I hear a knock on my apartment door and my heart stutters in my chest. Surely that’s not him picking me up? I’ve wasted a lot of the day mooching around trying to put a plan together, but surely I still have time?
I check my watch. It’s only five pm.
Did I get the time wrong? Did Tate say it was an early dinner?
I head to the door, my heart racing, but when I look through the peephole, it’s not him. It’s Tanya, looking impatient, banging on my door once again, making me jump.
“Hey! Let me in! I need to tell you about last night!”
I don’t want to let her in. I don’t even want to speak to her. But I know she will just continue to make a fuss until I let her in, so I open the door and let her inside. She begins talking so fast that I don’t even bother to try and keep up with what she’s saying. This is my night, not hers, and I have to plan an outfit. I head back to the closet, my back to her, and keep sifting through my clothes. When she finally catches on that I’m not listening she snaps her fingers behind me.
“Um, hello? Are you even listening to me, Macy?”
“Not really,” I mutter, my eyes still glued to the dress. I hear her huff behind me.
“You’re being rude, Macy. I came here to tell you everything about last night.”
“You wouldn’t need to tell me about it if you’d stayed with me,” I snap, turning around. It’s not right what she did leaving me alone like that my first time going to a bar. Thankfully Tate made me realize that I’m not the issue, she is, and now it’s time to stand up for myself. After all, she’s the one pushing me to the edge.
She blinks at me in shock.
“Excuse me?”
“I was on my own in that bar. I’ve never even been to one before, and you know that. You said you’d look out for me, that we’d have a good time together, and then you just disappeared.”
“I found a guy! Why are you making this all about you? Why can’t you loosen up already?”
I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from screaming at her. How can she imply that I’m the selfish one? But I don’t want to hear any more. I turn back to my closet and carry on looking, hoping she’ll take the hint and leave, but she doesn’t. She just watches me, trying to figure out what I’m doing.
She sighs. “What are you looking for?”
I don’t really want to talk to her, but I also kind of want to let her know that I have a date. A date with an absolute sex god.
“An outfit for a date,” I say casually. I expect her to have something nice to say, but she just snorts at my response.
“A date? How did you end up with a date?”
My heart sinks. I should’ve known she wouldn’t be happy for me. Whenever something good comes my way, she makes everything about how terrible her life is. She was never going to like hearing that a man might actually like me.
“I met a guy after you left me. He brought me home,” I tell her.
“Babe, that’s an Uber driver, not a date.”
I feel my cheeks heat. How could she say something so hurtful?
Well, I’ll show her. I clench my fists and turn around with a smile.
“Maybe you can help me pick something to wear for dinner tonight. And then you can see me off. He’s going to pick me up later.”
I feel a little smug. The second she sees my date, she’ll be gobsmacked. Besides, I could use her hair and makeup skills before I cut the cord on this toxic friendship.
She folds her arms. “Huh. Alright then, you’re on.”
“What would you wear for a fancy dinner date?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes. “It’s got to be the green dress. Besides that, you have nothing else. All your clothes are, like, so frumpy.”
I can’t argue with that. She’s right. It’s got to be the green dress.
I have to be bold if I want to feel sexy and confident. That’s the kind of woman that will attract a man like Tate, right? A woman who knows how to love herself. That’s far from me right now, but I have to start somewhere. The green dress is the one.
I get dressed and let Tanya straighten my curls, sweeping makeup across my face as she retells her saga about the guy she met at the bar. I pretend to listen this time, but I daydream of Tate and our date tonight. I have no idea where he’s taking me or what tonight will hold for us, but one thing is for sure, the second he pulls up in his car, Tanya is going to have the shock of her life.