Trading Heartbeats
Chapter 14 - The Party
The sunlight of the morning had lazily rolled in through Amelia and Cody's window. Crinkling her nose at the brightness of the light, Amelia awoke immediately rolling herself out of bed. Gathering up the clothes that she'd change into to go to Sonelle's place, she proceeded into the bathroom. Hoping the cold shower would relieve her of the somnolence she'd still been feeling, she stripped down and stepped into the shower. Thankfully, it had done just as she had hoped.
The shower had rejuvenated her. Quickly hopping out of the shower, she changed into the clothes that she had picked out to wear not only to go to Sonelle's suite, but what she would wear during the course of the party. Tying her hair back into a ponytail, she gave her reflection one last glance before entering the bedroom once more. She smiled a bit to herself as she watched Cody continuing to sleep soundly on the bed. As she glanced at the clock on the bedside table, it read 10:23am. Figuring that she should leave now if the girls had wanted to gather a bit of party supplies and place orders for food and drinks, Amelia placed a sweet kiss on Cody's lips before making her way downstairs.
Quickly reaching over for the stationery and pen that was on the kitchen counter, she scribbled a note reminding Cody she'd be at Sonelle's. Having written her note and contacted the cab driver she'd previously used, Amelia waited outside on the porch just as she had done before. The excitement had continued to build within her. She was itching to see Cody's face when he stepped through the door of Sonelle's suite and saw the going-away party they'd thrown for him and the remainder of the superstars that had become so important to that of Amelia's friends.
Soon, the cab had come around to the front of the house. Exiting the gate and locking it after her, Amelia slid herself into the cab which, in about 40 minutes, had taken her to Sonelle's place of stay. Compensating the cab driver, she stepped out of the cab and into the hotel. In little to no time, she'd knocked on Sonelle's suite door. In an instant, the door had flung open and Sonelle appeared dressed in jeans, a casual t-shirt and a pair of converse. She quickly assured Amelia that she would change into something a bit more party-like after.
As Amelia entered into the suite, she asked quietly, "Is Kofi here?" Sonelle shook her head.
"Nope; he left this morning for the gym," she told her. Amelia sat herself down on one of the kitchen's barstools as the pair had moved into the kitchen to discuss further plans.
"So, what all would we definitely need," Amelia asked as she gathered up a pen and paper underneath the phone book that had been placed right beside her.
"Hm, well, we'll definitely need food," and with this Amelia had begun to scribble, "drinks, streamers are fun, and," she gasped. Amelia immediately looked up from her writing. "We should get a sign," Sonelle concluded. Amelia gave an excited yes as she scribbled all of that down.
"So, food and drinks we could maybe order from the hotel; we could check with the concierge exactly where the best stores to shop for party things are and then catch a cab," Amelia suggested. Sonelle nodded excitedly. In an abrupt second, Sonelle's phone had rung out to its usual tune. Sonelle picked it up instantly.
Amelia had been reading and re-reading their list, adding details or crossing out details that she'd added in. "What," Sonelle's voice raised as she had gathered up her keys and gone into her bedroom only to return with a purse. As Amelia watched her, she quickly gathered up her own set of keys as well as the piece of paper which she stuffed into her wallet. Amelia followed Sonelle as they both left the hotel suite and entered into the lobby. "Okay, okay; yeah, I'll call you back," Sonelle spoke once more. Amelia looked at Sonelle worriedly.
"Is everything … okay," Amelia inquired concernedly. Sonelle heaved a sigh.
"I'll tell you about it later," Sonelle finally stated. Amelia gave a slight nod not sure whether to accept that answer or pursue her question. At any rate, they'd really been limited to time at the moment. With Brittany arriving at the hotel within moments, the girls traipsed over to the concierge's desk politely asking for directions to the local stores where they'd find what they would be looking for. Once the concierge had given them the name and address of the stores, he called up a taxi for them.
