"And then she was like 'you can't do anything tonight because we have to go to a ball' and I was like 'a ball YAY'. Like I literally screamed with joy because I get to dress up and I get a hot date. I am so excited. Are you guys going? I mean you need an invention for it but I betchyall can get a date. I really want to meet the girl whose birthday it is," Riley rants.

"I swear to fucking god shut up or else I will shut you up with that light post," Rose snaps.

"I-I-I am s-s-sorry," Riley mumbles.

"Rose stop threatening the poor girl," I say stepping out into the afternoon heat.

I walk towards my car with the girls following behind when we hear some yelling.

"Hey stop," Sam yells. I just continue my walk towards my car but notice everyone stopping to look at the perv.

"Yes, Samuel," Riley grins.

"Hi, beau- Riley. I wanted to ask you something," he says glancing down at his feet and up at her face.

"What do you want to ask me?" Riley asks nervously.

"I was... wondering if you would like to come to tomorrow's ball?" He asks while rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"I don't have time for this lovey-dovey bullshit," Rose groans before walking past and slamming my car door.

"Ignore her," I say before following her into the car.

I get in and roll down the windows to get some fresh air and to also eavesdrop.

"What the hell Rose?" I scold her.

"Like I said I do not have time for that lovey-dovey bullshit. It is the most disgusting thing ever. Like common get a room or just don't do it with me in the room. Like eww gross," she grumbles while I just roll my eyes at her childish behavior.

I look up and Riley, Emery, and Anna are coming towards my car. Riley with a big smile on her face, Anna with a frown on hers, and Emery looks happy for the both of them.

"OMG, I was asked to the ball," Riley sings while getting into the car.

"Hey, me too," Anna shares with a hoaxed smile.

"Really by who?" Rose asks while I back out of the parking spot and head out of the school's gate.

"She got invited by my brother," Emery smirks while looking at Anna.

"I wish Mason asked me but he's a fuck boy," Anna mumbles but we all hear.

"You like Mason?" I ask with a smile.

"Yes since freshman year," she responds with a light shade of pink covering her cheeks.

"I just got a message from Brian," Emery announces.

"What does it say?" Anna asks curiously.

"He asked if I would like to go to the ball with him..... but just as friends," she says staring at her phone with her thumbs hovering over the screen.

"Say yes," Riley squeals.

"Okay, Okay," Emery grumbles while writing a response. "I said yes."

"Now just Rose and Brooke need dates," Riley shares.

"I already have one," Rose Voices without taking her eyes off her phone.

"Really who?" Riley asks excitedly.

"With non of your goddamm business," Rose retorts while glaring into the mirror.

"Oh okay. How about you Brooke?" Riley asks me with a hopeful expression.

I think about what she asks me. I am automatically invited since it is my birthday ball but they can not know about that yet. Not until tomorrow.

"I don't know," I say.

"You can come with me or take my invention," Riley informs me.

"Thanks," I respond.

The rest of the drive to my house was us talking about what kind of dresses we are thinking about wearing to the ball tomorrow. We also decided that tomorrow we are going shopping and getting ready together.

We pull up to the gate in front of my house and I put in the code and had a face scan done. As soon as it said cleared I drove down the long driveway to the massive mansion that is my home.

I get out of my car and the rest follow me into the house.

"Wow! This house is massive and so pretty," Riley says gawking at my house.

"I know," I say. "My room is upstairs, come on."

I push them all up the stairs and to my room. As soon as I open the double french doors they all gawk in wonder at my room. Except for Emery and Rose since they have already seen it.

"I love your room," Anna tells me with her jaw hanging open.

"Thanks," I say plopping onto the edge of my bed with Rose laying on her back.

"Okay so tomorrow we should meet up at noon so we can get our dresses, makeup, hair, and nails done," Riley says.

"I can't go get my nails done but my dad is having a personal stylist coming tomorrow," I share.

"I really wish I was as rich as you," Riley pouts.

"Well then Emery, Riley, and I can go do the things we need after our nail appointment," Anna says getting out her phone to book the appointment.

"That sounds amazing," Emery says opening a pack of skittles.

"Well I need to get home to help my mom with cooking dinner and to help dad out at the inn," Riley says walking out my bedroom door.

"Okay, do guys want to go clubbing?" Emery asks.

"Yes please," Rose says jumping from the bed and running into my bathroom.

"Sure," Anna says before going to my closet.

"No thanks I have some babysitting duties for my parents," I say. "But you can wear one of my dresses."

"Thanks," Emery shouts from my closet.

****

5 hours later and 4 hours of watching my friends get ready, I sit at my desk and doing some Latin homework. I am on chapter 5 in a Latin book that I have to read and translate before next Friday. It is very draining. I have about 6 more chapters in the book so I might as well finish it tonight.

After a brutal 6 chapters and 1 to 2 translators later I sit in the living room watching Gilmore Girls with my parents. Well, more like my mom but dad is working on his computer while 'hanging out with us.' his words, not mine.

