Traveling is never my favourite part of these stories, because it’s hard to recreate the anticipation of an event after the event has already occurred. So I’ll skip over the part where I woke up at six am in order to catch a bus to the train station only to realize the bus was never going to come and then selling an organ and a limb in order to pay the taxi fare to the train station and then being literally one second late for the train I was supposed to go on. Skip all that and fast-forward to when I finally arrive in Toronto - sweet, beautiful Toronto.
The restaurant we were meeting at was famous for their wine list, which was why I had picked it. The girls I’d invited were all chronically late, always, so I had figured we could just hang out at the bar and drink wine until everyone arrived. Unfortunately, the bar was closed, but fortunately, all my friends arrived relatively on time! We ordered a bottle of wine, had an excellent dinner, and discussed politics and world issues school and boys and our futures as the most powerful women in the world.
At one point during the dinner, SSS mentioned something about MFL.
“It’s cool that you’re still friends with MFL even though he cheated on you.”
“What? He didn’t cheat on me… Did he?” I added uncertainly.
“Oh, I guess not. They got together after you two broke up, right?” She knew she was treading on dangerous ground.
I tried to pry some information out of her without being too obvious. “Do you know what happened at Costa Rica? I heard some things after they came back from the trip but…”
“They just crushed on each other. Nothing happened.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. The Other Girl told me in confidence.” SSS nodded knowingly and that was the end of that.
After dinner, we headed to a nearby lounge where the boys were waiting for us. We started off with fruity summer cocktails (which I did not enjoy so much; I think I am just too manly for fruity cocktails, even though I love the glasses they come in and the colours and the little garnishes), and then ordered a bottle of ridiculously overpriced champagne because what the heck, I was turning the big two-oh, and if that wasn’t worthy of celebrating with a little bubbly, what is?
The champagne seemed to disappear incredibly quickly, and I was well on my way to Embarrassing Drunkard by the third “A toast! To Sassygirl! The most awesome person in the whole wide world!”
When the champagne was done, three of the girls left, and I was officially drunk. Eventually, SRB arrived and we left the lounge. They asked me what I wanted to do next. I looked around and shrugged, “What do you guys want to do?” I asked back. “Anything you want,” they said. I don’t know if it was the booze or what but right there and then, on the street in front of the lounge, in my sexy black stilettos and Victory Ford dress, I felt like a princess. A real life verifiable princess.
How many times have I heard that in my life? “Anything I want.” Probably about three times, and once was in first year when a guy wanted to get in my pants.
And today, today I’d heard it at least five times. FIVE.
I suddenly realized how the entire day was about me. Nay, the entire weekend, was about me and my happiness and nothing else. As if, for July 19, 20, and 21, the rest of the world did not exist. And these people, my friends, were gathered here to celebrate with me and cater to my every whim.
“Korean food,” I finally said. “I want dukbokki.”
So, off we went to find the finest Korean food Toronto had to offer at 2am. SRB drove us to Korea town, which was surprisingly busy considering the hour.
Three of us got out of the car first, then SRB and WAF drove off to find parking.
And that’s when it all went wrong.
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