Jourdan subjected herself to Kristen and Kendall's ridiculous styling. Cara stood near by with a camera, recording everything as if to not lose memory of anything that happened that night.

"What if we do something?" Lizzy said suddenly, directing her attention to me.

"Like what?" Emma questioned. "According to Stef, we're not supposed to leave the house. You remember what happened last time you had one of your bright ideas..."

"Yes, I know," Lizzy retorted, thinking back to Emma's bachelorette party.

Kristen nodded, accidentally pulling a bobby pin out of Jourdan's hair a little bit too roughly. The girl smacked her hand away. "Sorry," she said meekly, "Emma's right. Last time one of us ended up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning."

Cara giggled nervously.

"And Ana's too drunk to go out. The cold air will hit her and hasta la vista."

Kendall smiled at me and I sort of smiled back. I think. I dont know how or why I had gotten this intoxicated, but either way, I couldn't respond in fear that I would sound as drunk as I felt. My tongue felt numb in my mouth and I felt ditzy, if I stood up I'd probably end up kissing the floor.

"Come on guys, what are we? 16? I'm sure Ana is fine," I nodded at Lizzy's comment, "and we'll all be around to take care of her."

"I drank too much," Kendall confessed and everyone looked at her, except me.

I was too busy admiring the decor on the soft throw blanket. Something about it was just so intricate. How do they even make these? Do they make them by hand? Are they made in a factory? Who is responsible for such a luxury? Tomorrow, after the wedding, I will order one on amazon. I will add different fleece blankets to my wishlist in every color, and buy one every year as a gift to myself. These are great Christmas gifts, too. Maybe I could just buy them in bulk and give them away for every birthday and every other gift giving holiday. It sure beats giving people gift cards. Wow. Maybe Zayn would like one of these too. I know he'd love one of these to keep in his office, I could find a decorative blanket for his leather chair...

"Hey, alcohol girl. Where'd you go?" Emma waved her hand in my face and smiled knowingly at me.

"Uhm, just thinking."

Cara and Kristen exchanged glances. "Do you wanna go out, Ana? Wanna do karaoke?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I do. I wanna sing. Can we?"

Lizzy and Kendall had already gotten up and were looking through a trunk of things Stefani had left here. Dressup things, Cara said. Shoes and stuff, I guess. I dont know. I wanted to stay here and wrap myself in the blanket, but I also wanted to sing a duet with Cara. I was craving a big plate of french fries.

"Okay, pick something out. And let's hurry it up. I know a great karaoke bar that's fifteen awaaaaay," Kendall set the dress she had chosen on the bed and I had to stop myself from feeling the material.

Sure, it wasn't fleece. But satin was still nice and I had to admire her great taste.

Lizzy took off her pajama pants and top right in front of us and immediately changed into a red dress, not caring that the rest of us hadn't moved from our spots. "Well? Let's go ladies. Time is of the essence."

Kristen and Cara disappeared into the walk in closet and only Emma, Jourdan, and I were left to get ready.

Emma was looking through the big trunk when Jourdan pulled me closer to her. "Do you need some help?"

I sighed. "Yes, I fink so. I haven't gotten all dressed up in a long time."

Well, this wasnt exactly dressing up. The clothes were somewhat simple and not extravagant, they just looked expensive. The worst thing that could happen is that I vomit and get all fucked up in one of the items of clothing, and that I'm much too embarrassed to show up at the wedding, and I can never show my face ever again in the history of...

"I have a nice pair of shoes you can borrow. You're the smallest one here and maybe the extra boost will make you feel a bit more confident," Jourdan said comfortingly.

She offered me a black pair of mary janes, maybe 6 inches but I was unsure about how the rules of measurement worked right now. Still, I took them from her and hugged her briefly.

"Thanks," I chirped.

Cara reappeared with her fiancé, both of them color coordinated, though I'm entirely sure it wasn't on purpose. "Do you need help getting dressed?"

"Yeah, I don't know what to wear yet. Where'd everyone go?"

It was just Jourdan, Kristen, Cara, and I.

"Downstairs," Kristen answered, "babe, where's the dress?"

Cara groaned. "Don't talk about it!"

I frowned in confusion. "What dress?"

Jourdan remained silent but the look on her face revealed all.

"Zayn got you a dress. For tonight. I guess, I don't know. It arrived in the mail a few days ago but I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to tell you. I havent actually taken it out of the package."

"Knowing him, it's probably very Amish," Kristen snorted at her own joke. Cara elbowed her. "What? Its true. Maybe its a turtle neck and floor length skirt."

"Yeah, God forbid someone sees her ankles," Jourdan giggled.

I did too, to save face. He had sent me a dress. He was thinking of me. There was some little selfish part of me, ungrateful maybe, that wanted to know why he'd send me a dress instead of calling me. I didn't want gifts. I wanted to hear his voice, and more importantly, be with him. This just seemed like one of his usual efforts to groom me and make up for his absence with expensive things he knew I felt uncomfortable receiving. I couldn't be mad at Cara for not telling me. If I wasnt so drunk and I had received this package when it arrived, I probably would have been a mess.

Kristen pulled the box out from under the bed and looked at me as she placed it next to where I was sitting on the bed. The ivory box had a little note attached, one I was too scared to read right now. Same with the letter my mother in law had given me the day I received the large diamond ring. It sat safely in my drawer, untouched and unopened still, but maybe tomorrow I would finally read it and see what he had written to me. It was a cop out. And I knew that. I couldn't let him ruin the night. It wasn't fair to Kristen or Cara, who had gone through great lengths to make me feel included.

