A few days had passed since the kiss and I still felt terrible. Each time I knew Andrea was in the room or even around me, I'd start to feel guilty and embarrassed, like she could see my soul and 'this bitch had her tongue down your man's throat" was written in red on every part of my skin. We weren't even close buddies and I felt like I betrayed her.
Not only did I feel terrible, I also felt the butterflies that came right after the terrible guilt. The butterflies that kept reminding me of how amazing the kiss was, butterflies that alerted me each time I remembered how he brushed his fingers against my skin, and how he tasted and smelled. I didn't understand the attraction I felt towards the guy, I barely knew him but I felt too drawn in and I wanted to know him.
"Earth to Aria!" Samantha said, snapping me out of my daydream.
I shook my head and stared at her, completely lost, "uh...sorry, I was...I wasn't thinking. I don't know, just repeat the plan again please?" I stuttered and looked down at the list and plan she had in front of me.
"Damn girl, you were totally gone. You okay?" She asked with concern.
"Of course. I'm alright, I-I just haven't been getting enough sleep lately." It wasn't entirely a lie, I'd been having nightmares back to back recently and I think it was my conscience trying to judge me for all the terrible things I'd done.
I was so stressed out that I didn't put much thought to my appearance even. My hair had gone back to it's natural shade and I reminded myself so much of the girl I was when I first moved to the city five years ago. I was letting myself go.
Aaron hadn't reached out to me since that night and I sure as hell wasn't going to reach out to him either. But someone who had actually reached out was Brian. Gabby told me how he'd begged her for my number after he looked around for me in the club that night. He had called twice since the six days that passed, asking to take me out for lunch and for coffee but I turned him down both times. I actually wanted to try to give the guy a chance but I just needed to get myself back together.
"...as for plus ones, there's a policy that employees can bring plus ones and also work during the gala if need be, well except the security team." Samantha said and I nodded my head, looking down at the list.
My work phone started to ring and Samantha left my side so I could take the call.
"Ms Vitale?" Nancy, the front desk lady spoke, "Sorry to disturb but there's a Ms Wilson here to see you and she says it's urgent. Should I send her up?"
Gabby was here? Why was Gabby here to see me urgently when she could call my line? I wondered.
"No, no thank you, just tell her I'll be down in a minute." I answered in a hurry as I began to play different reasons for Gabby's sudden visit to my work place. She worked as a secretary in a lingerie designing company and part time in a gym close to our apartment, she rarely had enough time for anything that wasn't work related during the day. Even her lunch breaks were tight. So it had to be pretty urgent, whatever it was that brought her down here without calling first.
I hurried down to get to her and hoped strongly that it wasn't about anything bad. When I got down to the lobby, I didn't see Gabby, instead, a frail looking Heather stepped away from the waiting area and rushed to me the moment she spotted me.
I definitely wasn't expecting to see Heather. The receptionist had said Ms Wilson was here to see me but I forgot that I knew two Wilson sisters.
If I'd been worried about Gabby coming down here to see me, my worries were nothing compared to the worry I felt the moment I got a closer look at Heather.
The last time I saw her was that night I went with Gabby to go pick her up from that annoying part of town and then the scolding she got from Gabby and me. When I'd asked Gabby about her, she'd said she was in school squatting in a friend's apartment because of the busy school work and that she was fine.
She didn't look fine to me.
"Aria." Her voice broke as she spoke my name. She approached me in a few short strides and I reached out to her as she fell into my arms and sobbed.
I was so confused, I didn't know what to do. I just let her cry against my chest as I tried to soothe her.
"Oh, honey. Shh.. you're alright." I cooed and she cried some more, making us get weird looks from the few people who were around. So I had to take her somewhere secluded.
I wondered if she had another fight with her sister.
Her sobbing slowed to tiny hiccups when she finally looked up at me with bloodshot and tears-filled eyes.
"I'm sorry I came here unannounced, I didn't know where else to go and I didn't have my cell phone with me to call you. You can't tell Gabby I came here." She spoke so quickly and in between sobs, "promise me you won't tell her."
Different things ran through my mind as I stared down at her my best friend's sister. Whatever she came here to tell me had to be so bad, I started to expect the absolute worst.
"Calm down, Heather. Tell me what happened." I said as calmly as I could.
She looked down and fiddled with her fingers as she tried to form words.
"Oh no Heather. Are you pregnant? Is that what you came here to tell me?" I questioned and she quickly looked up.
"What? No." She said making a sigh of disapproval.
I breathed out in relief.
"Please don't hate me after I tell you this." She started to shake her head as her eyes started to turn glassy with fresh tears.
"No, Heather, I could never hate you. You're...you know you're like a sister to me." I comforted and her eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place.
"It-it's Jason. Remember him?" She began, "the guy that was with me at that bar when you came with Gabby?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure I remember." I replied.
"Well, here's the thing, he's been having a gambling problem and he kinda dragged me into it with him and bailed on me when I couldn't support him with money. Like he left the city and I haven't been able to reach him." She spoke between heavy breaths and she couldn't stop trembling.
"Oh my God." I said shaking my head.
"And that's not the worst part. The guys Jason owes came to my friend's apartment two nights ago and completely trashed the place and then one of the guys followed me home from school yesterday and threatened to kill me if I don't pay up or bring Jason to them," she started sobbing again, "I don't know what to do Aria, I'm scared and I can't tell Gabrielle, she'd be furious and I don't even have any money at all."
"Hey, hey. Just calm down and look at me." I said grabbing her shoulders to shake her. "Do you know how much money it is?" I asked, almost dreading her answer.
