Project: Socialize (Chapters 198-Continued) [Hiatus]

314. Highschool Reunion

[Erith's Perspective]

I stepped out of the taxi and closed the door behind me, looking up at the luxurious hotel building before me as the taxi drove off behind me. The chilly nighttime wind brushed against my exposed shoulders as my dressed gently swayed. Since I did not bring a jacket with me, I decided to quickly enter the tall hotel building before me to escape the chilly nighttime wind that signaled the end of Summer and the official beginning of Autumn.

The skyscraper towered before me as I approached, but the scope of it was soon out of mind as I neared the entrance and was greeted by a man dressed in a clean and fitting black suit. The man who appeared to be in his forties stopped me politely, and with a smile on his face, he slightly bowed and kept his head slightly lowered.

"Ms. Spieleran," he said in a soft and gentleman like manner. "Ms. Edel has been expecting you."

"I know," I responded, feeling somewhat uneasy by the formality that the gentleman was displaying.

The man's appearance was well kept, with facial hair neatly trimmed and his hair parted in a mature and yet fashionable manner. Even when he led me towards the elevator, his stride was the epitome of elegance. With his head kept high, he escorted me through the grandiose lobby. The dark marble floor produced an extremely audible sound as my heels made contact, causing the sound to echo through the large lobby with its tall ceilings if not for the indoor waterfall that drowned out the noise of the footsteps of the population.

The man scanned his phone against the scanner by the elevator, and soon an elevator descended for us two. He stepped off to the side, smiling as he waited for me to enter before him. When I had entered, he followed me in, and once again, he scanned his phone against another scanner that was on the inside of the elevator. This time, he seemed to have unlocked the the right to select certain floors on the touch screen, and with this newly unlocked liberty, he tapped on the indicator for the seventieth floor.

I turned around and looked out the glass wall and at the nighttime view of Palisia just outside, staring past my reflection in the window. The many lights from the windows of skyscrapers, the roads, and from the decorative lights on the many skyscrapers all combined together to form a beautiful light show that represented the wealth and prosperity of the Vilheim Empire. The view was spectacular, and it was to be expected. After all, Palisia is the Capital of the entire Vilheim Empire.

The elevator zoomed up the side of the building, and soon, it had brought us to the eightieth floor. The gentleman was the first to exit this time, and he led me down a silent and extravagant hallway where the many doors on either sides were closed shut. We walked past many doors until we finally reached one at the very end of the hallway. There, he gently knocked on the door, and after hearing a woman's voice granting him permission, he opened the door.

"Ms. Edel," the man said, lowering his head. "Ms. Spieleran has arrived."

"Thank you," a familiar woman's voice said and dismissed the man.

My eyes followed the man as he carefully walked by me, but my attention soon quickly shifted off of him as I decided to enter the room. Immediately upon entering, I was greeted by the beautiful view of the Helliger River and the Lumina skyline on the other side of the river as well as parts of Nocsinis with the aid of the continuous, panorama windows that curved at where the corner of the building should've been. However beautiful that view was, that was not what I am here for. Immediately, my attention was caught by the familiar and yet strangely alien sight of the six people whom I had shared my final year of high school with.

"Took you long enough," Luna smiled as she walked up to me and gave me a large embrace.

I returned the embrace, taking in her familiar scent and enjoying her presence for a moment before directing my gaze to everyone else in the room that was present.

"So that leaves only Alevian and Alvelyn," Loyd nodded, smiling in a bitter manner that he tried his best to conceal. However, everyone present understood the pain underneath that facade as we all shared the same emotions.

For a second there, the atmosphere seemed to have gone cold as a spell of silence was cast on the group. However, it was a rare occasion where we would all gather for a reunion. Therefore, the host of the reunion, Muria, took it upon herself to redirect the event in its original direction.

"Let's just take a seat for now," Muria said.

I looked over in her direction, taking in how absolutely stunning she appeared in her black dress. I have always thought that she was a confident person, just somewhat conservative in terms of interacting with others. However, I can tell that the years had been kind on her, both in terms of physical beauty and mental fortitude as not only was she even more beautiful than before, each word that she spoke and every tiny body language of hers was filled with great confidence and gentle authority.

"Noah," Muria sighed as she shook her head. "Get off the couch."

I looked in the direction Muria was facing and saw the familiar figure of the carefree young man laying down on the expensive looking black, leather couch. Noah appeared to have made himself extremely comfortable in his spot as he let out a yawn before he sprung to his feet.

"You guys just are waayyyyyyyyyyyy too serious about this," Noah shook his head as if he was not able to relate with the earlier heavy atmosphere. I guess out of everyone present, he's the one who seemed to be the least affected.

"Like damn," he continued as he walked over to the round table placed in the very center of the private room and pulled back a chair before sitting down in it. "Even in those business negotiations where I'm trying to get that boy over there a better contract the atmosphere ain't that bad."

"It's like you're not also getting yourself money," Luna teased him as she and I both sat down next to each other. "Zaksus, he takes like what? Five percent?"

"Around that," Zaksus, who was now taller and even more muscular than before responded. However, despite his change in appearance, I can still tell he was still the same person at heart. "He did make me give him annual bonuses and stuff."

"It's not like you can't afford it or anything," Noah laughed.

"I'm guessing its a large bonus," Luna smirked as she looked at Noah's watch. "That watch costs around five million Vil?"

F-five million? I looked over at Noah's wrist while doing my best to hold in my astonishment.

"It's more six million Vil, but close enough," Noah nodded while lifting his wrist to show the rest of us his watch.

Although I am not extremely well versed in watches, I can tell just by looking that the watch was expensive. However, for six million Vil? Really? The bands of the watch was made of pure platinum, and the stylish designer watch face had diamonds replacing the different numbers for times with the diamonds at the twelve o'clock, three o'clock, six o'clock, and nine o'clock being the largest of the twelve. I guess Noah was really earning a lot of money, as at further examination, I can tell that the suit he was wearing must also be extremely expensive based.

"How'd you know?" I whispered to Luna.

"I'm studying fashion design," Luna whispered back. "I gotta know a thing or two about these luxury brands."

"Well, it is also because of Noah Zaksus is able to get his current contract," Irina added in. "I've seen all the commercials he's in as well. That's Noah's work."

"Thank you, Irina. Finally someone appreciates me."

"I'm sure you all are hungry now," Muria announced after everyone had taken a seat. However, before she continued speaking, she glanced over at the two open seat at the table. A small frown of disappointment and sadness flashed across her face before she quickly regained her composure and refocused on the dinner at hand. "So I had the chefs prepare a course meal for tonight. We can talk while we eat and catch up on how we're all doing."

Author's Note:

It's been a while since these characters showed up.