raised an eyebrow at Ava, "if you try to put on ABBA at 2 AM after one too many shots, do not expect me to stand idly by and watch you humiliate yourself. There are reasons why some people prefer to keep the music off-limits."