In the Company

Ryleigh

I let out a sigh as I lounged back on the bed; most of the time I didn't mind being single, but times like this, when Rose was out with David it would have been really nice to have someone to spend time with. I liked being alone, don't get me wrong, but there's only so much alone I can handle.

The door shut with a light click, and with a groan I hauled myself off of my best friend's bed and plodded to my own bedroom. Shucking off the pencil skirt, fitted blouse and blazer jacket I stood in front of my closet trying to decide what to do. I could go out to a bar or a club, New York was teeming with them, but I'd never understood the point of going to the bar alone. It was boring, and awkward, and everybody knew you were either there because something shitty happened or you were trying to take somebody home. Not exactly the kind of person I wanted to be labeled as. Not that it couldn't be fun to go out; odds were I would run into somebody I could spend time with, but my best friend was pretty much the only person I liked being with in those settings. One two many bad experiences had left me fairly wary; especially after moving to New York after growing up in small-town Silo, Oklahoma.

Finally I realized that meant I was going to have a lonely night to myself, so I threw on a pair of sweat pants and a baggy old Carolina Panthers jersey that used to belong to my cousin Jeff and had somehow made its way to my closet. I picked up my glass of wine and retreated to the living room, clicking on the flat screen TV and starting to browse through the channels. There was absolutely nothing on; no football games, no Project Runway, none of my usual shows.

"Great," I muttered, pushing some hair off of my face before pulling it loose from it's bun and proceeding to put it up in a more comfortable ponytail. "Tonight should be fun,"

Three hours and four glasses of wine later found me sitting upside-down on the couch, with my feet over the back, watching the Bachelor and bitching at all of the ridiculously fake and obnoxious women who I wouldn't mind giving a talking to. I had no idea how anybody could stand to watch this show every week and have to listen to all of their shit; it was ridiculous.

"Ry! I'm... home," Rose sighed when she walked in and saw my feet sticking up over the back of the couch. I heard a thud that must have been her purse on the table or floor, before her heels clicked over to me. I managed what I assumed was a bright smile up at her, before she shook her head.

"Wow... you must have been bored," she allowed, to which I groaned.

"Only because my best friend ditched me for a boy. Isn't there a rule about this? You know, like the chick version of 'Bro's before Hoes' or something?" I asked, making her laugh before she shook her head.

"No clue - and I didn't ditch you! You knew well in advance that we'd made plans," I rolled my eyes at her argument before swinging my feet over and sitting up properly, also managing to make my head spin a little. The last glass of wine was probably overkill, but our social lives were probably about to become nonexistent as of tomorrow, so I figured it was worth it.

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night Rose,"

"Well, you better get some sleep tonight; we have to be at the office for eight thirty for a pre-meeting, remember?" I crossed my eyes and made a face at her before standing up and walking down the hallway.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I still think it's an undercover spy posing as a royal; I just know it!" I called over my shoulder as she turned right into her bedroom and I continued to mine.

"Maybe it'll be Prince Harry," she teased, which had me bolting back to her room and flinging open the door.

"D'you think so? Oh my God that would be awesome... he's so hot," I blurted, and after the initial shock Rose began laughing at me. Not that this was a new occurrence by any stretch of the imagination.

"I doubt it... I'm pretty sure he has people in England for that,"

"Well they obviously don't do their job well enough - did you see those pictures from Vegas?" she was nearly rolling on her bed in laughter even as she nodded.

"Well, if it is I call dibs; you have a boyfriend," I announced before returning to my room. I flopped onto my bed and curled up, letting out a yawn before drifting off to sleep.