Lina's POV
The jarring sound of my alarm clock woke me from my deep slumber and sent me into a panic. "No, no, no, no!" I shouted after glancing at my clock.It was 9 o'clock, and I should have already been at work, but I was still lying in my bed. My heart raced with anxiety as I realized that my alarm didn't go off on time. I cursed myself for drinking the night before, especially on a workday. Susan, my boss, was going to kill me. As I tried to get out of bed, I felt drained, and every muscle in my body ached. My feet throbbed painfully, reminding me of the long night of drinking and dancing. However, I was grateful that I did not have a headache or feel nauseous. Perhaps today wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be when facing Susan's inevitable scolding.
With a heavy sigh, I propped myself up on my bed and took stock of my surroundings. It dawned on me that it was unusual for me to wake up feeling fine after the amount of alcohol I had consumed yesterday. A hazy memory resurfaced – giving pills to my friends Coco, Joy, and Sarah at their request, followed by taking one myself as per Coco's insistence. Speaking of Coco, I remembered her sleeping in our guest room last night. Concerned for her well-being, I made a mental note to check on her if she was still around.
After quickly donning a bathrobe and tidying myself up in front of my mirror, I left my room and headed towards the kitchen. The sound of voices chatting grew louder as I approached – no doubt coming from the kitchen where Coco, Joy, and Sarah seemed to be gathered. Suddenly, their conversation stopped abruptly as soon as they heard me entering the kitchen. They all appeared busy with their respective tasks – eating breakfast, using Joy's laptop, etc.
"Good morning," the girls greeted me enthusiastically, looking far more refreshed and energized than I felt. Coco was even wearing the clothes I had lent her yesterday, and they fit her like a second skin. She was sitting in front of Joy's laptop, typing away while enjoying toast and coffee.
"Morning," I replied, trying my best to match their energy but failing miserably.
"Why didn't anyone wake me up? Now I'm in trouble with Susan," I lamented, feeling frustrated and anxious.
"Relax! It was my doing. Remember, I said I would take care of everything?" Coco reassured me confidently, "I called Susan and told her we'd be busy discussing the project today."
"Thank you! If that's the case, then everything is sorted out. I'll go get ready so we can leave soon," I replied, relieved that my job was safe for now.
"No need to rush, Lina!" Sarah beckoned me to sit down and handed me a cup of coffee and a plate of breakfast.
"I already have something planned for Coco to do while we wait," Joy chimed in between bites of food.
"That's right. I still have some work to finish before we leave. Just relax and enjoy your breakfast while you can," Coco added with a smile.
"How are you feeling today?" Sarah asked with genuine concern as she hugged me from behind.
"I'm a bit tired still, but overall I feel fine. And you all?" I answered honestly.
"We're all feeling great thanks to those pills you gave us yesterday. They were a lifesaver," Joy gushed.
"Yeah, it crossed my mind this morning too. Why don't you sell them on a larger scale? They would be in high demand for sure," my curiosity got the best of me as I asked about the mysterious pills.
"You're absolutely right. We should definitely tell Melissa about them," Sarah mused to herself.
"Why don't you sell them on a larger scale?" My economic curiosity took the lead as I asked, unable to contain my interest. "I can imagine they are everything many people have asked for," Sarah murmured in agreement beside me, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Well, these pills were actually based on an ancient recipe," Coco replied nonchalantly, "so they are rather difficult to produce. And unfortunately, they weren't entirely legal to consume." My mind races with questions. Are these pills safe? Do they have any side effects? But before I could ask, Sarah eagerly interrupted, "Is there a way we can get our hands on some more of these special pills?"
Coco smirked proudly, "They were usually reserved for VIPs only, but since we were friends, I may be able to let some go your way." I feel a mix of excitement and apprehension at the thought of regularly taking these pills, but I push it aside and focus on enjoying the rest of the night with my new friends. We share a meal and reminisce about last night's events. As we finish eating, I excuse myself to get ready for the day ahead.
The shower was refreshing and helped wash away some of my fatigue from staying up late. The rest of the day went smoothly as Coco and I visited the museum and discussed matters regarding the inauguration and other projects. With each passing hour, we grew closer as friends, but I also started to notice our differences. Coco was not as simple as she first appeared; there seemed to be a certain air of superiority about her even as Lowell Enterprises' secretary.
We managed to squeeze in lunch together before returning to work, giving us some time to chat. "So what about Melissa?" Coco asks curiously. "What do you mean?" I responded quizzically. "I got the feeling she was...different. Not as close to you as the other girls," Coco elaborates.
I nod in agreement, "Yes, she is very assertive and independent. She knows exactly what she wants and how to get it."
"How did you all end up living together? You were quite a unique group," Coco asks, clearly intrigued. I laugh at the memory of how we came to live together, "To be honest, even I wasn't sure. I first became friends with Joy and Sarah, who were already living with Melissa at the time. Somehow, Melissa just decided to take me in after we met a few times. It was like she acted on a whim." We promised to stay in touch and planned for another girls' night out before parting ways for work.