Madam President (EDITING)

Chapter 8: Happy New Year

"What are your plans for New Year's Eve?", my mother asks me.

"I don't know I think I'm going to stay in", I reply without lifting my head from the kitchen table.

"Why? I thought you and Olivia had something planned?"

"I'm not in the mood to do anything. I think Avery is mad at me. She won't answer my calls."

"And what have I always told you? You can't be worrying about these so called friends all the time", my mother remarks. "Speaking of friends, my friend Pam has a son that I want you to meet."

"I'm not interested." My mom tries this bullshit at least twice a year where she tries to set me up with some poor chump that I'd never be interested in.

"And why not?", she asks as she place her hand on her hip.

"Because mom, I want to meet someone on my own. I don't need to be set up with your friend's loser son", I say while rolling my eyes.

"You can keep talking back and rolling your eyes if you want to. I'm not one of your little friends. You're going out with him. I'm setting it up and you'll be there."

I get up from the table and go upstairs to my room making sure I slam my door, but not loud enough so that she comes up and tries to beat my ass.

I can't wait to move out again.

**********

I call an emergency brunch meeting with my girls at our favorite spot to vent.

"I think Avery hates me", I say after taking a sip of my mimosa.

Kennedy puts her hands over mine,"She could never hate you. You could run over her dog and she wouldn't hate you."

"She doesn't have a dog", I respond.

"Exactly because you already ran it over", Kennedy says making Olivia burst out laughing.

I shake my head at my two idiot best friends, "Ken what drugs are you taking? I want some."

"Ok, being serious now. From what you've told us it seems like she saw you flirting with Dani at the party", Olivia says trying to be the voice of reason.

I shrug,"So. I still don't see why she just stormed off like that."

"We aren't having this conversation again with you Rach. It just confirmed even more now that she likes you. I swear you just push her liking you out of your mind because you're scared you like her too, and you just don't want to get hurt again. So many people like you and you can always tell, but not with her when she kisses the ground you walk on?"

"Oh shit. I fucked up didn't I?", I ask. I don't agree or disagree with Olivia's statement. Part of it is true I push her liking me out of my mind, because I don't want to ruin our friendship. Yes, Avery is beautiful, smart, and sweet but I value and respect her as a person. So much so that I would never want to put all my emotional baggage on her. And trust me there's lots of it.

"Big time, but you can still fix it", Olivia responds back.

"How?"

She smiles,"Talk to her tonight at Sam's party."

"But I don't want to go to-"

"Rachel you're going", both of them blurt out.

**********

My Uber drops me off at one of the most luxurious Malibu beach homes I've ever seen.

Olivia's boyfriend is standing at the front door greeting people as they arrive.