Chapter Text
"As you can undoubtedly see, the historical painting you wanted goes here, and it just brings the whole living room together," Armani satisfactorily explained, showing off the living room to her most recent client. Her client was an older woman who was on the upper-class side. She loves when her clients give her a larger budget, it allows her to carefully explore her more creative side. She noticed her client's eager eyes wander, and she smiled, another fulfilled client.
"The deep orange of the walls brings out the custom beamed ceilings that you requested."
"This is elegant and it's everything I desired, Thank you."
"Don't thank me; this is what I'm here for."
She sighed gently as she left the grand house, she got inside her car and swiftly drove to her apartment. She checked her mailbox then headed for the elevators. She pressed the fourth button and pulled out her phone, checking her emails. She noticed a missed call from her close friend, Sarrah, from an hour ago she swiped on the message to call her back. She stepped out of the elevator and walked to her door, as her phone rang twice. As she was opening up her door, Sarrah finally answered.
"Hey, Armani, how's your day going?"
"It's been pleasant, the client enjoyed the living room. I'm sure I'll be hearing from her soon to do the rest of the house. I got two more clients lined up and —"
"Work, work, and more work." Sarrah interrupted, "You should come out with us tonight."
"Who is us?" Armani questioned.
"Me, Laura, Klay, Jeremy, and Billie."
"I don't know, Sarrah, I have a potential client tomorrow, and I want to be best for the first meeting."
"Come on, Armani, You haven't hung out with us in a while."
She sighed, there were some truths to what Sarrah was saying. Since she's been working with more upper-class clients, she's been receiving more and more clients, desiring meetings, and their residences redid. She feels apologetic for abandoning her only friends in the city.
"Alright, I'll go out tonight," Armani decided, cutting her off, "but I can only have a few drinks, and then I have to leave."
"Alright, I will text you the address, see you later,"
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I should have stayed home, Armani thought. She was sitting comfortably in a club booth with Laura. Armani watched as Klay and Billie drunkenly rocked against each other on the dance floor. She noticed Sarrah at the bar with an attractive girl, she chuckled at their obvious flirting. Armani looked to where Jeremy was, flirting with some gorgeous girls and glimpsed over at Laura. Laura had a flash of jealousy in her eyes, she sighed, taking another sip of her fruity cocktail.
"I'm going to head home. What about you?", Armani asked Laura.
"I'll go too."
"Want to crash at my house?" Armani offered.
"If you don't mind?"
"It's nothing to me."
Armani has always been closer to Laura than she had with anyone else out of the group. Laura is lean with warm beige skin, with slightly waved chestnut hair. She wore these pretty cat-eye glasses and consistently had rings on. Armani met her through Sarrah, but truthfully they had spent more time together than she and Sarrah typically did.
She called a uber and texted Sarrah that they left together. As they arrived at her modest apartment, she set her keys on the counter. Laura sat on the plush couch, as Armani pulled out covers from her closet and grabbed them some pajamas to change into. They talked naturally about nothing as Armani grabbed them something to drink. They were both drained from the night out, sitting down on the plush armchair, with her cover.
"You can choose what we watch," Laura gently said, passing the remote to her.
They watched a few episodes of parks and recreation. After a while, they fall asleep around midnight.
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Armani woke up to the smell of sweet cinnamon. She stretched getting up from the armchair, bones cracking as she let out a loud yawn. She grabbed her phone, praising herself for remembering to put it on the charger before heading off to sleep. She walked to the kitchen, grabbing her a plate of food. As soon as she sat and started to dig in, Laura came out of the bathroom, still wearing the fuzzy pants Armani lent her.
"Morning," Armani greeted, "Thanks for making breakfast."
"No problem at all, What time is it? I didn't charge my phone last night."
Armani looked at her phone, "It's 6:49, Are you on the morning shift today?"
"Yeah, you know I'm a morning person."
Laura pushed up her pale blue glasses, up her daintily upturned nose, "Can I get a ride back to my apartment?"
"Of course. This food is amazing by the way."
Laura smiled, "Thanks, but you want to know what's amazing. These pants, I'm keeping them."
