CHAPTER 3
“Ohhh it’s such a relief. I can finally breathe now. I hate exams”, Sarah grumbled. Since the minute they had come out of the exam hall, Sarah had been yapping about it non-stop. “I have no idea how I did today but I swear if I don’t pass these exams, I’ll quit college. I can’t do it again, not without you anyway”.
“Will you stop it? God! You’re a nightmare girl”. Raegan sighed. “You’ll be okay. You’re not going to fail, I promise”. She held her best friend’s hands for further reassurance.
“You better be right” Sarah said acting like a petulant kid, which; most of the times she was.
“Let’s go to The Devil’s Horn to celebrate the end of exams. What say you?” Raegan tempted Sarah with one thing she knew would definitely brighten her friend’s mood. And she was right, Sarah’s whole face lit up, “I thought you’d never say”.
“Oh it’s not like you didn’t know I’d say this. Besides we need to talk”.
“It’s a girl’s night of course we’ll talk” Sarah said matter of factly.
“Yeah only if you’re sober enough to distinguish between me talking and that damn cat of yours. Which, I highly doubt”.
Sarah cackled.
“Have I told you enough times that I hate that bloody cat?” Raegan scrunched up her nose.
“Darling you hate every single cat that is born on this planet. And yeah you’ve mentioned this about only a million times”. Sarah rolled her eyes.
“Well why shouldn’t I? They are moody little brats”.
“Girl you have some serious issues if you’re holding grudges against innocent animals”.
“Innocent? Sarah there isn’t anything remotely innocent about that little devil wrapped in fur”.
“Ughh fine let’s get going already”.
Raegan’s smile was superior in answer. Sarah rolled her eyes.
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“Hey, come see, does my hair look okay?” Sarah hollered from the bathroom.
“Honey even if you don’t comb your hair for a week, they’d still look great. You know that. Stop fussing. It’s just another night out”.
“Yeah but who knows, maybe there’s a gorgeous piece of meat there tonight, for me to nibble on”. She sounded like she’s doing exactly that in her head.
“You won’t just nibble on him sweetheart; you’ll devour him in a single bite”.
“You know me so well Ray”. Sarah snickered.
“Now come and help me get MY hair done. My arms are aching now”.
“Hang on a sec”.
Sarah came out with one perfectly done smoky eye and started on Raegan’s hair.
“Man, you’re so damn good at smoky eyes. I almost want to take your eye out and preserve it for educational purposes”.
“Not a good image creep”. Once done, Sarah fluffed Raegan’s hair and went back to the bathroom. Raegan had selected a mid-thigh black sheath dress with stiletto boots… her long red hair in curls that came all the way down her back. Dark smoky eyes of her own and a nude lip color completed her face. A black dragon shaped bracelet was wrapped around her wrist in coils; like the dragon was curling its body around her wrist.
Where Raegan was all Goth, Sarah came out wearing a shimmery dull gold spaghetti strapped dress with matching heels and a messy honey blonde bun. With smoky eyes she had on a blood red lip color. She was ready for slayin’… they both were.
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A group of four guys from college football team was there and they had approached Raegan and Sarah and asked to sit with them… so they had… and had really enjoyed the company. And afterwards all six of them had danced until they couldn’t breathe anymore. The guys were good and respectful… all of them… which was a pleasant surprise. Because the football team in their high school was made up of the worst kind of jerks. They had enjoyed with these guys. Contact numbers were exchanged with the promise of meeting again during the vacations.
After gulping down shots, ogling every pretty boy in vicinity, and dancing like maniacs… they stumbled out of the club laughing their asses off because Sarah was just hit on by an under-aged cutie with a fake id. Now that they were headed home Raegan was becoming nervous because she knew Sarah would blow a gasket when she told her what she had planned.
Both of their fathers were partners in their jewelry business and friends… so were their mothers. So naturally Sarah and Raegan became friends as well, having been born only a couple of months apart. She had never really needed another friend because she had Sarah and now she was going to ditch her to fulfill her own dream. With no idea whatsoever about how she was going to broach the subject, Raegan blew out a breath and decided to just go with the flow.
Once inside her apartment they took turns taking a shower and changed into sweats. And apparently Sarah hadn’t forgotten about her comment to have a talk about something because she said, “So what did you wanna talk about?”
“Nothing.” She chickened out.
“Okay, then why are you pacing around making my eyes hurt and wringing your hands?” Sarah said narrowing her eyes… her arms folded across her chest in her typical interrogation style.
Gathering up courage Raegan sat on the opposite corner of the bed from her best friend who would soon grow claws. “Please don’t kill me but I need a favor”.
“I’m listening”.
“I’m not coming with you guys on the trip.” She replied, lifting her arms in front of her face to ward off the attack which was going to come as soon as her news set in.
“Come again?” Sarah said very slowly.
“Look, it was a very big and once in a life time opportunity. I just couldn’t let it go. It’s an expedition with James Hunt, Sarah… James freakin’ Hunt. You know how big of a sucker I am for that guy. I signed up for it before our plan and I didn’t think my application would even get the approval because it’s only 15 people from all around the States. But I got picked up and how can I miss it?” She turned pleading eyes towards her friend, willing her to understand.
James Hunt was a world renowned archaeologist who, at the age of 55, now led chosen archaeology students on tours to selected sites. And to get the opportunity to hike through the Appalachian Trail with him was just a cherry on top. So this trip to Virginia was one she just couldn’t miss. And now she had to convince her best friend to let her go and talk to her parents as well, who after Raegan’s parents died, had not let her feel alone at all, trying in their own capacity to fill the shoes of parenthood for her along with Sarah.
“Don’t make those puppy dog eyes on me missy they won’t do you any good. Did you even think about how hurt mom and dad would be?” Sarah tried guilt tripping her.
“Please dude, help me out here. I need you to handle them for me. You know I’ll blow it so badly. Please?” she pleaded.
“And why would I do that when you’re so blatantly ditching me?”
“Because you love me? Pretty please?” Raegan tried once again, “You know how important this is for me and also for my career”.
“Alright, alright… I’ll take care of mom and dad but what’s in it for me ditcher?”
“You name it and it’ll be done. I promise”. Raegan grinned as an idea came to her mind which, she knew, her friend would never be able to ignore, “what do you think about going to Vegas? Just you and me…” and as she had predicted; Sarah’s eyes gleamed with delight and Raegan knew that she had won.