the middle of putting lip gloss on as the final touches to my makeup when my door suddenly flies open, jolting me in shock as I watch through my vanity mirror as Veronica comes barreling in, her dress hanging off her shoulders as she looks at me with pleading eyes.

"Can you please zip me up?" she asks, turning around and gesturing to the back of her dress. I stand up, making sure I don't trip over the hem of my dress as I walk over to her. Zipping it up, I tap her back to let her know I'm done.

Satisfied, Veronica hums, turning around to look at me. "Oh my gosh, you look beautiful, Eves." I smile, admiring the way the dress Veronica is wearing looks on her. It's black, clinging to her curves and cascading onto the floor. Her sleeves are off the shoulder, accentuating her amazing bone structure and décolletage area.

"You're talking about me?" I point out and Veronica blushes. Her hair is pinned up into a sleeked bun, her makeup looks as smoky and dark as her dress. All in all, it's a look that compliments Veronica immensely. "You look straight out of the pages of Vogue or something."

She waves away my admiration. "Stop, you're getting me all flustered." I laugh, moving back to sit in front of my mirror so I can finish my look. We still have a few minutes until Miles, Nick, Wesley, and Monica are to arrive and I want to make sure I'm done in time so I don't have to keep everyone waiting.

Veronica sits down on the edge of my bed, smoothing the front of her dress. She looks nervous, and I raise my brows at her. "What's wrong?"

"I invited Olivia."

My lips part in shock, eyes widening as Veronica continues to grow paler. "You did?"

"Yeah, and I'm starting to think it was a mistake. I mean—we haven't even clarified if we're back together or not. And then there's the whole Paris fiasco. I don't want to argue about it in front of Talia. And I know I said I'd tell her, please don't be mad, I've just been so busy and–"

"Ronnie," I say slowly, swiveling around to look at her. "Breathe." She inhales and exhales sharply, shooting me a gracious look. "I'm not mad that you haven't told Talia yet. A little peeved, but not mad. When are you going to?"

"Tomorrow, for sure."

"Alright then. So you her tomorrow. As for Olivia, just try not to be alone with her if Talia is around.

Veronica sighs, wringing her hands together in frustration. "Am I being naive to think she'll change her mind about not wanting to be with me?" Her tone drips in vulnerability and my gaze softens.

"I think you're just in love."

"It sucks," Veronica deadpans, and I laugh. It does suck. Suddenly, her gaze snaps to meet mine, an earnest look on her face. "I never told you how much I appreciated you keeping my secret. I know how hard it must've been but I promise you, I'll tell Talia soon."

"You better," I tease, trying to alleviate her nerves. "And you don't have to thank me. I can only imagine how hard it's been coming to terms with the fact that you're leaving." Veronica smiles sadly, and I know she's thinking the same thing I am. It's going to be extremely hard when she leaves in a few months. Out of the three of us, Veronica and I were always the closest. She's the first one I'd met between her and Talia, and throughout the years, the bond between us seemed to only grow stronger. She isn't just my best friend, she's also my sister.

"Okay, I think I'm done." I turn to examine myself in the mirror as I blink away the tears. I do not need to be crying right now. My usually curly mane is straightened to perfection, my hair now cascading down my back. My makeup has hints of gold in it to compliment the dress, as well as the gold jewelry I have on. My heels are a simple black strappy pair I've borrowed from Talia, as well as the black clutch.

"I'm serious, Eve. Miles is going to die when he sees you." I smile to myself, already growing antsy for him to get here. And even antsier about what will be happening after Helena's party.

"Where the hell are you guys?"

Veronica and I turn to see Talia breezing into my room, her question dying on her lips when she catches sight of us. A sharp gasp leaves my lips at the sight of her. She looks breathtaking. Her blonde hair is curled in big, loose waves, bouncing against her skin. Her dress is red, the sweetheart neckline doing wonders for accentuating her chest. It's a mermaid fit, hugging her torso before billowing out as the fabric hit her legs.

