Breaking the Friendzone

Original Edition - Chapter 2: Familiar Eyes

LACEY

Not to toot my own horn here, but I look amazing. 

Toot toot. 

Rachel did us both up proper for the night, and there is no way I'm going home alone. I am leaving on the arm of some hot piece of ass and he will be worshiping the ground I walk on.

Now, typically I am not this confident, but something about being back here with my best friend is bringing it out of me. I feel alive here. I don't have to worry about pharmacy school, or my residency—not anything. I am a 22-year-old on summer break in the Hamptons. My best friend and I are going to have a good time. It would really be a shame if I forgot about our dinner tonight with Mr. Drake. I'm sure my dad is perfectly capable of talking to him on his own about selling his part of Drake-Mason Pharmaceuticals.

Rachel joins me in the mirror. Her long red hair cascades in curls past her shoulders. She chose a pair of tight, dark-washed jeans, a red cami with a black jacket and some red kitten heels that I would die for. They probably cost as much as my car.

"Damn we look good," she giggles into the mirror as she applies her makeup.

I stole one of Rachel's dresses—a silver one being only held up by the string tied around my neck. Backless with the exception of fabric barely covering my ass, the front is tight fitting with some excess fabric scooping low across my chest. It fits like a glove and I'm never giving it back. I might have to keep the strappy black heels too. With a smokey-eye and my favorite Give Them LaLa gloss, I give my long hair a toss for some volume and call it good.

"Where are we going anyways?"

"Club Blue. You'll love it. Great dance floor and lots of hot guys that your dad would never approve of."

I smile and scrunch my hair a few more times. "Sounds perfect!"

* * *

It takes an hour before we are finally past the bouncer and ordering drinks at the bar.

"Two rum and cokes please." I toss my cash onto the wooden bar.

"So, see anyone you want to take home?" Rachel practically screams this at me to be heard over the beat of the music.

The man next to me lifts his eyebrows at this question and then up to me. His wedding ring is a hell-to-the-no. I roll my eyes at him and shift my glance around the club, taking in the atmosphere. I don't know how you could honestly spot anyone worth taking home. The place is huge and it's jam-packed with bodies. We were lucky to even touch the bar tonight. The music is so loud that the floor vibrates, and it's dark with strobe lights and multicolored laser lights from the DJ booth.

"No one yet. What about you?"

Her pearly white teeth appear in a grin as she places the little black straw between them and sips her drink. "Is it bad if I say I've already slept with a lot of these guys?"

She had a nasty breakup a few months ago; this is not a shock.

"That doesn't surprise me at all," I giggle and down half of my drink. I decide that this is the only drink of the night I will be paying for. Some lucky guy will be buying them for me. I scan the room again, seeing a few prospects but no one special.