'Till the End

I heard knocking at my door. I thought maybe if I ignored it long enough it'll eventually go away. I didn't want to wake and escape the comforting warmth of bed just yet. The knocking stopped and I fell back asleep momentarily.

"WAKE UP MY DARLIN'!" an all too familiar high-pitch masculine voice with a southern drawl screamed "Get up!" Aaron yelled smacking me on the butt.

"OW!" I yelped turning over to see one of my best friends towering of me.

"Time to catch your flight!" He singed

Damn, I forgot about that. It was a good thing I had already packed.

"C'mon, I got to get to work and you and Rue need to get your asses on that flight to LV" Aaron ripped the covers from me.

"What time is it?" I mumbled sitting up in bed.
Aaron ignored my question "Olivia Sanchez, have you been partying!?" He accusingly asked when he saw me in a mini dress under the covers.

"Last night yeah so what? I don't have to go work"

Aaron squinted and scoffed. He was jealous that I had the entire week off because Zola Lathen, our boss, bless her soul, let me after I had told her about my cousin Nason getting married and him wanting me stay a week in Las Vegas with him and his fiancé' Ridley so I could get to know her. At first Zola was pretty reluctant but I told her how important my cousin was to me since I had to live with him for a year and a half after my parents died. Aaron and I worked a tattoo place called The Inkshop. I'm an apprentice and Aaron is a receptionist. He likes to be called a secretary though as well as being called Aro sometimes.

"You do know your flight leaves in two hours. Where were you last night!?" He questioned placing his hands on his hips.

"It doesn't matter" I groaned getting up swinging my legs over the bed and rubbing my eyes remembering partying hard with some friends by the name Samie Jayden and Myca garner in L.A. "Wait," I suddenly thought "how did you get in here?"

"Rue and I got keys made to your lock." Aaron smiled

"What!? You didn't think you'd need to ask me first?"

"It was all Rue's idea." he blamed, I rolled my eyes

"Speaking of which, where is she?"

"Oh Rue? Downstairs making coffee"

"But I don't have a coffee maker"

"You do now!" I heard Rue exclaimed from downstairs

"Where is your suitcase?" Aaron asked, I pointed to it "Okay, where is the rest of your luggage?"

"That's it. I'll only be gone for seven days"

"That would hold seven days worth of shoes, maybe." He rolled his eyes. Aaron could be quite the diva "If I look in your suitcase I better not find seven tanks and seven pairs of shorts and flip flops"

He poked fun but he means well. Until recently tanks and shorts is what my wardrobe mainly consisted of because I've lived in the deserts of Nevada, the sourcing heat of Florida and now currently Hollywood, California. Everywhere I lived the weather was always ridiculously hot so it only made sense I own clothes like I did. Aaron totally rebuilt my wardrobe although we did bump heads at times because he loves heels, some heels most strippers wouldn't even wear, and I enjoyed wearing flip flops. Our happy medium was wedges.

"I packed skirts and dresses" I lied, honestly knowing I had hid a pair of shorts and flip flops at the bottom of my suitcase just in case he checked.

In case you are wondering, which I know you are probably, Aaron Viles is my fabulous androgynous friend.

"Fine I trust you," Aaron picked up my one suitcase "I'm putting your luggage in my car. Hurry up!"

Rubbed my hungover eyes again. Maybe going to that party wasn't the best idea but since Ronnie, my boyfriend, has been on tour the last three months I've been kind of lonely living by myself. Don't get me wrong, I love living by myself and it was my choice to do so. Before living where I do now I room mated with Rue and Aaron. Before that I moved around way to much, I lost a since of home so I got a place of my own.

"Good morning sunshine!" My red headed friend Rue greeted me as I descended the stairs. She was such a morning person. It made me jealous sometimes how even with a hangover she could be so cheerful all the time. I waved "Drink this. I made it for you" she offered.

"No thanks, I don't drink coffee"

"I know. It's tea"

"Thank you Rue" I happily took the black ceramic mug from her hands.

"No, thank you! I can't believe I'm going to Las Vegas for a whole week! I always wanted to go but I'm only 19 so I don't really have a reason"

Rue and I are the same age. Aaron is a year older.

"I'm happy to take you along. I miss LV. It was fun while I lived there" I took a sip of my tea "I'm going to take a quick shower before we go"

Rue nodded letting me walk past her. I quickly took a shower and walked back up stairs to my loft were I put on a pair of sweats and a tank top when I remembered Aaron was here and he'd condemned if saw me wear this. Groaning, I put on a skirt and a cardigan over my tank.
Pick up the phone! Answer your texts... my cell ringed, Ronnie face was on my screen.

"Hey Ronald," I answered,

"Morning Olivia" he sounded a tad bit sleepy. Like myself Ronnie also wasn't a morning person. But that was okay because I enjoyed hearing his sleepy voice during our morning calls "How are you?"

"I was just about to leave for the airport with Rue and Aro" I told him "you?"

"I have good and some bad news" he said sounding disappointed

"What's the bad?" I questioned walking around my loft. I had a habit of walking while I'm talking on the phone, no idea were it came from.

"Some of my shows have been canceled" he sighed

"That’s horrible! I'm sorry" I frowned

"The good news is that it means this tour will end on Thursday and I think we'll be able to make it to Nason's wedding"

I sat down on my bed and crossed my legs "That's amazing! Well, not that you shows got canceled it just I miss you"

"We will see each other again" Ronnie had said with so much hope it lifted me up emotionally "I love you" he said

I ran my fingers across my ankle tattoo with RJR on it "I love you too"

"I'm sorry but I have to go"

I wanted whine and complain because I'm used to our morning calls last way longer. Instead I just said goodbye.

