I sit here in the booth, watching my best friend Roxie jump onto the bar top shouting at the top of her lungs. On how it's almost Christmas and how she needs a sugar daddy for the holidays. The entire time I cover my face with my hand, hoping to the good Lord above that no one will put two and two together.

"All you bitches know we single gals need and deserve to be wined and dined every night. Not with the expectations of them getting anything in return." She hollers so loud the entire bar can hear her.

Finally, the bartender and owner tells her to get down or get out. I make eye contact with our friend Gabriel, hoping he gets my message loud and clear. He's a big guy, and the only person Roxie really listens to. She isn't aware of it, but the big man has been in love with her for years.

He gets it, if he climbing out of the booth and going to her is any indication.

"Come on Roxy time to get you home for some good R and R." He tells her with his hand held out.

To my surprise my best friend takes it and actually allows him to pick her up like a babydoll and walk her back to our booth. I just sit here, sipping my drink shaking my head at the only two people who mean anything to me in this cruel and crazy world.

I have known these two since I was ten years old, and we were all placed in the same foster home. Roxy was my age, only a few months older than me, and Gabriel was twelve at the time. He looked out for us since the very first day we met.

We got lucky and the older couple, who took us in as their foster kids, actually decided to keep the three of us until we aged out of the system. Mr. and Mrs. Gwendolyn were okay people, but they weren't affectionate at all. Hell, I'm not certain they even knew what love truly was. In the total of eight years, they had us, I can't remember ever seeing a time when they even kissed one another.

My friends sitting across from me, shake me from my memories. Roxy scoots further into the wall, and glares at Gabriel. "I was perfectly fine. I can handle myself you know." The fact that she's barely making sense lets the two of us know just how drunk she truly is.

"Perhaps we should get back to our apartments." At my words my best friend turns her glare my way.

Her beautiful blue irises are completely glassed over, and she has a sleepy look on her face. Telling me that pretty soon whether we get her back to her apartment or not, she's going to pass out here shortly.

"Listen to me Eve, I will leave when I'm good and ready..." she's swinging her finger at me. Think she's trying to be right in front of my face, but she's failing miserably.

I'm doing everything I can to hide my smile behind my beer. "And I'm not good nor am I ready." She finally finishes her thought.

"Well, you don't get a choice now. Let's go." Before she can even swing her head in his direction, Gabrielle pulls her by her feet and lifts her up and over his shoulder.

I walk close behind, laughing at her sad attempt of beating him against his back. She looks like a crazy person, swinging those arms of hers in every direction but at him. It only takes us a total of ten minutes to get back to our apartment building. We live three blocks away from the bar that we frequent every Friday and Saturday night.

I move so I'm in front of him so I can walk down the hall and unlock their apartment door for them. They decided to live together because Roxy fell in love with a bigger two-bedroom apartment but couldn't afford the rent on her own.

Gabriel became her roommate, no questions asked. Opening their door, all we can hear are his footsteps and Roxy's loud snores. Without preamble he kicks her bedroom door open, and places her down on her bed. Turning back to me, he offers to walk me back to my apartment.

I can't help it; at his offer I bend over in laughter. "Thanks Gabe's but I'm literally right across the hall." I point behind us to the still open door, showing my closed door.

He smiles at me and lifts one shoulder bolder in a shrug. "Alright, just text me when you're getting ready to lay down, so I know you're good." With an eye roll, I pat him on the arm and start walking to my apartment.

Closing their door, I place my head against it, with my eyes closed for a second. Just taking a moment to enjoy the quiet. I like this apartment, there's only two places here on this part of the building, and it's mine and my best friends. Even though I'm twenty-seven years old, and we are all well over the age of needing one another, we still decided its best to live in close proximity. After all we're all we got.

With one last look at the closed door behind me, I decide to finally make my way into my small space. When I place my key in the lock, I get a sudden eerie feeling in my gut. I'm not certain what that's about, blaming the buzz I got from the three beers I consumed tonight, I decide to shrug it off.

Opening my door, I walk in, close it behind me, get the deadbolt in place, and place my keys on the hook to the side. I just got the keys there, when something causes me to pause midmotion. I swear I can feel someone's eyes on me.

Then it hits me, my apartment is freezing. It's so cold I can see my breath. Knowing that's not right, that something must be seriously wrong, I rub my hands together trying to get some warmth in them, as I make my way to the heating vent. It must be on the fritz again, and the weather is quite cold here in N.Y.C. with it being mid-December.

I'm almost into my living room when I hear it. A slight movement near where my chair is in the corner. Looking in that direction, trying to adjust my eyes to the pitch black of the night, I can't see anything. I find myself looking back at my apartment door anyways. Thinking to myself how many steps it will take to make it there.

"I'll catch you before you can." My heart jumps to my throat at the sound of a male voice.

Before I can even scream, a hard body is pressed to my back, his hand covering my mouth with a cloth. I try to flail, kicking and screaming with all my might. Hoping Gabriel will hear my cries. I attempt to elbow this stranger in the stomach, but he's ready for that and moves to the side.

"You are so much more than I could have ever hoped for." Those are the last words I hear before darkness takes hold.