Chapter 1
Club Bellissimo
Hello gorgeous. We know what you've been craving for and we can serve your poison of choice on a silver platter. Club Bellissimo will be opening its doors on its most special day and you, are invited.
See you soon, love.
-Bella
Bella Sorority House,
Barden University,
Atlanta, Georgia
Scream.
A scream lets loose on an early Friday morning and it was loud enough to wake up the whole Barden neighbourhood. Soon enough shuffling and running can be heard. Two bodies rush out and stumble from inside their rooms to look at the cause of all the noise. With a confused look they glance at the middle of the living room where a girl who seemed to be in the verge of tears stood holding a black envelope.
"It finally came…" the girl whispers, her voice shaking yet one could tell it wasn't from fear but from excitement. She immediately covers her mouth with her free hand before eagerly looking up at her clueless roommates.
"Earth to Emily Junk, care to explain all this alien behaviour?" her roommate Cora sleepily says, motioning over to Emily while Martha who is standing next to her yawns sleepily before scratching the side of her still messy brunette locks.
Emily raises up the black envelope in front of them, a single golden letter 'B' stylishly engraved at the front, its contents, a black card with golden scripted letters scribbled elegantly on it. The theme was definitely classic and luxurious if one were to base it on appearance alone. In response, both girls move closer to read the mysterious words before looking back up, eyebrows raised at Emily who looked like her soul was somewhere having a margarita in paradise land. She is just gone, zapped to wonderland.
"O…kay," Martha slowly says, looking like she's ready to crawl back to bed.
"Guys! It's Club Bellissimo!" Emily squeals, almost singing through the last two words. However, there was absolutely zero interest as her two roommates only stare blankly, Cora slowly shaking her head while Martha looking like she's going to shut down any minute.
"Yeah we can read, Em," Martha nods before letting out another yawn.
"And we are happy you get invited to de-stress at a club but it's 5 in the morning so…" Cora says gently, being the more sensitive of the two.
"No guys, you don't understand!" Emily interjects with a hint of frustration and desperation in her voice. Although, she also had to remind herself that her Barden Bella co-members, both sophomores this year, are still relatively new and she, as a senior has been quite slacking off when it comes to teaching them their organization's history. Well, it's probably because she focused too much on the responsibility handed down to her, mainly, winning this year's regionals again, and the upcoming recruitments next month but she knows it's no excuse. She believes that this is an important matter and educating them about this important fact cannot be put on hold any longer.
Bella history and facts 101 begins now.
"This is Club Bellissimo. It's only the most posh and exclusive club in LA! Plus it's an invite only club and get this, they don't just invite anyone! Who do they invite? All A-listers in the entertainment industry, B-list celebrities have a chance too but not all, especially if your latest work is a flop… 'Pride Prejudice and Zombies' ew definitely a no," Emily explains in a tone that keeps hitting the roof, she sounded like she was breaking speed rapping records but she was too excited to care.
"Also socialites who are of course super rich enough to bathe in milk and diamonds, sons and daughters of corrupt politicians, royalties like the prince of Albania who looks like a cheesy pervert-,"
"Alright, alright, we get it," Cora cuts her off, her hands motioning over to the senior to pause for a while, at least before she explodes with more unnecessary commentary.
"Breathe, Em. You are turning into a human tomato," Martha reminds at the side, seeing as their animated senior was holding her breath and even shaking with every word as if she consumed pure caffeine in pills, if there was such thing.
The senior exhales slowly before inhaling and regaining composure, nodding her head slowly in understanding. Admittedly, she does tend to get carried away and literally seeing stars won't help in her educate-these-poor-babies mission.
"My point is, the owners of this club are people close to my heart, the women who were family to me. They are my big sisters who took me in their wings when I was this clueless freshman looking for a place to belong. Yes, I know them and they know me…" she starts calmly before getting in to a matter-of-fact tone.
"…although I am a little hurt that they took this long to send me this invitation but I love them and they surely have their reasons so I forgive them," she then clears her throat before slowly going back to the main story.
"So what I am also trying to say is, they also sent me three tickets which means…" Emily inhales sharply, holding back an excited squeal before breathing out the words,
"Are you girls ready to fly with me to LA and party with your coolest Bella sisters at Club Bellissimo's 2nd anniversary?"
For a moment, the other two look at each other before turning back with a grin gradually growing across their lips to a proud looking Emily. In a matter of seconds the whole neighbourhood is attacked by another round of screams, this time coming from not just one but three overly excited aca-crazy girls.
