C2 Prologue (Part 2)

I closed my eyes for a moment as I realized that I have to get ready. It's already 7:30 PM, and I have to groom myself for the so-called "celebration".

Yeah, right.

I'm 27 now, yet it doesn't feel like it.

Oh, well. At least, I'm still alive.

I shrugged my shoulders as if someone was looking at me. After a couple of minutes, I stood up and directly went to the shower room to bathe myself. I took my time, and I didn't rush. I realized that I should be at ease or be relaxed even for just once; even for just today. I'm giving myself the opportunity to enjoy everything that surrounds me for just one night.

It's just for a night though.

Just one night.

Just like what Feliza said, I wore a sexy black dress. It's backless, and it perfectly hugs my curves. It fits for my porcelain-like skintone. I applied body lotion, and also other essential creams on my face. Sprayed perfume on myself, and then applied a little make up.

I smiled when I saw my reflection on the mirror.

"27, my ass." I laughed on my own before putting on lipstick; crimson red, my favorite shade.

I also curled the ends of my straight black hair, and decided to wear a pair of gold earrings that matches my bracelet. Just a little jewelry on the side, and I'm all set.

After getting ready, I took my phone and texted Feliza.

"I'm all set." I sent,

It didn't take her a while to reply on my message.

"Great! I'm on my way. But before the drinks, we're going to have dinner first."

I smiled after reading her reply.

So, it's going to be a night drinking liquors at a club, huh? I think, I'm going to like that.

I decided to wait for Feliza in the parking lot of the building that I live in. And she wasn't lying when she said that she was on her way.

"Wow, you did wear something sexy."

I spin myself in front of her like a little girl happy to wear her new floral dress. And her eyes trailed every detail of my appearance.

"Hop in, birthday girl. You're going to like my surprise; I'm certain." Feliza winked at me and I immediately took that as a warning.

She's up to something. I can sense it.

I squinted my eyes at her with my arms crossed. "What are you up to?"

She grinned, "Oh, nothing."

I shook my head and decided to just ignore it instead. I sat on the passenger's seat as I buckle up and got my eyes focused on the outside view. Feliza was silent the whole time while I was busy thinking that I'm one of the luckiest people in the world to live in Las Vegas.

And for years and years of dreaming and striving, I finally achieved what I've been yearning for since I was seventeen.

So, it's been a decade now.

A decade since a dreamer got what she's fiending for.

"We're here." Feliza announced as she unfastened her seatbelt. I did the same thing as my eyes roamed outside.

"Wow, Clara's?" I asked with a hint of shock that can be heard by my voice.

Feliza just nodded and got off of the car.

'Clara's' is a popular restaurant across the globe owned by a well-known chef, Clara Lucille Imorgen. She's from Illinois, but her restaurant is freaking everywhere.

And of course, her restaurant is one of my favorites.

I got off of Feliza's car, and I followed her when she entered the restaurant.

There, we ate dinner, we conversed, and we giggled and laughed about a few things that we remembered about other employees at work that are so sour and bitter about their peers's success.

We spent a few hours in the restaurant. And the last thing we ate was a medium-sized rectangular chocolate cake that has a message on it dedicated for me.

"Happy 27th birthday to your ass." I read,

"Wow, Feliza. I appreciate it so much. Thank you." I said with pure sarcasm on every syllable.

Feliza just laughed at me and my sarcasm that she probably saw coming. I gave her a deadpan look, and that made her laugh even more.

"You know what? You're no fun." I complained. And just like the Feliza that I know for years, she just made fun of me. "No, honey. You're going to take that back. I am all about fun. You know that." I rolled my eyes at her, and I pushed her out of her seat. Causing her to stand up immediately when she fell on the floor.

But guess what, she just laughed her ass off.

"Okay, I'm going to stop now." She exclaimed, running after her breath due to laughing too much.

"Good then." I said, sounding like I'm giving her warning of consequences that she won't like if she continues laughing.

After we settled on the payment of everything we ate, Feliza and I got back in her car.

She's driving us to somewhere she calls, 'the ultimate surprise'.

She gave me a hard time believing that. What could the ultimate surprise be?

I wondered the whole time we spent on the car. And when the car stopped, I realized that we're at the Fremont Street.

Confused, I looked at Feliza who's unfastening her seatbelt in an excited manner.

"What are we doing here?" I sounded like a scaredy cat; afraid and intimidated by the number of people outside.

"Trust me." That was all that Feliza said with her eyes wide open and still being excited about something that I'm absolutely not aware of.

Even though I have doubts, I trusted my only close friend and followed her when she eagerly told me to. I became hesitant, and I started feeling off about it. I started to think about negative thoughts that are beyond my imagination because I know how boring my life is.

Reminded of that, I decided to just trust Feliza.

That's how boring my life is. You will believe that nothing absurd will happen.

With that, I focused on my surroundings instead. I've got too much thoughts in my head that I failed to pay attention to the countless of neon lights here in Freemont Street. Innumerable people are also everywhere. Enjoying and roaming, savoring the Freemont Street experience.

God, I'm grateful that I live in Las Vegas.

Feliza took my attention when she grabbed my hand. "Keep up, Genevieve. We're not here for the Freemont Street experience." She pulled me by my hand to continue following to somewhere that I'm not familiar with.

After countless steps, I found myself inside an expensive looking building with Feliza. She's really excited, and she's really making me think of possible reasons why she's acting that way.

The building has a Rococo interior design that rose around the 1700's.

We took the elevator all the way up to the 20th floor. The floor, I believe is second to the last one up, and we waited for quite some time to arrive to our desired destination. Feliza fixed herself, and I did the same thing too. This whole 'ultimate surprise' is making me anxious that I'm doing whatever she does first.

When the elevator finally opened after an eternity of waiting, Feliza shrieked and she squeezed both of my hands that she eventually let go 'cause she went out before me.

We were inspected by two guys with well-built bodies that I believe are security guards. I even had to open my bag 'cause they were just 'doing their job'. The security guards were guarding a french door with a shade of gold and with heavily tinted glasses.

It is indeed heavily tinted, but from where I am standing, I can see different lights that are coming from the inside as if a lively party is happening.

"Here, I made reservations online." Feliza calmly said to one of the guards, and she handed two black cards to him. The security guard accepted it and said, "Were you invited? How were you able to find this place?" The security guard sounded very formal as he dealt with Feliza with no emotions at all.

"I have a friend that works here." She politely answered. The security guard took one final look of the cards that Feliza handed him before finally allowing us to pass the inspection. He nodded to Feliza before opening the one side of the door for us.

I turned to Feliza when I felt her squeezed both of my hands with hers.

"I hope you won't hate me. Happy birthday."

My attention was taken away by what's inside the opened door. And my jaw dropped when I saw women partying inside and recklessly shrieking. "Toxic" by Britney Spears is playing, and women are feasting on the performers onstage.

No way...

Feliza got to be kidding me.

Are those... male strippers?