retro vibes

We pull up at The Retro and it's not overly crowded, not like on weekends. Thank God. I changed into my usual go to club outfit. My black sweats and shorts. Asher hates it. And I don't want to put into much effort when we're only going for drinks and have fun. Of course both of Asher and Gwynn dressed up. Short black sequin dress for Asher and silk body-hugging cocktail dress for Gwynn. I look like their chaperone.

The music is so loud but I welcome it. All of the music being played here is so good. It's a bit nostalgic though. But as the night goes by, the music always changes to club songs. People will pack this place by 1 or 2 am. I hope we can get home by then.

We were seated on one of the VIP booths they have near the entrance. The booth is all glass but frosted halfway for privacy. I never worry that someone will just snap a photo of me anywhere. The people around our town never really cared about celebrities and they have total respect for those who doesn't wish to be photographed. The booth that we're in has red neon lights saying "Love Me" and the usual diner-like seats. I took my place on the inner seat.

"Okay, so what are we drinking?" Ethan asked. He's always gets drinks for us whenever we're in a club. If that's even a word.

"I'll have my usual, please." Asher said while adjusting the bust area of her dress, which is way too revealing. Asher's usual can be anything but since it's a weekend, it can just be a mojito. That's her Zen drink, she said. Gwynn and I asked for a martini. Just a few drinks, I said to myself.

My phone lit up indicating a new message. It's from my manager, Kelsey which I fondly call "K"or "Kels", the former most of the time.

don't forget, flight's 9pm tomorrow. i sent you an email of all the deets. stay safe

I didn't reply. Since Kelsey became my manager when I came to America, she's headstrong, always making me feel protected which can sometimes go out of hand. Another notification is from the author of the book we're adapting onscreen. She followed me and DMed me as well. She seems like a sweet woman. I'll have everyone replied to tomorrow.

Ethan came back with all of our drinks and we're chatting mostly about the missed moments we had when another is gone but mostly Asher talked about Hunter. I just rolled my eyes in response to everything she's saying. A few drinks into the conversation, Dallas Face timed Gwynn and she has her face buried in that phone of her for two hours now. Who talks on the phone for two hours and at midnight? And there, on the other side of the table is my two lovebirds best friend, chatting their selves away. I took a quick snapshot when they're not looking. The photo I just took screams love. They're under the neon sign so the red glow is just below them. Ethan is whispering something in Ash's ears and she's smiling like a fucking idiot. I just hope they admit it to themselves before it's too late.

"I gotta pee." I said more to myself than my companions. They're so busy in their own world. As I walked out, familiar faces greeted me and usually the patrons of this club. The bartender, Phil, were in the same high school as we are. So I waved and smiled. Some of them smiled and waved at me but no one asked for a photo. That's what I love with this town. I stayed anonymous even if they saw me in the television somewhere.

I make my way to the restroom. Different color of neon lights installed on the hallway across the bar and there are floor to ceiling mirrors on the left side. It's hard not to look at your reflection. As I entered the restroom, I immediately checked my makeup and entered a cubicle. As I'm washing my hands, a brunette entered wiping her eyes with a tissue. She's tall. Taller than I am. She's one of those girls where you get intimidated just being in the same room. She's wearing a beautiful sequined dress that shimmered every time she moved. The restroom here normally lit or my eyes will hurt by just looking at her dress. The brunette entered one of the cubicles and cried silently at first but after a few minutes, it's full on sobbing.

"Miss, are you okay?" I call out. She's a beautiful girl. What could've happened?

The tall dark blonde came out from the cubicle still wiping her eyes. I think she's at 5'8 or 5'9 minus the heels, I'm at 5'6 since I'm wearing flats tonight. Now she looks so heartbroken while she retouches her nude lipstick. I smiled at her and she smiled, a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. I know all too well how that looks.

"I'm sorry. I hope it'll get better soon." I smiled at her at the mirror and she laughed a little.

"Thank you..." she softly said with a thick British accent, while applying concealer under her eyes. I noticed she didn't really wore make up but she still looked stunning. I was almost done drying my hands with a paper towel and ready to leave when the beautiful stranger said, "I was here with my boyfriend for vacation. It's really funny that I'm gonna leave this country as a single woman. It just feels like a dream. A really bad one..."

She's still looking down at her hands, when I looked at them, she's twisting it in a nervous kind of way. I didn't think but reached for her hands, she must be here to have fun but now she's left behind and broken. So I did what I feel is right in that moment, I hugged her, even with her tall frame. And to my surprise she hugged me tighter and silently cried. Sometimes we really need a hug, even from a stranger.

