Aria's POV

Lucien exits the stage and makes his way into the crowd. Mara stands to her feet, and as he gets closer she pulls him into her embrace. Her hands snake around his neck as she leans in for a kiss.

My breath hitches, my jaw tightens. Is it just the shocking reveal or the jealousy of seeing them together? Lucien gestures to everyone to make their way outside, to unveil the car.

We all stand to our feet, one after the other making our way out. Mara is beaming with smiles, her friends Alaina and Sara are too. They whisper something among themselves and squeal in excitement while we step out.

Once out, we see it all. Mara moves forward with Lucien, for a closer view. She jumps in excitement, throwing her hands around Lucien, planting kisses everywhere on his face. I grab hold of my champagne glass, squeezing to suppress the jealousy I feel building up inside me. Everyone has their phones out, videoing the lovely scene.

"Oh my god, babe, it is a Mercedes Maybach. It's beautiful," Mara says, her eyes inspecting the car while running her fingers on its body. She gets into the car to survey what the inside looks like.

"This is lovely babe. I love it." She draws in closer to Lucien's face and leaves a kiss on his lips. This time around, I squeeze my glass even tighter; any more pressure I apply could send the glass scattering into pieces. My chest tightens, jaw flexes as I watch them lock lips.

Chloe tugs unto my arms, her face lighting up like she has just seen some true-life romance play out in real time.

"Aria, isn't this the sweetest thing ever?" She says, her lips curling into a wide smile. "I know Mara can be a bitch, don't get me wrong. But seeing her with Lucien, don't you think it's just beautiful?" She rests her head against my arm, sighing with satisfaction before lifting her head to glare at me. Once her eyes meet mine, I force a smile, showing I totally agree with her. She grins back; typical Chloe.

Mara's car drama is finally over, and now I can relieve my fingers from the painful sting I feel from the pressure of pressing against my glass flute. We make our way back in. Once we're in, there's a sudden shift in the music; soft instrumentals play, modern, classy, and timeless all at once.

Lucien approaches Mara for a dance, and they both take to the dance floor. Soon a few groups of young people pair up and join in. I watch as the dance floor grows bigger. Just then Drake approaches Chloe and I, pausing right in front of us. He is tall, dressed in an elegant grey suit, his short hair slightly curly, complementing his very handsome facial features.

"Hey," he says, his tone warm and even. His eyes glance at me for a short while, then he returns his attention to Chloe.

"Mind if I steal your friend for a dance?" he gestures toward the dance floor. Chloe's eyes immediately lock in with mine, and from the look in her eyes I can tell she's down for it. She tries to fidget, but I squeeze her hands reassuringly.

"Don't worry, you'll be alright," I whisper at her side, while she lets Drake take her hands, leading her to the dance floor. On the dance floor, Lucien and Mara look like they are having the best time of their lives; great. He gets to use my ideas to impress her, just great. His hands snake around her waist, while she reciprocates around his neck.

He leans in and whispers something into her ear, she giggles softly. Not stopping there, he presses a kiss to her cheek. My jaw suddenly feels tense, my throat dry. I flag a waiter carrying a tray of wine and grab hold of a glass. I take it in one swift gulp, but it doesn't seem to do anything.

"Get me something stronger," I mutter. He nods and heads off, bringing back another drink. I also take that in, the sting burning my throat as it makes its way down, but that doesn't bother me at the moment. I watch Lucien and Mara's public display of affection intensify with every second they spend dancing.

It moves from short soft kisses and stolen whispers, to long lingering touches, eyes locking while their foreheads press against each other. I try to keep my emotions in check, not showing any signs of jealousy while taking in some more drinks.

Soon one drink turns to two, then two to three. Before I knew it, I had more drinks than I can count. My vision starts to blur, but I don't keep my gaze off them. My mood shifts; it's jealousy at first, but slowly anger crawls in. With every swift shift in the music, they seem to bond even better. I clench my fingers into a fist, my heart pounding while my veins twitch.

Chloe breaks her dance with Drake and begins heading in my direction, her face beaming with smiles like she has just left a fairytale world. She stands right next to me, looking a bit worn out from all that dancing. Her hand finds a bottle of water, which she uses to ease her exhaustion.

