Chapter 3 A Difficult Choice

• Unpleasant feelings left my body and a few spots of splashed liquid were discovered on my dress. They were hardly visible, but I knew they were there. My hands also suffered and shamelessly stuck together. Hiding in the ladies' room, I began to tidy myself up, firmly convinced that I wanted to go home. That rich man looked at me as if I were dirt under his feet and didn't even bother to reply, ruining the whole evening with no hope of improving the mood.
• My mobile phone rang in my purse and I reached for the device, still holding my dress under the stream of hot air from the hand dryer.
• " Zoya, when are you coming home? " my sister's excited voice sounded on the other end. Taking the phone away from my ear, I glanced briefly at the screen and realized that enough time had passed and it was time to return.
• " I think soon. Judging by your voice, your first meeting with the groom went well?"
• " Even better! You should have seen how handsome he was. So polite and gentle, constantly smiling and throwing looks in my direction that made something stir inside me... something."
• " Excitement, in short. " I concluded for the girl and laughed. If this man appealed to my sister, then he must be a really good person and I already feel respect for him, even though we haven't met personally yet.
• " What excitement, Zoya! " snorted the sister. " I think I fell in love at first sight. Please, come home soon. I will burst from the excess of emotions if I don't share them with someone right now."
• " Are mom and dad at home? " I asked out of curiosity. I wonder if anyone besides Valeri noticed that I was missing.
• " No. They dropped me off, and when mom changed, they went with dad to some exclusive evening."
• " I see. " I dryly replied. No miracle happened and I was still invisible in my own home. I swear, if it weren't for that operation in childhood, during which I had to give my sister some of my stem cells and a little blood " I would have definitely thought I was adopted in this damn family. The scatter of birthmarks on my back, just like mom's and my sister's, also testified to our relationship. " I'll be home soon, Valeri.
• After ending the call, I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed. Is it all because of my provocative appearance and clothing? Why do they treat us both so differently? While Valeri is loved and adored, I am like a thorn in their side.
• I returned to the club with the intention of slipping away home, but out of courtesy, I decided to let my friends know that I was leaving. Christina and two guys were sitting at a free table, calmly chatting about something, which was completely out of character for them. Sergey waved me over to join their group, and I found myself sandwiched between two stubborn people who had no plans of letting me go home. But I didn't need their permission. I want to leave, and I will. Christina knew very well that it wasn't easy to convince me when my plans were the complete opposite.
• " Just stay a little bit longer, Zoya! " Chris pleaded, grabbing my hand, worried that I would run away at any moment. " I ordered you a mojito, maybe you'll stay a little longer?"
• A glass was pushed towards me, with lime wedges and mint leaves floating in it. It was one of my favorite drinks, but even that couldn't make me change my mind.
• " I'm sorry, but I'm going. I'll leave my card so you don't have any problems with security. " I stood my ground stubbornly and got up from my seat.
• Chris darkened before my eyes, but very quickly she regained her emotions and redirected them elsewhere. The girl was a skilled manipulator, and if persuasion was put on the back burner now, then I could confidently expect a tearful scenario and my surrender, as I couldn't stand all this sentimentality. The girl's eyes sparkled as she lowered her gaze. It was good that she wasn't looking at me at that moment, because just by looking at my face, one could understand every emotion. Miron pushed a glass of drink towards me again and brought his own, with some unknown substance, over the table. I cautiously sniffed the smell, as this trio had already tried to intoxicate me once, but I didn't smell any alcohol from the drink. Taking a good sip of this delicious mojito, I smiled.
• "Okay, I can stay for a couple of minutes, but don't ask me for more," I said.
• "Of course," Miron replied, embracing me by the shoulders. Christina and Sergey smiled happily and started to drink as if the alcohol was water that could quench their thirst. "I can walk you home later, Zoya."
• Miron once again activated his seducer mode (at least the guy firmly believed he had such a mode) and gently took my hand. My inexperienced girlish heart still didn't know the thrill of love, but I can definitely say one thing " if I am destined to fall in love, then these two are definitely off the list of possible candidates. I know my friends too well to develop such deep feelings for one of them."
• Time was dragging unbearably slowly, with the clock hands spinning as if in slow motion. I found myself losing touch with reality more and more, and I desperately wanted to sleep. My eyes burned as if I had been awake for days on end, and now my body was feeling the approach of sleep, gradually sinking my consciousness into a warm source. Sleeping in the club must be quite an experience.
• "I think I'll head out," I said, getting up from my seat. Only Christina remained at the table with me, furiously typing something on her phone. She noticed that I was about to leave and got up as well. She seemed a bit unsteady, and it looked like we could safely ride home together. I managed to stifle the first yawn with my hand, but the ones that followed were unstoppable.
• "Are you feeling okay, Zoya?" the girl asked, taking my arm. "Maybe I should walk you home."
• "And you, I think, need some help," I replied, pointing to one of her bare legs. Chris laughed and bent down under the table in search of her lost shoe. "Maybe we should go home together? You're drunk enough, and I desperately want to sleep."
• "Yes, maybe you're right," Christina said, putting on her shoe and taking my arm. "Let's just find the guys. I saw them both heading up to the second floor."
• "The second floor?" I asked, looking towards the staircase.
• There was a balcony up there where VIP clients were sitting, but I couldn't see Sergey and Miron. Surely they wouldn't just leave us without a warning?
• Slowly, both of us climbed to the second floor, and mentally I recalled all the bad words I knew. My sluggish state, combined with a drunk friend by my side, proved to be quite a challenge on the steep ascent.
• " Over there. " Chris pointed towards the door, and we entered a small dark corridor.
• " There's no one here. " I said, looking at the locked doors. My consciousness suddenly wavered, and I had to lean my shoulder against the wall. What was happening to me? I was ready to sleep right here, and I couldn't care less about the inconvenience of not having a bed. " Chris, let's go back. I'm feeling unwell."
• As if in a daze, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. Either it was the play of my wild imagination, or I was really sitting on the edge of a large bed. The soft silk sheets pulled me in with the tips of my fingers, and my body was enveloped in all that tenderness.
• A pleasant warm light filled the room, and the door ahead swung open. I wasn't drunk, just in a state where I was ready to fall asleep. My brain was still functioning, and I knew perfectly well that the man standing before me now was the one I had spilled the cocktail on.
• " Do you really think the money is not enough for the ruined jacket? " I asked, glaring at the man in front of me.
• " It's a bit disgusting, " the man dryly replied. " I thought you agreed to it yourself. You have terrible friends, girl. And what am I supposed to do with you now?"