friends - r.v.d

Part 29: the one where it makes sense now

PLEASE READ AUTHORS NOTe AT THE END IT IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!

"Hi," Stacey says playing it cool as she reaches her hand out to shake his.

"Nice to meet you," he says politely as he shakes her hand. Oh, his voice has gotten a bit deeper.

"Like-wise," Stacey says back. She gives me a small nudge with her elbow before I realized I had been starring at him this entire time.

"Oh um hi, I'm Lana," I say holding my hand out. God this was weird. He shook it and I felt goosebumps rise along my arms. His warm skin against mine was something I longed for. It was brief but it was enough for now.

"You seem familiar, do I know you from somewhere?" he asks me and I choke up a bit.

"I don't think so," I answer shortly before pulling my hand away from his. I took in his features. He had gotten taller and more muscular. His hair was longer and his skin seemed clearer. His voice had more rasp to it and his eyes looked more hazel. He also seemed more tan, even standing next to Freya's dark complexion.

"Shall we dance?" Freya says holding her hand out to me and I smiled before taking it. I hesitate to move.

"You wanna come?" I ask Stacey and Ruel simultaneously. Stacey nods her head and grabs onto my other hand.

"Nah I'm gonna go get another drink, catch you later," Ruel says and walks away. I shrug it off trying not to think about him, even though it was impossible. Stacey, Freya and I dance for another 20 minutes before I decide to get another drink. I was so tipsy and my head was spinning but I needed something to soothe my nerves. I entered the door to the kitchen but two-step in the doorway and I tripped over my own feet. Before I could react, I realized I had been caught by someone. I stood back up and stabilized myself before looking at them. Oh.

"Fancy seeing you again," he says as I noticed his arms were still wrapped around me, holding me up as I was swaying for the alcohol pulsing through my blood.

"Thank you for that," I say slightly laughing, trying to cover my embarrassment.

"No worries love," I breath hitched in my throat. I have heard him say that in so long. I didn't realize how much I missed it until now. I looked into his eyes. Something was different. Something was off. He didn't seem the same.

"You should probably sit down," Ruel says as I stumble a little more.

"But I want another drink," I say pouting like a child. This makes him chuckle and my heart leaps out of my chest. I missed that too.

"You don't need any more alcohol in your system, now come on." He says grabbing my hand and leading me out of the kitchen. I focused on the warmth of his hand on my own. It felt so nice. He was really in front of me. He was holding my hand. He thought nothing of it of course but I needed this. He doesn't remember me. He doesn't know me. He doesn't know my last name yet I know his middle and last name, his birthday, his favorite color, his childhood dog and his entire family. I knew so much about him but he knew nothing about me. It would've sounded like I was a stalker if I told anyone this without any context and if I told him, he would freak out. For now, I had to act like I didn't know who he was. I had to act like I was meeting him for the first time in my life. I had to act like the only thing I knew about him was his first name and that I didn't love him and miss him with every inch of my skin and bones. I was so lost in the thought of him that I didn't register we were now seated in the living room again. I look toward his face and to my surprise, he was already looking at me.

"You seem so familiar..." he trailed off. I was so drunk at this point my mind was clouded. I just kept drinking to rid the thought of Ruel and I going back to the way we were. To my dismay, the alcohol only made the thoughts more prominent.