"Wow. Aria, that was a lot," she says, with arms resting on a table.

She further adds, "You know? Drake is such a good dancer, but I... I'm a very terrible dancer. It took me forever to stop stepping on him while we danced. But he was such a gentleman and handled it well."

She sighs, like she has indeed been holding it in for so long.

"You know Aria, it's funny how you never told me about your crush. I know that is solely up to you, but don't you think that secret may be long overdue?" She teases with a grin plastered on her face.

Before I can give any response, the effect of the drink starts to wear on me. I feel a wobble in my feet that causes me to stagger forward, but Chloe's reflexes are fast, and she catches me in time.

Her hands pin me in place while she helps me into a seat. "Whoa... Aria, take it easy."

I drop into a seat beside her, a light headache tugging down on my head, though not enough to make me pass out. She seizes the glass from my hands, sensing I might be drunk.

"Wow, you have to stop drinking. You can hurt yourself."

Chloe also takes her seat beside me. The image of Lucien with Mara lingers in my head, fueling my anger and making me desperate to vent to her.

I grab hold of Chloe's hands, my eyes locked with hers while she looks at me with keen interest. "I have something to tell you,"

Aria's POV

"Chloe. I hate that I'm a fvcking sidepiece." Her eyes narrow in on me and I can see the confusion in them.

"What could you possibly mean by that?" She draws in closer.

I catch my breath. "This is all Lucien's fault. He uses my ideas to please his brat of a girlfriend. He calls my ideas brilliant, great; you name it. My taste for high-class fashion impressive, but only when it has to do with her."

My whole body is coursing with anger at this point, my veins twitching, my heart pounding so hard in my chest. My feelings for Lucien might cost me a lot this time, but I couldn't care less. Chloe's eyes are filled with sympathy; she takes my hands into hers.

"Oh my God, Aria. I'm so sorry, I had no idea Lucien would ever do that to you." I try to lock in my anger, but it only grows worse. I can't really tell if it's the intoxication of the alcohol that keeps fueling it. My eyes steal a glimpse of Lucien with Mara and that infuriates me even more. I squeeze Chloe's hands, forcing her attention to stay on me.

"That's not all you know. That birthday dress she has on. I point in Mara's direction, shifting Chloe's focus to the dress. "Guess whose idea that was?" Chloe's face wears a puzzled look, but I don't allow her to say a thing before voicing out again.

"Me. The purse, guess who? And if you're thinking it's me, yes, you are correct. It's all me. Everything was my idea all along." I slam my fist repeatedly onto the table.

It makes a sound that captures a few people. They flash both of us scrutinizing looks. But I couldn't care less what is going through their minds at the moment.

Chloe grabs hold of my hand, trying to get me to stop. "Take a chill pill, Aria. Everyone is staring," she says, her voice low and rushed.

"I can't take a chill pill, Chloe. I feel like an endless fountain of ideas that he taps from whenever he runs out of ways to impress his so-called girlfriend." My hands curl up against my face in a frustrated gesture, like I could strangle the surrounding air around me.

"And the truth is that I let him. Jeez, I always fvcking let him, because of my stupid..." I break off midway, scared that I might spill the secret about my feelings. I take a deep breath, eyes closed, and as they flicker back open, I sight a waiter serving a tray containing glasses of whiskey. I snatch a glass from the tray.

I gulp it all down, dodging Chloe's protest to take the drink from me. She manages to grab hold of the empty glass. "Oh no, you don't. You can't have any more drinks, Aria."

I rise to my feet, trying to help myself to another drink. Suddenly, my distaste for consuming alcohol has long gone, and I want more of it. Chloe steps in front of me, blocking me from taking another step.

"No more drinks, Aria. Not another this time. Anger and alcohol aren't a very nice combo."

I rub against my temple in frustration. My head is pounding, and I can hear the thumping sound of my heart. I feel wasted. Is this what love looks like? Every time I think about it, I only wish Lucien could see how much I've grown to love him, wish he could be mine. A drop of tear trickles from the corner of my eye, rolling down my cheek. I dab the corner clean.

My mind flashes back to all the sacrifices I've made for him in the past. My heart hurts, it hurts so badly that he might never know my reasons for doing such. I glare at Chloe; I know she can see my frustration right through me.

