Chapter 1
Royal's pov
Eli!" I shouted to catch my best friend's attention as she stepped out of her workplace. Her face lit up when she saw me and she rushed over to engulf me in a hug.
"I've missed you so much, my lady," she said as she patted my back.
"Don't be dramatic. We met two weeks ago. How was your day?" I replied.
She stood up straight and then flung her hair back. "It was fine. Not really fine, but at least better than yesterday," she said as she flung her bag over her shoulder.
"Let's go make ourselves happy," I sang in a playful manner and grabbed her shoulder, walking us toward the Uber that had brought me there.
"It's only Royal that calls spending from her savings making herself happy," she sang playfully.
"Don't worry. I might regret it later, or I might not, because I'm standing on the 'you only get to live once' motto tonight. What if I don't get to spend my money before I die?" I said as I reached for the car handle.
"I don't know why you're so high on energy tonight, but I know there's no stopping you," she said as she tried to fix her makeup.
"No, you won't be stopping me," I replied, "because firstly, we are going to Luxe, and then we're hitting the club right after."
"I guess it's going to be a crazy time," she shrugged.
"Now you're in it with me," I replied as the car came to a stop in front of the clothing mall. I paid the cab driver, and we headed into Luxe.
"We have to save time to get to the club early. Should we meet in the dressing room in fifteen minutes?" I asked her.
"Sure. That's a good idea," she said as she walked to the last aisle.
I walked toward the jeans rack. Eli and I are best friends, but we have different tastes in everything. That's why we complete each other. I chose a brown stone-washed knicker, and I did a happy little clap in my head.
I turned to the tops section, but I wasn't satisfied with what I had been seeing for the past five minutes. I stood on my toes so I could reach the top rack when my phone rang, and I stumbled backward into a shelf. A wave of panic rushed through me as I struggled to regain my balance.
The shelf wavered a little, and I turned back to grab it immediately, only to realize the shelf had two legs and smelled so good. My eyes widened in shock, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment.
I glanced up to see a man with a handsome face and a stern look. For a split second, I forgot to breathe. He was annoyingly handsome.
"Watch where you're going," the stern-faced man said.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I was trying to reach the top rack, but my ringtone distracted me," I apologized, forcing myself to stay calm despite the embarrassment crawling under my skin.
"What are you, two? Who doesn't look where they're going?" he said angrily.
His words stung, and the embarrassment I felt disappeared almost instantly, replaced by irritation.
"I didn't know we have eyes at the back of our heads now. Maybe you should enlighten me more on that," I replied, annoyed, folding my arms as I refused to let him make me feel small.
Does he think he's important just because he has a handsome face?
"I'm not the cause of your misery, mister. Just let it go." I glared hard at him, silently daring him to say another word.
The man muttered something under his breath before storming off with his uptight attitude.
I let out a slow breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
"Babe." I turned to see Eli coming toward me. "I've been waiting for the past five minutes," she said as she came closer.
"Sorry. I mistakenly collided with a handsome bully," I said as I reached for the top I had been trying to reach earlier before I stumbled back.
"Stupid handsome man," I muttered to myself.
"Why don't you stop calling him a handsome man?" Eli asked with a smile on her face.
"Well, he's mean, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate God's creation," I shrugged.
We went into the dressing room and changed into our new clothes, with Eli making fun of my knicker and crop top.
We got to the club, showed the bouncer our ID cards before he approved our entry.
A lot of people were on the dance floor, rocking and swaying their bodies together. I don't think I'd be able to do that with a clear head unless I got a few glasses of whiskey into my system. I'm not really a lover of alcohol, but I love to run wild once in a while.
"What can I get you ladies?" the bartender asked.
"You can surprise me with something strong and wild," I replied.
The bartender turned to Eli to take her order. My friend has no filter at all because she's already eye-f*****g the poor guy. One thing I know is they'll be naked in bed—or anywhere else—anytime soon if the guy is interested.
Eli likes to keep things casual, both s*x and relationships, while I, on the other hand, belong to the fantasy world. I have attachment issues, and I love love, which many men are not ready to give. I've been single for three years, which is why I'd rather stick to giving myself release whenever my body wants it.
The guy handed us our drinks, and I turned around on the bar stool to scan the club. I made eye contact with someone who seemed to have been watching me before I turned around.
