Here is a story for you. It happened over the course of a night and I will never forget it. This isn't one of those oh my gosh my life was ruined last night stories, nor is it an O.M.G. you won't believe what happened last night story.

No this is a story about a girl I met. If everything hadn't gone so horribly wrong, I never would have met her. You see I am a firm believer in destiny, fate, whatever you want to call it. I say everything happens for a reason. Life has plans for us, people we are supposed to meet at certain points in our life. A series of bad choices led me down a path and then a series of events led me to her.

Let me start at the beginning. I'm a girl with nothing going for her. I know we all like to think that we are all a person with nothing, but everyone has something. That one thing that makes them stand out in a crowd. Not me.

I am the third wheel. I am the girl that takes the picture rather than be in it. I am the one everyone forgets is even in the room. I am the girl whose name no one remembers. I am the number in the group message that no one knows. I am a dime a dozen, there is nothing significant about me. I am a nobody. I always have been and probably always will be.

I don't really mind though. I mean that's the role I was meant to play. I am satisfied with my life how it is. Although this one night did make me question all of that.

I grew up in a suburban home with a nuclear family. I am the middle child everyone forgets about. I graduated high school with average grades and went straight into community college because I am not good enough for a university. I turned 19 last week, not that anyone really noticed. My dad works at a tax firm, my mom is a middle school teacher. I moved out when I was 18 into an apartment closer to the community college. I live with a roommate. She is one of those girls.

Those girls who are always laughing at something on their phone. Those girls who do their make-up and pose in the mirror for no apparent reason. Those girls who always have a Starbucks drink in hand and a piece of gum in their mouth. Those girls who talk so loud your ears ring. Those girls whose laugh wakes you up from a dead sleep, like something from a horror film. Those girls who only order a salad but then eat 2/3rds of their boyfriend's food. The girl everyone knows and no one knows at the same time. The girl that starts a group message, who's name is so generic you have to put them in your phone as something else or you would get them mixed up. The only child, the world revolves around me kind of girl.

We get along for the most part. Although lately, she has been bothering me more. Especially on that night. Her name is Heather, big surprise I know. She just turned 21 that night. So she wanted to celebrate the way any girl like her would want to celebrate their 21st birthday. She wanted to go out. Fine by me, she never includes me in her plans, ever!

The one and only reason she invited me that time was because she needed a designated driver.

It was a usual night for me. I had just gotten off work from my shift at the local burger joint known as Fatties Patties. I walked in wearing my messy work uniform. Black slacks covered in grease and flour. My nonslip black shoes covered in shredded cheese and mustard. My Fatties shirt soaked from the dishes I had washed just before clocking out. My hair all messy looking from the hat I had just taken off.

"Amara!" she jumped out right in front of me.

"Ah. What? What is it? Did you see a rat again?" I look around.

Because that is the only time this girl will ever talk to me.

"No! Today is my birthday."

"Oh, well happy birthday. You should have come to Fatties they give out a free double fatty for birthdays. Plus a shake."

"Ew gross." She followed me as I walked to my room.

I sighed and took off my belt and kicked my mustardy shoes off.

"Tonight I am going to celebrate, we are going out! Eee! I'm so excited." She squealed like a pig.

"Yay! Have fun, I have a date with sitcoms and my leftover cheesy fatty." I held up my doggy bag.

"Ew, please stop saying fatty, I hate that word. Anyways by we, I mean you too. You are coming with me." she declared.

"I am?" I let my pants fall to the floor.

"Yes! It is my birthday and all my friends must come. Even you. Now change into something, actually shower first you smell like... I don't even know. Just make yourself presentable because we are going out tonight!" she whooped and turned to leave.

"Uhh, no thanks," I said.

She stopped dead in her tracks. The thing about Heathers is that no is not a word they can process. They can say no to you all day long, but the moment you tell them no it's like a switch goes off, they cannot compute.

"No? What do you mean no, yes, you are coming with me. You have to." She whirled around to face me.