They laughed softly. Laura made herself a plate and sat next to Armani and started to eat. They talked about Armani’s upcoming meetings and Laura's job at this quaint dressmaking studio. When they both finished, Armani put the dishes in the dishwasher and went to her room to put on some clothes. After Laura got her clothes and shoes from yesterday together, they headed to Armani’s car. After a short fifteen minute drive to Laura’s apartment, she dropped her off saying her goodbyes.
Armani drove back home and got into the door around 8:06. She went to the bathroom starting the shower. Armani looked into the mirror, her afro puff was a little smushed. When she looked a little closer, she instantly noticed a smudge of mascara that she didn't take off last night. She grabbed makeup wipes from her bathroom’s vanity. She grabbed a towel and stepped into the steaming shower. She quickly washed up, since she had a meeting in the next hour and a half. As she stepped out, wrapping the towel around herself and she did her skincare routine and brushed her teeth.
Armani left the bathroom, going into her room to put on some professional clothes. She grabbed a white buttoned-up silk shirt, carefully tucked into red high-waisted pleated pants. She grabbed a pair of black leather pumps to bring it all together. She redid her puff, spraying a little curl enhancer on it, she played with it a little before she decided it looked alright. By the time she was done, it was a little past 8:40. She grabbed her purse and made sure she had everything she typically needed. Armani grabbed her keys and phone and left.
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Armani arrived at her favorite cafe, Sweet Picnic. It was a cafe that sold a twist on classic picnic foods and had unique drinks to serve with it. When she pulled open the door she was hit with the cooling air and the fragrance of coffee and pastries. She went into one of the two lines, looking at the chalkboard that held the menu items. She already knew what she wanted, since she stopped by every morning, she always got a soy latte to go and maybe a breakfast bagel. Since Laura made breakfast, Armani chose to skip the bagel and just get her latte.
Armani looked around as she waited, noticing that business was slow at the moment. The cafe was fairly big, with white walls and one wall filled with potted plants of all sizes. The glossed silver marble floor matches the marble tables and black stools. She noticed they were playing a mellow lo-fi beat from the speakers that sat between the plants above the baristas. As Armani got closer, she noticed her friend Billie was currently working. She smiled as she stepped up, as Billie came over to personally to take her order.
"Hey Mani, you look gorgeous as always. You want the usual?"
"Yes, please, but no bagel today I already ate"
"Did Laura sleepover? I noticed you two slipped away last night."
"Yeah. You know the club and dancing stuff isn't Laura and mines scene. Speaking of, Can I also get a medium vanilla cold brew please?"
"Alright, a medium soy latte and medium vanilla cold brew coming right up."
Armani stepped aside as another customer came in to get their daily supply of caffeine. Billie and Armani met at this cafe shop after discovering when she first moved into the city. She first noticed the white barista who was also the owner, with their freckles that covered their face and arms. Who also jokingly flirted with anyone and everybody. She liked Billie's personality and shortly after inviting them to group nights with Sarrah, Klay, and Laura.
Today, Billie wore a button-up shirt that had geometric patterns all over it, they wore a black tank top underneath. They had on black jeans which were covered by a waist apron that all the baristas were wearing. Armani watched as they prepared the drinks and carefully brought them over. Armani got out her money as Billie carefully out them in a cup holder.
"A medium vanilla cold brew and medium soy latte for you. That'll be a total of five dollars."
Armani chuckled, "Billie, me and you both know this is nine dollars. You never let me pay full price, at least let me today."
"Nope, sorry, can't do it," Billie said, smiling all toothy. "It's cafe policy as the owner to cut at least one costumer's price in half. Today that customer just happened to be you."
Armani rolled her eyes, playfully."I'm always that one customer."
"Well lucky for you. Your total is five dollars and I'll add in a strawberry bagel too."
"Billie no," Armani laughed, waving her hands to stop Billie. "That's too much Billie; I already ate breakfast."
"Alright, fine, no bagel but if you come for lunch I'll give whatever you desire. And maybe I'll let you pay for it."
"Okay Bills," Armani couldn't help but smile at them, her smile was infectious.
Armani gave Billie her original ten-dollar bill, and Billie gave her her change. Armani put the change into the tip jar. She grabbed the drinks, said goodbye to Billie, and headed out the Sweet Picnic.