hell or flying | Chaelisa

Chapter 6

"It's me, Chaeyoung,"

My smile dropped when I heard her voice. I didn't think I'd hear it again. Certainly not flat, no hatred present in the way she spoke. And maybe that scared me. Yet, I was glad she came. Despite being worried and definitely shocked, a part of me felt relieved.

I wasn't sure why that was. I mean, wasn't she supposed to hate me? She probably did, and once Michael left us alone because I obviously wasn't about to send her away, I'd probably get an earful. And if scolding was the only thing she'd do, frankly, I'd be let off easy. I deserved a slap for what I've done, after all, so even though I knew it might be coming, I didn't hesitate to give Michael an encouraging nod to let her in. Because whatever she'd do, God knew, I deserved it.

And though I couldn't see her face, I knew her voice all too well. Even after not hearing it for years, I was sure; it was her.

"Come in," I spoke in a quieter voice than I intended, but I guess that's to be expected, after seeing someone you didn't think you'd ever get to meet again.

Michael was visibly still hesitant, not quite confident if what he was doing wouldn't land him in trouble or not, but he stepped to the side, letting the woman in.

For the first few seconds, I just stared at the door as the gap widened and it all felt like it was happening in slow motion. Like, if it was a scene in a movie, it would be the one that's annoyingly long with those dramatic effects and unnecessary zoom ins and outs. There would probably be the sound of my irregular breathing in the background and it stopping completely once the door opened enough for me to catch a glimpse of her face. Yet, that's exactly how I felt.

So when I saw her dark hair and sharp gaze, I couldn't help but hold my breath in anticipation.

She was even more beautiful than I remembered her, and now that I was no longer her friend, I could see just what she meant when she said people said they were scared of her. Truly, she looked intimidating without her signature gummy smile. But then again, I no longer knew what were her signature moves and expression. However, seeing her lips pursed in a thin line with not even the slightest smile present scared me. And if I were to see a woman like her on the street, I'd duck my head down because the energy she oozed was far too intimidating.

Her cat eyes were rid of any emotion, just like Lisa's were when I saw her. But unlike the Thai girls, hers weren't empty. She might not have given away whether she felt the utmost hatred at the simple look at me or not, but they weren't void of life the way Lisa's were. But it made sense. I haven't affected her life all that much, after all. We were just friends, good ones. But not for very long.

And yet, they were cold. One look into them, and I felt chills run down my spine as I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Ever since I remembered, her eyes looked like this, but now she wore more makeup around them, accentuating their shape, and I struggled to hold eye contact with the older woman. She was scrutinizing me, looking me over, looking for all the things that might have changed.

Or maybe, she just didn't recognize the person she was seeing, the same way I didn't when I looked into the mirror. It wasn't the age that changed me after all. Those changes were different. I mean, she, too, changed. Her features were more prominent, and she looked older. Not in a bad way, not at all. Quite the opposite. She looked more grown-up, classy, and elegant. And to think, I used to think that wouldn't be possible.

I, on the other hand, haven't changed the way she did. Sure, some of my features might have got sharper over the years and I might have appeared older, I mean, that was inevitable. But I was sure that though she didn't let it show, she must've been shocked by my current state. One would think I would look all happy and healthy, just how the magazines presented me, living a posh life with a millionaire husband.