MY DEEPEST SECRET

Erica's POV

It's 5:00 in the freaking morning on a Sunday , I just finally fell to sleep after a night of tossing and turning when my phone starts ringing. Groaning and cussing , I reached for my phone to turn it off, until I Saw the caller ID. Its Marie. Answering it, saying a few cuss words.. You better be fucking dying if your calling me at 5 in the freaking morning.

Marie- Pack your stuff we're heading back to Atlantic City for a few days for your 25th birthday.

Me- We just got back from Vegas 3 days ago. I was really planning on staying home for a while and just chill out.

Marie- Well too bad. I booked us a flight and we gotta be at the airport at 9am sharp.

Me- YOU'VE GOTTA BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!!

Marie- Nope ! Not kidding!

Me- UGGGG!!!! Fine!

Marie- GOOD! I'll pick you up in about 2 hours.

Me- CLICK!

I hung up on her and threw the phone across my bedroom causing it to hit the wall. Throwing my blankets over my head to trying to go back to sleep. WHAT THE FUCK! I screamed into my big fluffy pillow and threw an adult sized temper tantrum.

I'm always traveling across the country for one reason or another. I love being on the road or in the air, but it's getting to where being home is more of a welcoming vacation here lately. I think I've been to every state within the past two or three months, but not actually being able to enjoy any of them.

Let me tell you a little about Miss Marie. She has been my best friend since we met in detention in the 7th grade, and She's the biggest pain in my ass! She doesn't know when to stop talking and she thinks she's God's gift to men and welcomes and loves all the attention she can get. She's very petite with thick long blonde hair, always wears a lot of makeup and constantly yaps about wanting to get a boob job. She's very girly. Paris Hilton is her Idol , if that tells you anything. Marie is attached to my hip. She always travels with me and goes where I go , even if I don’t invite her. Oh , and she is totally "in love" with someone she will never ever have. He's famous around the world and extremely picky about who he hangs around with or dates. His name is Nick and we're close like brother and sister. He's pretty much my other half , but not in a relationship or lovey dovey kind of way, and he says the same about me. He claims we're twins because we've always been so intuned with each others feelings , even when we're worlds apart. Marie gets jealous and throws a hissy fit whenever she hangs out with Nick and I. I think it’s the funniest thing in the world .

Now a little about me. My name is Erica Lynn, but everyone just calls me Erica, unless I get myself into some kind of trouble, which happens quite often. Mainly because I speak before I think and my mouth and attitude get the best of me. I'm 5'8 tall, with a pretty athletic build. My hair dark brown , straight and long, it reaches to the middle of my back. I have brown eyes, but they have a hint of orange and green in them. I'm pretty tomboyish , I don’t get all dolled up unless I have a really really good reason to. I'm completely comfortable and happy just wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt or tank top. I don't wear makeup unless I'm forced to. It always makes me feel like a clown. But, when I do get all dolled up, I turn heads. Its like I walk into a crowded room and everyone stops to look at me. I personally think its hellarious, especially when grown ass men start gawking like children who just found their favorite toy that they just have to have.

I'm not married and I have no children, and I pretty much work for myself. I make pretty good money and have no financial worries or any real grounding responsibilities to keep me imprisoned at home or whatever.

I have no interest at all in finding a boyfriend or any kind of relationship in any kind of way with anyone. I have way too much going on and I have no time, or desire to be tied down to some pathetic overbearing or cheating dick wad that'll just waste my time. I personally have better things to do. Like enjoy my life.

Marie just welcomed herself into my house at 7am like she owned the place. I've seriously gotta change my locks, since I know she'll never give me my house key back. She marched her perking happy go lucky self right into my bedroom and yelled at me for not being up yet. I groaned and gave her the most evil look I could manage and then threw the covers back over my head. I've gotta give it to her, she's one strong chick for her tiny size and toothpick build. She yanked the covers off me and literally dragged me out of my bed by my feet. This is not cool Marie. UGGGGhh you're so lucky you're my best friend , I'd so kick your ass !

Whatever Erica, get your lazy ass up and get dressed, I'll help you pack.

Fine !

Can we at least get some breakfast before getting to the airport? I ask.