--

With all tears dried and make up retouched, Mavis, my new found friend, talked about London. I asked her about every little thing I knew about the UK and it seems that I didn't knew enough. Just by her storytelling, I'm mesmerized. She mentioned I should visit sometimes so she can tour me anywhere. It appears that this was her first out-of-the-country and it turned out the first and worst travel she had. I asked her about her ex-boyfriend and she said his name's Ryan, thankful it wasn't Jared she's crying over. She also mentioned that this trip was her parent's gift to the both of them, more of an 18th birthday surprise to her, he was her first long-time boyfriend, and the only boy she introduced to her parents.

Well, what a jerk. I hope he chokes on whatever he's eating right now.

I invited Mavis into our booth but she said her Uber's outside to take her to the hotel. So she hugged me and I hugged her back. It feels really good to earn a new friend in the most unconventional way.

"Thank you, Eliza. You're one of the truest friend I have even just for a short time. And I hope to see you soon. Look me up, when you're in London."

"Sure." I waved at her while she opened her car door. When I check my phone, it's almost 1 am and we should really be going. Even it's a night flight, I should sleep enough or else my eyes are gonna betray me.

Back in the booth, my best of friends are still in their own bubble. Gwynn on her phone and Ethan and Asher both tangled with each other's bodies.

"Hey guys, we should be going..." I announce but I repeated my speech before they all get up from the table. Since Ethan drove us earlier, I offered to drive us home which they never disagreed too. Both Asher and Ethan flirting with each other makes me want to gag but I'm honestly will be so happy if they finally admit they're for each other. Gwynn, on the other hand, dozed off on our way home. We will all be sleeping on the same house tonight. I have my own room in Asher's place and also Gwynn. She decided to make it that way so we can do more sleep overs if we have the time.

All of us are tired from our non-stop talking, Asher and Ethan from eating each other face off, and Gwynn talking her ear on the phone. Everyone was in their own room, mine is just downstairs across the Zen place, Gwynn's room is on the other side of the hallway and Asher/Ethan's room is upstairs. Asher's place is so modern. It's one of the modernized lofts Ethan designed for work purposes but I really believed he did as a hint to Asher. Ethan is a type of guy who would settle down in before his 30s. And he's a successful engineer, he's a catch, I hope Ash realizes that.

Gwynn hugged me goodnight and gestured to Ash's room and mouthed "They'll be fucking" to me. Well, where's the lie?

I wash my face and removed my make up which is a winged eyeliner and a pink gloss. I'm tempted to have a bath but my body is too tired so I just did a quick shower and changed into my PJ's. Those hideous ones with big strawberry prints on them. I love it, it's comfy. After blow drying my hair and the silence that came after it, seems so surreal. So unwelcome. Like it's mocking me in the face. I slumped back on the queen sized bed and stared at the ceiling. With all that's happening around me, my friends, my family, why do I feel alone? I feel so empty. I should be happy. I am happy.

"I am happy" I said to myself. I don't know if that's a statement or more of a question.

--

The next few hours came by so fast, I slept barely after going home from the club. I don't know how long I'm staring at the ceiling. Of course my best friends decides to sleeps in. Gwynn left in the morning since she needed to catch an earlier flight to Paris and Asher just woke up. I can already smell the aroma wafting through the air. Ethan prepared an early dinner. I'm really so lucky to have the three of them.

"Uhm, pasta. Just as I thought you couldn't get any better, here you are, barefoot and with an apron on, cooking. So domestic!" I mentioned after sipping on my freshly brewed coffee.

"Well, it'll be a long time since you'll taste something out of a Michelin-star restaurant. You gotta be thankful."

Just as Asher groans at my side, saying her headache is getting worse each time.

"Oh someone's on their period." I said but Ash just flips me off while she struggles to eat her spaghetti while holding her head like it's gonna fall off.

A few conversations here and there, while we eat spaghetti, Ethan volunteered on bringing me to the airport. Asher said she cannot even walk further with her headache so she just hugged me and reminder of explicit things I should do with my co-star. I smiled and kissed her cheeks. As Ethan pulls up at the departure area of the airport, I face him.

"You know what, you should tell her."

Everyone has a nervous tick. Ethan's is scratching the back of his head for no reason.

"You know, Asher, she doesn't like complications. And from the start, she's always mentioned, I am a complication."

"You're both crazy." I rolled my eyes at how ridiculous this is.

"But I love her, you know. It's like I'll take whatever I get. And I wish she'd changed her mind about things but it's Ash. She can't bend her will just because of me." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled nervously.

"Oh gosh, you're gonna make me cry. Come here..." I open my arms wide and hugged my best friend. We stayed like that for five minutes and when I pulled, I kissed his cheek and chuckled about how dramatic we are. He kindly took my luggage out for me. He's actually the big brother I never had. We said our goodbyes and I make my way to the airport. For a few minutes, boarding for my flight has been announced and I walked and walked and as I pass by the starry night in Perth, I feel so small in this big, big world.