Chapter 2 A Night To Unwind

Aria slammed the door behind her, the sound echoing down the hallway. Her aunt's voice had just faded from the room, another lecture about responsibility, discipline, and how Aria's attitude toward her studies needed correcting. Her aunt, Mrs. Evangeline Hale, sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. How did a sweet, obedient girl like her turn into this? she wondered. Aria didn't care. Not today. She strode out of the house, ignoring the afternoon sun and the neighbors' curious glances. She just needed to breathe and to get as far away from her aunt as possible.

She arrived at her best friend Lili's house a few blocks away and let herself in without knocking. Lili looked up from the couch, eyebrows raised. "Another quarrel with your aunt?" Lili asked, smiling knowingly. Aria rolled her eyes dramatically. "You could say that." She marched straight to the fridge, yanking it open and grabbing a cold soda. She popped the cap with a snap and took a long sip. "She just won't leave me alone!" Aria complained, pacing a little. "She keeps acting like she's my mom, telling me what to do, what not to do... I'm an adult! I know what I want for myself!" Lili sighed, getting up from the couch. She walked over and gently took Aria's hand. "Maybe in your aunt's eyes," she said, trying not to laugh, "you're still five years old." Aria pushed her away, chuckling as she took another sip. "Yeah, right," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Lili grinned, undeterred. "Anyway... I got something to cheer you up." Aria raised a brow, curious despite herself. Lili dug in her bag and pulled out a small, shiny envelope. "A ticket invite. Guess what?" Aria leaned against the counter. "To what?" "A party. Hosted by Andrew Coleman." Lili's eyes sparkled with mischief. "You know... the billionaire businessman? The one all the wealthy elites will be attending?" Aria blinked. "Uh... no. Never heard of him. How did you get the invite?" Lili laughed, tossing the envelope at her. "You forgot that your dad has connections with these people? I saw the man's secretary hand him the invite. Since he won't attend, I grabbed it instead." Aria laughed, taking the envelope and examining it. "You're such a thief," she teased. Lili frowned dramatically. "I'm not taking you to a party again if you say that." Aria chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry... while laughing, of course." "Good," Lili said, smiling. "At least tonight, we'll have something to unwind about." "And seriously," Aria said, spinning around the kitchen, "do you realize who's going to be there? Billionaires, CEOs, actors, probably people who have private jets for breakfast!" Lili laughed. "Exactly. We might as well act rich ourselves. Fancy dresses, sparkling heels, the works!" Aria flopped onto the couch dramatically. "Ugh, I don't even know where to start. I don't have a gown that screams 'I'm the girl you can't ignore!'" Lili waved a hand. "Don't worry. I already scouted a few boutiques online. We can make you a stunner. Something red, maybe? Shows confidence. And you can't go wrong with heels that click when you walk. Every rich guy in the room will notice." Aria laughed, nearly spilling her soda. "Heels? You want me hobbling all night? I need to be able to run if the party gets boring!" Lili elbowed her playfully. "No excuses, miss. You'll survive. Besides, it's not every day you get to sip champagne and look at yachts on Instagram while pretending you belong there." Aria tilted her head, thinking. "Okay... fine. But what about you? What are you wearing?" Lili smirked. "I was thinking emerald green. Classic, elegant, but not over the top. Paired with some killer heels and maybe, just maybe a necklace that will make the cameras hungry." Aria grinned. "Perfect. Then we'll both look irresistible." They both erupted into laughter, imagining the glitz and glamour. Aria felt a surge of excitement she hadn't felt in weeks. The stresses of school, her aunt's constant nagging, the endless lectures about responsibilities, all of it melted away in that moment. "This is going to be so much fun," Aria said, clapping her hands. "I want the richest, most arrogant guy to see me and realize, yeah, she's the one." Lili laughed. "And maybe he'll actually approach us instead of looking like he's bored." Aria smirked. "Well, I don't settle for boring. He has to impress me first." The girls fell silent for a moment, imagining the night ahead, the music, the sparkling lights, the champagne, the laughter, and the possibility of adventure. Aria smiled. Finally, a night for myself. No lectures, no rules, no expectations... just me. She took another long sip from her drink, excitement bubbling in her chest. Tonight, she would forget the world. Tonight, she would be free. And maybe... just maybe, she would meet someone who could keep up with her.