Possession EDITED

5

Julie Michael's "Issues" sounded in the speakers. We stood in the middle of the corridor staring at each other.

I felt like I was in high school again. The same feelings, butterflies in the stomach and a fast heartbeat. The excitement triggered shaking hands and shivers on the back.

Nothing mattered. Nothing but us. For the first time in a long time, I felt happy, and my hurt and anger disappeared.

Looking into his eyes, I realized how much I missed him all these years. I wanted to touch him, pat him on the cheek, but I did not have so much courage in me. That would be a sign of weakness and forgiveness.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, and with a trembling hand, he stroked my cheek. "Beautiful," he added, and I moved away from him gently. I was overwhelmed with all this.

It could not end like this. I could not succumb to his charm again. Not this time.

"I am," I said and withdrew his hand. "I will go" I wanted to pass him, but he grabbed my hand. I looked at him.

"My mother and I want to invite you to our house for dinner," he said, and I frowned.

"Is it a trick to mock me again?" I asked, fighting with tears in my eyes.

"No!" FP said quickly. "Why do you think that?"

"Theresa has always been able to humiliate me," I shrugged. "Tell your mother I thank you for the invitation, but I have to take care of my daughters"

"We want to fix everything"

"Because Gladys is gone? Now you are ridiculing yourself," I said.

"Gladys is dead," he shouted, and I looked into his eyes. I wanted to know if he was lying or telling the truth.

"What?"

"For me she is dead" he answered quickly and grabbed my hands. "Alice, please."

"Thank you for inviting me to the party, but I will go now," I said with a smile and stepped back from him. "Do not follow me," I added and turned my back to him.

I went back to the room and found Hermione. She sat at the table with Theresa and they both laughed a lot.

I took a deep breath and sat next to them with a slight smile.

"Everything is okay?" I asked and looked at Hermione. "You weren't supposed to drink today," I said.

"Why?" Theresa asked.

"Hermione brought us here, and now she won't be able to drive us home," I sighed heavily. "I also drank," I pulled the phone out of my purse.

"Alice, my chauffeur can drive you home." Theresa touched my hand.

Her chauffeur? Does she think I can't afford a taxi? She understood that she had chosen words badly because she had started to defend herself.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," she said, and I shook my head.

"Hal will come. I wrote him a message," I said and wrote a text message to him.

"Your husband?" Theresa asked.

"Yes, Hal Cooper," I nodded and looked at the sleeping Hermione. "Get up," I said and yanked her lightly.

"What happened?" my friend looked at me. She was completely drunk.

How could she get into this state? I was a bit ashamed of her, but in the end, it was my friend and I knew I had to support her. I also knew that she never drank so much at parties, she just had an exceptionally bad day today.