Chapter 6: At the Party

The warm water streamed over my skin as I stood beneath the shower, hoping it would wash away the weight pressing against my chest. Outside the bathroom, Serena's voice carried through the door.

"Take your time, girl," she called. "Wash off all the bad luck from today. Tonight, we're going out to have fun."

"I bought you a dress," she continued excitedly. "Trust me, you're going to love it."

Her voice softened after a brief pause.

"It's been so long since I've seen you wearing something that turns heads."

I closed my eyes.

"Ever since you started dating that jerk, Adrian, you've stopped going out. You quit partying, and even your style changed. You weren't like that before."

I switched off the shower and reached for my towel.

"That was because..." I wrapped the towel around myself before opening the bathroom door. "He said I dressed too flashy.”

Serena's eyebrows shot up.

"He said he didn't want other men looking at me. "He claimed makeup didn't suit me. Every time I wanted to dress up, he always had another excuse."

A bitter laugh escaped me.

"And the woman I caught him cheating with?" I shook my head. "She wore makeup. Her dress barely covered anything. I could even see her cleavage."

The silence that followed was heavy.

Serena threw both hands into the air.

"That Adrian needs his head examined." She scoffed. "You changed everything about yourself for him. Your clothes, your makeup, your lifestyle... all for a man who wasn't even worth it."

"For three years, you barely went to parties. You worked yourself trying to meet his expectations.”

"And for what?"

I lowered my eyes.

"He's not worth it." My voice came out barely above a whisper. "I was just too blind to see it."

Serena smiled sadly before walking over to the bed.

"Well, that's over now." She picked up a shopping bag and held it out to me with a grin. "Your new beginning starts tonight."

She pulled out a stunning dress.

"Go put this on."

I quickly took the shopping bag from her.

A few minutes later, I stepped out of the room.

The silver dress hugged every curve of my body perfectly, its fitted design accentuating my figure while the modest neckline revealed just enough cleavage to make me feel both elegant and confident. For the first time in what felt like forever, I almost didn't recognize the woman staring back at me.

Serena looked me up and down before letting out a dramatic whistle.

"Well, look who's been hiding under all those oversized sweaters."

She wiggled her eyebrows, a teasing grin spreading across her face.

"Careful, Ariana. You might make someone fall in love tonight."

She placed a hand over her chest in mock disbelief.

"Wow... you look gorgeous."

Slowly, she circled me, taking in every angle before stopping in front of me.

"This," she said, gesturing toward me, "is the Ariana I remember."

She shook her head with an exaggerated sigh.

"I still don't know why you started dressing like a librarian just because you were dating somebody."

"Trust me, you're going to turn heads tonight."

A smile finally crept onto my face.

Serena clapped her hands together.

"And we're not finished yet. Wait until I work my magic on your makeup.”

She gently guided me toward her dressing table.

"Makeover time."

I sat down while Serena dried and styled my hair before giving me a light touch of makeup. A little foundation, soft eyeshadow, mascara, and a swipe of glossy lipstick.

A few minutes later, she set the brush aside with a satisfied smile.

"Ta-da!"

She turned the chair toward the mirror.

"There she is." Her eyes sparkled with pride. "This is the Ariana I met years ago."

She smiled warmly.

"You look beautiful, girl."

Before I could respond, she grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom. A few minutes later, Serena stepped out of the shower.

She slipped into her outfit, tied her hair into a sleek ponytail, grabbed her earrings, and gave herself one last look in the mirror.

"There." She smiled. "Ready to go.”

She glanced down at her watch, and her eyes widened.

"Oh my gosh! We're running out of time."

A few minutes later, we booked a cab.

The ride wasn't long, and before I knew it, the driver pulled over in front of the club.

I stepped out of the cab and immediately froze.

"Oh my gosh..."

The building towered before me, its dazzling lights reflecting off the luxury cars lining the entrance as music and laughter spilled into the night.

"This place is beautiful."

I slowly turned my head, taking everything in.

"I have never been somewhere like this before."

Serena laughed, looping her arm through mine.

"Come on." She tugged me gently toward the entrance. "Stop staring. You're being so dramatic."

"I can't help it." I laughed. "I've been locked up so long I barely get to see places like this.”

She gave me a small smile

"Well, tonight will be fun."

I took a deep breath before following her inside.

The moment I stepped inside, colorful lights swept across the crowded dance floor. Upbeat music pulsed through the club, and I found myself glancing from one laughing group to another, trying to take everything in.

Before I could look around any further, a young woman hurried toward us with a bright smile.

"Serena!" Her face lit up as she hurried forward and wrapped Serena in a tight hug.

"You made it!"

"Of course I did." Serena laughed, hugging her back. "Happy birthday, Emma."

Emma finally noticed me standing beside her.

"And this must be the best friend you've been talking about."

Serena immediately wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Yep. This is Ariana."

I smiled politely and offered my hand.

"Happy birthday, Emma."

She shook it warmly. "You look stunning. I feel like you're going to steal the spotlight tonight."

I let out a small laugh and shook my head.

"Oh, I doubt that. But thank you. You look beautiful too. Happy birthday again."

"Thank you so much for coming," Emma said with a warm smile. "I hope both of you have an amazing time tonight.”

Emma laughed softly before excusing herself to greet the other guests.

I had barely settled into my seat when a sudden shift in the atmosphere caught my attention.

The conversations around us grew quieter. Heads turned almost in unison toward the entrance.

Curious, I followed everyone's gaze.

A tall man strode into the club…

My breath caught.

Who was he?