Veronica's jaw hits the floor as we both stare at our friend. "Tal, you look like a million bucks!"

Talia laughs, her eyes crinkling in the corners. "Thanks. You guys look hot as hell too."

"Nick's gonna have a goddamn heart attack when he sees you." To my utter surprise, Talia blushes a color as bright as her dress. Veronica looks surprised as well, her eyebrows shooting up. "What is going on with you and Nick anyway?"

She shakes her head. "We flirt whenever we all hang out but nothing ever happens outside of that."

"Do you want something to happen?" I ask.

"I don't know," she admits. "He's sweet and handsome but he hasn't shown any interest in getting to know me."

Veronica snorts, looking Talia up and down. "Well, you can bet your ass he'll probably show some interest with you in that dress."

The sound of the doorbell ringing interrupts our conversation and we all exchange looks. Without hesitating, we practically sprint towards the door, our heels slipping against the floorboards as we all laugh loudly, trying to beat each other to answer it. Veronica elbows me in the ribs and I wheeze, stopping in my tracks to catch my breath. I watch as Talia shoves Veronica to the side just as she swings the door open, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Veronica glares at her, rubbing at her arm that had collided with the wall.

"Olivia?"

Veronica and I's heads snap up at the sound of Olivia's name. Talia looks confused, which means she had no idea of Veronica's date for the evening. Thankfully, Talia steps aside to reveal the woman in question. Her cheeks are stained red as she enters the apartment, her eyes immediately landing on Veronica.

I have to say, Olivia looks quite good. Her black hair is tied back into a long braid, her dark eyes scanning the walls of the apartment, the nerves coming off of her in waves. Her dress is a pale pink color, resembling the fabric of my own, except the back of hers is completely bare, save for a few miscellaneous straps.

"Liv," Veronica breathes, her honey eyes running over Olivia with admiration. Olivia blushes and I want to melt into a puddle on the floor from their exchange. I hate to admit how adorable they are, especially in the midst of whatever the hell is going on with them.

"Did you know about this?" I feel Talia whisper into my ear as we watch Olivia and Veronica.

"She just told me."

"How do we feel about it?"

I shrug, turning away from the on-again-off-again couple. "We can't force Ronnie to do anything she doesn't want to do. If being with Olivia makes her happy, I can't stand in the way."

Talia pauses, my words washing over her. I know she's the most skeptical of Olivia just because of how much she'd hurt Veronica before. So am I. But, I also trust Veronica to make the choice that will benefit her happiness.

"I suppose you're right," she mumbles after a moment. Her eyes narrow in Olivia's direction. "But if she hurts Ronnie again, I won't be as nice."

I stifle a laugh. "Trust me, I know."

"Are you guys done whispering over there?" Talia and I jump in surprise to see Veronica staring at the two of us. We smile sheepishly, and I'm the first to go over and greet Olivia.

"Hey, Olivia. It's been a while." I pull the petite girl into a hug. Her entire body is tense, and I know she probably thinks she's just walked into the lion's den. I feel her relax once she feels my arms wrap around her small frame.

"Yeah, it has been." She pulls away to shoot me a gentle smile. I think the hard part about trying to appear tough in front of Olivia is the fact that she's so freaking nice that it just makes you feel like a bully.

I can tell Talia feels the same way as all of the tension leaves her shoulders once Olivia and her embrace. It's like being mad at a Golden Retriever puppy, you just can't do it.

Before the conversation can continue though, the doorbell sounds again. My heart flops in my chest, knowing exactly who is among the people outside. This time, we don't try and wrestle for the door, both Talia and Veronica give me knowing smirks as they gesture for me to answer it on my own. I swallow, walking slowly over before throwing it open.