I sighed deeply and opened the box, the thin tissue paper guarding the item inside. It was a simple dress, but it left me winded. It wasn't exactly what I had pictured him choosing me to wear. Out of character, almost. It was beautiful. And it looked expensive, just like every other gift he had given me. I couldn't wear this but with the look on Cara's face and Jourdan's wide eyes, I somehow felt I had no other choice.

------

We were not stuffed in the car.

But the wind had hit me and I felt like twirling right in the middle of the street. I couldn't, because Cara said that I had to be careful so the tule on my dress wouldn't rip. My head was currently out the window, taking in the chilly air, while everyone else sang very loudly to Wannabe by the Spice Girls on the way to the bar.

"If you wanna beee my lovaa, you gotta get with my friends!!!" Kendall's timing was way off. "Friendship lasts forever, it never ends!!"

"I think you shouldnt sing if you dont know the words," Emma suggested, hugging a bottle of Jameson close. "I mean, I'm just saying."

"Why can't we sing Applause? This is the 5th time you've played this song, Ken," Lizzy argued, taking the iPhone from the girl who didn't know the words.

Cara and Kristen sat next to each other, whispering back and forth, looking too sweet to be real.

Cara had dressed me and helped me get ready, apparently it was a simple task I couldn't handle on my own. I sat back down and closed the window again, chugging down the champagne I had in my hand.

"PUT YOUR HANDS UP! MAKE EM TOUCH!" Jourdan screamed at the top of her lungs and I burst out in an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E!"

Emma took a shot of Jameson and made a face once she had managed to get it down. Tomorrow would be a disaster. Cara and Kristen seemed to be the only two aware that the wedding was near, and they were handling their alcohol intake a lot better than most of us. Lizzy wasn't drinking much but I assumed it was because her daughter would arrive in the morning and she had to watch her. I wonder how bad my hang over will be tomorrow. Jourdan said something about smoking weed before we got ready tomorrow to ease the eventual head aches, I think I'd have to take her up on that offer. Ugh. I had a hair appointment tomorrow morning with my mother in law. How did that slip my mind?

"We're here, ladies! I'm singing first." Lizzy announced as the driver found a parking space near the entrance.

We all piled out and the bar was a lot nicer than I assumed. The sparkly lights and flashing sign made it look a lot like a club instead of some obscure karaoke bar.

Jourdan and Emma took my hands and led me in before I could hesitate, and probably also because I just could not walk on my own. Would it have been better for me to crawl in? Make an entrance?

As soon as we went in, I realized this was no ordinary bar. It was huge. Bottles of alcohol decorated the walls and there was a big stage with velvet curtains and microphones. It was not very full but there was still an aura of fun suspended in the air.

Jourdan retreated to the dance floor and Kendall followed her. Kristen led me to a table while Cara went to get a round of drinks. Emma and Lizzy made haste towards the stage to sing, though Emma seemed more apprehensive. Lizzy was treating this like more of a performance and I couldn't help but grin at the two girls already on stage, trying to get the spotlight just right.

There was some cheering and some whistling from the small crowd already. Emma blushed but Lizzy took it in modestly.

Kristen nudged me softly. "You gonna sing?"

I bit my lip. "Maybe. I dont know. What if I fall off the stage?"

"Cant be any worse than what happened last time," she comforted me, "last time we were here for Emma's bachelorette party, Kendall threw up right on stage and I guess it was like a chain reaction... because Cara threw up right after. Haven't been back since."

Cara returned with a big tray of margaritas and I took one, immediately getting to work.

"Why do I have to sing the guy part?" Emma whined into the microphone.

Lana giggled and the cheerful music started. "🎶Strawberries, cherries, and an angel's kiss in spring.... my summer wine is really made of all these things..."

-----

We had gotten home a little after 3am. There was an endless amount of songs, laughs, and injuries. When we all got in I realized my knee was bleeding, possibly from when I took a tumble just as we were trying to get in the car. I ended up singing a very girly rendition of Bricks by Gucci Mane, along with Cara and Jourdan. It was embarrassing even now, I would probably feel worse watching it tomorrow since Lizzy was recording most of the evening.

Cara had helped me get into the bath and later into my PJs, telling me that no matter how shitty I felt right now, tomorrow I would probably feel worse.

A part of me remembered the letter, but I was already tucked into bed along with the amazing blanket I had taken from Cara's bedroom. I was still drunk, but content, and extremely glad I had decided to tag along. My gift from Zayn was laid on a chair, I was too lazy to put it away, and it was easy for me to admire it this way.

Just as I felt sleep come over me, a bright light seemed to creep up from the balcony doors. So bright I grimaced and had to shield my eyes from it, until the doors seemed to burst open on their own.

A man in an unbelievably sequined suit descended from a glass staircase, clouds and light surrounded his entire being. No matter how miniscule his movement, the sequins sparkled like a chandelier. He smiled warmly at me, but I didn't know who he was. I could only assume he was an angel, a very elegant one, and he was here to deliver a message.

I had never truly encountered anything like this. The pain in my knee went away suddenly, as if I had asked for healing and received this.

"Anastasia?" He called out for me in a very thick, Spanish accent. "Wake up, girl, don't play possum."

"Yes? I'm awake. Are you an angel?"

He scoffed, rolling his eyes at me. He adjusted his gold watch that came out of nowhere. "Lo que se ve no se pregunta. Anyway, I'm here to tell you something."

I frowned, not understanding his sudden sassy attitude. At least he had confirmed he was an angel though and not an agent of Satan.

"Is it going to change my life?"

"Probably not. But basically, watch your back. Don't be stupid."

I scoffed, cuddling the fleece blanket closer. I loved this blanket. "Thats it? You'd think angels would interact with humans when they have important things to say. You're mean."

He smirked, extending his wings. "Me caes bien. Now go to sleep, bye."