Ariella's bold confession

Sophie leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Okay, you need to start from the beginning. Who was this guy? Where did you meet him? And why didn't you tell us you were planning to do this?"

I sighed, swirling the last of my drink before setting it down. "It wasn't planned. Not at all. I just…" I hesitated, biting my lip. "I was mad. Furious, actually. You all know how I've been dealing with Derek's betrayal."

At the mention of his name, they all groaned.

"Ugh, that asshole," Bella muttered, shaking her head. "He didn't deserve you."

"Exactly!" I agreed, throwing my hands up. "And I was so tired of crying over him. So, last night, I decided I wasn't going to be that girl anymore. I went to that new club downtown the one you guys were talking about last week. And I don't know… maybe it was the music, maybe it was the drinks, but when I saw him…" I trailed off, a dreamy yet conflicted look in my eye

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Who's 'him'?"

I swallowed, a small smile playing on my lips. "Tall. Mysterious. Dark eyes that could melt you on the spot. And a voice so smooth it could make you do things you'd never thought you'd do."

jennie smirked. "Sounds like trouble."

"Oh, he was," I admitted, exhaling. "We danced, we talked well, mostly flirted. And one thing led to another, and… yeah."

They all exchanged looks, their faces a mixture of shock, curiosity, and excitement.

"Damn, girl," Bella finally said, her lips curling into a grin. "I did not see that coming."

Sophie still looked stunned. "But… was it good?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Honestly? It was everything I needed it to be. No strings, no expectations just raw, uninhibited freedom."

For a moment, there was silence again, but this time, it was different. It wasn't judgmental. It was understanding.

Tasha finally leaned back with a knowing smirk. "So, are we talking a one time thing, or is there a chance you'll see this guy again?"

I hesitated, my mind flashing back to his intense gaze, the way his fingers had traced my skin like he was memorizing every inch of me. A part of me knew I should walk away and never look back. But another part? Another part wasn't so sure.

"I don't know," I admitted. "But maybe… maybe that's the beauty of it."

Sophie raised her glass. "Well, here's to new beginnings. And to the badass version of you that we've all been waiting to see."

We clinked our glasses together, and as I took a sip, I realized something.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn't just existing.

I was living.

The night after my reckless decision, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, replaying every moment. The way his hands felt on my skin, the way he whispered things that made my stomach flip, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world that mattered. It was intoxicating, exhilarating… and terrifying.

I told myself it was just a one-time thing, that I was never going to see him again. But my body betrayed me I wanted to.

A knock on my bedroom door pulled me from my thoughts. Sophie peeked her head inside, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," she teased. "We've got brunch plans, and you have more details to spill."

I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. "I already told you guys everything last night."

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