I finish painting my lips in red while I look at my black dress at the height of my legs, I put on my heels and go down the stairs silently so that my mother does not hear me, when I arrive at the living room I realize that she is sleeping on the couch with the television on, victoriously I continue walking as quietly as I can in the direction of the door.
—Where are you going Carina? — she says annoyed. I wrinkle my face and mumble, I bite my lower lip taking courage to answer her.
—To a party— I say blatantly.
— I thought I had punished you for going out without permission...
—I'm already 22 years old, I don't have to be asking your permission for anything— I open the door, she sighs in defeat.
—You have until two o'clock to come.
—We'll see—I slam the door.
I see Trina park in front of my house, on my way to her. I see Lara and Estefany in the back seat, I open the door and sit on the passenger side, angry at my mother's attitude.
—That woman is stressful—I mean referring to my mother. Trina paints her lips.
—Tell me—he[m1] says, speeding up. I take out my phone and go into instagram, my mailbox is full of messages from men interested in me, I don't even try to open them I proceed to mark all the messages and delete them.
—Today a special guest will arrive to Jordan's party—says Estefany. Seat.
—I know who it is...—Lara responds enthusiastically. I keep seeing instagram.
— Who is it?—says Trina driving.
—He is the billionaire more...
—Who is the billionaire? —I say interested leaving the cell phone aside.
—Did you take the Carina birth control pill? —says Estefany raising an eyebrow.
—Yes…
—... The billionaire is very famous in his university... in fact he has founded several companies and...
—Of course—I interrupt it—, he is what I lack...
—Hey—it is parked—, but it is not an accessory, but it is what you are missing.
He turns off the engine and the four of us get out of the car, the people around us look at us expectantly, some smile at me and I ignore them walking towards Jordan's house, when we enter we sit in the mini bar drinking vodka while we talk about who is more popular in all universities. I started to be popular since everyone realized where my dad worked but left us when I was 15 years old, but by then my school performance, my grades and the fact of meeting "important" people was enough to be adored without saying that I was beautiful and still am, after that people like Lara, Trina and Estefany, my best friend, wanted to be popular by my side, making life impossible for those who deserve it.
I look at the people inside dancing or talking, I see Jordan and Dylan drinking a lot of beer while other people yell at him, drink! My eyes meet those of a fair- skinned, blue-eyed man who looks at me and smiles. Haughty smiled at him and looked at the group.
—And by the way, I think we should go to Host's New Year's Eve party— says Estefany, Lara and Trina nod.
—I can smell millionaires at forty paces—says Lara tasting a lemon.
—But... I think it's not right to be interested in someone just for their money—says Trina. She has always been the one who cares about others, she is less haughty and a little more humble and possibly that is why she hardly hangs out with us.
—Stop worrying about others, they won't feed you...—says Estefany annoyingly.
Jordan comes staggering from one side to the other, I take his arm and pass it over my neck so that it doesn't fall, he looks at me and gives me a smile I see him and I fake a smile.
—You look beautiful—he says, leaving all his breath in my face—, that one there—he says, pointing to the guy who smiled at me—, it's Kilen Billón.
—Jordan is your turn! —says Dylan from the other side, Jordan nods and leaves with Dylan still reeling.
I feel the vodka flowing down my throat.
—Kilen Billón, "the perfect billionaire"—says Lara, sighing.
— The perfect billionaire? —I ask curiously as I look at him out of the corner of my eye.
—Yes, he is attractive, arrogant, haughty, a bit self—centered, he has power, money but most of all he is precious ... like a Russian model or something—she says, leaning on her hands as she looks at the boy—, he has so much money that he buys everything he wants from his conquests or from the girls who served him only for one night.
— Is it that powerful? —Lara nods.
—Welcome to the world of Billionaires.
—And where does he get so much money from?
—They say that he traffics drugs, or that he has a link with some drug dealer but he also has several companies and in addition his parents are wealthy just like him. He studies just for appearances, but he is not as passionate.
— And…—I see the boy, he smiles at me and I wink at him— … he has girlfriend?
—They say he had but he left it.
— It was all I needed to know— I say painting my lips.
—What do you do? —asks Lara.
— I'm going to talk to him—I say standing up.
— Ca... Ca... Carina—stutters—… beware... he can be too... arrogant.
— I can handle it.
I start to walk towards the mini bar that is on the other side of the room, Kilen talks to Melany when she sees me she whispers something in her ear and then stops and follows me, I keep walking shaking my hips, when I get there I sit down and order a beer.
— I'm lucky— she said, sitting next to me, smiled at him—Kilen Billón—He says, shaking hands.
—Carina Glent.
—Do you have plans for tomorrow?
—Not yet, but you could be in them.
— I won't miss it—he smiled at her, pulling out his phone as fast as he could. Poor silly child...
—My number is here— I say giving him my phone case.
—Even though—he whispered in her ear—, I have nothing to do now—he smiles at me, takes me by the hand and takes me with him.