Dark red drops slid down Nicole's neck, staining her collarbones and the collar of her white, loose tee. Every inch of her uncovered skin had some hand print from the crimson liquid. The maniac smile she had carefully practiced made her even more scary.

"How do I look?" she turned around, facing the roommate laying on her bed, furiously typing.

Carolina looked up, taking in her costume. She wore a t-shirt so long it hid her shorts, as if it wasn't chilling at night. The bottle of fake blood had been almost all used on her, and yet she didn't look satisfied.

"Like a psychopath who just committed mass murder."

The blonde shrugged. It wasn't what she was going for, but it worked. That night, she wanted was to look different from her usual self, which shocked Carolina, who expected her to go as a slutty police and find a new hook up.

Lately, she hadn't been very interested in men. The late nights out were still a thing, but what Carolina failed to notice was that Nicole was almost always at Miguel's, complaining about life and watching movies.

"Are you ready or what?" Nicole asked.

Her roommate got up for the first time since barging in and throwing herself on the blonde's bed to complain about Lucas. He had decided he wasn't going, therefore she was reluctant to go and kept trying to convince him to join her. She would be a Daphne and he would be Shaggy. Now it was Daphne and some maniac.

"I don't know if I want to go," she said. "Not without him."

Nicole rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a dependant bitch. So what if he isn't going? You're just going to stop having fun because of him? Get a life."

You could word things more nicely, couldn't you? Carolina thought, walking out.

The blonde grabbed her purse, but just as she was about to leave, her phone lit up with her sister's name on the screen.

"Hello!" the girl beamed as soon as Nicole picked up.

"Hi, Rita," she answered, with half the enthusiasm. "What's up?"

They hadn't talked in a week. Nicole was always working, and Rita was busy with university and tests. That call was long due, but she han't picked a suitable moment. All Nicole wanted was to go out, get silly drunk and dance under the colourful lights.

"I just wanted to tell you I'm coming a week later than I promised, and that I might stay for a little, if that's okay?"

Nicole accepted it right away. Her sofa might be small, but it was enough for Rita to accommodate herself for a while.

"Also," Rita hesitated. "Dad wants to know if you're coming for Christmas? And before you say no, Laura is coming."

Her hand gripped the phone harder. Maybe Rita had forgiven and forgotten, but Nicole and Laura never accepted the time they lost with their mother because of all the fighting.

She couldn't lament herself for it. Everything was in the past and she couldn't change that, so she refused to regret any of her mistakes. Hating herself wouldn't change anything. Hating her father wouldn't either, she knew it, but forgiving him also wouldn't.

"Are you lying?" she questioned.

Rita snorted. "Of course not. Ask her yourself."

So she did, because as soon as they hung up, she was dialling Laura's number. The girl answered almost immediately.

Laura was rushing out of campus, fighting a crowd of students. She was tired, and all she wanted was to go home, take a long shower and sit by the TV, eating unhealthy food.

"Christmas? Yeah, I said that, but only because of Rita. I'm not going for him, much less for the rest."

A sneer took over both of them as the image of their stepmother flashed through their minds. That woman would forever be the one who ruined their family. They could be all happy, the four of them, together through blood and grief. Yet she showed up, and now everyone was in their corner, refusing to acknowledge their prior life.

"I don't want to see his stupid face," Nicole said. "I'm not going."

"Yes you are," her sister contradicted. "We need to learn how to live together. Plus, I'm the oldest and you have to do what I tell you."

A look of indignation took over Nicole's scary features. Never had she been bossed like that, and she would not take it for sure.

"Since when?" She never got an answer as Laura hung up. Nicole stared at the phone in disbelief. "You bitch!"

Carolina called her. Nicole shoved her phone inside her purse again and got out of the house, arm in arm with her friend. She drove them to the club where Miguel used to work, since Carolina hated to drive.

The club was close to campus, so it was a fast ride. Everyone was crammed inside the large space. It was a dark room with few lights moving around, making even a sober person feel confused and lose balance. Music was blasting through the columns in every corner and the resident band was playing on a small stage at the back.

