Chapter 18 Free at last
Camille stepped out of her white Audi A5 Sportback, the heels of her boots clicking sharply against the pavement. She couldn’t hold it in anymore, so she let out a loud whoop, tossing her head back as the cool night air brushed against her skin. This was her first real breath of freedom. For the first time all week, she felt like herself once again. Like she was in control. Free at last.
Finally.
A night out where she didn’t have to worry about being at the office super early the next day, or managing the endless tasks that kept piling up on her desk. The fact that Holland was still making her work on a weekend? That sucked, big time. But at least tonight, she could dance her heart out, lose herself in the music, and still manage to crawl into work tomorrow morning.
Camille smiled to herself as she pulled her leather jacket tighter around her, feeling the weight of the week lift from her shoulders with each step away from the car. She deserved this night.
"Let's get this started!"
"Why are you so damn happy?" Zain asked standing from the passenger side, also adjusting his denim jacket.
“What? Can’t I be happy? I’m about to win big tonight, Zain,” Camille said with a grin, walking back and leaning casually against the driver’s side of her car. She tapped out a rhythm on the roof with her fingers, smugness in every beat. “You guys are going down tonight.”
She turned around just as a dark blue Range Rover Evoque pulled into the open spot beside them. Luca got out first, sunglasses still on, followed by Belle in a sheer black blouse and Ava in her signature ripped leather skirt.
"Where's the bar, Cammy?" Ava asked, stretching her arms above her head. "I wanna dance my heart out, and maybe these clothes off before the clock strikes midnight."
The entire group burst out laughing, with Zain nearly doubling over. “Damn, Ava, pace yourself! The night just started. At least wait until the second drink!”
“Please," Belle snorted. "You know Ava comes pre-marinated in chaos.”
Camille shook her head with a grin, tugging her phone out from the inner lining of her leather jacket. Her short dress clung to her frame, the hem brushing mid-thigh as she shifted her weight. “Lemme check,” she muttered, thumb swiping through the messages Mandy had sent earlier.
Getting off work early, she'd had the time to go home, peel off those drab office clothes, take a long, hot shower, and slip into something that actually felt like her. Afterwards she’d swung by to pick up Zain. With his license suspended, she had chosen to be the designated driver tonight.
Camille scrolled quickly through Mandy’s message, checking the pin she’d sent for the bar location. "This is it," she said, pointing at the building a few feet away. The group looked up, eyes following her finger as they took in the place. Tucked between two glass office buildings, the bar was easy to miss
"Are you sure this is place?" Luca was the first to chime in.
“Yeah,” Camille said, angling her phone toward the group so they could see the address for themselves. “It says so right here.”
When she'd sent out the invite earlier, and her friends had answered fast, no hesitation. Tonight wasn’t just about drinks. It was about shutting down their relentless teasing once and for all. And honestly? That made it a win-win for her.
"How come I don’t hear any music?" Zain frowned, "Is the club underground or something?"
"I don't know," Camille shrugged as they walked toward the building. "Let's go in and find out. And just so we're clear, you guys better cough up when you meet my colleagues. I’m cashing in tonight."
"Colleagues? Are you sure, Cammy?" Ava narrowed her eyes dramatically. “I still think you're bluffing. There’s no way you’re really working a 9-to-5. You? Miss ‘I’m not human before noon’? You can barely make it to brunch on time.”
Zain chuckled. “Ava does have a point. Last time we had breakfast plans, you showed up in sunglasses and slippers.”
“I was hungover and stylish, thank you very much,” Camille rolled her eyes.
Belle smirked. “If this turns out to be some elaborate prank and we walk into a fake setup, I’m billing you for emotional damages, Cammy.”
Camille threw her hands up, exasperated. “Just wait. Five minutes in and you'll be begging me for autographs. I’ve evolved.”
Luca scoffed, adjusting the collar of his oversized hoodie. “Yeah, right. Evolved into what? Corporate Barbie?”
“Guys, stop!” Camille said, though she couldn’t stop the laugh bubbling up. The jab had landed, sure, but it wasn’t far off. Was she really that spoiled? Looking at her friends, the answer was obvious. They all were.
But she’d dragged her friends out tonight to prove a point. A week in, and three of their missed nights out, they were still joking about it. But this? This was her proof. They’d bet real money on her proving them wrong, and she was more than ready to collect every single coin.
"Let's go in," Belle murmured huddling towards Luca who threw his arms around her
Camille pushed the door open, and the group stepped into a bar that looked nothing like what they had expected. It was sleek and polished, with dark walls, wooden shelves stacked with bottles, and neatly arranged glassware behind the counter. The lighting was soft and low. Worse, the place was quiet, too quiet. A soft background track played somewhere overhead, barely cutting through the low murmur of conversation. People in business clothes sat at high tables, sipping drinks and speaking in hushed tones.
