Hello everyone, Gaia's party is too long for one chapter, so to make it easier for yall to read I'm breaking it down into several shorter once, that I'll be posting back to back, let me know what you think!

-Gabs

"How about this one?"

I was doing my makeup in my room, now and then my mother wood appear in the doorway, wearing a different dress every time, this time a night blue cocktail dress, with diamond like features sparkling all over. I turn from the mirror, makeup brush still caressing my cheek.

"Mama you look beautiful!" I say with awe. She twirls around like a little toddler.

"Right!"

"But..."

Her twirling stops.

"You want to attract serious customers to help you invest in the shop, not attract customers to invest between your leg..."

"Alessia!" She angrily interrupts.

I laugh, "I'm serious, save that dress for some other time." She gives the dress one last twirl before disappearing downstairs.

I sigh seeing my reflection in the mirror, I look gorgeous, my lashes are long, lips are plump and I've got glitter highlighting my cheeks, still I can't help but to feel empty inside. My finger taps on my phone screen. I wished I could call Alicia, ask what she's wearing, I really missed her. I get a notification, a snap from Gaia, she's in full makeup and her hair is due into a wavy bun tied behind her lower head. Behind her is this giant salon, I suspect she's already at The Palace preparing for later tonight.

My mother appears in the doorway again, this time dressed in a coat, "okey I've got to go down to the shop real quick."

"Now? We've got to leave real soon." I say anxious.

"Well I'm not leaving without my business folder, I'll be quick, promise."

Mama left for the shop, by the time I got dressed she still hadn't returned.

"Where is she?" I said, anxiously pacing back and forth in the living room, phone to my ear.

"Move!" Etienne angrily hissed, I was blocking his view of the TV.

"I don't understand why I have to go stay with the neighbours, all I'll be doing is watch some more TV, I can do that here." He says flicking through the channels.

I gesture for him to be quiet while I try calling her again, still no answer.

It wasn't until an hour later, that she stumbled through the door.

"You're late." I said, eyes still on the Japanese TV show Etienne and I had been watching for the last hour.

She quickly ran up and down the stairs, doing her hair and makeup, "I know I know, had a last minute customer."

"Who?" I frown.

"Doesn't matter, I'm here now."

"Yeah and you're late" I say bitterly.

"Bring Etienne over to the neighbours, will you, I'll be ready by the time you get back."

I turned off the TV as Etienne and I slowly got up to leave.

"You be nice Etienne." Mama said.

He nodded

"Kiss!" She bent down to give him a peck on the cheek and with that we closed the door behind us.

*******

Pulling up in front of the Palace I was in shock. Their was valet parking, beautiful people dressed in gowns, cocktail dresses, suits and ties, were all getting out of theses beautiful convertible cars. In the lobby a big sign directed towards "The Big Plaza Party."

My arm was hooked under my mother's since walking with heels wasn't included in my many talents.

"Alessia you look so beautiful."

Charlotte, a girl from school came up alongside me. She, too looked beautiful, just like Gaia her coated hair fell perfectly alongside her shoulders.

"Thanks" I said timid. Before continuing into the salon, Charlotte leaned closer and whispered. "The after party is going to be crazy".

I was impressed, The Palace hotel was the closest any common man would get to a real palace. In the salon where the party was held, marble metamorphic covered the entire floor and giant white columns, like in those old ancient greek fairy tales, look to hold the whole building in place. Everywhere you turned there was these supermodel photos taken of Gaia, she was posing in front of these lovely beaches, posing with these exotic animals, it looked funny, but cool.

"I see you like the new aesthetics." a voice said.

I had been busy admiring the room, I hesitated to notice that Alicia, her mother and father now stood before us. My heart rapidly started tapping in my chest, I hadn't been to their house since the fight, I wondered what Alicia had told them about it.

Alicia's parents took turns greeting my mother and then looked to me.

"It was all Alicia's idea, saying Gaia's is of greek descent." Her mother continues.

Alicia stood timid in the back, avoiding my gaze. She too looked stunning, she wore a thin pink dress, without any laces.

"We even built a garden out back, it's like this giant maze made out of rose bushes, no touching though, we've got to pluck it down tomorrow." she jokes.

"You've done a wonderful job with the hotel Elena." Mama says.

Alicia's mother waves for her to stop, "me, how about you, somehow you're dresses are the talk of the town, and none of us haven't even seen them yet. please talk me through it, drinks are over here." Without looking back they both head for the bar, leaving ¨me, Alicia and her father behind. Alicia's father stretches his tie, "Now you two take it easy tonight, I know about the after party at that club downtown." He groans.

"Dad." Alicia sighs embarrassed.

"What? Weren't you the one in a fight not long ago..."

My heart skips a beat at the mentioning of fight.

"...All I'm asking is that you both look out for one another."

Alicia and I looked to each other and then quickly to the floor.

"Now..." He sighs "...which way is the bar."

