But over the years, her roommate’s birthday had become a ritual, so she couldn’t back out. She took a deep breath and walked down the steps of the newest after-work hotspot, Manahatta’s Bar and Grill. The second she opened the door, music rushed to her ears. She moved through the tangle of bodies, passing the bar stacked with shot glasses and alcohol bottles, to the back of the restaurant where her friend waited. Chloe waved Amanda over while she tried to shimmy herself into the booth. “How can you squeeze into a booth wearing a tight skirt like that?” Amanda placed her Donna Karan purse on the seat and slid in, at the same time admiring the new matching shoes--her early-morning splurge to celebrate her latest accomplishment. Chloe plopped down with her legs straight out. “It’s my birthday. Gotta look good for the minions.” Amanda eyed her roommate’s long blonde hair with its golden highlights sparkling under the light.
