Around Me Familiar Faces Novels & Stories

“I’ll have to go around, take a closer look, and just… immerse myself.” Fiona grinned, nodding in encouragement. “Go ahead. I’d love to hear what you think after.” “Absolutely,” Farah added, her arm still around Fiona. “We’ll catch up with you in a bit.” Just then, a small group arrived at the entrance, a mix of familiar faces that I recognized as Fiona and Emma’s relatives. They waved over to Fiona, and soon the three of them were happily chatting away, diving into greetings and hugs. Seizing the moment, I slipped further into the gallery with an eager smile.

The small comparisons to Helbane seem never-ending, but it’s from a place of peace. Elder Luka walks me down a petal-strewn aisle and as we pass through, I see so many familiar faces staring at me and this time, there is no judgment or mockery. Amara’s already crying and seated next to a grinning Aaron who gives me a thumbs up as I pass them. I giggle softly to myself, but when I see Shawn, the rest of the world fades into insignificance.

There were banners, loud chatter, and what looked like a stage being set up. “A large-scale event?” Zara muttered, narrowing her eyes. I nodded, my stomach twisting. Something about the crowd felt familiar. My breath caught as I spotted some figures at the edge of the gathering—faces I recognized. “Who could they be…?” Zara’s voice trailed off as she followed my gaze. I swallowed hard, my eyes narrowing as I tried to recall those faces. Then I decided to step out of the car. “Give me a moment,” I whispered to the Gamma, though my voice was barely audible over the noise outside.

Past the transparent doors, towards a group of people huddle around and chatting excitedly about something on the television… Something flickers there, the faint reflection of a TV screen just behind the glass. The news is on, the sound muted but the images are bright enough to catch his eye, and amongst the bright moving images is a recurring face, waving and smiling at the camera and to the watching or live crowd. A familiar face, and it’s not one he would have thought to see anytime soon, especially with the details written right under it in floating letters. He takes a step forward, then another.

They stick to the script and say they met at a mutual friend’s birthday party and they’ve been together for 5 months now. Lenny also learns some extra things about the family. Aunt Sofia is Arthur’s younger sister and she and Sienna were best friends. Uncle Angelo is Arthur’s oldest friend and business partner. Carmen is Uncle Angelo’s daughter and the relatively quiet guy beside her is her husband; Brad. Lenny is having a good time and like the rest of the guests, she’s listening to the beautiful rendition of ‘An angel amongst us’ being played in honor of Sienna. The violin and harp blend to make perfect harmony and everyone can feel a spiritual experience; like Sienna is here with them. Ju

The room was filled with laughter, music, and the clinking of glasses. I scanned the crowd, recognizing familiar faces from high school. It felt surreal seeing them all in one place after so many years. A mix of nostalgia and unease settled in my chest as I exchanged polite greetings. Evans waved enthusiastically from across the room, Bernice surprisingly flashed a smile at me, and Cross tried to speak to me using his eyes. Even my brother, Mark, was here. Mark’s face lit up when he saw me. He pushed through the crowd and pulled me into a tight hug. "Anya! Finally. I was looking forward to seeing you tonight," he said, his voice brimming with excitement.

“Let me introduce you around.” The introductions came in a blur, faces, names, and quick handshakes. I repeated them silently like multiplication tables, afraid I would forget. But people here seemed… different. Friendly, not nosy. Supportive, not sharp-tongued. No sidelong glances, no veiled whispers about my past. Just nods and small smiles.

I demanded and watched as he shrugged his shoulders right before he quickly scrubbed his hand over his face. “I think it’s out of respect for you.” James murmured to me in reply after a while and I turned his words around in my head as I glanced from feces to faces more carefully this time, which was when I noticed that I had met some of these people at other social gatherings without mingling or getting to know each other, and that I had most definitely seen a few of those faces on television, one way or the other. Maybe they weren’t as unknown as I thought they were at first. I lifted my hands up and ran it through my curls, stifling a yawn with my fingers almost instantly.

The door creaked open loudly and a few people stepped in, their footsteps quick and urgent. Concerned faces peered down at me. I stared hard at them, trying to place them. To my relief, I could recognize my friend, Matt, at least. Selective memory. Maybe there was a condition like this. The rest of them that were staring at me, I had no idea. All of them looked tired. After seeing me closely, they took turns to hug me, their faces filled with joy and relief. Some of them even brought flowers. My bedside table was adorned with flowers and cards.

“A little welcome home after your first day back.” I laughed, indicating the yard. “I’m not sure all the neighbors needed to be in on the occasion.” She waved her hand behind her. “I think I’d disagree.” I turned and gaped at the people waiting. Graham and Laura. Jenna and Adrian. Adam, Julia, and their kids. Brad and June. Colin. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. Other neighbors. The entire BAM office. Bentley, Aiden, Maddox, Reid, and their spouses. Sandy was with them, smiling broadly at me.