"Why? I just got off work, I'm tired." I pouted.

"Who cares! This is my birthday and I need a designated driver. Who better than my super awesome reliable roommate? Plus there might be something in it for you."

I sighed and flung my shirt off before plopping into my recliner I keep in my room, designated for plopping and opening my leftover Fatties. I pulled out the cheesy dripping goodness and opened my mouth.

"Hey! Listen to me." she smacked the burger from my hands. It plopped on my work pants.

"Hey! I was eating that." I picked it up.

"You have to come, you just have to." She whined.

"No, leave me alone." I took a bite as cheese dripped onto my bra.

She made a face.

"Look, Amara, you have to come, you just have to. Do you want to sit in your underwear and be a loser all night, or do you want to go out and party with a bunch of awesome people! I bet you could even meet a really cute guy. I could totally be your wing woman. Come on, if you just sit in your room all day you will get as fat as those burgers and waste away to nothing. I am offering you a chance at a real-life here." She said.

I sighed, I knew she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"You need to put yourself out there, let go every once in a while. No more Fatties and sitcoms. You need to get out there and show the world what Amara is made of. So come on, get up and get a move on." She clapped in my face.

I glared at her.

"Fine, whatever just let me eat in peace," I grumbled.

"Yes! We leave in an hour!" she sang as she skipped to her room.

I rolled my eyes.

I shoved my burger into my mouth in one big bite then I walked to the shower because I reeked of Fatties signature aroma. Which is a mixture of grease, pickles, cheese, and fatty fries. A good smell when you are hungry, not so much when you are going out in public.

After my shower, while standing in my room wrapped in a towel, I examined my closet. Only then realizing I don't exactly have clothes for "going out". I put on a plain bra and a black t-shirt over it. Then I put on some jeans that had giant holes in the knees. Not on purpose but because I wore them once to my little brother's baseball game and he made me practice with him. I went in for a slide for a base run, I was called out.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I have definitely gained some weight since working at Fatties Patties. Not a lot just enough to give me some pudge that I can gather between my fingers and pinch. I am beyond pale mostly because the only time I go outside is to take out the trash at work. Also, all the grease makes my skin look oily even after a shower. I was on the verge of a severe acne breakout. It hadn't quite come through that night, thank god, but a few nights later I was pizza face. My hair is dingy and dry, a medium brown color. I straightened it because I had no clue what else to do with it. For makeup I just put on some light black eyeliner and mascara, Chapstick on my lips and a little bit of foundation, just to cover some acne scars. Then I slipped on my grey hoodie and my black combat boots and walked into the living room.

Heather came out of her room wearing a tight blue dress and silver heels. Her brown hair is a lot prettier than mine, a soft light brown color. Her makeup was all done up. She looked like some extra you would see in a rap music video. She made a face at my clothes.

"You look like your going to a funeral." She snarked.

"I am, a funeral to the little free time I have left," I said.

She rolled her eyes.

She grabbed her car keys and we were off. She picked up her friends and talked on the phone to some other friends the whole way there. I sat in the back looking out the window. None of them paid any mind to me. I was in a car full of Heathers, Jessicas, and Ashleys, only one Amara.

We got there and the moon was high in the sky. All the girls piled out and cheered as they walked towards the club. Heather put the keys in her purse. I walked after her and trailed in the back. She took lots of pictures with her friends before actually walking in. I tried to follow her but the bouncer stopped me.

"I.D." he demanded with his big hand outstretched at me.

"Uhhh..." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet. Then I handed him my I.D.

He eyed it.

"You can't come in here, 21 and over." He said.

"But I'm not even here to drink. I'm just here as the designated driver." I said.

"Then you can wait, out here." He shoved my i.d. back into my hands and pushed me out of the way so other people could get in.

I sighed and sat on the street curb. After about half an hour Heather came out looking for me.

"There you are, where's your phone?" she asked.