Los Angeles International Airport,
Los Angeles
Gasp.
Emily could only let out a gasp, her jaw dropping at the sight in front of her. Her two companions probably looked just as shocked as she was at the moment with Cora covering her mouth and Martha suddenly holding on to Emily's arm, disbelief etched on the brunette's face.
Why so?
About half an hour ago, they had just landed at LAX and finished grabbing their stuff. They had obviously decided to take a taxi to the hotel, with food as their main priority as soon as they are settled.
The senior bella, held an LA guide book as they started debating on what to eat. On any ordinary day, they would have immediately come up with a decision but when your stomach is growling and your body tired from travelling or dragging along heavy luggage filled with three days' worth of clothes, a week from a man's perspective, not to mention the waiting they'd have to do to get a taxi, surely one's sanity would start to be drifting in and out at this point.
"Right, remind me again, whose fault is it that we have to skip breakfast because we are running late?" Cora asked exasperatedly while throwing angry glances at Martha who looks up from her phone, opened on Twitter, as Cora presumes with a sigh and rolls her eyes in annoyance.
"Oh I'm sorry that not everyone is a morning person like you are! For your information, there are people who exist to sleep and hibernate unlike you, Ms. I-love-sunshine-and-early-morning-runs," Martha retorts sarcastically, throwing back death glares at the blonde.
"Exactly why I suggested we share a bed last night so I can perform CPR on a piece of log like you," Cora muttered but enough to be heard by the brunette.
"You mean ALS ice bucket challenge because I surely remember not being nominated and literally wishing I was a log without feelings last time you were in my bed! I love my lazy life so, no thank you," The brunette crosses her arms in an 'x' to drive her point and Cora was just about ready to open her mouth for a good comeback but was cut off when their senior suddenly stops to turn and face them, a finger pointing out to silence the two.
"God! Please stop. You guys are like Bhloe 2.0," Emily sighs receiving baffled looks from the two.
"Look, here's what we are going to do, you kids are going to stop blaming each other right now so we can get a taxi—hopefully a clean one, and at least find a good restaurant with good food because oh my stars hotel food is expensive as hell and we are currently broke because of our dying mini bus and that… expensive Thai elephant statue we 'accidentally' destroyed last time at Paithoon's birthday party," the last one earned head shakes and frowns at the their disturbing memory of last month's drunk fest. The silence continues until Cora's hand suddenly shoots up in the air which is obviously meant to ask for permission to speak.
"Yes?" Emily tiredly asks, reflecting the look of any exhausted pre-school teacher and motioning over for the blonde to speak.
"What is a Bhloe?" Martha nods agreeing with Cora, having the same thought in mind before adding,
"Is that a dirty innuendo 'cause it sounds like… something disgusting?"
"What? No… ew not that kind of Bhloe!" Emily answers before giving them a dismissive wave, turning around to finally start walking out of the airport's exit doors while the two followed, quietly this time.
"I'll explain later when we get to the hotel and—"
And here we are.
Gasp.
The two almost bumped into her as she stopped abruptly. Both looking up, ready for the questions and complaints at their senior before following her line of sight. Seconds later, incomprehensive sounds leave their lips. In front of them, a long black limousine waited up front while a tall man in a crisp black suit held up a signboard that wrote,
"Get in Aca-bitches!"
"Oh my sun, moon and shining twinkling stars…" was all Emily could blurt out before turning to her two equally stunned friends.
"Bitches. That's us!" she squeaked over and over again while pointing to herself, trying to control the huge desire of exploding in happiness right then and there.
"Now, let's just stay cool and calm. This is who we are now, limousine and champagne. We are queens. So, think flawless, think Beyonce. We are born for this moment, baby!" the two nod eagerly at the rather 'emotional' pep talk before following her towards the limousine.
Surprisingly the guy holding the signage looks at them as if he already knew who they were, at least even before Emily said 'Yo, we those bitches you lookin' for' complete with the awkward hand motions. They noticed that he seemed to be double checking something as he looks at his phone then back at them, most probably a photo of the three, hopefully not the one where they seemed to be molesting that Thai elephant statue from Paithoon's birthday party.
After a heart-stopping second, he smiles, greeting them a pleasant day and opening the car door for them. Another guy wearing the same black suit appears from the other side to take their luggage and load it at the back.
