Beautifully Imperfect

Chapter One

Chapter One

The girls and I were out on the town. They told me I needed it, that I needed to move on. I personally thought that I was over it. I was fine. But the girls didn't agree and so here we were. They dragged me to a bar that was downtown. It was the spot to be in Nashville on a ‪Friday night‬. And my sisters were making sure I was there. I had wanted to stay at home with my pup and curl up with a good book. But they had insisted, practically dragged me off of my bed and out of my apartment.

That brings me to now. I wasn't feeling the dance floor. It was a small thing, this wasn't some hot shot club. It wasn't some run down small town bar but it wasn't a club. Some country hit was playing over the sound systems and girls in dresses and a handful fitted in tight jeans were on the floor. Having fun of course. But I wasn't feeling it. By the look of it, there were men out there and I didn't have the will or patience to deal with any of the sort tonight. And so I was sitting on my bar stool nursing my gin and tonic. It was my third one so I had decided to slow down a bit. I wasn't trying to get completely wasted tonight. No. I had learned the hard way to keep my senses about me. Numbing myself was saved for when I was alone, safe. I had decided to simply observe the antics tonight. My friends had forced me to come out but that didn't mean I had to participate.

"Ari! There you are. I've been looking for you."

I slowly turned on my stool to face the source of the voice that had interrupted my thinking. The buzz I was feeling had me moving a little slow like I was wading through water. It might sound weird but at this stage of my drown-myself-in-alcohol stage I was relaxed, the tensions started to fade away. There was no need for me to be in a hurry so I wasn't.

"I've been sitting right here the whole time."

"Yeah well not anymore. Come dance with us, let loose."

"Nah, I'm good Isa," dismissing her just like that I took another sip of my drink.

I felt it before I heard it.

"Arianna Rae Noel, please tell me that you did not just try to dismiss me."

I sighed inwardly, bracing myself for the verbal beating that was to come. I had poked the tiger and inadvertently stirred its temper.

"I am sick and tired of seeing you so sad, so hurt. You do nothing. All you do is work, eat, and sleep. And you don't even really do that! You're too busy drinking your pain away. That's all I've seen you do for months. Months! I've had it. This is the end of it. The girls and I brought you here tonight because we want you to have fun, let loose. Mi hermana live again."

That was my best friend for you. She was loving and fierce. Protective. When she cared she did it with her whole heart.

"Isabel." I breathed.

She read into that single utterance and gripped my hand in hers.

"I love you and I won't give up on you."

I sucked in a breath, reinforcing the walls behind my eyes. I spent a good half hour on my face tonight and wasn't trying to ruin it yet.

"Babe."

She leaned into me, pressing her forehead against mine. I closed my eyes at the contact.

"You're strong mi amor. You can move past this."

Taking another deep breath, I slowly nodded my head. Trying to believe her.

"Also, know this."

She pulled back a few inches, locking her eyes on mine. She was serious.