"What are you doing? We plane to catch!" Rue scold when she saw me just sitting there.

"Sorry" I apologized, we left my apartment to the parking lot where Aaron was waiting.

"Do you people not know the definition hurry up!?" Aaron complained

"I'm sorry!" I apologized for the second time that morning quickly getting in the backseat of Aaron's car. Rue got in the passenger seat.

"Maybe you should call Zola to tell her you'll be late for work this morning" I suggested

"I already did" he sighed

It was then noticed something different in Aaron's appearance I hadn't realized in my loft probably because was half asleep still "When did you dye your hair brown? It looks good"
Aaron ran his fingers through his hair and extensions "Last night" he answered more chirpier. One quick way I learned to put him out of a bad mood was to complement him. "Thank you" he said grinning the rest of the way to the airport he didn't complain

"See you beautifuls when y'all get back!" Aaron waved goodbye as Rue and I walked in to the terminal.

We lucked out, getting two side seats on the plain. Rue got the window seat.

The flight took three hours.



"Who are we looking for again?" Rue asked after we landed. We were walking around aimlessly.

"Nasty said Ridley was going to pick us up" I kept looking around. If my memory served me correctly Ridley was strawberry blonde, very average looking in height and weight with freckles.

"Is that us?" Rue asked gesturing over to a guy that looked like a chauffeur holding a sign that read my last name. We walked over to him. I hadn't paid any attention to the blonde girl dressed in all black next him until she attacked Rue in a hug.

"Oh Olivia!" She exclaimed finally letting go "So glad to meet you again!"

Rue, completely dumbfounded glanced at me. At first I was at a lost for words. "The pleasure is all mine?" Rue said slowly playing along.

"Um, Ridley?" I got the woman’s attention she answered "You look really different" I noted checking her out. I could hardly believe it was the same woman I met months ago in the mall. She was a lot skinnier than I remembered, better dressed and now she wore dark make up. Now I could picture my cousin marrying her.

"Oh," Ridley took a step back "Oh my. I'm sorry" she darted her gaze between Rue and I "You two must be sisters"

"Yes" Rue said

"No" I said at the same time. Ridley started looking more confused. I sideways glanced at Rue who was looking pitiful. I left bad for my friend. You see we look damn near identical besides the fact my hair is dark blue. We share the same birthdate. When Rue found that out she spent all her energy for months searching for her biological parents because she was adopted. It turned out we weren't related after all. It was hard for Rue for a while after that "We are like sisters" I said "No blood relation though"

"Alright then. We can talk more in the car ride back" Ridley said "Leave your bags Carlos can get them" she waved her driver over to get our luggage "You look so much alike" Ridley commented again while driving to her parents house.

"We get that a lot" Rue smiled

"Well, I was wondering, I don’t have many girlfriends growing up in Vegas you know?"

"Completely understand" I lived there for a short amount of time but all my friends were guys/

"I have one good girlfriend as my maid of honor. You being my other bridesmaid-"

"I'm a bridesmaid?" I questioned. That was a new piece of information.

"Nason didn't tell you?" Ridley seemed surprised. I shook my head "Well you don't have to be of course"

"I'd love to be apart of your wedding"

"Good," Ridley smiled at me then looked at Rue "Would you like to-"

"I'd love too!" Rue didn't even let Ridley finish her question.

"Tomorrow you girls can pick out your dresses and get fitted"

"Sounds like fun"

"Finally were here" Ridley said after the car had stopped, someone opened the door and assisted her getting out. When I got out, I was taken away. There was one big house, in front of the land and two smaller houses. Servers greeted us with drinks. I noticed we weren't actually in Las Vegas though. I made that point out loud.

"We are in Sunrise Manor actually" Ridley informed. Sunrise Manor was about twenty minutes away from the strip. "Over here is the guest house you and your friend will be staying in for the week" Ridley pointed "it has two rooms and spacious loft up stairs"

"Where’s my cousin?" I asked sipping on the fruity alcoholic mixed drink a server gave me.

"He's not here yet. He's in Vegas getting he’s groom mates. They will be over in that guest house" she pointed to the opposite house "C'mon I want you to meet my maid of honor" Ridley lead the way to the guest house she said Rue and I were staying in. I wish someone had mentioned the fact when Ridley said parents house they would had made it plural. It was overwhelming, we walked on the gravel & stone walkways I watched gardeners tend to the plants and grass which was weird how they got it to grow on the desert ground. Outside their land was dirt and sand.

"It’s about time you came back!" a tall woman yelled when entered the house. She looked familiar. She had stretched ears you could fit a new born’s head through but you barely she them because her afro was so big it covered most of them.” Olivia Sanchez" she recited smiling at me

"You remember my name but don't remember yours" I said slowly

"I remember every person I ever tattooed" she grinned again crossing her heavily tattooed arms

"Um, Oli, this is Militia" Ridley awkwardly halfway introduced us.

"I gave you your first tattoo on your wrist and I pierced your nostrils" Militia jogged my memory and I suddenly remembered a year ago Jacky and Derek took me to The Skin Factory. Jacky wanted to get a tattoo and Derek pressured me to get a piercing.

"Oh my god, Militia! Can you believe I'm an apprentice?"

"No way?"

"Yeah I gave myself this tattoo" I pointed to my feet showing off my anchor tattoo.

"Let’s catch up over lunch?" Ridley suggested