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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE PT. I

❝THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THINGS IN LIFE WE WANT BUT CAN'T ACTUALLY HAVE.❞

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"Wake up, hoe! It's your birthday!"

Winnie jumped in her bed as the blinds opened up making her groan at the sudden light shining into her bedroom and onto her face.

Sharply inhaling a breath, she stretched her arms under the sheets and let out a small yawn and before she knew it, the sound of Birthday Cake by Rihanna started blasting from her speaker by Jade.

Jade started to shout and clap to the beat as she danced around Winnie's bed making her open one eye and smile up at her.

He want that cake, cake, cake

Ooh baby I like it, it's so excited

Jade continued to dance around Winnie in hopes of her getting out of bed, but all Winnie did was sit in bed amused by her dancing.

"Winnie, get up! This is your birthday alarm."

"No. . .I'm so comfortable and I'm enjoying watching this."

Jade huffed. "Well, I commence phase two."

Walking to the edge of Winnie's bed, she took her white blanket and yanked it off the bed and off of Winnie's body.

Winnie sharply inhaled a breath at the action, feeling the cool sensation of the room touch her exposed legs making her crease her eyebrows.

Winnie groaned and rose her head up from her soft pillows while rubbing her still tired eyes. "Was that necessary?"

"What is going on in here? Another one of your slumber parties?" Justin asked as he walked into Winnie's bedroom with a bowl of cereal in his hands with an eyebrow raised.

"Justin, get out."

"Get out? Oh, babygirl, that's not what you said last night."

Winnie gasped softly as Justin looked from her to Jade and back to her and winked before heading out of her bedroom making Jade's jaw drop as she plopped onto Winnie's bed.

"Bitch, tell me everything."

"It. . .nothing happened last night. . .except—"

"Except?"

Winnie momentarily bit her bottom lip. "We kind of showered together?"

"Winnie. . .how the hell do you kind of shower with Justin Bieber?"

"He just helped me wash my back. . ."

"So. . .no sex?" Jade asked in a whisper as Winnie's cheeks heated and she shook her head making Jade groan and roll her eyes.

"It was just a shower."

"Winnie, you're getting dicked down tonight."

"Jade! Stop!"

Jade creased her eyebrows. "What? It's true."

Winnie scoffed as she shook her head and reached over to her phone and saw that she had a text from Iris making her sigh heavily and unlock her phone to reply.

unlock the door please, i have the party favors!!

Winnie rolled her eyes. "Showtime."

Jade laughed softly as she watched Winnie get up from the bed and head into her closet for a pair of sweatpants, she then headed out of her bedroom and made her way downstairs to the front door.

Once she opened the door, Iris came inside with her hands full of two bags with Chanel behind her bringing another two bags inside.

"Good morning, birthday girl!"

"Morning, Chanel."

Chanel smiled softly and followed behind Iris to the middle of the house where Winnie's name balloons hung and started to open the bags to set the party favors for the night.

Winnie walked over and watched them set them up neatly in a pile and saw that the party favors were a mini mason jar of gold glitter, a mini gold Hershey bar, and mini bottles of Champagne.

"These are cute. . .but why so many?"

"Everyone's going to need one, Winnie."

Winnie creased her eyebrows. "Iris. . .how many people did you invite?"

"Does it matter? The house is big enough, just know that."

Winnie sharply inhaled a breath as she rubbed her forehead softly as Iris and Chanel went back to setting up the party favors.

Just then, Winnie heard footsteps making her turn around and see Jade walking up with her arms crossed over her chest as she watched Iris and Chanel.

"Those party favors look like they costed more than my rent."

Iris sighed heavily. "Jade, we don't have time for your snarky comments."

"What? That's just me, don't like it? You can bounce, honey."

Winnie bit the inside of her cheek to prevent a laugh as Jade kept a grin on her lips as she saw how agitated Iris was about to become with her — and it was only 10 o'clock.

"Winnie, the party's at 7, why don't you take the day off and fix. . .," Iris breathed out as she looked at Winnie from head to toe and smacked her teeth. "That."

Just as Jade opened her mouth to make a remark, Winnie sharply inhaled a breath and grabbed Jade's arm to stop her.