Looking up, away from the blinding lights, usually helped people regain their balance, as Nicole had found out not that long ago. Golder banisters surrounded the upper floor, VIPs looking down at the turmoil on the ground floor. It was a place she was quite acquainted with because of Miguel. Without him, she probably wouldn't have half the perks she did and could never afford to be such a regular client.

"I'm going to get a drink," she told Carolina, her lips almost glued to her ear. "Do you want anything?"

Her roommate shook her head, pointing to a group of friends she spotted dancing by the stage to let her know where she was going. Most girls were usually crazy about the guitarist and his sly smiles.

"Hello, you," the barman recognised her. Nicole had been flirting with him for months, but they hadn't exchanged names so far. There was something that attracted her, and it wasn't just the tux he was required to use. Maybe it was the way he looked at her with his caramel eyes, or the smirk he shot at her. She didn't let herself be fooled. It was obvious she wasn't getting special treatment compared to every other girl. Still, she couldn't deny he was charming. "The usual?"

"You know me." She smiled, leaning against the counter.

He winked and started preparing her drink without taking his eyes off her. He was teasing her on purpose, regardless of the rule that forbid him from sleeping with his customers.

"Who are you supposed to be tonight?"

He placed her drink on the counter, getting a little closer to her. Her hands wrapped around the cup, despite her urge to run her fingers through his dark curls, to trace his sharp jaw. She wouldn't do any of those. She wasn't looking for anyone.

"I'm an assassin."

He rose a defiant brow. "An assassin? No interesting backstory?"

"I mean, I could tell you," she trailed, biting her lip in innocent hesitation. "But then I would have to kill you." The maniac smile came back just as fast.

He chuckled, lifting her chin with his finger to get her head closer to him. That would be the part when she swallowed out of nervousness, eyeing him in a mix of innocence and uncertainty. However, she was not in the mood to play games. She moved away from his hand and took a sip of her drink, looking elsewhere.

"Why are you such a tease?" he asked.

She shrugged, spotting a familiar face chatting with someone dressed as an angel. The girl with the platinum blonde wig kept laughing at whatever he was saying, pushing him against his chest playfully.

Of fucking course. She rolled her eyes.

Without bothering to reply to him, she walked up to the guy, who hadn't bothered to dress up, leaning against the wall with a scowl painted on her face. She wasn't even sure why she cared. It was probably the girl. She looked stupid and vain, and that was irritating enough.

"I was thinking about dressing up as Britney, but don't I look super hot?"

"You do, but do you know how you would look even hotter?"

She got closer to him, giggling. "How?"

"If you were gone," Nicole exclaimed, putting her arm around his neck. "I swear you'd look so hot like that."

The girl took a step back, eyeing Nicole and her bloody outfit. Despite looking menacing dressed like that, because she always acted as if she was the only important person in the room, people felt intimidated by Nicole. That girl wasn't about to back out, though.

"Who is this? Your girlfriend?" The angel crossed her arms over her chest. "Her costume is awful."

She refused to talk directly to Nicole. The problem was that he completely forgot about her presence as soon as he laid eyes on Nicole.

"I'm thinking you really are a stalker. Can't you just leave me alone?"

Nicole took her hand to her chest dramatically and gasped. "But, Witty, who would save you from skanks like her if I did?"

"Excuse me?"

The girl walked forward, ready to throw hands. She appeared out of nowhere and started insulting her for no good reason. That wasn't something she would just let go of like that. Girls like Nicole needed to be put in their place.

"You're excused," she waved her away, not even taking her eyes off Andrew's.

She wasn't paying attention, dismissing her as if she was a rock in her shoe. That was pushing it too far.

The first shove sent Nicole against the wall, making Andrew stumble too, as her arm was still around his neck. Anger chirped in Nicole's eyes and she gritted her teeth, glaring at the platinum girl. She stopped the hand coming straight to her face and slapped her instead, leaving a red mark.

"YOU BITCH!" the angel yelled, ready to pull Nicole's hair off her scalp.

Before she could punch her, Nicole was taken off her feet. Andrew threw her over his shoulder and walked away from the chaos they had created, leaving the angel staring at them in awe.

"C-Call me!" she still yelled after him.

