AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I have the latest gossip for you, Ava.
Ava, Ava, Ava…
I love the attention, the hungry gazes, the irresistible need to satisfy my every whim, every need, every demand.
I blow them kisses and wink at a few of the guys, whose names I can barely remember.
It’s all part of my defense mechanism. My charm, my looks, my popularity.
I’m whatever they want me to be. A flirt. A social butterfly. A useless prodigy.
Anything. Everything.
As long as I confiscate their attention. I don’t mind.
Attention keeps the emptiness at bay.
More importantly, the boisterous compliments and not-so-innocent touches ward off dark thoughts.
Even temporarily.
My best friend, Cecily, abandons the shot of tequila on a table and continues pushing her way through the crowd with me in tow.
I tug on her hand, pull her to a stop, and wrap my arms around her neck, swaying to the loud club music. “Come on, let’s dance!”
“This isn’t my scene, Ava.”
“Please, Cecy. For me?” I bat my lashes and twirl her around.
She sighs and moves slowly, in no way matching my energy. I wiggle my hips, and the shimmering pink of my dress catchesthe strobing lights. My skirt is so short, people behind me must catch a front-row view of my arse.
Some guys hoot and I blow them kisses, throwing my head back with laughter, falling into the intoxication. The madness.
The nothingness.
Some guys surround us and Cecily tenses, her hands coming protectively around my waist.
I used to take this subtle change lightly before, but not anymore. This time, I’m the one who pushes the swarming bees out of the way, then drag my friend through a hall that leads to the toilets.
The dark walls are decorated with grunge neon signs of London, the red lighting casting a warm glow on the otherwise dim space.
The chaos filters behind us, the music lowers a notch, and Cecily releases a breath as she leans against the wall.
“Ready to go home?” she asks slowly, almost hopefully.
“You know the exact answer to that.” I pinch her cheek. “You go. I know you don’t like these scenes.”
“There’s no way in hell I’m leaving you here alone when you’re half drunk, Ava. This club is in the middle of nowhere and gives off sketchy vibes. No clue why you came all the way here.”
“Something different from the usual Soho places. I’m all for adventures.”
“Are you sure this isn’t about your latest participation in the international cello competition?”
Phantom pain squeezes my chest, but I put on my best smile. “Nope. Maybe I wasn’t made for classical music and should switch to DJing. It’s much more fun anyway.”
“Ava…” She’s interrupted by a group of drunk girls giggling and swaying their way between us to the toilet queue.
Cecily takes my hand in hers. “Want to buy some junk food and rewatchBridget Jones's Diary?”