The girls thanked the man for his time and proceeded over to the receptionist who seemed to have been extra busy receiving calls and making them. With a small break in between the constant phone calls, the blue-eyed blonde-haired woman looked up at the girls who had assembled themselves in front of her. "Yes, may I help you," she asked politely.
"Yes, we'd just like to know if we could order say 4 dozen chicken nuggets along with its sauce, 4 bottles of red wine, about 2 plates of small finger sandwiches and one plate of cupcakes," Brittany stated all in one breath. The receptionist merely blinked thrice before Brittany had continued, "we're throwing a small party in our suite - suite 546 - tonight." The receptionist then gave a nod and picked up the phone once more.
"And what time should all this food be up at the suite for," the receptionist asked while dialling a number. Brittany looked back around at the girls who muttered '10:30'.
"At 10:30 pm," Brittany told the receptionist. With a nod, the blue-eyed receptionist placed their order with the exact information Brittany had relayed to her. Check food and drinks off the list, Amelia mentally noted. A few moments later, the cab had arrived and all three girls had climbed in. After giving the instructions to the cab driver, the cab had taken off down the streets of Atlanta. Amelia, who'd taken a seat at the window looked out gazing at the signs of the many buildings they'd been passing.
Her mind had begun to wander - not about anything in detail - just generally wander. Her thoughts bounced from those hazel eyes that she'd seen before in her dreams, to Khaila's pregnancy, and finally to the party they'd throw. With every day that had passed throughout this journey - whether good or bad - had been a memorable one. Henceforth, with this thought in mind, she was unquestionably certain that nothing would go wrong tonight.
As the cab driver had brought his cab to a stop in front of the store with a sigh with a label, 'Festivities Daily', Amelia had compensated the driver and the girls proceeded into the store. As they walked inside, they immediately took in the beauty of this store. Its walls were bright shades of pink, orange and green lined with shelves and shelves of streamers, balloons, signs, candles, centrepieces, ceiling danglers; it seemed as if everything you wanted, they had. The girls continued on, picking up a bag that had been set out to collect the party supplies in order to bring them to the counter.
The girls spent about 45 minutes in the store and collected a variety of things such as balloons, a sign and streamers as well as a few candles and small paper plates, cups and napkins. Having paid for their supplies, the cashier quickly bagged up their supplies and handed it back to them. The girls gave a polite smile before waiting outside and calling up the hotel to send a cab down their direction. "Hey, I just realized something … where's Khaila," Brittany asked as the girls had proceeded into the cab.
"I'll tell you guys later," Sonelle spoke once more. Amelia's brow raised a bit as she had been trying to figure out what else could have happened to her friend. As the cab dropped them off at the hotel once more. Again, paying the cab driver for his service, the girls raced up to Sonelle's suite. There, they immediately started decorating. Several hours had passed and they'd strung the streamers all around the outside of the kitchen and the 'living room', hung up the sign which they modified to say 'We'll Miss You', blown and tied the balloons to the chairs as well as around the suite, and placed all the paper cups, plates, and napkins on the kitchen counter.
Exhausted from all the hanging and placing, the three girls flopped back onto the couch. Amelia checked the time on her phone which read 4:21pm. Suddenly, a thought had hit her. All this time … Khaila hadn't been here. "Will you tell us now about Khaila," she asked as Sonelle had sprawled herself out on the carpet. Sonelle propped herself up on her elbows.
"Well," she started, and as she had begun to speak, both Brittany and Amelia straightened up in their seats listening attentively, "Khaila said she hadn't told Punk about the surprise party thing. She hasn't asked him to pick her up here or anything." Amelia's brow furrowed. Hadn't they all agreed on this yesterday? It had been too late to back out of it now, hadn't it?
"But why," Amelia asked as she hugged her knees into her chest. Sonelle sighed.
"She said she's been throwing up," as Sonelle relayed this information both Brittany and Amelia's mouths had gaped open. "She doesn't know for sure if it was real, though; what I mean is, she thinks she may have willed herself into throwing up," Sonelle relayed again; however, Brittany and Amelia's mouth had remained agape.
