Serenity (Sequel to Only Your Arms)

Chapter 1

I sat on a couch in the middle of Brittany's new apartment and admired the freshly painted walls directly across from me. Brittany and her boyfriend Matt had just bought a spacious apartment in TriBeCa and, as a celebration, they were having a house welcoming party that night. I took it upon myself to completely plan the party by buying decorations, ordering the food, making playlists, and inviting the guests, of course. What started off as a small kickback turned into a party with about 100 guests, 50 bottles of alcohol, and about 20 cases of beer.

"I'm still not completely sure how we got to 103 guests, but I don't really have a problem with it," Brittany said as she tied balloons to the chair near her.

"Four years together... You guys deserve a celebration," I breathed out before standing up and helping her with the balloons.

"It hasn't felt like four years... I feel like they all sort of morphed together into one really long year," she joked as she picked up the other decorations and began hanging them up. I looked out the window of the apartment and could see the cabs driving by each second. I took a deep breath before turning back to her and finding her staring at me. "Mich, I want you to really let loose tonight. I know it's been hard after the break-up and everything, but..."

"Britt, it's been months. I am fine," I said to her and she smiled at me.

"You know, it's okay to not be fine," she said and I simply shook my head at her.

"But I am fine," I answered, a small smile on my face. She returned the smile before giving me a sympathetic look. "I hate when you look at me like that. Whenever you feel bad for me, you give me that look. You've been doing it for the twelve years that we've been best friends."

"You just shut people out sometimes when you're hurting and... I just want you to talk to me," she admitted and I smiled at her before taking a deep breath.

"Ah, Britt... Honest to god, I am not hiding anything from you. Sure, I miss him like crazy sometimes, but I am okay. I just didn't feel like telling you I missed him was necessary. It's something you already know," I said to her and it was her turn to take a deep breath.

"I know that it's just..." She put whatever was in her hands down and walked over to me. "Matt is probably going to be really pissed that I told you this, but you're my best friend and I'm going to tell you anyway."

"Tell me what?" I asked, curiosity clearly in my voice.

"Harry's coming tonight," she quickly said and I looked at her, not knowing how exactly to put all of my emotions into words.

"What?" That was all I could truly say. I felt my heart stop for a second and I could feel my breathing quickening. "I made invitations though. He wasn't one of the..."

"Yeah, Matt kind of didn't think about the fact that you would be here and he went ahead and invited Harry," she said, a nervous look on her face.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I asked, shock in my voice. "Obviously I'm going to be here."

"Yeah, and Matt knew that. He just forgot that you guys weren't really on speaking terms... Because Matt never thinks about anything, really."

"Brittany, who could forget Harry and I weren't on speaking terms? It's all over the fucking internet," I muttered before sitting down on the couch and taking a deep breath.

"You know, Matt doesn't really think when he does things. He just does them and hopes for the best," she said before sitting down on the arm chair of the couch. "He said it sort of just happened. They were catching up and Matt blurted out the fact that we were having a party. Harry said he'd come. It just happened."