5 Minutes To Midnight

Prologue:

"Roman come on! It's New Year's Eve for Christ's sake! Do something fun to bring it in." my roommate Jessica begged me as I lay in my bed, reading my book.

"No." I said turning the page.

"You can be so difficult at times! It's just a party! You act like I'm asking you to go sky diving off the Empire State building without a parachute." she said as I laughed. I could tell she was angry. I didn't even have to look at her to know that her face was beet red and her arms crossed as she stood firm in my doorway.

"Why don't you just go alone? I don't want to be bothered tonight."

"You don't want to be bothered on any night! Come on! You haven't been out in a long time! Ever since Jason left you! That's all you do is mope around!"

"Jess, you're pushing it." I growled looking up from my book for the first time. I could see the regret on her face for bringing up his name, but she didn't look like she was going to back down from this argument.

"I'm sorry but it's true. It's almost a new year. I hate that you rather sit at home and waste away your good years rather than be out with me partying." she said snatching my book from me and closing it.

"I swear to GOD if you lost my page, I'll kill you." I said as she tilted her head to the side and smirked at me.

"Let's make a deal. One night. That's all. Just come out with me and enjoy yourself."

"No." I said crossing my arms as she laughed. "Now give me back my book."

"If you're not dressed in a hour, I'm burning this book and all of the other books you have in the bookshelf downstairs." She was obviously bluffing, but then again when Jessica wanted something, she always got it. No matter what. Like a few months ago, she begged me to go to the beach with her and wear a teeny tiny bikini like she did, I obviously refused and went to the park and when I came home that night, all of my clothes in my closet were cut up and bleached. Jessica always kept true to her word.

"Fine." I said as she jumped up and squealed.

"Wear that tight red dress that I got you for your birthday." she said running out of my room.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was 7. That means I had to be ready by 8. I sighed as I pushed myself from out of my comfy bed. I always hated having to do that. It felt as if the mattress were pulling me into a soft, fluffy embrace. I took a shower and put my long brown hair into loose curls. I applied very natural colors to my face as I did my makeup, some brown and gold eyeshadow and red lipstick, to make my lips pop. Walking over to my closet, I pulled out the garment bag containing the dress. As I unzipped the bag, I saw the dress for the first time. It was stunning. The style was clearly what the magazines were calling a bandage dress. The red so vibrant. I pulled it on and admired how it fit my body in the mirror. I grabbed the pair of brown and red patterned heels with a long heel and red bottoms, that Jessica had given me for my birthday to go with the dress. She told me they were expensive shoes and to appreciate the fact that she thought about me first before she spent her half of the rent. I sprayed on some of my favorite perfume and grabbed up my phone and keys and threw them in my clutch.