Girls Night Out [Part 1]

It was two p.m. By this time, everyone working should've already been back at their offices, ready to face the mundane tasks of working again after a hearty lunch. Everyone working a seven-to-five job should not be lingering at the bar. Like what this particular young woman was doing.

But the rules didn't apply to her. The reason why? She owned the bar. And the restaurant next to it. Yes, Othello Restaurant/Bar is the property of one Lauren Knightley, chef and sometime security consultant. And she was proud of it. Barely out of her twenties, she'd managed to single-handedly bring the now-famous and sought-after restaurant into the eyes and tastebuds of various food critics, all of which had given Othello very good reviews.

It wasn't all managed without a couple of bumps in the road, though. When Elle, as her friends fondly called her, finished work on the restaurant and started on the nightclub, she realized that her budget for the club wasn't enough. Sure, she had some money left, but if she didn't get a loan - and soon - the club would only be half-completed.

Too proud to ask money from her family, Elle then contacted one of her best friends, Louisa deRossi, who agreed to invest on the condition that a. Lou gets to live in the empty apartment over the nightclub, b. She gets ten percent from the bar's profit, and c. She gets a job as a bartender.

The last condition made no sense to Elle, but hey, if her investor wanted it, who was she to argue? So it was then settled, and Othello managed to rise again.

Elle snorted cynically. Still dressed in her chef's uniform - yes, she was one of the few people who like to partake personally in the managing of her restaurant, and besides, she was a very good chef - she had one eye on the calculator, the other on the money bills that were placed methodically on the bar's table top, and both hands rubbing her temples tiredly.

'Whatcha doing, Elle?'

She winced at the chipper tone her friend's voice carried as she bounded down the staircase that led from Louisa's apartment to the bar. 'Can you tone it down a little?' Elle raised an eyebrow blearily. 'I'm getting a second migraine.'

'Whoa, a second migraine.' Louisa deRossi chuckled. 'You sure you're not hungover?'

Turning around in her seat, Elle shot a glare at her friend. 'Unlike some people,' heavy sarcasm here. 'I'm very responsible. Speaking of responsible,' she took a sip of the glass of OJ. Instant painkiller. 'Did I see some guy climbing up the stairs to your apartment last night?'

Lou scowled and threw a pout. 'Elle, you know I'm not like that!'

Elle shook her head. 'I know. It's them I don't trust. Ditto for Patrick.'

'Uh-oh.' Lou knew who she was talking about. Even though Elle was the rightful owner of Othello, Lou was sometime put in charge while Elle was out doing her security consultancy, which, according to Elle, brought in a huge paycheck.

'What about Patrick?' Lou asked warily. Patrick was an old hand, a college boy who'd been promoted to tiller duty at the bar after he did a good job as a waiter in Othello's restaurant side for several months.

Elle shrugged, her hand pulling off her chef's hat and throwing it carelessly on the table top. 'Tiller's missing around fifty dollars every night. And Patrick's in charge of tiller duty.'

Lou frowned. 'You think he stole it?'

'I don't know what to think,' Elle murmured, leaning back in her chair. Her eyes were shut, and a hand was absentmindedly rubbing her neck. 'Our profit each night is around five to seven hundred. Fifty dollars a night isn't hurting us. Much. But still, I'd like to know who stole it.' Now her eyes opened, and her gaze was steely. 'And I'd like to know tonight.'

Lou bit her lip. 'And how are you going to do that?'

'Dunno,' she answered. 'I'll need to figure that one out. As well as planning the menu for next week,' Lou groaned. 'And auditoning the bands.' Lou gave another groan. 'As well as auditioning a back-up just in case something happens. And I'll have to renew the contract with the people who supply us with our fresh produce. Not to mention a chat with the fishermen, and the butcher...' At the end of this, Lou had her hands clasped over her ears, and Elle had a wry but tired smile on her face.

'Gosh,' Lou finally replied. 'I can see why you're so exhausted. Do you even sleep?'

'Couple of hours, maybe four, five a night?'

'Four a night,' Lou repeated. 'You realize you can get sick on four hours of sleep a night?' Elle didn't answer. 'C'mon, let me help you. I can audition te bands and I'll help with the contract. You talk to your produce people and plan the menu. Hell, I'll even help you deal with the Patrick thing. Alright?'

'No, not alright,' Elle spoke up. 'I appreciate the help and all, but I need to do this stuff myself. Alright?' She stood up and glanced at her watch. It was almost three. And Lou was giving her the puppy eye look. 'C'mon, Ellie.' she said, her hands clasped together. 'Pleeeeeeeeeease?'

Elle had to smile; it was that contagious. And the moment she smiled she regretted it, because a few moments later, she started laughing; it was good though, she thought to herself, to have a friend who could make her laugh every once in a while. God knows it helped keep her sane. 'Okay. You can audition the bands, but everything else I'll do myself.'

'On one condition.'

Elle cocked an eyebrow. 'I'm listening.'