Monica and Wesley are the first ones I see. Huge smiles on their faces as they regard me. "Hey, Evie! You look so beautiful!" Monica says with a wink, pulling me into a hug. She's wearing a simple olive-toned dress, which looks unbelievable against her skin. Her red hair is tucked behind her ears into a low ponytail. She looks amazing.

"Thank you, you guys look great." Wesley has on a simple black tuxedo, his hair is gelled back and out of his face. They both grin as I step aside to let them in. Nick is next, his beige tuxedo doing wonders against his dark skin. He's holding a single red rose in his hand, and I try not to squeal when I realize it's for Talia.

I give him a suggestive wink, and he smiles shyly. "She's going to take your breath away," I say softly. Nick's eyes widen before he pushes past me, his head swiveling around to find Talia. I laugh, turning around to finally see Miles.

I have absolutely no words to describe how he looks. Instead of a tuxedo, he's wearing a white button-down, the first few of the buttons being undone and the sleeves are casually rolled up, putting his tattoos on display. He has on dress pants accompanied by black loafers as well. His curly hair is a bit tamer than normal, though it does look as if he's run his fingers through it a few times on his way over.

I shuffle under his emerald gaze, especially when they dip down to my dress and the dangerously high slit that decided for me to not bother wearing underwear. I just hope I don't step the wrong way tonight and flash someone. His eyes darken when they come back to my face, and in a blink of an eye, he's stepped forward, clouding my senses with the delicious cologne he's wearing. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his thumb brushing against my cheek tenderly.

"Evelyn Laura Porter," he breathes my full name in such a way that causes goosebumps to form on my arms. His tone is extremely tender, and I find myself melting in his embrace. "Every time I see you, you always take my breath away, but tonight," he pauses, moving his hand from my cheek as his fingers coast over the fabric of my dress, dipping down as he traced the outline of my body. "You've sincerely left me speechless."

I avert my gaze from his face, suddenly having the urge to cry. I don't understand how Miles always seems to have a way with words. "And you say you're not a poet," I joke. He smiles, his eyes never leaving mine. "I was going to say you looked extremely handsome, but now that seems lame compared to what you said about me." I pout and a soft chuckle sounds past his lips. Lips that I desperately want to feel on my own.

"Thank you, baby." My heart all but explodes and I can't take it anymore. I hook my arm around his neck, leaning up and pressing my lips to his. A low growl sounds from the back of his throat as his hands tighten on my waist, bringing me in even closer. I explore his mouth, biting a little on his lower lip. I feel one of his hands lightly graze my ass, and a soft moan escapes from me, lost against Miles' lips as he captures the sound.

"What was that for?" he asks as we pull away. My cheeks are hot as I bite down on my lower lip. He's smiling, dimples and all as his fingers trace a pattern on my waist.

"Just felt like it."

Miles hums, and before we can say anything else to each other, a throat being cleared from behind me breaks our moment. I blush, realizing we've been standing in my doorway for that entire exchange. When I turn around, everyone is watching, all with identical looks of amusement. I want to die of embarrassment, trying to hide my extremely reddened cheeks behind my curtain of hair.

"Enjoyed the show, truly," Talia sarcastically quips. "But we should probably get a move on if we want to be there on time." I nod, accepting my clutch from Veronica's outstretched hands whilst trying to ignore the smirk she is sending my way.

We all walk out of the apartment, my hand enclasped firmly with Miles as we make our way to the garage. Thankfully, we are all riding in Talia's over-the-top black Escalade, which doesn't seem so impractical now that we have a party of seven to transport.

Before Talia can unlock her vehicle though, she turns to Miles and me with a witty smirk on her lips. I frown, wondering what snarky comment she's about to drop, though when the words leave her lips, I'm regretting my wonder in the first place.

"Please refrain from getting naked in the backseat. I just had the car cleaned."

• • •

Helena's house is something out of a fairytale. It's huge, practically built like a castle, if that even does it justice. I've always admired the houses on Long Island, but this one has to take the cake, much to my disappointment.

