Signed As Yours

"Did you just land?" Zola's voice filtered through the phone as I pushed my luggage and walked out of the airport.

"I've been a while, customs held me up for some reason" I replied trying to hide my frustration. The sun shone high and the airport was busy, people kept colliding with my luggage and I was scared I would lose it, my grip tightened around the handle as I called for a cab.

"I thought you wanted to visit New Zealand? For your birthday trip?" Zola sounded like she was laying on her bed.

"Mr. Nolan had other plans" I replied as I entered a cab and gave him Zola's address

"So what are you going to do? And what exactly did he ask you to come home for?" Zola didn't give me time to reply "Is your dad trying to clip your wings now? Your blog is getting views"

I closed my eyes and tried to stop the incoming headache, I had been refusing to think about the reasons why dad would call me home. A week before my twenty-third birthday, I had gone over every possible scenario and came up with nothing. I had no reason to return home, his company was doing well according to news outlets, he wasn't sick either.

"Hello? Avery are you still there?" Zola's voice drew me from my thoughts.

I sighed "I don't know what Mr. Nolan wants Zo. But I can wait to find out, I'm coming to your place right now"

The car ride didn't take long before we arrived at Zola's place. I pay for the can and ring the bell. The security looks at me through his peephole before letting me in, Zola is already running out of the house.

She engulfed me in a large hug "I've missed you Avery"

I giggled, it was only Zola who could make me laugh despite everything I was worried about "I've missed you too, Zo"

"Come on, come on, we have so much to catch up on" She said as she took my luggage from me and led me into the house I had stayed in a lot of times when we were younger "I thought we'd catch up in New Zealand but I guess the nostalgia of home isn't bad?"

I didn't answer, Zola always asked questions she'd end up answering herself. Moar of my memories of LA aren't good. Dad was barely around and after what happened to mum, I could barely find joy in this place.

"So you really don't why daddy dearest disrupted our trip? I was really looking forward to go to Greece after visiting New Zealand" Zola said as we both laid on her bed the way we used to back in highschool, knees up and eyes facing the ceiling.

"If I knew, I'd probably had never returned, he always has something planned but I don't want to think about that right now" I sighed.

Zola rolled on her side and faced me with a large smile "You've come to the right place, we're going clubbing!" She announced happily.

"Um no, I just want to sit and eat ice cream and mourn the trip I planned" I groaned.

"Oh come on! It would be fun! And it'd be a nice way to piss off Mr. Nolan, I know you staying here tonight is your attempt so why not go all out? You promised me clubbing for your twenty-third" Zola whined like a child.

"What if whatever Mr. Nolan is planning for me involves keeping a low profile? You know how he is about his image" I tried to convince her, I wasn't against going out but if Mr. Nolan threw a fit...

"I'm going there to give a review" Zola interrupted my thoughts "You know I'm doing this series about finding great places to hang out on my channel and you know those videos are doing numbers, this place is new and chic, thinking of it as helping me with my job" she argued.

Zola always knew how to make me cave. "We're not getting drunk, I can't deal with a hangover while Mr. Nolan gives orders" I laughed as Zola hugged me.

"Thank you! Thank you!" She kissed my cheeks as we giggled "Oh, I have the perfect dress for you"

"Did you already plan this?" I asked, eyeing her suspiciously as she rummaged through her closet.

"Not really, today's their launch and I couldn't just leave my best friend at home to party" She explained. "Found it!"

Zola brought out a velvet short dress and held it up for me too see, it was beautiful. It sparkled and the bottom was free flowing.

"You'd look so good in this, do you like it?" Zola asked.

I nodded "It's beautiful" . I didn't speak much but Zola always understood, even when I wasn't saying anything.

We spent the rest of the afternoon talking - mostly Zola, about the brand deals that she had gotten and her mother's new research. Zola's mother studied biochemistry and was a large figure in the field. When night time arrived, Zola prepped me up and we both went to the new club. She had her camera and tripod out immediately after we passed security.

"For the first launch, it definitely has a lot of people" I whispered, trying to avoid shouting but Zola didn't hear as she ordered us drinks at the bar.

"Did you say something?!" She shouted over the music.

I waved my hand "No!"

Zola handed me my drink and I took it down in one gulp, my throat burned and I started to feel more relaxed, maybe I needed this outing, something to get my mind off worrying over the reason dad had demanded I return home.

Zola noticed me going back into my thoughts.

"Let's dance!" She dragged me off the barstool and we pushed into the crowd of bodies, I held on tightly to her hands.

We had a few more drinks and I had to use the restroom. Zola promised to remain at the bar while I tried to locate the restroom before I bumped into something - someone. His drink spilled over my dress.

"Can you watch-" my words were stuck in my throat when my eyes met his. Even in the lowlight of the club, I could see how beautifully handsome he was.

He let out a sound I couldn't place "I'm sorry, I can get you another dress"

My mouth was dry, if I thought his face was beautiful before, his voice was even more, it sounded like warmth as his scent enveloped me. Suddenly the space between us was too much.

He took my silence as a chance to explain "I mean, upstairs, there's a place you can change privately, your dress is soaked"

I snapped out of it "Um.. okay"

I knew this was not the plan and following a beautiful man to the top of the club which turned out to be a room was the least smartest thing to do but my dress was hugging my body and I was half hoping my underwear was not on display and maybe it was the alcohol but I was half hoping he could see it. In the light of the room, he was even more breathtaking, his back spread before me. He was in a suit, who wore a suit to a club? He searched the room until he realized there was no clothes available then he cursed.

"I apologize, I thought there'd at least be options for you" He finally turned to face me as he took of his jacket, I swallowed.

"Uhm.. it's alright, I think it's already drying off" I turned around, hoping to escape before I jumped on this stranger but his hands held my shoulder as he laid his suit jacket over me.

We were so close, his breath fanned my neck and I squeezed my thighs together "You could wait here until it dried off completely" he offered.

I don't know what came over me but I turned around so quickly and kissed him, the jacket falling from my shoulders. At first he was stunned and when I tried to pull back, he deepened the kiss, his hands flying to my waist to drag me closer despite my wet clothes.