Ours After All (All Ours, #2)

Chapter 22

Going to a birthday party isn't as fabulous when it's your best friend hosting it.

With a regular birthday party, you just show up. But when it's your best friend's birthday, you're like her assistant, running around and setting things up with her bossing you around and screaming at you to not ruin anything or she'll kill you.

We clearly have a blast.

''You know, when I told you to dress up, sweatpants aren't really what I had in mind.''

Believe it or not, this isn't the first time I've wanted to punch Soyana in the face today. ''You're wearing sweats.''

''Touché,'' she winks. ''But I still wanna see what you brought in your overnight bag because I brought an extra dress in mine for you. You know, just in case.''

''I told you to stop doing that.'' She does this every party attend together. And not only for me. She brings extra clothes for all of us. She says it's because we always spill our drinks but I know it's because she'll make us change if she doesn't like what we're wearing, just so her pictures turn out good.

That's Soyana for you.

''Right.'' She snorts. ''Like you didn't take the Valentino one home with you and never returned it.''

Isabella comes up to us, laughing. ''You mean the black one with the stripes?''

Soyana's already balled up her fists. ''Yes,''

''Yeah, that one's on me, sorry.'' She winks. ''I don't know if I should thank or curse you out for that dress though because that thing's caused some serious pregnancy scares.''

Isabella is already running away by the time she finishes her sentence, because she knows what's coming.

Just as predicted, Soyana's eyes widen, and she doesn't waste any time before she starts sprinting in Isabella's direction, shrieking as she goes. ''You had sex in my dress? I'm going to kill you!''

I chuckle, shaking my head. Sometimes it feels like I'm friends with a bunch of middle schoolers.

''I like your friends.''

I turn to the unfamiliar voice coming from behind me. Standing there, dressed in a corally bodycon dress, is a beautiful, freckly girl- probably in her early twenties. Her reddish hair is pulled up in a very high ponytail that looks freakishly painful, but there's two loose strands dangling over the side of her face. I don't think I have ever met this person before, but she could just be a work friend of Jenns.

''Thanks.'' I smile. ''They aren't always that crazy, by the way. I think it's the cocktails.''

They absolutely are always that crazy.

She laughs, and the sound is so remarkably soft, you'd think it just came out of the lips of a Disney princess. ''I'm sure they're great.''

''Come back to me in a couple of hours and we'll see what you have to say then.'' I chuckle, extending a hand in her direction. ''I'm Nara.''

She shakes my hand, smiling. ''Mackenzie. Nice to meet you.''

''Likewise.'' I squint my eyes, curious. ''I'm sorry, I am just trying to place the accent.''

''Scottish.'' she chuckles. ''My parents are from Falkirk, but I grew up here. Guess the accent peeks through sometimes, eh?''

''Oh, don't get me started.'' I nearly groan. ''Lived here for over eighty percent of my life but people still like to ask me to repeat myself every day. Like I'm so hard to understand.''