"Sure, let's go, Jade! We have errands to run!"

Jade groaned as Winnie pulled her by her wrist and dragged her out of the middle of the room and with her back upstairs to her bedroom.

Just when Winnie let Jade go into the bedroom, she felt a hand touch her elbow making her turn around to see Justin staring down at her.

"Can I help you?"

"How's your morning going?"

"No good, no thanks to your little comment earlier. . .," Winnie whisper yelled as Justin chuckled and licked his lips making Winnie scoff and cross her arms over her chest. "Is that funny to you?"

"Just a little bit."

Winnie groaned and rolled her eyes as she went to go into her bedroom — only for Justin to pull her elbow again and pull her closer.

"How can I make it up to you?"

Winnie hummed in response as she watched Justin lean down and look at her lips before going to attach his to hers — until Winnie whispered on his lips.

"You can make me some breakfast."

Justin creased his eyebrows as Winnie moved her lips away from his and giggled and walked away from him and into her bedroom to get dressed.

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"I can't believe you made Justin fix you breakfast."

"I can't believe he actually can cook."

Jade rose an eyebrow. "Can he really?"

"Well, his eggs are fine. . .the toast needs more work but the pancakes were almost good."

"A for effort?"

Winnie snickered and rolled her eyes as Jade pulled into the driveway of someone's house that was actually pretty large making Winnie crease her eyebrows and look at her.

"Jade?"

"Yeah?"

"You said we were going to a salon and spa."

Jade nodded. "We are, just better."

Winnie smacked her teeth and took her seatbelt off along with Jade and got out of the truck with her and head up to the front door of the house.

Once Jade rung the doorbell, they both stood back and waited for the door to open, after a few seconds, the door opened and a hispanic woman came to the door.

"Jade! How are you?!"

"Good, Kamila! This is my friend, Winnie. . .and it's her birthday."

Kamila smacked her teeth. "Your cheap ass, anyway, happy birthday, love."

"Thank you."

"Come inside. . .let me see what I can cook up for you beautiful girls."

Once Kamila stepped aside, Jade went inside first as Winnie walked in behind and they walked into a beautifully white and rose gold decorated house.

The sound of Sangria Wine by Camila Cabello blasted from the white speakers that hanged on the wall to the side as soon as they walked inside.

Winnie sighed. "I love that song."

"Do you? You got a little Latino in you, girl?"

"From my Papa."

Kamila hummed in response as she started to let her fingers twirl through Winnie's curls so she could see what she was working with as Winnie enjoyed the sound of the song.

Winnie closed her eyes. "Yo sé, yo sé, yo sé, yo sé que tú quieres mi cuerpo, eh Y quieres controlar mi mente, eh. . ."

"How about a simple blow out with a style, love?"

"Sounds great, Jade?"

"You'll slay any look, Winnie. . .and I'll do a simple blow out with no style."

Kamila nodded and motioned with her head for Winnie and Jade to follow her back toward her salon part of her house where there was three other woman working as the sound of the music played in the salon as well and the sound of Distraction by Kehlani started to play.

"Avery, take Jade at the wash bowl, I got Winnie."

The red headed girl that was identified as Avery nodded and slipped her phone into the back pocket of her jeans and motioned with her head for her to follow her.

Kamila guided Winnie over to the other wash bowl on the other side of the room and let her sit down and get comfortable. "So how old are you today, love?"

"24."

"I remember when I turned 24, that's the year I met my fiancé, we met at his brother's graduation celebration at the club."

Winnie smiled. "Sweet."

Kamila hummed in response and leaned her head back into the bowl as the cool water sent a chill down her body and she started to relax as Kamila's fingers worked her scalp.

Well deserved, Winnie thought.

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"Where the hell is Winnie, it's already 4 o'clock, Justin!"

Justin sighed heavily and took the tub of ice cream Winnie left out of the freezer and grabbed a spoon and looked over at Iris.

"Iris, can you stop acting like you have a stiletto stuck up your ass for one minute? You're the one who sent her off."

"Justin, seriously, I don't have time! There's going to be guest here in about an hour—"

"And she'll be back, chill out. . .have you ever thought of smoking weed? Very soothing."