Was it official now? Had Khaila truly been pregnant?
"She can still come though," Amelia said in a small voice trying desperately to shift the mood that had started to grow in the room just by the mention of the news. Sonelle gave a slight nod.
"Maybe," she said. "We just need to pick her up … without Punk knowing all about our plans," she concluded. Brittany nodded and muttered a slight 'hmm'. Both Amelia and Sonelle had turned their gaze to a now contemplating Brittany who seemed as if she had something to say.
"Why can't she just make up an excuse to Punk and then catch a cab here," Brittany asked.
"Have you not seen nor heard Punk? The man sees through lies," Amelia stated as she hugged her knees tighter into her chest. The girls each gave a slight laugh at this.
"Hold on. I wonder if Punk's even there with her," Sonelle pondered aloud. Amelia raised her eyebrows. Taking out her phone, Sonelle quickly dialled Khaila's number. After several rings, the call had finally been answered.
"Hello," a small voice sounded from the other line. By now, Brittany had taken to lying down on the couch and holding her phone above her head - texting - just as she usually had done while Amelia excused herself to the bathroom.
"Hey, Khaila, is Punk there," Sonelle asked. There was a pause on the other line before the small voice had answered once more.
"Um, no, he just left. Why," she asked as though suspicious. Sonelle chuckled a bit.
"Just asking; aren't you going to come over," Sonelle asked while laying back on the floor.
"Yes, I was just getting ready actually," she relayed to Sonelle. Sonelle muttered a small 'mm'.
"Okay, well … we'll see you in a bit, I suppose," Sonelle stated. Khaila in return replied with an 'mhm'. The two bed goodbye to each other and hung up. Amelia had finally returned from the bathroom and seated herself on the couch. All three of them awaiting their 'last piece'.
Amelia had been pacing the kitchen floor arranging and rearranging cups and plates around the plates of food that had come, while Brittany and Sonelle did their make-up and hair as well as called Kofi to tell him he'd be able to come over now. As she glanced at the clock, which now read 10:50pm, she thought of where Khaila could be. Then, just as sudden as that thought had hit her, a knock came at the door. Amelia walked closer to the door and peeped through the peep hole at who it was. With a smile, she quickly opened the door and pulled the girl in. Khaila, who had been wearing a beautiful dark blue dress with black ballet flats, stumbled in at Amelia's pull. "You're here," Amelia said as she wrapped her arms around Khaila. Khaila chuckled a bit and hugged back. The two pulled away as Khaila caught a glimpse of the food and decorations.
By now, the candles had been placed around the room, however, none had been lit. The lights were dimmed and the girls had placed a CD inside the stereo system set up there in the living room. "Everything looks great," Khaila commented with a smile. Amelia chuckled a bit. Just then, Brittany and Sonelle had too stepped into scene with both wearing stunning party dresses. Sonelle and Brittany had embraced Khaila just as Amelia had and retold the exciting story of how the superstars would be here at any minute now just as Khaila had informed them that she'd texted Punk as she was leaving telling him to pick her up at the specified time and place.
Suddenly, just as Sonelle had finished her sentence. There was a knock at the door. Each of the girls' hearts raced. Amelia walked forward seizing the door handle and opening it slowly. The girls behind her shouted out, "Surprise!" As Amelia appeared from behind the door to get a look at which superstar had arrived first, she'd realized that all four of them had arrived on time. Synchronization, Amelia questioned mentally as she saw all four of them step in with grins and smiles on their faces. Sonelle and Kofi had lip locked passionately neither willing to let go of one another whereas Brittany and Justin merely sat down on the couch … Brittany already in Justin's arms.
As for Punk and Khaila, they'd also seemed to lip lock intensely. In a few moments, the couples had gotten up to dance. The stereo had been blasting with music, the food had already gotten some nibbles into it, and glasses of wine had been poured out to some. As Amelia watched from the kitchen with a grin on her face, she had definitely concluded … the party had begun.