Lou broke into a mischievous grin. 'You're going to chill tonight, with your friends, in your nightclub. And I'll be choosing your clothes.' She ended her sentence with a strong stance, crossing her arms over her chest, and Elle suddenly wondered what would happen if she turned it down.

A beat. Then, 'Okay.'

'Brilliant!' Lou cried, giving her friend a hug. 'Now you go and do what you chefs do, and I'll pick you up at eight. It's a date!'

Laughing all the way to the kitchen, Elle shook her head in despair. Lou had better not pick anything to embarass her tonight.

Or else.

Tagged by Louise

Have I mentioned how much I HATE tags?

1. The last person to tag you is?
Lu-lu! jkjkjk

2. What is your relationship with her/him?
Really best friends. Like, since Standard 4 till now. That's about, 7 years of friendship?

3. What are your 5 impression towards him/her? [I know you corrected the grammar and all that, Lou, but this question sounds a bit...weird. Let me know]
- Fun
- Good-humoured
- Articulate in English haha big words XD
- Brilliant artist/author
- Partner in crime oops anti-crime?

4. What was the most memorable thing he/she has ever done for you?
She gave me her friendship XD

Calling all units. Calling all unit. Number 5 is missing. Description of Number 5 is a short horizontal slash with a vertical line leading downwards, and a backward lowercase c attached to it. Suspect is considered hostile for trying to escape the TAG. If seen, please apprehend immediately.

Moving on.

6. If he/she becomes your lover, you will...
God forbid! I will change my name, change my appearance and hide out as a recluse in the mountains. Gosh. Men only. Strictly men. Women need not apply.

7. If he/she becomes your enemy, you will...
Seek immediate asylum in some distant land with heavy firepower. 'Cause Lou's scary when she's mad.

8. If he/she becomes your lover, he/she has to improve on...
Gee. What can I say?

9. If he/she becomes your enemy, the reason would be...
We've reached an impasse and had a biiiiiggg falling-out. New word of the day: impasse.

10. The most desirable things to do for him/her is...
What's this supposed to mean? Sheeesh! English.
*Ditto Lou's answer*

11. Your overall impression towards him/her is...
She's brilliant. Absolutely brill.

12. How do you think the people around you feel about you?
*scoffs* Let's see...I've got people say I'm naive, one friend said I'm a cynosure though she implied it harsher than I would like...someone said I'm self-centered...look, you guys say what you like, K? I don't care.

13. The character of you for yourself is?
I'm a perfectionist, always nit-picking on the little details. Also a stickler for English, something Lou and I share in common. I have mood-swings, and I absolutely adore songs - preferably intrumental/piano - that sound so sad they make me cry.

14. On the contrary, what do you dislike about yourself?
I don't like the fact that I speak before I think sometimes, so much so that I hurt people's feelings. And I also get sick a lot.

15. Describe the ideal you.
Free from sickness, sinuses, rich, young, healthy, successful, have a family...Is that asking for too much?

16. Say something about someone who cares for and likes you.
Gee...thanks?

17. Bra or panties?
Uh, both?

18. Chocolate or ice-cream?
Both! But actually, chocolate ice-cream doesn't really taste that nice. Unless, of course, it's Baskin Robbin's Jamaica Almond Fudge! JAF rocks.

19. 10 people to tag.
- Tim
- Erina
- Louise (no one said anything about no tags back, and I want to know what you feel about me. You could just do question 1-5 and skip the rest if you like)

The Vodka Entourage - Vodka Delight [Part 1]

Blue. It is a well-used colour. Used in expressions like "she was so blue today", meaning, of course, sadness. Or "It came like a bolt from the blue", meaning it came as a sudden surprise. Blue is also used in painting, blue for the sky, for the sea, river. Blue flowers are also very charming indeed. And blue flowers were usually looked upon favourably by young women. Especially this particular young woman.

But this bouquet of flowers did nothing to cheer this young lady up. Considering that they were sent by...

'He actually has the nerve to send me flowers!' Lauren burst out. 'Can you believe that?'

She was sitting at the table, sipping steadily out of a glass filled with vodka. Next to her, Fitz was holding the bouquet gingerly. 'Perhaps it was meant as a sign of goodwill?' he asked hesitantly. Lauren scoffed. 'Good will? Fitz, the flowers were obviously meant as a challenge.' Her tone suggested that she was patiently explaining to a five year old instead of a twenty-five year old.

'Of course,' Fitz muttered beneath his breath. If Lauren heard it, she ignored it. 'Let's face it, Elle.' He stood up. 'If Mr...Can I see the card?'

His only reply was a glare, but Lauren handed the card over anyway. Fitz's eyes scanned the card quickly. It was a red card, made of some stiff paper, but it was the handwriting that caught Fitz's eye. It was scrawled neatly, black ink on red paper. Leaning closer, Fitz frowned. He was now tempted to think that whoever it was, they wrote it with a fountain pen. Which spelt a sense of anachronism. Come on, who would write with a fountain pen nowadays?

As if hearing Fitz's silent question, Lauren looked up. 'I do,' she aswered mildly. Rolling his eyes, Fitz flopped down next to her. 'That's because you're fascinated with anything and everything. Heck, you even have an obsession with guns!'

