The man with the gloves [bucky barnes ff]

87

"I mean, it would make sense. I still don't like her for what she's done and said to you but her life does sound a little depression, so maybe this was her final straw." Bucky says as we exit the cab. He pays the driver and holds the umbrella for me to protect me from the rain. Ade is having a belated birthday slash end-of-summer party before classes start again next week, and for some reason she invited me and a plus one.

I gotta admit, at first I really considered not going, simply because I haven't been in touch with her for months and even when I did around a year ago it wasn't like we were best friends or inseparable. I believe that she was pissed at me for what happened with Adrian, so maybe that's part of the reason why things started getting weird between us. But Gen told me that it was my cousinly duty to go and be a moral support, so I agreed. And because I turned into one of those annoying girlfriends who can't be anywhere without their boyfriends, I took Bucky, too.

"Okay, but what do I do about it? Do i like call her and tell her to stop seeing me as the embodiment of her failed dreams? If I said any of this to mom, she wouldn't hear me out. Heck, Buck, she isn't even answering my calls or text. I wouldn't even know how to contact her."

"You could always drive down to Carolina and talk to her in person."

"So she can decapitate me? No, thank, I think you'd miss my pretty face."

"I definitely would." He smirks and kisses my cheek before opening the door to the hotel bar and letting me enter first. Just as I expected, it's jam packed. This actually relaxes me. It's easier to blend in and eventually sneak out when no one really pays attention. I don't recognise half the people and I don't really know much about the other half, so I just scan the room until I sport my friends. Gen, Orla and Tristan went pregaming, so they went to some bars and bought some alcohol before heading here.

"How long is your brother staying?"

"Why? Wanna rethink the 'no more sleeping at my place when your brother is here' rule?" After Tristan started getting suspicious when Bucky was at our place in the morning after he drove me there, Bucky didn't want to make my brother uncomfortable no matter how much I insisted that even if Tristan knew that I was sleeping at his place, he wouldn't say anything. Tristan is not stupid. He now knows that I had a pregnancy scare so he knows I am having sex, and I am sure all he cares about is that he doesn't ever catch us doing it.

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?"

"There you are!" Orla yells over the loud music. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago. Where have you been?"

"Did you ever try to catch a cab in New York during summer break on a Saturday night?" I ask sarcastically. "Plus, we got stuck in traffic. Where is Ade? I want to wish her a happy birthday?"

"She was right at the bar."

"Thanks." I turn around and take Bucky's hand. "We should probably talk to her before sitting down or it would be rude."

"We'll be right back." Bucky tells the others and follows me in the mass of people. I love how comfortable he is getting around my friends. I know he had problems in the past when it comes to trusting people and it will probably take him another lifetime to completely work those trust issues out, but he is making an effort and I appreciate it a lot.

We find Ade really quick. It is hard to miss her in her golden sequin dress. She looks absolutely gorgeous and once again, I am drooling over her beautiful log tan legs. Maybe I should start tanning.

"Oh my God, look who came! Isla!" She squeaks when she sees me. She leaves the girl she was just talking to standing and rushes towards me, hugging me. "You look so good! It's been aged. I can't believe we haven't seen each other in months."