Andrew took Nicole to the other side of the club, where the ladies were shrieking after the guitar player. Carolina didn't even notice them, busy with her colleagues. The vocalist had thrown his hat at them and they were going insane.

"You're crazy!" he complained as soon as he put her down. "What's wrong with you?"

She opened her mouth to complain but closed it when she noticed she had lost her drink in the fight. Her eyes went straight to Andrew's, which was almost full.

"How many of those have you had?" She pointed at the cup.

He stared at her, exasperated. "I don't know, maybe five, but I'm fine. Don't change the subject."

She nodded. "I think you've had enough already." She grabbed the cup and took a sip, despite his displeased look.

"Are you serious?" he asked, heaving a frustrated sighed. He was done with her attitude and five entire minutes hadn't passed.

Nicole made an outraged face at the drink and then at Andrew. There was something extremely wrong with him she had ignored before, but she couldn't keep pretending for much longer. It was a deep sickness, perhaps one affecting his head, and it needed to be treated as fast as possible. Shock therapy could be the answer.

"Ew, Andrew! Whiskey? For real? You're disgusting!"

He looked away from her and closed his eyes, breathing deep and counting under his breath. First, she had ruined his chance of getting laid for the first time since her. Then she had started a fight out of nowhere, and now she stole his drink. She even had the guts to complain about it.

After that day at The Bookmark, he was expecting some uneasiness from her. Yet, she was acting as if nothing had happened and she was doing it in the most disturbing way possible. Normally, he wouldn't have cared about how careless she was, but she was really pressing it and he was no longer sober.

"You're being a child, you know?"

"Me? You're the one who was flirting with some whore. Who even dresses up as an angel? So unoriginal."

The cup met her lips again, because even if she didn't like it, it was still alcohol. Kissing him was a vivid memory once the liquid touched her tongue, the taste of his lips pressed up against hers. She didn't want to think about it.

"Let's dance!" She grinned, stretching her arm out for him.

Andrew ran his hands through his hair, trying not to lash out at her. He took another deep breath to cool his head.

"I can't reason with you."

Nicole smiled gently, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the dance floor. She guided his hands to her waist and wrapped hers around his neck, the cup of whiskey on between her fingers. The music they were playing wasn't slow enough for them to dance like that, but somehow, they managed. Although reluctant at first, Andrew revealed to be a talented dancer, which left her speechless.

From their spot, they could see Miguel and Lúcia sitting in the VIP zone. They didn't want to spy, and they were too busy with each other.

Lúcia was dressed in a Supergirl costume, sitting next to Miguel in a booth. He was leaning against the banister, surveying the lower floor. His costume had been chosen by Lúcia, a pilot from a movie she had once seen. She loved the way he looked.

"Who are you looking for?" she asked, supporting her knees against the seat and gawking at the crowd. She waved at Nicole, but she didn't seem to notice her. "Those two..."

"Hmm?" He turned to her. "I was trying to find a waitress. I haven't seen her yet. Who are you talking about?"

Lúcia wasn't a jealous person, but she knew Miguel's reputation and every time she heard him mention a girl, she got defensive. The only one who didn't make her insecure was Nicole, because anyone who saw them together knew they had a siblings' relationship.

"A waitress?" she repeated.

He shrugged. "A total bitch. I'm hoping she has the night off. Who were you talking about?"

Relief washed over her, and she nodded towards Andrew and Nicole. The band kept playing furiously as people danced and drank. Band nights were always different from the DJ nights, mostly because they were less crowded than.

"Do you want to dance too?" he questioned.

She shook her head and got closer to him. Being alone with him was better than being pushed into the middle of the crowd. They were never really alone, but she appreciated that he always came to see her at work and that he didn't protest when she refused to go to his place. He was still on trial even if he didn't know, because she wanted to be sure he wasn't only interested in sleeping with her.

As they talked about this and that, the actual party was outside. People who found the place too claustrophobic had stepped into the cold, drinking and smoking at the entrance. The rumbling columns projected the sound even to them, and they rocked in place.

"Take a picture of me, would you?" Jenny said in a slur, yet she took another sip of her drink.

