Chapter 1- Birthday Celebration

-Isabella-

Another shot down. Another smile. Another chuckle. Two of my friends, Melody Judd and Alexandra Brewer, dragged each other to the dance floor and were now dancing together in the middle of the crowded space.

Their movements were perfectly imperfect.  Something you don't even have to practice to achieve. They just did it. Their bodies followed the music. Around them, people couldn't find the beat if it hit them in the head, but Alexandra and Melody did not care in the slightest. They ruled the dance floor and effortlessly captivated everyone's attention.

From my spot in the booth, I watched Melody and Alexandra, while the rest of our group, Vanessa DeClement, Noelle Jaxon, Lesley Storm, and I remained seated.

Compared to Melody and Alexandra, the four of us were more reserved about public displays of our bodies on the dance floor. Yet, that didn't matter to the Hurricanes. That was the name we had picked for our group of six back in high school.

It was supposed to be just a dumb nickname we came up with during recess. It was supposed to flop miraculously and disappear into oblivion of our forgotten memories forever.

Mostly because it was the farthest thing from the truth. We weren't as wild and unpredictable as hurricanes. We were nerds, clichés, good girls who always played by the rules. But, somehow, it stuck. Not only with us, but also with our family members, professors, and friends. The six of us were always together, stuck to each other like glue.

Tonight was no exception. We were at a club in Downtown Manhattan called 'Outer Heaven', celebrating my 25th birthday. With that in mind, I made sure that the drinks kept flowing throughout the night.

I was finally back in my hometown, spending time with my friends whom I hadn't seen in the last five years, after moving to Chicago for college. I was young. I was supposed to be having fun effortlessly. But... with everything I've had going on recently... It took five drinks to get me to loosen up even a little and start actually laughing and enjoying myself.

The funniest thing was that none of this was even my fault, yet I was the one paying for it.

For example, losing the apartment I was renting. I spent five years away from home studying English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago. I missed home, and I missed some very important milestones with my family, such as the wedding of my only sister, Emma.

Emma is 5 years older than me and married Mark Richards about two years ago. He is some sort of businessman, from a rich family, that sort of thing.

Emma and Mark met on the same flight when she was heading on her girls' trip, and he was heading to a business meeting. Both of these events were coincidentally happening in Las Vegas. So they spent time together on the airplane as well.

They fell madly in love and two months later got married.

Some people are just lucky like that; love seems to find its way to them one way or another.

I was supposed to be the maid of honor, filled with jitters and excitement. Share the day with my sister and family, meet the man that made my sister oh-so happy...

But instead, because tickets were too expensive for my college fund, and I refused to take the money Mark had offered me, and exams were scheduled for the same week, my sister's wedding was planned... I had to miss it.

I was fresh out of college and couldn't wait to move back home to New York. I wanted the freedom and independence I had in Chicago while I was studying there. That's the only reason I refused to move back in with my parents... or worse yet, move in with my sister and her husband. I mean, I didn't even know the guy.

That's why I rented a place in Downtown Manhattan. It was a wonderful two-bedroom apartment that I shared with a roommate, an enthusiastic 22-year-old girl.

We lived together for about two months and didn't have any issues. We got along well and respected each other's space. That is, until she found a boyfriend.

Now, as I said, love just finds people. And I was happy for her. But, god damn... the walls were thin, and she was just too enthusiastic. No man is ever that good.

On top of that, I was supposed to start working at Berkeley Publishing. I kept waiting to get a call from them. Turns out the chick who hired me went on maternity leave.

Supposedly, the guy who was her replacement was never notified that they needed to call me and have me start working. I'd done everything right, and it still fell right through my hands.

So, without a stable job, I was going through my savings pretty fast. And when you, on top of that, add  one very enthusiastic roommate. I had to move out.

So now, here I am. Living with my sister and my brother-in-law in their three-bedroom penthouse in Midtown Manhattan.

If the penthouse is any measure, this man is filthy rich. I am aware that this is not a permanent solution. But it's the best one I've got until I find a job.

I am not giving up. It's just... the stress of the change and continuous disappointment I had felt since I moved back home was too much for my 'fragile little body'.

That's why I'm celebrating my 25th birthday in a club with my best friends, getting drunk.

That... and I also needed to give Mark and Emma some space and time to be alone. The tension between those two is suffocating, but at least they wait for me to get out of the penthouse to do anything remotely intimate. And that's something I'm grateful for. I did not need another reminder of my very single life.

The waiter who put our drinks on the table pulls me back to the present. I pick up a glass and take a sip of brown liquid. Some years ago, I would've been all for cocktails and mojitos with umbrellas. Thanks to my life recently, however, I require something stronger tonight.

"Are you looking for any romance tonight?" Noelle had a mischievous glint in her eyes as she leaned toward me and put her drink back on the table. I look at her, unimpressed.

"And take the guy where? To my brother-in-law's place?" I deadpan as I take another sip of my drink and look toward Alexandra and Melody on the dance floor. Other girls follow suit as I do. The two of them are dancing together with two guys. Alexandra looks at us and smiles, while Melody winks and bites her lip. Their antics make our booth fill with genuine laughter.

"You're not seriously gonna let the living situation bother you, are you?" Noelle presses on as the laughter lulls, "You haven't had a proper relationship since-"

"Since that dumbass Fred in Chicago, and that was how long ago exactly?" Lesley butts in.

At the reminder of Fred, I stiffen, my throat goes dry. In order to buy myself more time to answer the question, I roll my eyes and avoid their gaze.

"A year. But-" I hold my finger up and finally meet their gaze "in my defense that was hardly a relationship." I mutter lowly and look at them.

Good- another failure. Just as I start to spiral down into oblivion of my mistakes and wrongdoings, Vanessa is there to pull me right back to our booth.

"You have to get yourself out there, Isa..." Vanessa threads carefully, and I deflate lightly at her gentle tone.

"I know... I will..." I dip my chin just once in a nod. I do my best to assure both them and myself at the same time.

"Now, c'mon, the night is still young, it's still my birthday. Let's have fun." I raise my glass to the middle of the table, and others mimic my movement as we clink our glasses together in cheers. We tip our drinks back in unison.

As the bass thumps around and through our booth, I couldn't help but be grateful for the Hurricanes and the immense support they've given me my whole life. And honestly? With friends like these... Who needs romance?