We took a cab to the party. Passing through Brooklyn bridge as the sun was setting. It's still one of my favorite things to see in the city. Then we headed to a small suburb near the edge of Brooklyn. It was so calm and different from the bustling atmosphere in Manhattan. It reminded me of my old home.

We stopped in front of an old yellow house. The DJ was already blasting T.G.I.F as we entered it. Our arms were interlocked, but I let go to pull my skirt down, unconsciously moving behind Lily. She on the other side, went around hugging everybody, shouting across the room to a group of people who were vibing to the music. Wherever we passed, there seemed to be people she was really good friends with. Lily introduced to a couple of them. All I could do was wave.

The next song started, but everybody was scattered across the house. On beanbags, on the couch, on top of the table. There really was an open bar, and the line was full. There were two bartenders working non-stop.

I followed Lily around awkwardly, trying to avoid the gaze. There's a collective energy that gathers when a lot of people get together. And, when someone from outside arrives, they focus all their energy on analyzing that person. At least that's how I feel most of the times. It's not foreign to be eyed in the city, but it's different when you're the focus.

"Bibi, you're so stiff. Loosen up a little." She whispered to me, "You're about to meet the crew. It's just like the crew from back in high school. There's even a lesbian couple, like you and Jade."

"We didn't date!" I complained, letting go of her arms.

"I'm just messing with you. But you're acting like you've never seen people before." She grabbed me by the shoulders. "That's them right there." She signed with her eyes to a couple of people hanging out.

There was a blonde guy wearing a hoodie with a red solo cup in his hand. Next to him there was a girl with striped thigh highs and black hair styled in a bob. She was poking the face of a pink-haired girl that seemed to be melting in a beanbag.

"Pull yourself together." She grabbed me by the hand and brought me to the circle. The pink-haired girl got up and hugged her. In the meantime, another guy arrived. He was holding three cups.

"Ginger!" He shouted, leaving the cups and embracing her, lifting her up from the ground. He had a beanie and a lush beard. "You really came."

"You don't say that to a lot of girls, do you?" the pink-haired girl said, making the other girl laugh.

"Pretty good Lola." Lily said. Then she grabbed my hand again and pulled me to the middle. "This is my bestie. We're literally sisters." I gave them an awkward wave.

"Wow, you didn't tell me you had a sister." The beanie guy said, checking me out. "I see that hotness runs in the family."

"We're not actually sisters." I said, but it was almost a whisper, "She's just using literally wrong. Anyway, I'm Abigail, but you guys can call me Abbie." I introduced myself, extending my hands to Lola.

She looked at my hands and gave me a high five. She introduced herself and the striped thigh high girl. Her name was Kim. She had a resting bored face. Giving me a fist bump, she sat on the beanbag.

The beanie guy pulled me in for a hug when I extended my hands to him. His name was Man, "short for Manuel." He said. He also mentioned a small company he had, that sold men's beauty products. Which seems to have reminded Lily of my work.

"Oh yeah, Bibi works at Summit. Yeah, THE summit. She's a big boss lady there, so she's super important."

"It's not all that." I explained.

"Summit, huh? So this is the girl you always talk about." the blonde guy appeared in front of me, extending his hand. I gave him mine to shake, but he lifted and kissed it. "The name's Brad." I felt the blood rushing to my face. "So how is it working for Summit?"

"I'm just a sales manager. At the internet service branch even, it's not exciting at all." I tried to change the subject.

"Oh, so you're the one who keeps calling me saying I need to change to 4G." Lola got closer to us again.

In the end, we ended up talking about my work. I tried to take a sip of Lily's beer, to endure talking about my job when I should be off it, but it was the second worse thing I've ever put in my mouth.

Eventually, we changed subjects. Lily said that I should go pick a drink that tastes better. "You don't wanna be the only sober one at the party." She said. I went there, but there were so many options. I ended up just grabbing a soda.

After a while, Brad and I talked, or better, he talked, and I listened. He was in his third year of photography at Art Innovation, the uni Lily went to.

"Yeah. There's all this beauty just out of reach, all across the world, Y'know." He explained, "I take pictures of that and boom. Thousands of people can see it... See through my eyes. Isn't that inspiring?"

"Yeah... I guess."

"I have a dream. Let people see everything." He motioned with his hands, getting closer to me. Our legs were touching. "We're used to seeing what the media shows us. I want to show the real thing. And the beauty behind it, y'know." He finished, at least it seemed like it. "And what about you? What are your dreams?"

My dreams... Since college, I had the dream of making it big, whatever that means. I was pretty lucky, met the right people, and left college with a job already. With hard work, I got transferred to my dream city... I had what I wanted, but... Was it really what I wanted?

"I don't really know." I answered.

"You don't know?" He put his hand on my thigh. "Is there not anything you crave, boss lady?"

The red ropes passed through my mind. The touch. The lack of touch. Is that even a dream? Not that I could ever tell this dude I just met about that, anyway.

"Not really..." I felt him moving his thumb on the outside of my thighs. Looking at Lily, she was tongue deep inside Man's throat. 

"I'm going to the bathroom!" I shouted, getting up and hitting her arm.