'Correction: It's a fascination, not an obsession.' Lauren spoke, turning to him. Her low voice reminded Fitz where they were: at a posh club where they had live jazz and blues singers come in every night. The club was dimly lit, and it served it purpose as a meeting place well.

Fitz took a sip of his martini. 'And the difference being?' The second it left his mouth he mentally slapped himself. Way to get her into lecturer mode again, Fitz.

Predictably, Lauren shrugged. 'A fascination means I'm attracted to the idea of guns, of handling a gun, of shooting a gun. I have nothing against it. An obssesion, on the other hand, means that I'm having really unhealthy thoughts about guns. Like buying a gun so I can brandish it about and shoot people. Or even carrying a gun around me at all times so I can wave it and do some damage. That's an obsession.'

'Of course,' Fitz muttered. It was one of Lauren's favourite words to use when she was exasperated, and it was starting to rub off him as well. He had to stop spending so much time with her.

Conversation stopped as Lauren continued to sip her vodka. Then she spoke again. 'Did you see what he wrote?'

Fitz's attention was once again turned towards the card. '"Dear Lauren, I hope you won't be too displeased to know that I'm on board as well. Hopefully your favourite flowers can help to dispell some of the animosity. Mai la meilleure victoire de personne."' Fitz scowled. 'What the hell is "mai la meilleure victoire de personne"?'

'May the best person win,' Lauren translated fluently. 'Did you notice something else, Fitz?'

'Yeah.' Pause. 'How the hell did he know what your favourite flowers were?'

Lauren shrugged. She was focused on the pianist, a man in a blue suit with grey eyes and burnish hair. Seated at the grand piano, he played a jazzy tune that Lauren thought she recognised. Looking up, he caught her eye, and gave her a smile, dropping a wink at her. She felt herself smile at the exchange.

Then a waiter approached and handed her an envelope. Frowning, her mood changed instantly from mellow to arctic as she opened the envelope and looked at the contents. She exchanged a look with Fitz, and her expression was unreadable. Standing up, she finished her vodka with one eye on the pianist, who was looking at her, and left the club.

Little Bits and Pieces

She looked up at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts as the storm outside grew in intensity. The canvas hammock underneath her did nothing to dispell the fears she still had, nor the nightmares that plagued her. Her left arm was folded under her head, and she had covered herself with a silk quilt made for her by a friend of her mother's.

Looking to her left, she took in the sight of the canopied four poster. With its cream colored sheets and pillows with black accents, it looked extremely Parisian and inviting, but she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to sleep in that bed. She hadn't slept there for quite a while. Against the flash of lightning, it looked formal, something out of an eighteenth century novel.

Bookshelves filled the room, and she smiled. Books were her first love, her first friends. It was they that opened her mind to different countries and places, different dimensions. And it was them that kept her sane in her time of insanity.

Picking up the book that was on the broad window sill right next to the hammock, she brushed a finger over the leather covering. It had been a present from the one she loved most, knowing how she wrote down story notes in various notebooks she'd recycled from her old exercise books. She was given the best present ever - a moleskine notebook encased with a waterproof layer, with her initials stamped onto the spine.

It became too much for her, and with a final look, she cried.

Rogue Spy? NOT....

Ok people if you've been listening - I highly doubt that - do not under any circumstances play Rogue Spy is my advice to you. Take it or leave it, if you want to know it's very boring.

Or perhaps I'd logged in when everyone else - yes, everyone else - wasn't online. But it is stupid. Because I made two accounts, one Lauren Fox one Guinevere, and guess what, I tried to play some cipher thing where you had to unscramble the letters to figure out a spy-related word. The first letter of the word was highlighted with a yellow box. This was that they gave me:

[S]SL

And you tell me, what kind of word could I possibly spell out based on that? So I tembak-ed. Again, again, and again. On my third try, they said - DUNDUN! You have failed the attempt. The correct word is Ssl. [wth you ask me is that? Guess what, I don't know. 8 (] Since you could not decipher the word, you are caught by the police and will now go to jail.

Or something or other to that effect.

And my character went to jail. Which was why I created a second account to bust it out of jail. But nooo, my second charac had to get caught so I got both of them stuck in jail and after numerous times, I managed to bust myself out.

It was boring. Seriously. Don't play the game or I'll disown you forever. But, no pressure.

Rogue Spy?

Ok I just joined this online role-playing game of some sort. I Have no idea what I just did. Registered under username Lauren Fox. Look me up if you can and help me with the madness.

Something I Saw...

January:
Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people's flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

February:
Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

March:
Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves travelling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL:
Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people's problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

May:
Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves travelling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

June:
Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills.Talk active. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

July:
Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST:
Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

September:
Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people's mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

October:
Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn't pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

November:
Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

December:
Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor.

Uh, okay.... all are quite true...except maybe the "sexy" part? And I'm ambitioua, but not that ambitious. Yes, I admit, I love attention. What's "Egotistic?" Besides that, everything else is quite true.