FALLING AROUND YOU ➵ DANIEL SEAVEY ➵ SEQUEL

31 ➵ Truth Be Told

The car I ordered was waiting for once I got outside. It didn't take too long to get to the venue, it being in downtown Los Angeles, just fifteen minutes away from my apartment complex. I flashed a smile and a tip to the driver, heading inside the building.

It had prestigious glass walls, modern silver furniture once you walk in. I greeted the hostess before she guided me to the private room, a few of Greg's clients already seated.

Greg was an odd man. I always found the career of fishing off of someone else's success quite morbid, but that was how the industry was in Hollywood. He was the definition of old money rich. He had a maroon, velvet suit, grey hair combed too neatly. He was almost as large as his bank account. The man quickly got out of his seat, giving me a quick soft hug as a greet.

I sat down not too far from him, looking around for familiar faces. The banquet didn't start until seven, and since I had arrived a bit early, it made sense half the guests weren't here yet. Sadly, I didn't recognize many people, a few being in different parts of the entertainment industry.

Loud shouts and laughter caught my attention as I looked to the door. I already knew it was them.

Greg got out of his seat frantically to greet his boys. They were his number one stars at the moment, being his most successful clients in the music industry. Jonah greeted him first with a firm hand shake while the others followed. The boys tried looking for seats, but there weren't name tags, so most of them were spiraled around the table. Two next to me on my left.

Everything in my body hoped that Daniel wouldn't take the seat next to me. I wasn't sure if I was ready for that conversation with him, any conversation in that matter. I just knew that he was looking at me and I was trying my best not to look at him. I failed multiple times.

Zach sat next to me, Daniel to his side.

He was the closest to me of Daniel's friends, always sharing small laughs together and talking nonsense. The brunet boy muttered a small hello in greeting, though his blue eyed friend had remained silenced. They had both impressed me in their attire, Zach wearing a classic black button up with Daniel wearing a loose, printed top. Although the three of us were so close together, none of us shed a word. Zach and Daniel said something to each other a few times, but that was merely it.

It was incredibly awkward.

The Herron boy made it worse when he excused himself to use the restroom in the middle of dinner. Thus, the fragile barrier between Daniel and I had faltered. It took only a few seconds of Zach's being gone where we would look at each other.

Daniel looked good, too good. His dyed blonde hair had grown out a bit, looking good with his shaggy hairstyle. His posture was straighter, more mannered. It was as if he had grown more confidence in the span of a few weeks. I hated to admit he looked happy. Happiness always looked good on him. The under eye bags he use to sport were less prominent, maybe not even there at all. I knew he use to have a problem sleeping, and it made me wonder what changed that.

Did she change that?

The thought made my stomach turn, pushing away the pasta on my plate, a sour expression dancing upon my lips. However, he noticed this, keeping his stare on me bolder. It was as if he was trying to catch my attention, but I didn't give him the leisure to. I didn't even want to be in the same room with him any longer if I'm being completely honest.

In the shiest whisper, he said my name. "Marie?"

I loved my name on his lips. It was in the way he said it that made it feel so angelic, delicate. Closing my eyes and one swift breathe, I looked back at the boy. He looked desperate for my attention, desperate for one last conversation. Daniel ushered to the outdoor seating, just a few feet away. He wanted to talk to me. I nodded at what he was inferring, quietly dismissing ourselves from the table and heading outside.