Chapter Five

Mariana.

Throughout the car ride, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I might be making a mistake. Yes, I enjoy going out and having fun, but I had never gone out specifically to find a man I wanted to sleep with. As I stared at the dark sky, the car stopped outside Daisy's building. After not seeing her for a while, I pulled out my phone and texted her. For reasons I couldn’t discern, she didn’t want me to come up to her room.

The two tick lines on the side indicated that she had read my message, and within a minute, she stepped outside. My lips curled into a smile as I watched my best friend, looking stunning, walk toward the car.

“Hey, bitch!” she exclaimed loudly as she opened the car door and wrapped her arms around me.

I breathed in her sweet scent and let out a sigh. This was all I needed; I wasn’t making a mistake. If my father wanted to auction me off to the highest bidder because I was a virgin, then I was sorry to disappoint him.

“You look so sexy, Ana,” she complimented as she pulled away from the hug.

Her black hair fell perfectly curled on her shoulders, and she wore a leather dress that fit her like a second skin. As I stared at her, all I could think about was how perfect she was—my best friend is truly beautiful.

“You too,” I sighed, causing her to roll her eyes.

I often heard that from her; she refused to believe she was pretty, even though she was the most attractive person I had ever seen.

“Are you ready for tonight?” she asked, a bright smile lighting up her face.

I nodded, and she squealed, practically jumping in her seat.

“Let’s get the party started!” She instructed the driver to turn up the music, and as we drove to the club, "Paint the Town Red" by Doja Cat blasted through the speakers.

Tonight, I told myself, I wasn’t going to think about anything else except for the mission I was on—and that’s exactly what I intended to do.

Twenty minutes later, the car pulled up in front of a busy club. I looked out the window and instantly felt like changing my mind and going back home. But before I could voice my thoughts, Daisy stepped forward and pulled me out of the car.

The line to get into the club was long, and it took us another ten minutes before we could get in. We handed over a fake ID that Daisy always carried with her, and though she wouldn’t tell me why, I had already figured it out.

“What would you like, pretty ladies?” the bartender asked as soon as we took our seats.

I looked around the place, shivering slightly before meeting his gaze.

“Water,” I said hesitantly, but he paused and glanced at me, then at Daisy, who was trying not to laugh.

Why was he looking at me like that?

“What…” I forced the words out again.

This was another reason I disliked going out; I had to speak up even when I didn’t want to, and that pressure caused great discomfort in my throat.

“You can’t order water in a club, Mariana. You need something else,” Daisy said beside me, and my mouth formed an ‘oh’ of realization.

She spoke to the bartender about some cocktails, and before long, two glasses were placed in front of us—mine was blue, and hers was red. I remained silent as I lifted mine to my mouth.

I expected to taste the alcohol as soon as I took a sip, but instead, I was met with a fruity flavor. I glanced at Daisy with a soft smile.

The club was lively, with girls dancing around, many of them topless and covered only by flimsy material around their waists. I couldn’t help but blush as I watched them giving lap dances to men, some of whom looked old enough to be their fathers. But I wasn’t going to judge anyone; I hadn’t come here for that. I was here to have some fun, and so far, my progress was minimal.

I scanned the club, searching for the person I could sleep with tonight. None of them seemed like my type; they all looked too rugged or too lanky.

“Come on, let’s dance!” Daisy was already pulling me toward the dance floor before I could protest.

She dragged me into a sea of sweaty bodies and began swaying her hips from left to right without a care in the world. I let out a quiet laugh and joined her after a moment. She ground her body against mine, laughing over the music as we danced.

Even if I didn’t meet someone to sleep with tonight, at least I was having fun. Suddenly, I felt a chill, as if someone were watching me. I blinked and looked around but couldn’t spot anyone. Maybe I was being paranoid. Just as I was about to look away, my gaze drifted to the upper floor—and there he was.

Sea-blue eyes fixed right on mine. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him; his face was as captivating as his eyes. Despite the nagging voice in my head telling me to look away, I felt an irresistible pull toward him.

It felt like there was no one around us—just the two of us in the club, staring at each other like long-lost lovers.

“Ana, hey.” I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt someone tap my hand.

I looked down at the confused face of my best friend.

“What happened?” she asked, noticing that I had stopped dancing.

“Nothing,” I replied, frowning as I realized how breathless I sounded.

“Are you sure?” she pressed, and I nodded.

I was fine… I think.

She pulled me back to the bar where we had more drinks, and throughout the night, I told myself not to look up at the top floor again. I succeeded, but I couldn’t help but steal one last glance at him before we left. Unfortunately, he wasn’t there. He was gone.