"My phone?"

"Yes!" she hissed.

I pulled it out of my pocket and she snatched it out of my hand.

"I'm borrowing it, I just need to take some pictures. I'll be back." She ran inside.

"Heather!"

I tried to chase after her but once again the bouncer stopped me. we eyed each other like two cowboys about to dual. Then I slowly backed away and sat back on the curb. It was adding up to be one of the worst nights of my life.

So I waited and waited and waited. I got up and peeked over the bouncer to see if I could see Heather. He purposely moved in the way. I glared at him.

"Please, I just need to talk to my friend. I think I see her."

"21 and over." He repeated.

I sighed.

"What's that over there!" I pointed.

He turned to look and I dashed past him.

"Hey!" he called after me.

"Heather!?" I looked around.

It was jam-packed.

"Heather!" I called.

I swear a sea of heathers turned to look at me.

I pushed my way through and looked around. She was nowhere to be found. Only then did I see that the club had a back exit also guarded by a bouncer. She could have very well walked off to some other club.

I sighed and turned around. I bumped right into the bouncer.

"Hehe." I smiled nervously.

He grabbed me by the arm and hauled me out of there, throwing me out the back. I fell on my butt.

"Don't let her in here." He told the other bouncer before walking back to the front.

I got up and dusted myself off. The other bouncer eyed me. I glared at him before walking off to investigate. I looked for places Heather was sure to go and started there. again and again, I would get thrown out or blocked from entering because I was not yet 21. Before I knew it I was completely lost in the sea of clubs and bars.

"Damn it," I muttered and looked around trying to find my way back.

I passed a bar with shouting and yelling going on. I glanced inside my natural curiosity getting the best of me.

"This is the last time!" someone shouted.

"Yeah well fuck you!" a girl shouted back.

"Get out of here!" he pushed her.

She stumbled back and fell into me.

I caught her in my arms and steadied her. She huffed and straightened herself out.

"Thanks." She said quietly.

"Look out!" I pushed her out of the way as the guy threw what looked like a guitar at her. It clattered to the floor and broke. Then he threw an amp at her too. People in the bar cheered. She sighed.

She looked to be having as shitty of a night if not shittier than me.

"Asshole!" she shouted towards the bar. Then she began to clean up the mess. She ran a stressed-out hand through her black hair.

I watched as she pulled out a cigarette from her pocket and lit it before sticking it between her lips. She had a very cliché look to her. Leather jacket, sunglasses to hide her eyes even though it's dark out. Stonewashed grey jeans and black slip-on shoes. Her nails were short to the nub and her fingers looked worn and callused.

I bent down to help her out. I mean just because I was having a shitty night didn't mean she had to as well.

"Thanks." She blew smoke in the air.

"No problem," I said.

"So you here alone?"

"Something like that." I helped gather the pieces to the busted up amp.

"Solo girl huh, did you come to see the show?" she indicated to the bar.

"Oh uh, no, I'm actually just passing by, I was looking for someone."

"Instead you found me, a hot mess." She chuckled.

"Guess so." I picked up the amp.

She stood with the busted guitar.

"I'm—" I began to introduce myself.

"Nope," She cut me by pointing the busted guitar at me, "I'll just call you solo."

"Okay."

"You can call me Riff, or maybe rift now." She chuckled as she began to walk.

"Riff, I like it." I followed her.

She blew smoke in the air.

We walked over to the dumpster and she tossed the guitar inside.

"Is it really unsavable?" I frowned.

"Who knows, not like I have money to fix it. Plus I just officially got kicked out of my band so..." she took the amp from my hands and tossed it to.

She sighed and leaned against the dumpster sticking her hands in her pockets as she blew out some smoke.

"Hey solo, you want to get out of here?" she asked.

I looked her up and down. She certainly looked like bad news, but there was just something about her. Plus I didn't really feel like hunting for Heather all night. So for some unknown reason, like I was possessed or something, I said,

"Sure."