An apartment? He seriously had an apartment?

It was enough that being his ungracious side chick was all I was to him, but it hurt. As a best friend, it hurt.

Brooke had said the only people he brings there are the ones he cares about most and--I've never been? Through all the years I've known him, I've never been to his sacred space? To his secret abode?

"Daniels! Don't forget to get the router!" Some man shouted at me before exiting the building.

I sighed. Currently, I was still stuck at the museum, working late.

Again.

Tonight was Thanksgiving, and after realizing I couldn't keep doing the shit I was doing to Brooke, and me being at the banquet would screw with Anthony, I decided my best route would be to get more hours. More hours in to distract myself, so I wouldn't have to face what a shitty person I had become.

It was so clear that all I was becoming was a gullible pawn with no backbone. Like something that could just be tossed around, or tossed out. I felt foreign in my own body, like I didn't even know myself.

It made me sick, knowing I was the only one to blame for what happened in truth. I sighed and shut my eyes, trying to refrain from crying. I realized I could care less about whatever stupid router needed to be cleared until a notification from my email lit up my screen as I was clearing out data from the company log.

...An email from Ms. Becraft.

My face fell before I could catch it.

In the subject line was; "ASHA DANIELS - URGENT WORK OPPURTUNITY"

And although it said "opportunity", I knew I had no real choice. Apparently, one of the waiters for the banquet got sick and couldn't make it anymore. There was no on else available to work the banquet, and so I was the last resort (I'm guessing), and since the banquet started in only about an hour, Ms. Becraft knew my schedule, and that I'd be closing up just about now, and able to work.

To put it short, the email basically said if I didn't work tonight, I'd be out of the race for the scholarship. One thing about Ms. Becraft was she loved to sugar coat things.

I stepped out of the building to be met by the dark DC sky with glowing lights illuminating the countless of black SUVS passing down the busy street.

I never visited DC for the holidays often, but when I did, it was never as busy as it was today. Today, I could only assume that it was bustling because not only was it Thanksgiving, but it was the night of the banquet.

Families of high society had from all over the world had flown in just to attend the ceremony. It made sense, though. It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of event---to see a legacy being sworn in.

The banquet was being held at the National Archives, which was luckily not too from where I was currently. Only about 2 bus rides away, but I noted I would have to stop by somewhere and pickup the appropriate work attire.

I double checked the email and saw how adamant Ms. Becraft made it for us to know that the proper dress code for workers was white button down, black bottoms, black apron, and black tie.

Luckily, I already had a black skirt on which would do. It was a little shorter than wanted, but I didn't really care, as this was way too last minute for me to be picky. That, and the fact that I didn't have money to shop for a surplus of new clothing items for the night.

As I stood outside the metro booth, waiting for the bus, I felt transported back to an earlier time in my life. Before I had done things that made me question my sense of self. Before I had become so judgmental of myself that it began to turn external, towards others. And before I had fallen in love with Colton Whitman, and played into the fantasy I had created in my head.

The fantasy I crafted so well that he even began to believe as well.

I was stupid.

Stupid enough to think that my best friend could genuinely put his feelings for Brooke on the backburner when he had been infatuated by her since freshman year. It was delusional, and insane.

The sound of bus brakes screeching to a stop in front of the booth brought me out of my thoughts, and I took a deep breath, stepping on, and registering the fact that I was riding a bus towards my potential doom.

Asha Daniels, NGSA employee for the night! Needing to make stellar impressions amongst high society that never would have accepted me in any other circumstance, all the while having to avoid two men who were attending the same event.

If things went well tonight, it would end with me not running into Colton or anyone associated with him, networking well enough to win the NGSA scholarship, and keeping a positive mindset to get through it all.

And, not to mention, since Brooke was going to be there, I needed to keep whatever happened between Colton and I at bay so that she would stay unsuspecting.

But that was the thing. I didn't want to hide from her anymore. I didn't want to pain her anymore than I had, and that was why I felt slightly reluctant to be on this bus, riding towards the National Archives.

I sighed.

Tonight was going to be a very, very long night.