Again, the girls excitedly looked at each other before scampering inside like children high on sugar rush finally set loose on the playground. Somehow, being in the vehicle made them forget about hunger or Beyonce and H-Town. The door wasn't even closed when giggles and squeals burst out from inside attracting surprised and, for some, annoyed looks from people but then that didn't matter now. They are queens so respect that, bow down bitches. Crown!
Club Bellissimo
Downtown, Los Angeles
Wow.
That was the only word Emily could think of when they were dropped off by the same limousine in front of the one and only, infamous Club Bellissimo. The two-story building is considered an art with a modern concept architecture on its exterior, red neon lights glowing underneath the huge script letters spelling the name of the club. Until this very moment she still believes that this is all a dream, resolved to kill the person who wakes her up.
To think, it was only yesterday when they arrived at the airport, got picked up in style and dined in luxury. Not to mention, the paradise that is their penthouse suite was already enough for her to believe that today was probably her last day in earth.
And the best part of it all?
Everything is free, which almost brought a moment of paranoia, because anything this good isn't something to be acquired this easily, especially when you can't sleep at 3am due to the excitement. The people who invited them clearly prepared everything and more.
Looking down on her black sexy mesh mini-dress matched with black Kurt Geiger London 'Britton' pumps, already placed on her hotel suite's walk-in closet, attached is a note that said 'wear me', almost brought tears to her eyes.
Beside her, both her co-Bellas are probably in the same dreamy state. Cora who was also wearing a black triangular strapped dress, confidently sporting revealing lace panels across her chest and torso while Martha, the more conservative than the two thankfully received a more minimalist look in her short navy blue dress but still, the cut-away panels at her lower back slyly kept sexy in touch. Whoever had chosen the dresses seemed to know them perfectly well to know their own style preference. Of course, adjustments were inevitable and that's why they had a fashion team on stand-by.
Again for the people at the back, a fashion team, on stand-by!
Who feels like a winner tonight?
Emily definitely feels like one so she reminds herself to hold back the tears, mostly for the sake of not ruining her perfectly done make-up, and instead holds her head up high as they walk to the entrance, the golden brass double doors slowly opening to let them in. She held her breath before taking a step, heart pumping loudly in her chest.
This is… it?
Club Bellissimo felt weird. Weird in a way that every club is supposed to be noisy, loud music blaring from the inside noisy. Yet here they were walking the red carpet in a lonely hallway, passing by expensive looking art and hearing nothing but silence. It looked like they entered an art gallery instead of a club. The doors close behind them and she hears Martha speak in a wary tone.
"Are you sure we got the right invitation? This seems like scene from 'The Purge' and we are about to enter a room where we will be auctioned off to our murderers," she says, looking from right to left suspiciously with her hand up to probably chop up whoever comes close.
"Well at least, we die together… and in style!" Cora suggests with a smile earning a disapproving look from Emily and a slap on the shoulder from Martha.
"You are pretty but sometimes your mental screws are a bit loose," Martha muttered as Cora smirks, replying with a, "Shut up, I know you love me,"
"Oh dear," Emily sighs and glances back at the two in annoyance.
"I can't wait to introduce you to the original Bhloe," she mumbles before walking down a small flight of stairs at the end of the hallway where a man stood, guarding a huge black door. He wore a formal all black suit with a burgundy dress shirt underneath and a sexy smile. It's just a shame how half his handsome face was covered in a black steampunk styled mask.
If this was the party, or the murderer in Martha's words, Emily wouldn't mind at all.
"Welcome to Club Bellissimo's anniversary party," he says smoothly and Emily doesn't think she has ever heard a voice that sensual and deep.
"Our theme for tonight is, masquerade," he continues before carefully taking out three red laced masks. At first, they seem similar but as you look closely every detail seemed to each have a unique intricate design. At the same time, two other men come up from behind to help tie the masks in place. Where they came from, or in this case hid from, they had no idea but again everything in this place is just one big mystery.
Once they are fully in tune with the theme, the handsome guy extends his arm out to Emily, the other two doing the same to her speechless companions and just before the door opens she hears her escort say,
"We've been waiting for you, Legacy,"
She may have tried to prepare herself for this moment, even imagining what it would look like with almost a thousand different scenarios but nothing would ever mentally prepare her for what she was about to experience. One thing's for certain though, what waits behind those doors is reduced to the only word she can come up with,
"Wow."