Time to party!

“What a weird day this has been!” Jade said as she walked home. She had finished up cleaning and locked up while Sylvie, who had a date, had left earlier than her.

‘Lucky.’ Jade had thought.

At twenty, Jade had never dated or fallen in love and this was something that she was craving for. It’s just that love can’t be forced.

“How nice it would be to love and be loved! Sigh, I better hurry home.” She said as she scurried along.

As she approached the building where they lived, she couldn’t help but fill like she was being watched. Deciding not panic, Jade decided to breathe deeply and act like normal.

‘Yeah, act normal. Act normal! Nothing will happen.’ She thought as she tried to fake a bravado.

Footsteps all of a sudden erupted behind her and this had her choking up! Jade came to a standstill and felt her blood run cold.

‘A burglar? A kidnapper? Forget being calm and acting normal, I’m out of here!’

Jade took off and she ran! She ran and never looked back. Back to where Jade had run off from stood a man with the same flame red hair as he watched her run away.

“Why did she run?” he asked no one in particular.

Jade reached their apartment while panting hard. She rang the doorbell, too exhausted to get her keys. After knocking, she slumped down on the floor as she tried to catch her breath. Dean opened the door and looked at her worriedly.

“Jade, why didn’t you use… Jade, what happened to you?” he asked as he helped her to her feet.

“Well, your sister ran away from a possible kidnap or creep, whichever.” She said in between pants as they entered the house.

On entering, she saw Jake sleeping on the chair and she never felt better.

“Oh, my little munchkins! I get rejuvenated just by looking at you.” She said as she walked towards Jake. She lifted him and took him to bed before settling for dinner with Dean. The two laughed and talked for hours before finally going to bed. Only, this all happened with someone watching.

A few days passed and life was normal for Jade and her little family. She would go to work and they would go to school until finally, it was Friday.

“Oh, my goodness is it hot!” said Sylvie as she fanned herself. Jade on the other hand wiped the seat off of her brow. Due to the heat, her hair was plastered to the sides of her face and despite all the sweatiness, she still looked stunning.

“Ahh, Jade. You are so lucky!” She exclaimed.

“How am I lucky?” Jade asked back as she tried to wipe off her sweat. She was cleaning a table where customers had just been.

“Look at you, you’re so beautiful even in this heat. How don’t you have a boyfriend?”

Jade looked at Sylvie and she couldn’t help but ask herself the same question.

“You know, I envy you. Despite everything, you are a stunner and since you don’t have a boyfriend like me, we are going out today!” Sylvie declared as she checked the wall clock.

“Me and you are going out today and you are going to be the prettiest flower in the whole of town! We need makeup, a lovely dress. Ah this is going to be so much fun. We will go bar hoping and then some restaurants…”

Sylvie kept on ranting while Jade was just too stunned to say anything. She had never done anything her age as she was always too busy trying to make ends meet.

‘Me? Going out? Fascinating!’ she thought as her eyes shined. Sylvie noticed this and smirked.

‘He-he, I am going to make this the most unforgettable night of her life. Ha-ha-ha-ha.’ Sylvie thought as her eyes burned with passion.

“Alright. Let me first call Dean and let him know.” Jade replied as she pulled out her phone.

“Hey Dean.”

“Hey Jade. This is rare. What’s up? Everything ok?”

“Yeah. Just going out later on so just wanted to let you know.”

“Oh my gosh! Yes, go out! Have fun and don’t come back sober.”

Dean’s words shocked Jade and made her speechless! She had never heard him speak with such gusto.

“I should get drunk?” she asked unsure.

“Yes and also get a boyfriend. You can’t always be working after all.”

Dean’s words were just what Jade needed to go out and have fun.

“Aww, you guys have such a beautiful relationship.” Sylvie yelled so that Dean could hear.

“Oh, Sylvie. How are you? Wait, are you the one taking Jade out?”

“Yes of course Dean. She is coming home drunk!” Sylvie yelled and even Dean could feel her energy.

“Ha-ha, alright. I have got to go Jade, I will wait up.” And with that, the call ended.

Jade still couldn’t believe that she was going to a club later on that evening and hence, she kept spacing out. By the time it was evening, she was pumped and filled with a lot of energy.

“Let’s go, Sylvie!” she said while pumping a fist.

“Wow! If I had known that you would be this excited I would have asked you out sooner.” Sylvie said as she closed the café.

“Of course I am excited. I have never even drunk anything with alcohol in it so this is going to be fun.” Jade replied as she tied her hair into a pony tail.

“Yup, fun!” Sylvie added as they walked away.

On the way to Sylvie’s place, Sylvie took Jade shopping and Jade had never felt spoilt before.

“And this for you, and that for you. These shoes as well, that scarf definitely, that bag as well and also th…”

“Sylvie, this is too much!” Jade exclaimed as a small pile of clothes had formed at the bottom of her feet.

“You are my worker and good friend so this is nothing.” Sylvie answered as she rummaged her bag for something before pulling out a black card.

“Put everything on this card.” She told an attendant.

“But Sylvie!”

“Jade my dear just consider this as a little gift. After all, I never got you anything when you first joined.”

Jade with a reluctant heart accepted the bags from the attendant as she felt that Sylvie had spent so much on her. She never liked being indebted to people so she swore to herself to work even harder at the café. 

Sylvie watched the excited Jade and couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

‘I am so sorry Jade.’