Chapter 3: Ghost of the Past

“You look hot” Rahi gives a lopsided smile and her eyes crinkle as she laughs.

I can tell by the way she dragged it that she’s already kind of tipsy.

Jania gets more quiet the drunker she gets and now she’s just sat on the couch staring off into space while Anna steps into the living room with a cupcake in her hand.

“Oh you’re ready! Yes girl, let’s go!”

I pull down the hem of the black dress that I had decided to wear. It’s a cute little black tube dress that stops a little way underneath my butt and I paired it heels and a cute little jacket.

The three of us make our way out of the building and into a black car that was already parked outside. Anna’s from the way she says hello to driver and fiddles with the speakers.

“Caleb’s calling” Jania interrupts the laughter and brings out her phone. “Hey”

The rest of us listen in on the conversation with a bit more focus than we’d have done if we were sober. We can’t hear much but she ends it with a “We’re on our way”

“They’re all at the lounge” she lets us know putting her phone back in her purse.

My stomach is already in knots and the alcohol doesn’t help. “All of them?”

She nods. “They went there after work”

Rahi claps her hands. “This is going to be so fun, we haven’t seen eachother in forever”

“We literally went on a trip together last month” Anna looks back, her red hair flipping in the process.

“Damien and Parker weren’t there, it was a couples trip” Rahi counters.

My mouth dries up and I have to look outside the window to hide the way the little knots in ny stomach seemed to have doubled.

“Damien isn’t coming though” Jania interrupts

I try to ignore the stupid feeling that creeps up my neck that feels awfully like disappointment. I should be glad. In fact I am glad.

“Oh yeah, he has that conference in Russia” Anna chimes in. “He’s hardly ever in the country these days”

“He’ll get downtime soon” Rahi adds. “He told me—“ she stops mid way and looks at me. “What happened between you guys?”

My stomach drops and the entire car goes silent save for the sound of the car wheels as it crunches the tar road.

“Rahi!”Jania scold silently. She looks at me. “You don’t have to answer that”

Anna nods. “Agreed, it’s not a big deal”

Rahi who is clearly a lot more drunk purses her lips. “But you guys were so cute together, you were like the best trio ever”

I gulp down the unwanted emotion that rises to my throat.

“We just haven’t talked much since I left”

Nobody says anything else until Anna coughs. “Well now you’re back and you guys could always pick of where you left”

The car comes to a slow halt as we stop at a familiar building. One that we frequented quite a lot when we were younger and using fake IDs.

“Redroom” I smile looking over at them.

“What can I say” Rahi puts her arms across my shoulders. “Some things never change”

We stumble out of car all laughter and chatter, cutting the queue that extends out to the street. The bouncer lets us in after Anna confirms our names and we head up to the first floor, which is where the lounge is located.

My heart doesn’t stop hammering as we walk through the dim lighting and it definitely feels like it’s going to explode when I spot a wave of dirty blonde hair leaned into the couch.

I quickly divert my eyes and look at the other heads on the table. 4 of them. Great.

We move around different sections until we’re in front of the men I practically grew up with. Caleb is beside Salem, the two of them having silent coversation. Salems hair is longer now, Caleb still looks as intimidating as ever , Lance looks like he did 5 hours ago and Parker.

“We’re here” Anna sing songs and makes her way over to Lance before tumbling into his lap and pulling him for a kiss.

The rest of the guys look over and Salem’s smile widens when he sees me. “Look at you Lex” he stands and walks over to me, pulling me in for a hug.

I laugh and hug him too. “I haven’t seen you in ages”

He shakes his head. “I wonder why”

Caleb joins the circle, a smile playing on his lips. “Welcome back Lex” he gives me a brief side hug which is just the amount of affection he knows how to give.

Rahi joins Salem and Jania steps beside Caleb who snakes his arm around her. All the couples are sickenly cute and when the go take their seats, there’s one more person standing.

I swallow softly as he moves towards me. His eyes don’t leave mine and it’s very clear he’s taking me in. Head to toe. I hope the lights are dim enough to hide the flush that creeps up my cheeks.

He’s still wearing a suit which is starkly different compared to the casual way the others are dressed, but I’d be lying if I said he didn’t look good.

He looks grown. There’s a little stubble on his jaw that wasn’t there 5 years ago and his blue eyes seem more piercing than before if that’s even possible.

“Lexi” he says my name in full and I have to stop myself from remembering the state we were in the last time I heard my name from his lips.

“Parker” my voice comes out smaller than I intend for it to, I muster a smile on my lips. “It’s been a while”

His lips curve slightly. “5 years”

That stupid smile shouldn’t do anything to me, it shouldn’t cause the millions of butterflies in my stomach right now that are fluttering around the place.

“5 years” I repeat .

He doesn’t move to hug me like everyone else, and from behind him I can see that the groups eyes are fixed on us.

“You dyed your hair” he points out. “It’s dark”

My hand dart to the once blond strands and I run my hands through it. “I needed a change”

I’d be blind not to see the way his jaw ticks and he lets out a hm sound.

“Oh my god, sorry babe” a voice interrupts us and a girl pushes herself beside him. Her fingers wrap themselves around his bicep in a way that’s meant to send a message. “I got lost in there”

She looks at me, assessing me from head to toe, before pushing back her brown hair. “You must be Lexi” she coos in a way id describe as grating.

Grating because she’s pulled Parker closer to her and grating because she’s looking at me like she’s assessing competition.

“Yes” I reply curtly. “And you are?”

“Babe you didn’t tell her who I was?” She laughs behind her annoyance and looks at Parker who’s jaw is still clenched. “I’m Cassie, Parker’s girlfriend”

A cough comes from the table behind and I look behind to find Rahi holding back a laugh, and Salem looking apologetically at me.

Glad to know someone finds this amusing.

“No he didn’t tell me who you were” I say, hating that I have to listen to her.

“You were gone for 5 years, I wonder when I was supposed to tell you” he counters and if he was being subtle about his annoyance before he isn’t any more.

“Maybe you should’ve noted this was an intimate gathering” I can’t help the frustration that courses out.

He shakes his head and looks at me . “I’ll get a drink and head off” he looks towards the table. “I’ll catch up with you guys later” he nods and his eyes find mine again. “Welcome back Lexi”

He walks towards the bar and Cassie who looks lost follows behind him.

I have to temper down my annoyance with both him and myself and I finally take a seat beside Rahi who hands he a glass of god knows what.

I gulp it down and drop the glass with a thud.

I look up to see Lances face and for the first time in a long time I can’t read what he’s thinking behind the neutral look on his face.

“Sorry about that guys” I shake my head.

Anna shakes her head. “Not at all, the Cassie girl needed to go” she rolls her eyes.

“Babe be nice” Lance finally speaks, taking a sip from his glass .

“True” Rahi seconds Anna. “She’s such a bitch, with her fake cooing and laughing”

Jania nods in agreement, clearly annoyed too. “We told Parker not to bring her”

“In his defense, he came with Lance, she just showed up and said she didn’t want to be alone at their place” Salem raises a hand before slinging it over Rahi and pulling him closer to her.

She snuggles against him and shuts her eyes in bliss temporarily.

“See, a clingy bitch” Anna concurs.

Lance pulls her in for a kiss and she obliges.

I don’t need to know that Jania and Caleb are all over eachother as well.

I loved my friends to death, I really did, but seeing all of them coupled together sometimes was very lonely.

I take another shot and slam the glass down.

“Okay guys. Let’s dance!”

Rahi eagerly joins me on the dance floor and I spend the rest of the night trying to forget the way those stupid blue eyes had stared into my soul and how it felt watching him walk away with another girl draped on his arm.