Zain let out a groan as he leaned against the door, ignoring the odd stares they were getting. “What in the... what is this, Camille? Looks like a bar where fun goes to die.”
Camille looked around, frowning. There were no loud beats, no DJ, and no dance floor. It was too clean for their taste.
“Camille, are you rolling with old people now?” Belle asked, bumping lightly into her right side.
Luca pushed his sunglasses onto his head, scanning the room. “This looks like a place for networking, not partying.”
Ava crossed her arms. “So no music? No crowd? No dancing! Well this sucks."
Camille checked her phone again, lips pressing into a thin line. So when Mandy invited her for drinks… this was what she meant? God, this was depressing. And the way her friends were staring at her, like she’d just dragged them into a retirement party, didn’t help.
From the corner of her eye, Camille spotted Mandy waving at her. She was seated with a few familiar faces, Klaus, Renee, and some guy Camille could barely remember.
Camille let out a sigh, her shoulders already slumping with disappointment. “Well… this is underwhelming,” she muttered. “Come on. Let’s just get this over with.”
“Yes. Let’s get our souls sucked out in style,” Belle deadpanned behind her.
Camille huffed a laugh, rolling her eyes. “Shut up,” she said, lightly swatting her arm. “Just be cool. This is where my coworkers hang out, remember?”
Zain leaned in. “Are they allergic to fun or what?”
Camille smirked. “Apparently.”
“Hi Camille,” Mandy greeted excitedly as she stood up and pulled her into a hug.
“Hi,” Camille murmured, stepping back quickly. She turned to her friends and gestured casually. “Guys, this is Mandy from the marketing team. Mandy, meet Zain, Luca, Belle, and Ava.”
Mandy gave a polite smile. “Nice to meet you all.”
Belle leaned closer to Camille, her voice low but not exactly discreet. “She’s the one you were talking about?”
Camille shot her a warning look and chose not to respond.
The group settled at the table, casually scanning the menu. The cocktails had ridiculous names and overly detailed descriptions, but none of them even blinked at the prices.
“So… no shots?” Luca asked, unimpressed as he tossed the menu aside.
Mandy chuckled lightly. “We’re more about relaxing here. It’s been a long week.”
“We just came from dancing in our living room,” Ava said bluntly, leaning back in her seat. “This feels like a dentist’s waiting room.”
“Ava,” Camille muttered with a small warning glance.
“What? I’m just being honest.”
Zain leaned over, grinning. “You sure this isn’t a wine tasting lounge, Cammy?”
Camille smirked, shaking her head. “I said it was a bar. I didn’t say it was our kind of bar.”
Despite the dry atmosphere, Camille kept her cool. Her friends might’ve looked around like they were dying inside, but she was committed to the bit. This was her proof, the perfect payoff to their ongoing joke. And now, they owed her. She’d wanted to shut them up, prove she belonged in this corporate world too, but now she too just wanted out.
Camille could feel it, the tension from her friends, the clash between their usual chaos and the bar’s calm, calculated quiet. It was awkward. Even worse, she could feel the vibration of her phone against her thigh, buzzing nonstop. Their group chat was probably lit up with teasing texts and memes already. And if she opened her banking app right now, she was pretty sure she’d see incoming money transfers, everyone paying up on the bet. Money meant nothing between them, but the bragging rights? She’d be milking that for weeks.
But they was someone Camille had to deal with now, since arriving Mandy had barely left Camille’s side. She kept brushing Camille’s arm gently, leaning in closer than necessary when she talked, and smiling a little too long. Her attention was obvious, her interest even more so.
But Camille wasn’t in the mood. She played along with small talk, answered questions about work, and even forced a laugh here and there. Still, her mind drifted somewhere else.
Or rather, someone else.
Holland Larson.
Camille could still hear her clipped voice, could still see the slight tick of her jaw when she’d invited her to come for drinks. She hadn’t expected her to say yes, but still, when Holland had declined, something about it stuck with her.
It bothered her more than she liked to admit.
Maybe it was the way the woman carried herself, so composed and distant, like nothing ever got under her skin. Maybe it was the way she looked at Camille sometimes, like she was studying her and trying to figure her out all at once. Or maybe it was just that she had just wanted her to come. More than she cared to admit. No one said no to her. No one had ever dared to turn her down so brazenly. And yet Holland had. Calmly. Like it meant nothing. Like Camille meant nothing.
Mandy had asked her something, and Camille blinked back into focus.
"What?"
"What wine would you like to drink?"
“Uh, red,” she replied vaguely, offering a small smile.
Mandy nodded, still leaning close. “Cabernet or Merlot?”
Camille just hummed noncommittally, eyes drifting again.
Her friends were watching, Zain gave her a raised brow, Belle smirked knowingly, Ava was looking bored out of her mind, and Luca was fiddling with his coaster like he was counting down the minutes until they left. And as for her, she wished they could leave as soon as possible.
This... this was a waste to her night.