"I think I’d prefer to go back to my studio, practice another routine that I’ll be teaching soon." I swipe my hair over my shoulder, "I really need to focus on my career at this stage, you know?"
"Is that what you want?" She tilts her head.
"Don’t you?"
"I want a successful career, for sure, and I want to make it on my own, but every success I’ve had only makes it seem even more hollow, makes me want to reach for the next one. I don’t think I’ve ever taken the time to appreciate what I have, you know? And sometimes it makes me wonder if it’s all worth it."
"Wow," I blink, "and I thought I was the boring introspective one here."
"That you are." She smirks. "Boring and introspective and way too beautiful for your own good."
"Aww, come on." I poke a finger into her shoulder. "Who are you and what have you done to my fun-loving friend?"
"Fun-loving, sex starved friend, who’s not had any action in…" She counts on her fingers, "Whoa, has it been that long?" She pales. "No wonder my vagina is dictating my thoughts."
"Thought that only applied to men." I chuckle. "Besides, I can’t weigh in on it. I’ve never—" Color floods my cheeks. "Shit, forget I said anything. Do you want a drink? I want a drink; shall we go to the pub—"
"Holdonabloodysecond." Isla stares at me, "Are you saying?" She shakes her head. "Nope, it can’t be. Tell me it’s not true. I mean, I know you’re only nineteen, still…you know…I thought…"
"Shut up." I blush harder. "Seriously, Iz, lay off. It’s not something I want to talk about."
"Are you holding out for the 'one'?" She punctuates the last word with air-quotes. "Is that why you haven’t slept with anyone so far?"
"Not like don’t have any experience... I do know how to use my vibrator properly, thank you very much." I laugh.
Isla rolls her eyes. "Not the same as being with a man…" She rakes her gaze over my features, "It’s also the intimacy, you know. That’s what I miss the most. Not that the men in my life have excelled at that in any way either… Still, it was better than nothing," she purses her lips, "I suppose."
"You don’t sound very convinced."
"All I can say is that I haven’t yet been with someone who can rock my world, the way I read about it in romance novels—"
"Those kind of alpha males don’t exist," I mutter. "Romance novels were dreamed up by women who, clearly, know how to spin a fantasy. It’s why I never read them."
"What?" she screeches. "You haven’t read any romance novels?"
I stare at her, and she chuckles, "Good one."
"Not." I pout. "I am addicted to them," I mutter. "How someone who started out with Twilight graduated to the kind of smut I read now, I'll never know. I singularly blame them for my addiction to a certain man who’s completely unsuited to my needs."
"Now I see why he's so attracted to you."
"You do?"
She nods, "It's the combination of the little virgin façade, combined with the curves of Venus, which hides the heart of a little slut."
"Whoa," I blink, "I'm not sure who you are talking about here?"
"You, babe." She laughs. "You. Bet he looks at you and sees a little sacrificial lamb that he can’t wait to sink his teeth into."
I stiffen. "You make me sound like some kind of…of…"
"Sinful dish?" she offers.
"I thought you were suggesting he was a vampire.” I pout. “And now you’re agreeing with him. Seriously, this is all kinds of screwed up. I need to take my mind off Edward completely." I straighten. "Yeah, that’s what I should do. I need to find someone to sleep with. That will take my mind off Edward completely."
She frowns, "Don’t do anything rash. Maybe you should think things through first. Sleep on it some more—"
"I’d rather sleep with someone else. I bet that will put things in perspective."