¨You look beautiful." I say, breaking the tension Alicia's father left us with.

Alicia shin rises, "I know." she coughs.

I smile, Alicia, always so sure of herself.

"Where's Amir?"

"Don't know, don't care."

I raise my eyebrow. "Did you guys break up?"

"Ages ago."

I lower my voice, "I'm sorry I..."

"Save it!" She interrupts. "How could you?" She shouts.

Embarrassed, I look around to see if anyone notices. "How could I what?"

"Let her pick your dress." She says, there's hurt in her voice.

"Well who else should I have asked." I shot back.

Alicia falls silent, she looks to pick her next words carefully.

It sickens me that she is somehow always the one who gets to play victim majority of our fights.

"You know Alicia..." I begin, her eyes meet mine. "I suggest you take a good look in the mirror sometimes."

"Why? Do I have something on my nose?" She spits sarcastically.

"No..," My voice was sturdy, I had to follow through. " I just hope that someday, you'll notice that you aren't a very nice person."

Our shoulders brush as I walk past her.

I'm headed towards a big table, mounted with thousands of wrapped presents. I feel silly placing the little envelope holding my gift.

"What did you get her" A deep voice behind me says.

I feel my bare back shiver at the sound of his voice, I turn.

There before me he stood, all serious and dressed up for his girlfriends 18th.

"It's concert tickets, I don't know if she'll like them, but I know you do, so I figured." I say, avoiding Dario's wandering gaze.

"What do you think you're doing." He says angrily.

"W...what?" I was surprised by his sudden words.

"You know what I mean, you and Gaia, Is this some kind of plan you and Alicia made up, to get back at me, because if it is you better stop."

"Excuse me..." I try disguising my hurt feelings with anger. "...Gaia's the one who invited me, she is the one who keeps approaching me, If someone needs to stop it's her."

Dario seems to calm down, he sighs heavily. "I don't know what is with her lately, I told her not to invite you."

"Gee, thanks." I say sarcastically.

His face softens, "you know what I mean, it's a bit weird."

We started walking away from the gift table and out towards the garden, a maze of rose bushes rises before us, the scent of roses was suffocating.

"I dunno, I mean I thought so at first, but I guess I kind of like her now."

"Kind of?" He frowns.

I nod, "Yeah, she's genuinely nice." I rub my palms. "You deserve someone like that.".

Dario's looked to me surprised.

I shrug my shoulders.

"You and Valentino..." He starts. "I guess I always knew you guys had a thing for each other."

"We do? I mean we did?"

Dario nods, making his devious locks caress his eyebrows. "I dunno, I always felt like I had to look out for that guy."

I'm speechless considering Dario was my whole world, I never thought of anybody else ever, I want him to know that. "I only cared about you though." I mumble, my eyes are on his shoes.

The night breeze sails softly on my skin, I hear people bubbling excited around us.

Suddenly I feel his hand caress my cheek, "Alessia." He whispers. "I'm sorry." he says.

"For what." our eyes meet, his hand is still resting on my cheek. The feel of his thumbs rubbing the side of my cheek makes me want to lean into his grasp.

" I never got to say I'm sorry for everything."

"Do you love her." I ask. His hand leaves my cheek.

"I dunno. I guess."

Reality hits me again, I got left by a dude who doesn't even know if he loves the girl he left me for. What a waste.

"Have you had sex with her." I say firmly, a couple walking through the garden looks to us.

Dario looks around embarrassed. "Alessia" he plea.

"I'm just asking, since you wouldn't have sex with me, isn't that why we broke up, because I'm not worthy your dick." I shout.

Dario takes a step back and hold up his hands in defence. "No, we broke up because you started acting like you do now, crazy."

I fell silent, for a second I lost my track of thought and all the insecurity came swinging right back at me." I cover my eyes with my hands. "I'm sorry I..." We sit down on a bench by the bushes. "Fuck" I groan. " I don't know who I am anymore." I cry.

Dario's warm arm wraps around me. "Don't worry your getting there, you just need to get all that rage out of you."

My hands fall in my lap, "what rage?"

He looks to me with his big smiley eyes.

"What?" I say as he continues to stare.

"What was your happiest moment this week?."

"Not happiest moment." I sigh. Dario and I used to play this game that whenever one of us got upset, we would recall something that made us happy that week, just to remain grateful despite our current circumstances, the game was invented by Dario's mother, a child therapist.

He nuge my side "Come on, you know you need it."

I lean back and recall the week, my face widens as one moment replay's.

"I rode a bike again." I say.

Dario sturs in his seat, "You did?"

I nod proudly, "It was to trail my brother, it was scary, still it was..."

"...the happiest moment of the week." He finishes my sentence.

"I love you!... I miss you!... I want you!... I need you!" I shout for him inside of my head. At the same time I come to a realization that I respect Gaia too much to ever want him like that again.

Loud cheers are heard coming from inside. Dario patts my knee, "we better go inside."