"Chloe," I say, my hands cupping hers in mine. "I don't want to be a middleman anymore. I can't be a shortcut for Lucien to go about impressing Mara. I just can't do it anymore." My voice catches a sob while my eyes close shut.

By the time they are open, I feel dizzy. My legs suddenly feel wobbly, I try to keep my balance but end up tugging hard on the table carrying the champagne tower, sending the entire thing crashing to the ground.

The sound of shattering glass fills the air. Gasps cut through the room. I shake my head in a bid to clear off the hazy feeling inside. My eyes snap shut, the room erupts into more gasps, and people start whispering.

"Aria!" I hear Chloe scream at the top of her voice. The hall suddenly observes pin-drop silence. I can feel my head spinning while I tug harder on the table, my whole weight resting on it for support, preventing me from falling flat on my face.

"Aria..." Lucien's voice cuts through the air. Chloe and Lucien close in on me in time. Lucien takes me into his arms. I'm too weak to give any response. My hands dangle in midair, weightless, as if lifeless.

"Oh my God. My champagne tower; it's all ruined," Mara cries out in frustration.

"What happened to her?" Lucien questions Chloe.

"She had a lot to drink, Alpha Lucien. I feel that's why she passed out."

"She's drunk," I hear Mara's voice once more, and then she scoffs. "That's it. She ruined my party, and now she'll just pretend as though she is drunk. That's really it."

I wish she could just stop her whining already.

"Mara, this is not the time for all this. You can see she is not herself," I hear Lucien protest against her complaints. Suddenly, I feel myself drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Please, Alpha Lucien, we need to hurry." I can sense the fear in Chloe's voice as she pleads.

Lucien readjusts me in his arms and rushes through the crowd.

"Aria, Aria, what happened to her?" Mum's voice pierces through the air, curious and troubled as she closes in on us.

"Aria. Is she alright?" Dad also asks, making his way toward us.

"We need to get her home. She is feeling nauseous," Lucien says, not slowing down for a second.

As we get into the car, I hear Chloe's voice. "Hang in there, Aria, you'll be alright," her tone is subtle, and the other voices I hear in the background start to grow faint.

I slowly fall into a trance of haziness. Even the sound of the engine starts to fade out in my mind, and as I slowly black out, I hear Lucien's voice last, rimmed with distress.

"Hang in there, Aria, stay with me. You'll be just fine," he utters before I slowly black out.

Aria's POV

My eyes slowly flicker open, my vision is a blur of light at first glance.

"Where am I?" I ask as my vision slowly return back. My body feels weak, but I still try to sit up and someone pulls me into their embrace while rubbing my back soothingly.

"Aria, you're alright. Okay, I'm right here." Just then I detect Lucien's voice while his hands wrap around me. My head rests against his broad chest, with my hands holding onto my temple, trying to soothe the splitting sensation I feel inside.

A nauseous feeling weighs down on me and I feel unrest in my stomach making me sick. Lucien puts me back to rest, my body sinks back into the bed. My hands still hold my head in place.

In no time, I feel a glass of water pressed into my palm.

"Here, take this. It will help." I sit upright on the bed, take a sip and hand it over. Everything suddenly starts coming back, and it hits me all at once.

"Lucien..." I mutter, but he presses a finger to my lips.

"Don't speak, you're still weak from all that drinking. You know?"

I chuckle, pushing his finger away. "You really think so."

"No, I don't think so, I know so." He moves to my face with a damp cloth in hand and begins mopping. "Come to think of it, what made you drink so much tonight?" I watch as his hands move across my face, he's fully focused.

I trace every curve and every structure of his well-defined facial appearance with my eyes. His jawline, how it tenses when his attention is focused on me.

I just can't get enough of him, his details I'd catalog and register in my mind. Those hazel eyes of his that always leave a lasting impression on me, when they narrow in on mine.

I'm lost in thought, but I see his mouth move. He must be trying to mumble words to my hearing.

He calls out to me. "Aria..." And I snap back to reality.

"Jeez, have you suddenly gone deaf?"

"What?" I close my eyes, trying to remember the last statement he made. "I'm so sorry, what were you saying again?"