Iris huffed and rolled her eyes as she headed out of the kitchen making Justin laugh softly and pop open the ice cream and start to eat and make his way out of the kitchen.

Once he was headed for the staircase, he paused when he heard the sound of the door unlocking and he looked to see Winnie and Jade come inside.

When his eyes landed on Winnie, he could feel his heart start to pound as he saw her once curly hair now look straight with a perfectly curled style with her makeup done perfectly that made her skin glow.

"Whoa. . ."

"Why aren't you dressed?"

Justin chuckled. "I could ask you the same, Iris is going to chew you out."

"Not if I'm dressed."

Justin watched Winnie drag Jade by her arm and head upstairs to her bedroom making him chuckle and shake his head and head upstairs with his tub of ice cream.

After spending an hour and a half getting ready, Winnie checked her phone and saw it was almost 7 o'clock making her puff out a breath.

As if on queue, there was a knock at her door making her jog over to the door and open it as she placed her hoop earrings on to see Iris. "Oh, hello."

"Why aren't you ready?"

"But I am, mom."

Iris rolled her eyes and walked into Winnie's bedroom. "Well, guest are arriving and they're waiting."

"Is Peter here yet?"

"Who the hell is Peter?"

Winnie sighed softly. "Nevermind."

Jade hopped up from the bed after putting on her black stilettos and smoothed out her gold silk double slitted dress with a deep neckline and sighed.

"I'll check, Winnie."

"Thank you."

Jade nodded and walked past Iris and purposely bumped shoulders making Iris sharply inhale a breath and shake her head.

"Are you ready? Remember what we rehearsed for your entrance?"

"Yes, Iris. . .I walk up to the front of the house where the podium is and stand on top as everyone gathers around and you talk, blah blah blah, confetti shoots from behind me and the music starts."

Iris clapped. "Good girl, now let's make it happen, shall we?"

Winnie sighed softly and slipped on her last gold strap sandal heel and followed behind Iris as he two headed downstairs and Winnie tried to keep up her pace with Iris's fast one.

Damn, she's fast as hell in heels, Winnie thought.

Winnie puffed out a breath and saw two men dressed in tuxedo smiling down at Winnie asking for her hand to help her onto the podium.

Once Winnie was on top, she thanked them and heard the sound of people beginning to walk into the room making her heart thud a bit.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you all the birthday girl, Winnie Stone!"

Iris showed off Winnie making her smile and interlace her fingers in front of her as the crowd started to clap and even some whistles were heard.

"Now without further ado. . .let's party like it's 1925!"

On queue, the pounding sound of the gold confetti shooting out from behind Winnie making her squeal and jump as she saw the confetti shoot out and true crowd scream.

Winnie giggled and watched everyone start to dance and move around more as the sound of Bang Bang by Will.i.am began to blast through the speakers.

Winnie was then offered the men in tuxedos hands again to step down making her thank them as she got to the ground and saw Jade walk over to her with a wide smile on her lips.

"This is crazy!"

"And the night is still young."

"Shall we get drinks, birthday girl?" Jade asked as she held out her arm for Winnie making her smile wide and interlink arms with her.

"We shall."

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The party was in full swing. Everyone was having a good time no matter where they went in the house; the pool, the living room, the kitchen, everywhere.

Except Winnie, who was currently on the second floor of the house out on the balcony overlooking the party from her spot.

"You're a hard one to find."

Winnie turned around and looked to see Justin standing before her dressed in all black, a button up shirt with the first two buttons undid to show off his chest tattoos and give attention to his gold chain, black slacks, black Louis Vuitton loafers with a gold trim, and his gold Rolex on his left arm.

"Wow, you look nice."

Justin chuckled as he walked forward with his hands in his pockets. "You do too."

"Thanks."

"Why are you up here? Your party is down, there."

Winnie pursed her lips momentarily. "It's not what I really wanted."

"Then why'd you agree to let Iris throw you a party?"

"I. . .I was being nice. . .," Winnie admitted as Justin let out a soft laugh making Winnie crease her eyebrows and smack his chest and shake her head. "What?"

