This is the fourth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, and Part III before continuing.
While trying to sort out how I feel about Jake’s insistence on having sex with me but not just me, I check in with my girls to see how things are going on their front.
Sophie: She’s deleted her Instagram account.
What? That’s huge! I open Instagram and look for her account, but can’t find it. I Google her name, just to be sure. If she had blocked us on Instagram, but not deleted her account, it would still show up in a Google search. I even do a search of her name with Sabrina Carpenter to see if that heinous post of hers appears in the search results, but nope. It’s gone.
I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s over. I won.
I still have to handle Jake, but I no longer have to fight this battle on two fronts.
Me: Well done, girls! Let’s go out tonight to celebrate.
Madison: Yes! Where?
Ashley: New club around the corner from my place. They don’t check ID.
Me: Perfect. 7?
All my girls give thumbs-up emojis and the date is set.
Even though I’m not going out with Jake, I still dress up. Tonight is a victory and I feel like dressing like a victor.
So I have my hair and makeup done, my silver sequined halter top, black, skin-tight pants, and heels that make my legs look like they go on for days.
I walk in feeling like a million bucks, instinctively throwing my arms wide when Ashley arrives. We embrace, rocking back and forth as we hold each other.
“Congrats on your victory,” she says into my ear.
“I couldn’t have done it without you,” I say as I give her a squeeze.
She gives me a squeeze in return, then pulls out of the embrace and holds me at arm’s length to look me up and down. “You look amazing.”
I give a little curtsy, rolling my eyes as if to say, What can you do when you’re naturally gorgeous?
Although I hate shifting the conversation away from me, especially when I’m getting compliments, I’ve been waiting for this all day and I’m ready to get the party started. “Let’s get some drinks.”
She nods, then looks doubtful. “Do you have money?”
I roll my eyes, then gesture to my body, dressed to impress as it is. She nods her understanding and I head to the bar to get a lonely guy to buy us drinks.
It doesn’t take long, but by the time I make my way back to Ashley, Madison and Sophie have already arrived.
They throw their hands in the air to celebrate my victory, and I try to reciprocate without spilling any of the drinks. I mostly succeed, but I’m too happy to care.
We all toast to my success, then head out to the dance floor. Sophie volunteers to be the first to stay behind and watch our drinks and purses.
The first song is “Golden” from K-Pop Demon Hunters, and I’m so excited I’m already dancing before I even get to the dance floor. I love this song so much, and it perfectly encapsulates my mood for the night.
That mood does not last long.
As we get back to our seats, sweaty and breathless, Sophie is pale and still as a statue.
I’m having so much fun with the other girls, I don’t even notice until Ashley says, “Soph, what’s wrong?”
Sophie looks up from her phone, her face bloodless as she says. “Addie committed suicide.”
To be continued…