"Ladybug," My dad calls me. I humm in response. "Why aren't you out with your friends?" he asks while mom stops the show.

"I just did not want to go out. Since tomorrow I will be 18, an adult. I wanted to spend time with you guys. Is it a crime?" I ask pulling my blanket further up my body.

"No of course not. We just thought you would want to hang out with your friends since tomorrow is the ball," my mother says with a warm smile.

"Well, I guess it is good that you are here since tomorrow is your birthday ball. I wanted to give you your birthday gifts tonight," my father says before setting his computer down on the coffee table and walking out of the room to only bring several wrapped bags and packages.

"Wh-what is all of this?" I ask looking at all the presents surrounding me.

"These are your birthday gifts," my mother smiles at me. "Now open."

I grab a small box and gently unwrap it and inside is a beautiful locket that has a photo of my friends from Los Vegas. I thank them and move on to the next.

After I open all the presents I am left with wrapping paper thrown all over the place and presents stacked up on the couch and coffee table.

"Thank you so much for the presents," I thank my parents.

"Well there is one more," my dad says with a mischievous smile on his face. I narrow my eyes at him.

"I have all of this stuff and it is already too much what else could you have gotten me?" I ask before a maid comes in with a big box in her hands. She gently places it down in front of me. It is a navy blue silk box with a light blue satin ribbon tying it all together.

I unravel the elegant bow and toss the ribbon aside. I look at my parents who both have satisfied smiles on their faces. I gently take off the lid and peer in. I gasp as soon as I see what is inside.

"Oh my god," I whisper to myself.

Inside the box is a Golden Retreview puppy with a large red bow on it. Its big brown eyes stare up at me. Then it yawns with its little tung sticking out of its mouth. I instantly melt at the sight.

I scoop it out of the box and put it on my lap. It licks my face. "Eww, stop that," I scold. It instantly stops with its tung mid-lick.

"Is this really mine?" I ask looking up at my parents.

"Yes and it's a girl," my mom informs me.

"What are you thinking about naming it?" my father asks me.

"I think I am going to name her Cira because she is a little sun," I tell them looking down at Cira.

"Are you going to talk to her in English and Italian?" my dad asks.

"Yup," I answer without looking at him.

****

The rest of the evening is me shopping online for my Cira and cuddling with her. Now I am curled up in bed with the little dog resting on my chest with her tung sticking out. My computer is open on my lap with young and Hungry playing on Netflix.

I get a ping off my phone and open Instagram up. I click on Riley's profile and see a video that she just posted two minutes ago. I click on it and music immediately envelopes my ears.

"Hey bitches," Riley shouts over the music. "We are here with the hottest group of people on the planet-"

She then flips the camera around and faces two couches in the VIP lounge at Fire and Ice. I see Zach with a cup of tea, Will having his arms wrapped around a black-skinned girl in a very short dress and a very pale girl in a leather dress that shows her figure perfectly. He looks at the camera and kisses the girl to his right, then switches to the girl to his left after a few seconds of making out.

Brian is sitting in the corner talking to the waiter from the other night, Mason is hooking up with Anna. There is a pang in my chest of jealousy. Wait! jealousy? No. I am not jealous just disgusted. That's it I am disgusted.

Then the camera flips back to Riley and Sam is kissing and biting on her neck. She moans loudly.

"I-I th-Think th- th-that I-I am g-g-g-oing t-to hang u-p kn-ow," she slurs in a drunken and horney mess.

I then see Emery throwing up into the ice bucket looking very sick and no one is doing a thing to help her. The video ends with it tumbling to the ground.

I get up and put Cira into her kennel that was brought up to my room for her. I go into my closet and change into a back sweatshirt that I roll up to make it cropped and slip on a pair of high-waisted matching black sweats. I then pull on pink, black, and white sneakers. I run out of the door while calling Andy to get the limo ready.

As soon as he pulls up I tell him where to go. I check my phone and see a photo that Riley posted 5 minutes ago of Riley chugging fireball. Shit. That is some strong alcohol.

****

Andy pulls up and I reach for the door but am stopped by him resting his hand on my shoulder.

"You have your gun. Right?" he asks. I show him the gun in the back of my sweat pants and he gives me a proud smile while nodding his head.

I hop out of the limo and head towards the entrance and am stopped by the bouncers. "Sorry miss but that outfit is not up to the dress code," he says.

"I do not give a fuck if I am wearing anything at all and neither should you. You will let me in," I hissed and he immediately lets me in.

The loud blaring music runs through my eardrums making them start hurting. As I make my way towards the VIP stairs people look at me. Men look at me hungrily while women glare but I pay them no head.

I walk up the stairs and open the door to the VIP lounge. I am met with Mason and Anna still making out. Mason's hair is very messy like Anna had been running her hands through it and her top is open to reveal her lacey black bra.