Another reason why she's more than perfect.

Talia pulls her Escalade around the circle driveway, a valet worker standing guard, ready to take people's keys. Everyone bustling into the grand entrance of Helena's home is dressed to the nines, women wearing long, almost princess-style gowns while the men wear tuxedos and suits.

"Wow," Monica says breathlessly, her arm folded into Wesley's as she stares at the sprawling home before her.

Veronica nudges my arm, and I look to see she's discreetly pointing to the entrance. I follow her gaze, my throat constricting when I notice Sebastian leaning against a large flower pot, smiling as he greets the guests entering. Helena stands beside him, in the middle of hugging a woman, her laughter spilling from her lips. She looks gorgeous. She's wearing an all-white gown that falls to her feet, spreading around on the floor. She looks as if it's her wedding day and not her birthday. Sebastian has on a forest green tuxedo, and from here, I can tell that it's a velvet material. His blonde hair curls around his forehead, in a way that used to make me want to run my fingers through it.

As if feeling my eyes, he looks away from the person he'd been talking to, his blue eyes capturing my brown ones. I don't look away, not even when his smile disappears, a deep frown replacing it.

I feel Miles move to stand next to me, his hand snaking around my waist. I finally break my gaze to look over at him. He's giving me a gentle smile, a comfort that relaxes me instantly. "Ready?" he asks, lips brushing against my ear. I nod, setting my shoulders back as we all walk towards the entrance.

As I near, Helena's head snaps up. Her eyes roam over everyone in the group before landing on me. The grin she shoots me is cold, almost making me want to turn around and head right back into the city, but I keep my ground. Digging out the invitation from my purse, I hold it out for the security to check, almost sighing in relief when he gestures for me to continue. I don't know why, but I was half expecting the invite to be a fake, some form of a practical joke that Helena can laugh at as we are thrown out before even stepping foot inside.

"Evie," Helena greets, grabbing my arms and pulling me into her. She breezily kisses both of my cheeks and I try not to recoil from the contact. "You made it!"

I nod, watching as everyone else ventures inside, leaving Helena and me alone to converse. I notice Miles hanging back, never letting his eyes move from mine. "Of course, it's your birthday after all."

Helena smirks. "Might be my favorite one so far." I can hear the double meaning in her words, and I furrow my brows. I decide not to question it, not wanting to be stuck in this conversation with her for too long.

"Sorry, I didn't bring you a gift." She waves away my apology that isn't too sincere, my voice lacking compassion.

"Don't worry, your presence is enough of a gift for me."

"Helena."

We both look over to see Sebastian glaring at her, his blue eyes narrowed in irritation. She purses her lips, giving him a halfhearted shrug in return and I look between them, confusion written all over my face.

I step away from the birthday girl and Sebastian, walking

around them and towards Miles. I can feel both their gazes on my back, and for once, I don't care. My lips twitch into a smile as I grab Miles's outstretched hand.

"You good?" he asks tentatively, brushing a stray hair from my face.

I nod, leading him farther into the makeshift ballroom that is insanely huge. A live band is on stage, softly strumming their guitars as light music fills the space. I spot a bar in the far corner, already itching for an alcoholic beverage of some kind, any kind.

"Do you want something to drink?" I ask Miles, jabbing a finger in the direction of the bar.

"Sure."

I untangle my fingers from him, telling him I'll be right back before making my way across the floor. I tug the hem of my dress up, not wanting to step on it and go crashing to the ground. I almost make it to the bartender when I feel a hand brush my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

"I thought I said you shouldn't come."

i was originally going to make helena's party one chapter but i'm splitting it to try to not have too long of a word count.

but any predictions? why do you think seb didn't want evie to come? what do you think is going to happen?

also, im currently back at college for my last year and then i will be a full-fledged adult (oh my god). i will try to keep pushing out chapters but they may be a bit slower than usual now :(