Yes miss grumpy pants. Oh, by the way, we're flying 1st class with Spirit Airlines and don't worry , I didn't use your money. The casino is paying for everything because of the comps we've both saved up, Marie says.

Well that’s nice to know. So how long do you plan on us staying there? I ask.

Just three days and no longer. Its your birthday and we're going to celebrate it the right way. You need to have some fun and let loose. You're always so uptight and on a mission, she laughs. Its time you live a little Erica.

I happen to live a lot.. Thank you. Frowning and shaking my head. I'm definitely not a party animal or clubber like you. I happen to enjoy my peace and quiet away from people. You know I'm not people friendly and I don’t play well with others especially when they start to act stupid.

Well all that is going to change Erica. You're young and way more beautiful that you give yourself credit for and you know it. Its time you put yourself out there and find happiness, and I'm going to make sure you do just that!

Whatever you say Marie. But I don't think there's enough coffee or liquor in the United States to make me more enthused about this trip. You know I don’t celebrate my birthdays like that and you know damn well , I'd rather be in my own bed snoozing the next few days away. I'm still exhausted from the Vegas trip. This is my first time home in a little over a month and I'm physically and mentally drained and in no mood to deal with a lot of people.

Oh come on, it'll be fine and fun. I'll make sure of it. We'll go to the spa and get massages and facials, we'll order a ton of room service and then we will go out into the world and have some fun. Plus the casino's are paying us to play. You have more than enough comps saved up . The Tropicana is also sending a limo to pick us up.

Oh joy, more unwanted attention. I said groaning under my breath, but I guess she heard it. She narrowed her eyes at me and said that its no big deal and no one would notice or even pay attention to us. Besides it's nice to be treated like royalty she smiles wiggling her eye brows. I just rolled my eyes at her and got into the car to head to the airport.

Thankfully we stopped to get some breakfast before getting on the plane, and I finally got my Caramel Frappe with a double shot of espresso from Starbucks on the way in. So that right there already put me in a better mood. No coffee or food means me being bitchy and hard headed. So Marie knows how to cheer me up , thankfully.

Once we're on the plane and settled in , I receive a drink menu from the stewerdist. After looking through the menu , I absentmindedly yelled HOLY SHIT!! They're crazy for pricing these drinks as high as they did. Have they lost their minds? Just a shot of Whiskey is damn near Twenty dollars. I'm not paying for any of this, especially when I can get it a hell of a lot cheaper on land.

The stewardest said it was already covered and I would pay for nothing.

HUH? Who the hell would do that? Why would anyone in their right mind pay for an open bar on an airplane for someone ? But hell, who am I to argue ? Welp! Bring on the drinks , I said.

After the plane took off, that’s exactly what she did. I ordered a white russian to start off with, but damn near chocked when I saw the size of the little itsy bitsy liquor bottles. I wouldn’t pay 25 cents for those but they charge damn near twenty dollars for them. But whatever, I'm not the one paying for them, and since someone offered it to me for free, then by all means I'm going to take full advantage of it. Surprisingly , Marie didn’t drink at all. She enjoyed watching me let loose a little. I usually don’t drink , but sometimes, you just kind of need to , just to relax and let go of whatever is annoying you.

So I'm about my third drink in and not feeling anything, not even a buzz and its starting to annoy me a little, therefore , I drink about three more before we finally land in Atlantic City. To say I was completely sober until I stood up is an understatement. Its like all the liquor hit me all at once when I stood to get off the plane. I happen to notice a man standing in the isle about to pass me to get off the plane when he stopped and smiled at me. He was so handsome and around my age. He had black hair and beautiful hazel colored eyes, he was wearing a suit and tie and you could tell it was expensive. I honestly think he was the most beautiful man I've ever seen and that’s not the liquor talking. He chuckled at me and said that I was his entertainment on the flight. Of course I cussed under my breath, but I guess he heard it because he started laughing and said that it wasn’t bad and I shouldn’t be embarrassed. He thought it was comical that I was fussing about the prices of the liquor and how I said that well if someone is paying for it then they'll definitely be paying for it. I just laughed a little while grabbing on to the back of a chair so I didn’t lose my balance and make a fool of myself. He thanked me for making this flight worthwhile, and then he stepped off the plane