"You're so amazing, Winnie Stone. . .you let a woman who hates your guts plan your birthday party."

Winnie watched Justin take his left hand out of his pocket and let it glide across her hair momentarily and then down her perfectly sculpted jawline.

"I don't deserve you, do I?"

Winnie let out a huff through her nostrils and let her hands reach up to touch Justin's hand as she momentarily shut her eyes.

"There's things in life we'll always want but can't actually have."

Justin didn't respond, he kept his eyes on Winnie as her eyes remained on his, just when Justin leaned in to kiss Winnie, they heard someone clear their throat.

They both turned to look and see it was Iris making them break away as she walked up to Winnie with her arms crossed over her chest.

"There's someone here I want you to meet."

"Um. . .okay. . .," Winnie murmured softly as she walked away from Justin to follow behind Iris, but she looked back at Justin one last time. "I'll see you later?"

Justin nodded and watched Winnie smile at him and turn back around to head out of the balcony area with Iris as she sped walked down the staircase with Winnie following behind.

"Who's here?"

"You'll see, you're in for a real treat."

Winnie creased her eyebrows and followed Iris until they walked up to a woman who was dressed in a golden silk suit and jacket and her long jet black hair straightened to cascade down her back.

"Kehlani? I have someone here I'd like you to meet."

"K-Kehlani?"

Kehlani turned around and looked over Winnie with her perfectly white smile making Winnie gasp sharply and let out a squeal.

"You're Winnie? You're so pretty, girl! Happy birthday."

"I-I can't believe your in my house. . .at my party!"

Kehlani laughed softly. "Well believe it, it's pretty lit here."

"T-Thank you."

"See you at the cake cutting." Kehlani spoke as she winked at Winnie and saw Winnie nod slowly as she walked around her.

Winnie laughed softly and looked over to Iris who was talking to one of the waitress's. "Iris?"

"What?"

"How'd you know—"

"I talked to Jade, only decent conversation we've had since I met her."

Winnie let out a small laugh. "Thank you. . .seriously."

"Yeah. . .don't let it get to your head, be ready for the cake cutting in five minutes."

Winnie nodded and watched Iris nod and take one of the champagne glasses off the trays a waitress brought by and walked away as Winnie stood there and took everything in.

Meanwhile, Jade was walking around the party and watching people dance around as she walked down the long hallway.

Just as she did, she ran into someone making her gasp as the person grabbed onto her waist, Jade looked up to see Peter.

"Peter?"

"Oh, Jade, hey. . .have you seen, Winnie?"

"No, actually I was looking for her." Jade murmured softly as she looked down at Peter's hands around her waist and cleared her throat as he removed his hands.

"Well, maybe we can look together?"

"Sure. . .cake cutting is in a few though, we could wait then?"

Peter nodded. "Right. . .hey, you look. . .gorgeous by the way."

Jade could feel her cheeks heat as she let out a small laugh and looked down at her dress and then over to Peter. "Thanks, you look good yourself."

Peter smiled wide down at Jade as the two held their stare on each other for a moment before seeing people start to leave out of the hallway.

"Guess they're getting ready to cut the cake."

"Yeah. . ."

"Shall we?" Peter asked as he rose an eyebrow and Jade nodded and followed beside him as the two walked out of the hallway and outside to the pool area with everyone else.

Once outside, Iris pulled Winnie over to the cake and made her stand in front of it and wait for everyone to crowd around.

"It's now time to cut the cake, birthday girl gets first slice."

Iris held out the knife as everyone cheered and watched Iris hand Winnie the knife as she smiled softly and took the knife and carefully cut a slice from the first layer of the cake.

Claps we heard as Winnie saw Chanel hold out her gold plate for her to place the cake on making her smile and thank her as she handed the knife off to Chanel so everyone else could cut the cake.

Winnie stepped to the side and decided not to wait for a fork, so instead, she used her acrylic nails and popped a piece of cake into her mouth as Jade walked up to her.

"Justin looks like a snack tonight."

Winnie looked up and saw Justin standing across from them as he looked over to Winnie making her smile and feel her cheeks heat.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying when everyone leaves, you need to go get some di — oh, hey, Justin!"