After Party Novels & Stories

Each goodbye felt tougher, a tug at my feelings that never lessened. By the time I arrived, the hall was alive with the sound of chatter and laughing. Soft music played in the background, a beautiful melody weaving between the talks. Round tables wrapped in pure white linen were adorned with exquisite flower centerpieces, their subtle smell mixing with the deep aroma of roasted meat and freshly baked bread. Servers walked effortlessly between tables, offering glasses of wine and trays of hors d'oeuvres, their movements light and practiced.

' Which was why I was in this awful situation in the first place. Sitting on Apartment 202's couch were two of my closest girlfriends. Among all the people I'd invited, they were the only ones who'd taken Gray up on her 'post-party party' idea. And despite my unremitting hints that the unplanned afterparty was over, they weren't picking up what I was putting down... Either they were too intoxicated with alcohol or too infatuated with my roommate, but they seemed adamant about spending the night.

Thinking about it now made me very angry and it showed on my face. “You need to let go of your anger and move on.” Anna said softly. “Move on and forget the traitors. Let Karma deal with them.” “I have moved on. I don’t even remember their names.” I lied. “Then come with me to the party. It is going to be great. You know the boss always throws the best parties, and he would want all his employees to be there. You will have fun. Please.” I sighed. If I didn’t go I would never hear the end of it.

“Come one, bro. There’s nothing wrong with it.” Apollo puffed his disbelief. Her after-party was held near their pool and only their close friends attended. They were sitting in front of a round table, Becca, Apollo, Zero, and her. The others occupied the seat at their back. Some were happy singing and others were swimming in the pool. Since Apollo was too possessive, she was about to wear a bikini but when Apollo followed them upstairs, she let her change into shorts and a shirt. Seriously? And now, he doesn’t want her to drink beer?

Gracie stole a glance at Severin and could not help but say, "Well, since everything's almost done here, we can leave the rest to the elders. Equus Hall will be the biggest organization here in Brookton tomorrow, and even our city's mansion wouldn't dare to offend us!" After a pause, she added, "Are you still up for a couple of drinks? I still have some good wine back at my place, so why don't we enjoy ourselves a little once we head back?"

I replied, observing Mandy's reaction and like I suspected her face fell but she quickly recovered by changing the topic. "Great. So you are coming to the after party right?" "What after party?" I asked as I was not aware of this information. "Remember your fake boyfriend Dylan? He is hosting one at his house after the fundraiser tomorrow. Everyone is going." "Sounds cool. I'll be there." I nodded while Cara kept signalling me with her eyes. "What?"

More people stop to congratulate us, and we happily indulge them, but I won't deny that my mind is already on that after-party where I can finally get to celebrate with the people that matters most to me. ________ The venue for the after-party is a lavish outdoor scenery pleasantly decorated to suit the theme of the event and also reflect the celebratory mood of the evening. The music is upbeat, and everywhere is just one word: freaking beautiful. Okay, two words then. Some of the guests are delaying Crys and I a bit from reaching our destination–the table reserved for our families and friends. Despite the urge to ditch the lovely guests vying for our attention, we manage to mingle with them

Half a month passed. It was as if I had completely disappeared, without a single trace. His unease grew stronger. Tired of this silent standoff, Tony decided to go home and talk to me face-to-face. “Astrid!” Suppressing his anger, he pushed open the door. The house was still in the same mess as that night. In the air, there was a faint, rotting smell of blood. His chest tightened suddenly as he rushed into the living room. Only then did he clearly see that the dark red stain in the surveillance footage wasn’t wine at all.

DANCING WITH THE ENEMY The after-party exists in a corner of the ballroom where staff is still clearing but the formal event has ended. Dominic's mother has retired. The business associates have gone home. What remains is a space where the music continues and the lighting remains soft and the champagne continues flowing even though technically the gala is complete. Nora is reviewing final numbers with her team when Dominic approaches. He's removed his jacket. His shirt is partially unbuttoned. He looks like he's decided that formality is no longer necessary.

They were accompanied by joyful captions about shopping for baby supplies together. After that, I silently deleted all his contact information. My last day in this world happened to be my wedding anniversary with Elijah, and it was also Abigail's birthday. I ignored Elijah's instruction to attend Abigail's birthday party and instead sat alone at home. I wiped down a vase with my bare hands. It was the last gift my parents had left me and the last thing I had in this house. I held the vase and imagined talking to my parents while waiting for midnight to arrive.