He shakes his head in disappointment and resumes mopping off the trickle of sweat still clinging to my arm.

"I was asking a question. What made you drink so much today? It's very much unlike you to drink. Remember, in your own words, alcohol is bad for you," he says, with a scrutinizing look plastered across his face. One that screams, you say it was bad, but look who is doing it now.

I let out a soft huff, "Oh come on, Lucien, you and I know I never said that."

"Yes, maybe, but you did say something close to that. You can't deny that." This time it isn't about scrutiny, he's mocking me to my face and I can't do anything about it. I sink back into the bed.

"Maybe I did, but you can't just blame me for what happened today. It wasn't my fault. I promise." I lie. And he doesn't even have the slightest idea; I have a meltdown all because of him.

I also feel a need to ask about his car gift to Mara, but I let it slide. I can't bear hearing him go back and forth on how she is so dear to him and how she deserves nothing less. Call me jealous if you may, but I'm not sticking around for that.

I glance around the room and ask the question that comes to my mind. "What about Mum and Dad? And how long have you been here?"

Lucien returns his gaze to me, gently patting my head, helping lure me back to sleep.

"I told them not to worry, I was going to look after you tonight. And for the second question, you seriously don't want to know how long I have been here. Do you?" he tilts his head.

"Awnn. That's so sweet of you," I tease, causing him to let out a chuckle.

"Lucien." His eyes narrow in on me. "Tell me the truth, I made a fool of myself today." I watch anxiously, as he confirms my suspicion.

"Not really," he says, sounding unsure, and I immediately feel a sigh of relief just before he adds, "But you crashed Mara's party."

I'm not shocked at this moment, not that I crashed Mara's party by accident, but that somehow all Lucien's conversations always lead to her. He always manages to squeeze her in one way or another. He really cares more about her party than if all those glasses of champagne came crashing down on my face.

"And you know what?" He says and I glare in his direction. "What?"

"She's really mad at you." I scoff at how unbelievable that sounds. I have more to worry about and all she cares about is her party. This really shows she's a bitch, nothing more.

"Like she should be." Lucien flashes me a stare, the kind that screams disappointment. "Lucien, I almost died out there, talk about bumping into champagne towers. I had more to lose than she did." I let out in a heartbeat, not holding back words.

"Aria, I know you almost got hurt; I was terrified. But... Mara worked so hard on that party. You could at least show a little sympathy." Now he is becoming more unbelievable, taking Mara's side again.

I chuckle. "Sympathy. You really think Mara had any sympathy for me? Talk about sympathy, way to go, brother. Mara didn't feel a thing when I crashed into that tower and worse....."

He cuts in angrily. "That's enough, Aria. Drop it. You clearly don't get it, do you?" I can't believe he just said that. He withdraws from patting my head. "Get some rest," he says, dismissing my complaints as though they are nothing to him.

He moves towards the door, his fingers reaching for the light switch. "Good night, Aria," he says, before turning off the light. I really don't know when he will finally see the bad in Mara, for real.

He exits the room and I can only close my eyes, trying to process the last moment of our conversation. He seriously can't be worried about me talking down on Mara, because it's about time.

She does this to me, and he doesn't even flinch. The thought of him dismissing our conversation settles in.

"Ugh." I let out in frustration while burying my head into a pillow.

He's just impossible and this is a fact undeniable. But as I cast my mind back, I can't help but feel like I did too much. I could have gone easier on him, I think. It's crazy how my feelings always get in the way, even if he is wrong. Gosh, love makes you think and do sickening things at times. I replay our conversation in my last minute before drifting into sleep.

In the Morning,

I open my eyes to rays of sunlight streaming through my window. I feel better, more relieved, unlike yesterday, which was much worse. I peel myself out of bed. I have training with Lucien early today. I always train with him any day I am free and that implies today. I recall our verbal altercation, but I wave it off.

Remembering my promise to Raymond to watch him practice with his team later today, I really don't know how it is going to turn out, but I am going regardless.

And to crown it up, today is the eve before my eighteenth birthday. I can't believe that by tomorrow, I am turning eighteen. A wave of excitement suddenly floods me from inside, making me forget my worries for a second. I throw in a little dance and just then I hear muffled voices with footsteps approaching.