She sat on her boyfriend's motorcycle and fixed her hair. Then he grabbed his phone and took a few pictures of her in her zombie costume. He was just a pastime, and he knew it, but he was hoping she would fall in love, eventually.

"You look stunning." His own words were starting to blur together.

Jenny smiled, getting off the vehicle and avoiding her boyfriend's hug. He wanted to be near her, and his drunk brain needed her close. However, she wanted to be free, to dance in the middle of the street with her arms spread wide and to scream with all her might.

"Ricardo!" she grumbled as she pushed him away. "You stay here. I'll get drinks."

He nodded slowly, a shit-eating grin on his face. Soon he would forget about her absence, doing crazy things with everyone there.

The bartender, who kept eyeing Nicole, filled Jenny's cup with vodka and coke as she requested. He told her that was the last drink she was getting, considering her state, but she only made a mental note to go to the other bartender.

Trying not to trip on her own feet, she walked towards the stage, screaming along with all the other crazy girls. Her arms rose high, and she danced around the crowd, staring at the guitarist.

From above, Miguel saw her getting close to the door to the backstage, but ignored it. It wasn't his problem anymore, as he no longer worked there. If Jenny was involved, he didn't care. Besides, Lúcia was all curled up against him, telling about her plans for Christmas.

A loud noise made everyone look at the stage to see the vocalist and Jenny fighting for the mic. Ugly words were exchanged and reverberate throughout the room, alerting security to the invasion.

"GIVE IT TO ME! YOU DICK!" Jenny pushed the guy off, and he fell to the ground, the rest of the band coming to his aid. Jenny pushed her hair away from her face and exhaled, facing the crowd. "I want to talk about communism."

"What is she doing?" Lúcia turned to Miguel.

He sighed. "Being a bitch. As usual."

She started talking about the differences between social classes. No one understood what was happening, some thinking it was part of the entertainment. Even Nicole and Andrew, also way past sobriety at that point, kept dancing as if the music was playing.

"Shouldn't you help? She's your friend, and you worked here..." Lúcia started, making him cringe at such a bold accusation. He would need to wash his ears with holy water after that one.

"The security is already on it." He motioned to the men in suits, fighting their way past the crowd.

Jenny kept blabbering about her political views, completely unaware of the bodyguard and the waitress who had got there faster than the others.

"I get the whole capitalism deal, but like, equality and shit. I think I don't deserve to earn less than a football player. Let's be real, they kick a ball around and suddenly they're rich? What about me, bro?"

Two muscular arms lifted her by the waist, ready to take her off the stage. The waitress took the microphone from her hands, and as soon as Jenny saw her face, she started yelling and squirming to get off the man's grip.

She was removed from everyone's attention. Diana apologised to everyone for the incident, and the band restarted.

"I'll take it from here," the waitress told the bodyguard, and kneeled beside Jenny, who was sitting against the stage with a murderous look.

The man left, signalling to his coworkers that the issue was under controlled. Miguel could see from his spot that he was extremely wrong, but he kept repeating it wasn't his problem.

"What are they doing?" Lúcia asked, seeing the girls next to each other.

He didn't bother to answer, because the next second Jenny has slapped Diana and was yelling at her. No one noticed since the music was so loud, but Lúcia was watching with her hands clasped in her mouth.

"You stupid whore!" Jenny pushed her head against the floor. "Fake friend!"

Diana covered her face with her hands, but she had to get out of there fast. She had never regretted her past actions. Nicole wasn't a friend, so she didn't care. But now that the consequences knocked on her door, it was different.

Lúcia couldn't hear anything from up there, but she watched the two girls fight in horror. Miguel didn't seem to care. He looked amused. She tugged at his sleeve and he glanced at her.

"Go stop it."

Hell no. He thought, enjoying the show. It was no longer his business.

"Miguel," she pressed. "Please."

His jaw tightened, looking at her puppy eyes. Heaving a sigh, he got up and walked downstairs. When he got down there, he looked one more time at Lúcia, who cheered him on with a thumbs up, and grabbed Jenny by the back of her jacket.