Sam is half-naked with Riley under him who's dress is going up her waist showing her pink panties. Emery looks very pale and faint. Rose is chugging down drink after drink.

I try whistling to get their attention but everyone is in their own world. I get my gun out of my pants and aim at a stack of empty glasses. I fire two times and it shatters the glasses. Everyone below starts screaming and running out of the club. The boys jump up and aim their guns at me.

I give them all a deadly glare and Sam and Zach gulp. I march over to a still chugging Rose while putting my gun in my pants. I grab the glass away from her before she can take another drink and she glares at me.

"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL ROSE. I TOLD YOU TO WATCH THESE BITCHES BUT YOU'RE DROWNING YOURSELF IN LIQUOR," I yell at her.

"I.....was... just..... having...fun...Annnnd....they....are....fine.." she slurs. My god, she is super drunk.

"Look at Emery she is not well. Look at Riley she is drunker than you and was about to have sex in a public space where anyone could see. Look at Anna she is half undressed and probably drunk and not in the right state of mind. Lastly look at yourself, getting yourself this drunk when you have not done this in years," I tell her motioning at her drunken state. She looks around guilty before landing her eyes on me and glaring again.

"Yes, the last fucking time I got drunk like this was when you told me that you were rapped for a week straight," she bellows. I took a half step back and felt the pain in my soul from when Declan ruined it and a part of it has never healed from that long week of agony.

Tears started coming out of my eyes after she yelled that truth in front of everyone but that sadness slowly disappeared and anger came at full force. The tears stopped and dried up and I was left with a calm, deadly face.

"Rose. Rose. Rose." I sighed. I bent down at her level and grabbed her face tightly. She whimpered slightly at my harsh grip. "That matter is never allowed to come out of you're mouth ever again. Or else I will cut your tung out of your mouth and let you watch while I kill your parents and sisters. Understood," I snarl.

"Y-y-yes," she whimpers with fear. I let go of her face and stood up. I walked past the boys and grabbed Anna and Riley tightly by their wrists.

"Brooklyn s-s-stop being s-so up t-t-tight," Riley giggles. I glare at her and her giggling immediately stops.

"Riley I am a hairs breath away from snapping your neck. So do not do that," I say with a deadly look. She gulps and grabs Anna's hand. "Go to the limo outside and wait for me. Rose, you are going with them so get your slutty ass up and go."

"Okay," she whispers. They leave the room with Rose helping a sick Emery down the stairs.

I go over to the boys who are looking surprised and annoyed.

"Brooke what the hell was-" Zach begins but I Interrupt by pointing at him.

"You Zachary Leo Hudson are in big trouble," I Seeth. "Your father and my father are going to find out about this unless they already know because I am going to tell them. You are going to help Emery tomorrow to get over her hangover before the ball. Make sure she feels up to going and you are going with her to run errands."

"You are not the boss of me," He glares with anger.

"Boy, I swear to god if you do not help her tomorrow I will cut your thumbs off and feed them to my dog," I tell him before I turn my glare to Brian.

"What did I do?" he asks innocently with a small smirk.

"You could have made sure they stopped drinking after several drinks or called me when they started getting out of control," I state with my deadly expression still in place.

He looks down at the black and purple floor with guilt clouding his eyes after my words. I then move my glare to Sam.

"Sam Riley likes and you clearly like her. So I am going to give you some advice," I say and he looks up with a hopeful expression. "Take her on a date like a normal boy. Take her on multiple then ask her to be your girlfriend. Then with both of your permissions have sex. Fuck have sex multiple times a day but at first go slow. She is not a fuck when over you want a girl. She is sweet, innocent, and naive."

"That's what I wanted to do but I did not know how to ask," he mumbled looking down at his feet.

"One more thing," he looks up with a slight smile but when he sees my expression his smile slowly drops. "If you ever hurt her or cheat on her I will kill you. Not a quick death a brutal, slow, and painful death." He gulps in fear before my gaze locks with Mason.

"You bastard stay away from Anna. Understand?" I say.

"Are you jealous or something?" he asks with a smirk but is met with my deadly glare.

"No. I am not Anna has had a crush on you since her freshman year. She wants a relationship with you. She's hooked on you probably because you fucked her already. Then you made out with her which is leading her on. It is not good for her or you because she will keep this crush and it will only hurt her in the end and cannot watch my friend get her heartbroken because of you."

He looks down guilty and runs his hands through his hair. "I will stay away from her," he finally says looking back into my blue eyes.

"Good and do not. I repeat do not hook up with any of my friends unless it is Rose she is basically the female version of you except bi," I chuckled a bit after saying that but it is emotionless. He nods his head before I turn on the heel of my sneakers and walk towards the exit of the lounge.

"Brooke, how did you know about the ball?" Mason questions behind me. A turn back to face them at the top of the stairs.

"You could say I know more about the birthday girl than her own parents," I leave them to ponder my answer and exit the quiet club.