Chapter 5

Sabrina’s POV

“Oh my goodness, Sabrina, were you just moaning Michal’s name?” Shelly inquires teasingly, and I feel the heat flood my cheeks, turning my face a brilliant shade of red.

 I stammer, trying to deny it, but Shelly knows me too well. She always has. One of Shelly's talents is reading people, and when it comes to me, she's an expert—practically clairvoyant.

“Girl, I knew it! You were totally daydreaming about Michal, weren't you?” Shelly says with a playful giggle that echoes through the room. 

“No need to be embarrassed; it's perfectly natural. I mean, who wouldn't? Michal is definitely easy on the eyes."

She throws me a knowing glance and adds, "Plus, let’s not forget you’ve caught me in my own little fantasies about Sebastian more times than I can count. Trust me, it's something we all do, and it feels amazing, doesn't it?”

I simply nod in agreement, acknowledging the truth in her words. It’s pointless to lie since Shelly can read me like an open book, perceiving things inside me that even I sometimes fail to notice. 

While this gift of hers can be both a blessing and a curse, I wouldn’t trade our friendship for anything in the world. She’s my rock, my confidante, and I know that I am the same for her.

Shelly leans in closer, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Girl, I can absolutely see it in your eyes. You’re falling head over heels for Michal. 

So, dish it out, how was it? Are you planning to make your move anytime soon? I should probably ask!” She chuckles, raising an eyebrow in anticipation.

I laugh a little, feeling comforted by her teasing yet supportive presence. “I don’t know, Shelly. Maybe one day. For now, I’m just... enjoying the dream.”

Her laughter fills the space between us, reassuring and full of camaraderie. Shelly and I have always shared these intimate, heartfelt conversations, lifting each other up whenever needed. Her questions, though teasing, come from a place of love, pushing me ever so gently out of my shell. 

Sinking back into my daydreams, I feel grateful for her unwavering friendship. In this space of trust and laughter, I find myself opening up more and more to the possibilities that dance on the horizon.

“Seems like you’ve snuck out of the house again, huh? Considering it’s 2 o’clock in the morning,” I chuckle, already knowing Shelley’s tendencies.

“Girl, you know how it is. I was getting so frustrated with him, and after he finished chewing me out, he stormed off. I seized the chance to slip out of the window. 

I’ve got the timing down for when the guards make their rounds, so, as usual, it was a piece of cake. That’s why I came here.”

“You’re aware that Sebastian cares about you, right? That’s exactly why he’s so hard on you. You’re like his little sister,” I say, and we break into laughter at the thought.

“Girl, don’t switch topics! Come on, I can share some of my signature moves for you to try with Michael. You never know, they might even bring you some good luck.” My face turns red at that, Shelley’s words always have a way of getting to me.

“Why do you think I act out so much? It’s all to get Sebastian’s attention, of course, and hey, it seems to be working. You should try it. You never know what could happen.”

“Yeah, girl, I might give it a go someday. But right now, I’m just too shy. We’ll see how things unfold later on. Anyway, it’s not like I even know if Michael likes me, you know?”

“Sabrina, you’re a beautiful girl, with all the right curves in all the right places. Any guy would be crazy to pass you up, including Michael. Have you seen the way he watches you? Haven’t you noticed his behavior tonight?”

“Yeah, I get what you’re saying, Shelley. And yeah, he was pretty touchy tonight, if you catch my drift.”

“Oh girl, I caught it all right. These men, I swear! We can’t live with them, and we can’t live without them,” Shelley grins, shaking her head.

“Hey, how long do you think it’s gonna take for Sebastian to realize you’ve gone off on another adventure and come searching for you here?”

 I asked Shelly, curious about whether we had more time to enjoy our escape before her ever-watchful boyfriend came swooping in.

“Honestly, probably not too long," Shelly admitted, rolling her eyes but flashing a mischievous smile. "He’s like a hawk, always needing to know exactly where I am and who I’m with. 

It’s exhausting, sometimes, always having to be on my toes. But hey, at least I finally caught his eye, right?” She giggled, shaking her head, but it was clear she enjoyed being the center of someone's universe even if it came with a dose of drama.

“So, how long is it gonna take for you to hook him and reel him in?” I asked with a grin, knowing full well that Shelly had a knack for turning situations to her advantage.

“Not very long at all," Shelly replied confidently. "Hey, there’s another party tomorrow night. Do you wanna go?” 

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, completely undeterred by the fact that we had just narrowly escaped another one of our escapades being completely exposed.

“Girl, you’re gonna get caught again, you know that, right?” I couldn’t help but shake my head at her reckless enthusiasm, wondering if the thrill of the chase was part of the fun for her.

“Most likely, yes,” Shelly shrugged, an unapologetic grin spreading across her face. “But you know me, I don't care. I love living on the dangerous side, babe. It makes everything so much more exciting!” 

She leaned back, a gleeful look in her eyes as if already imagining the mischief we could get into the following night.

It was hard not to get swept up in her infectious energy, even if it meant diving headfirst into chaos once more.

As of right now though we decided to watch a show on tv since neither of us are tired yet. When you're young like us.

We can stay up for twenty four hours and still not get tired enough to settle down. Trust me we have done it all before thank goodness we never got caught with those. 

As we settled down on the bed, I watched Shelly skip off to the kitchen, intent on fulfilling her popcorn mission.

Left to my own devices for the moment, I began flicking through the channels, searching for something that would make for a perfect lazy evening. 

When I stumbled upon "The Vampire Diaries," I knew I had struck gold. There’s just something about getting lost in the drama of Mystic Falls that always hits the spot.

Moments later, Shelly sauntered back into the room, a freshly popped popcorn bowl in hand, and upon seeing what was on TV, she let out a squeal of pure delight. 

“O-M-G, you chose ‘The Vampire Diaries!’" she exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement. "Damon Salvatore Ian Somerhalder is just… ugh, to die for! 

He could bite me any day, and trust me, I wouldn’t complain. Those eyes, girl... they’re absolutely mesmerizing. I could get lost in them for days and not care about finding my way back!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her fangirl moment, shaking my head in mock disbelief. Shelly always had a knack for finding fictional characters impossibly dreamy. 

“Oh, Shelly, you’re hopeless.” I chuckled, unable to resist joining in on the fun. “But let’s be real here, Stefan is way better than Damon!” I announced playfully, knowing full well it would spark a lively debate.

“Oh, please!” Shelly retorted, plopping down beside me with a flair. “Stefan is sweet, sure, but he doesn’t have Damon’s edge!

Damon has this whole bad-boy vibe mixed with secret tenderness that Stefan just can’t match. Plus, his smirk? Killer!”

“You only like him because you have a thing for the misunderstood brooding types,” I teased, nudging her with my elbow as I snatched a handful of popcorn from the bowl. “Stefan is just..Well, he’s more reliable and genuine!”

“That may be true, but Damon keeps things interesting,” Shelly countered, popping a few kernels in her mouth.

“And let’s not even get started on that iconic leather jacket! I mean, come on, he makes even the most mundane scenes riveting.”

“Well, enjoy your dangerous Damon,” I laughed, snuggling deeper into my spot on the bed. “Meanwhile, I’ll just be over here rooting for Mr. Dependable Stefan.”

 It was always entertaining to spar over our preferences, but at the end of the day, we both knew these character crushes were just harmless fun.

As the episode rolled on, we fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying the on-screen escapades as much as the popcorn, occasionally exchanging quick comments or bursting into giggles over our favorite scenes.

 It was these little moments that made our friendship special, sharing silly joys and temporary escapes into the world of TV drama, far removed from the everyday worries and teenage antics that often consumed our lives.