The small girl was tired of being lifted off the floor, so she punched him in the gut once her feet were supported again. Diana didn't even move, staring at them through the gaps of her fingers. The situation didn't look good. One friend of Nicole's was bad, but two would send her to the hospital.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she yelled, but he didn't answer.

Too drunk to keep herself steady, and too tired to fight, she let herself being guided to the door, where Lúcia ran to meet them. Jenny threw her arms around her coworker.

"Are you okay?" Lúcia asked.

"Bitch, I could compete in the Olympics right now."

The brunette turned to Miguel and mouthed a thank you, before helping her get outside to breathe some fresh air. Ricardo and the others were there, trying to climb a semaphore. They didn't even notice each other.

"I'll take her home," Miguel said. "You can go back in and enjoy yourself."

She shook her head. "It's no fun without you. I'll go home with my brother."

Miguel opened his mouth to protest, but he was surprised by a kiss. Jenny made a disgusted noise, seeing both their lips connect, and started complaining about how much of a manwhore he was.

"Thank you for tonight." She smiled at his shocked expression.

She left them to find her brother. Miguel stayed staring at her back until Jenny started some crazy dance in front of him that snapped him off his thoughts. It was the first time they kissed.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm cleansing the air," she explained. "And praying that she will see the asshole you are."

He rolled his eyes and took her to his car, driving to the apartment she shared with Ana. She went the entire ride with her head outside the window, despite his complaints.

The building she lived in was all mint green outside and white inside. The doorman didn't even look up from the newspaper when they walked in, and they rode the elevator to the third floor.

Juliana was asleep when he banged on the door. He sat Jenny by the door and went back to the elevator, waiting for it patiently. Even if he wanted to avoid Juliana, the elevator was too slow, and she ended up seeing him when she opened the door.

"Miguel," she took a step back, ignoring the girl that had fallen onto her feet. "What are you doing here?"

He nodded towards Jenny and bit his lip impatiently. Using the stairs would've been faster.

She was blushing at the sight of him, smiling in shame. His poor relationship with Jenny was all her fault, and she knew it, but she wasn't brave enough to undo it.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry for what I did to you. You're a great person."

A loud ping announced the elevator's arrival, and Miguel left without a single word.

Back at the party, Nicole lay on the ground, talking with some girls she had just met as Andrew told Carolina about their leave. The brunette would stay out until much later since she was enjoying the concert so much.

"Girl, boys are supposed to ruin your lipstick, not your mascara. That's why you always carry the lipstick with you. If he ruins your mascara, well, it was expensive." She gesticulated around as if her nails were still drying. "If he can't afford what he ruins, drop him. Always go for the rich guy."

"You're, like, so wise," a girl said. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"God, no, darling. Boyfriends are not worth the trouble."

The way she shook her hands around reminded him of his father's secretary, which only made him laugh as he sat by her side.

"What about this guy?" the other girl, one with black tears smudged on her face, asked. "You're like, so cute. Do you have a girlfriend?"

He shook his head in a boyish way, crossing his legs. "No, but there's a girl I like."

"Bullshit." Nicole laughed, taking another sip of her sweet drink.

Andrew glanced at her. She looked like she was having fun, but he knew enough was enough. He didn't count how many drinks she had, but they were more than his and his vision was blurry.

"Come on," he urged. "I'm going to take you home."

"What a gentleman!" the girls beamed.

Nicole shook her head, thrusting him on the ground with her. "Let's stay!"

"As much as I enjoy having you on top of me, we have to go. You're drunk."

"So are you." She laughed, placing her chin on his chest.

The two girls glanced at each other and left them alone. Things were getting too personal.

Before she knew it, they were both back on her feet; her drink forgotten. He grabbed her hand and guided her outside, under the annoyed look of the barman. As soon as the cold air of the street hit them, she let go of him and ran to the other side of the street.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. Come on!"

He joined her on the other side, and she jumped on his back, laughing uncontrollably. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, tickling him a little.

"Are we going to your place?" she asked.

"You're going to your place, then I'll go to mine." He adjusted her on his back and started walking towards her building.

She frowned. "You can't go alone. You're drunk. We should both go to your place."

"I'm not that drunk. I-"

He never finished the sentence as he walked straight against a light post.