"Hurry the fuck up," I half shout at Kate who's been having a hard time choosing a pair of shoes to match my outfit.

"As your fashionista, I need to make sure that you look hot for this date," Kate shouts out from the closet.

"It's just a dinner," I correct her and I hear Violet chuckle behind me who is currently straightening my hair.

"Yeah whatever helps you eat tonight," she replies back.

"You know my leather jacket and crop top would also work as this is just a professional dinner," I reply and Kate scoffs.

"Nonsense. If it is just a professional dinner then you have to look professional, which includes wearing heels and a dress," Kate smiles as she applies a nude lipstick on my lips and fixes my hair.

"Then why all this makeup?" I ask. "I can pull a look off without all the makeup."

"Oh babe, you without makeup is flawless," Kate starts. "But you with makeup is more flawless, so why not?"

"It looks like you buried my face into makeup rather than the other way, I guess?" I wander off into space.

I hate the attraction I feel towards that little shit. He's just someone who's helping me achieve my dream job. He is nothing more.

I take a deep breath in and let it out slowly.

I don't want to end up how I did last time. Another reason for me to get back on drugs. I slowly peek inside my purse and find my pills there.

Suddenly my hand starts shaking repeatedly and continuously. I look around to find others arguing about the dinner and I quickly make my way into the bathroom and lock the behind me.

I look at myself in the mirror, already all sweaty and shaken up. Sweat dripping off my forehead and removing some of my foundation with it.

"Crap," I mutter in annoyance and shuffle through my prescribed medications.

Someone knocks on the bathroom door and I freeze in my spot. "Vee, are you okay?" I hear a worried Ian ask as all the chatter died down.

"Uh- Y-Yeah Ian, I'm fine," I stutter but reply back quickly and turn the faucet on to icy cold water.

I put my hands on the running water and throw some onto my face. I start breathing normally after doing it couple of times more.

I look inside my medicine box and find my medicine. I take some water and swallow the pills down which stops the shaking and sweat.

"It's fine, you're fine Venus," I tell myself and slowly take a cloth and dry my face.

I open the door and they all rush towards me. "Are you okay?" Kate asks and I nod.

"Just... feeling a bit..." I start. "Uh- suffocated...?"

"Suffocated?" Violet wonders and Ian sighs.

"Of course she would with that choker that you guys made her wear," Ian replies back and I nod.

"Yeah, I guess it's fine," I reply back and they all go back to what they were doing.

"I think we should also come," Chris suggests who is now playing Uno with Tyler and Ian on my bed.

"No," Kate shouts as she walks outside with a pair of golden shoes.

"Why not?" Chris frowns.

Kate narrows her eyebrows and mouths something which I didn't understand and apparently neither did Chris.

"What?" He asks and Kate shakes her head sideways in disbelief.

"C'mon we aren't going to another date with her. I know Cayson, he's a good guy and he won't do anything to Vee," Kate says.

"Just to be on the safe side, we should do what we always do," Chris suggests.

"No," Kate replies back all too quickly. "Keeping an eye on them doesn't seem right."

"But we always do that. It's like our own little tradition," Tyler whines.

Kate just keeps her whiny face and Tyler gives up, trying to get her to believe.

Chris scoffs and walks over to Kate who currently has my gold heels which are dangling from her hand.

"We always do it," Chris says.

"Well it's different this time. Baby I know what I'm saying, let's not?" Kate replies in her sweet voice which is super hard to say no to.

"I hate it when you talk me out of things babe," Chris argues. "Fine, I won't."

Kate smiles and pulls Chris into a hug. "But my man Ian will."

Kate breaks the hug and huffs. "I will?" Ian confusingly asks and Chris nods slightly and Ian smiles. "Yeah, I was going to anyway."

"Guys it's fine, just stay in the car this time?" I suggest and after a moment Chris, Tyler and Ian nod.

"Well, you're all set to go," Kate smiles and fixes my clothes one last time.

"Thank you," I say and smile at them.

"You sure, no makeup?" Kate asks and I nod.

"I guess the lipstick will be fine," I smile back.

___

"Really Ty?" I say in a duh tone when he rolls down his windows and chills in the parking lot which is straight across the restaurant.

The restaurant is made of glass and everything is visible to the outside world meaning my friends.

"What?" He asks as Chris puts his feet on the dashboard and Ian slowly settles down in the back.

"Nothing, just don't do anything stupid out here," I warn them and Tyler chuckles.

"This is stupid. Seriously, let us come in and it will be less stupider," he argues back.

"I already told you ty, the answer is still no," Kate argues back while sitting down in the back with Ian and violet.

"Well, I'll take your leave now," I say and slowly walk inside the restaurant.

I look around and find almost all the tables already occupied. There was a bar right next to the restaurant which is why there were many drunk people sitting here.

I scan the whole restaurant and don't find Cayson. Does he think it's funny to stand me up? Maybe he needs to be taught a lesson.

I take a sharp breath in and as I'm about to leave the restaurant, someone holds onto my forearm.

"Don't touch—" I start as I throw a punch but he ducks. My fist quickly freezes in midair and I pull it back to me.

"Seriously, the punching needs to stop," Cayson says as he slowly gets up.

"Well, the sneaking up on me needs to stop," I reply back and he smirks.

He pulls me to him and bends my forearm behind me. "Really? I thought you liked it." He whispers near my ear, sending electric chills down my spine.

I could feel my whole body alarmed now. I could sense my goosebumps.

His voice, so deep sending many different feeling down my body. Mostly, the feeling of wanting something.

As much as I am shaken up from his usual way, I couldn't help but notice his strong cologne which he always uses. It has a different smell to itself, one which I have never smelled before.

Now his nose touching mine, the only thing keeping our lips apart. The scent of his cologne lingering in the air between us. The tension so thick that it could drill a hole through a wall.

Suddenly I hear someone honk their car and I figure it's Tyler and his impatience. Or maybe his and his overprotectiveness.

I twist my arm which breaks his grip on me and I pull his arm behind him and smile. "Guess you actually don't know me that well."

He chuckles and I let go of him.

"Isn't that what we're here for?" He says and look around to see where we were going to sit.

"I don't see a table which isn't filled with people," I say and he smiles.

"You see, I'm trying to get your friends off my tail," He whispers in my ear and I look outside to see Tyler keeping an eye on me. "So, we are going to more of a private-slash-quiet place."

___