The Next Best Thing: Part II

Eighteen

It felt weird, different, going back to school after one of the longest and most eventful holidays of my life.

Just last semester I had a boyfriend that I loved and I had an awesome roommate that I hardly saw; Min always had one of the busiest and most envied social and school lives. Now I still had my roommate - only she was pregnant, single and changing majors.

My classes were shorter and fewer the sooner I got to graduation, allowing me to take care of Min as much as possible. A few people around campus would come up to me asking after her. Some would just approach me asking if I had actually dated Mitchell because our friendship wasn't the biggest secret it seemed.

I looked forward to seeing Liam in Lit. to flirt shamelessly with him, getting used to life after Mitchell. It was a tough adjustment; as the weeks turned to months apart, it got easier for me.

A few weeks after the beginning of school I kept to my word, visiting Joss at her office to whisk her away for dinner and a girls night out.

"I actually have a gallery opening of a friend to attend tonight," she replied me when I arrived. "I was just leaving to get ready for that."

"Rain check then?" I asked, turning to leave.
"I was going to call you up and ask if you could be my plus one," she said. "Theo took Jay with him to London for the weekend." Jay being their 2 year old daughter, her father's favourite travel companion.

"I have nothing appropriate to wear though," I protested. She dismissed me immediately, allowing me to go shopping in her glamorous closet.

"I'm sure you'll find something from before I gained all my baby weight. I used to be so thin before my little munchkin." That happened to be a common misconception among all the mothers I knew. They were all gorgeous women with the most amazing bodies and dress sense.

We got to her homely loft with an hour to spare, and Joss went on a mission to find me the perfect dress. She knew exactly which one I should wear, making it a lot easier for me not to freak out over the gorgeous clothes she would pull otherwise.

Finally she found it, a simple black number with intricate lace detailing and a long tulle skirt. "It was made for you, Zoe."

I felt amazing, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I applied oxblood lipstick on my plump lips and let my hair loose around my shoulders to complete the look.

"You look beautiful," she complimented when I was ready, turning to face her. She looked equally radiant in a burgundy gown bringing out the red in her tamed ginger locks.

The apartment's doorman was generous with his compliments, encouraging us to enjoy our evening.

"You are officially the perfect accessory. Bradley should consider finding himself a new plus one now," she grinned.

The party was quite formal, a sophisticated black tie event with a few exceptions, myself included having gone down the goth route.

Joss showed me off like a trophy, introducing me to very interesting and very influential people in the art world. She threw in the occasional young socialites she was acquainted with, making sure I made myself available, but not desperate. I knew a few odd faces through my friends which made for easier conversation and lesser awkward moments.

While Joss left my side for a few minutes, I snuck away from her. I was getting exhausted by being paraded around and the fake laughter booming into my ear at every turn. I went to the back where showcased were modern impressionist paintings, one of my favourite forms of paintwork.

I was admiring the pieces when I felt a figure looming over me, analysing the same piece in front of me.

"Fancy seeing you here," it whispered into my neck and as quick as it had appeared it disappeared before I could see who it was.