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I hastily threw on the first clothes I could find, my mind still fogged with sleep as I tried to process the sudden turn of events. George, of all people, calling me out of the blue? And at this ungodly hour? It was just like him to pull something like this, but I couldn't shake the strange mix of curiosity and irritation bubbling inside me.
As I stepped outside, the cool early morning air slapped me awake. The streets were eerily quiet, like I was the only one alive in the city. What on earth could George have to say that couldn't wait until a reasonable hour? And why now, after all this time?
My thoughts kept circling back to Kayla. It wasn't just the call that had me on edge; it was everything, the email, the unanswered questions, the uncertainty gnawing at me every waking moment. But for now, I had to push those thoughts aside. George was waiting, and I had a feeling this conversation would be anything but relaxing.
When I arrived at the club, a wave of anxiety hit me. A line of people impatiently waited for their turn to get in. I felt a pang of unease; I hadn't been here since George's last visit two years ago.
Frantically, I searched my pockets for my wallet, but it was nowhere to be found. "Fuck," I muttered as I realized I'd forgotten the essentials money, ID, and the membership card I was given last time. I quickly pulled out my phone and called George.
"Please don't tell me you're bailing on me, 'cause if you do, I'm gonna hunt your ass down," he answered.
"Okay, calm down, psycho. I'm outside. Can you please come get me?"
"What happened, they won't let you in?" he asked, amusement clear in his tone.
"Just come get me," I snapped before hanging up.
A few minutes later, a furious-looking George appeared, exchanged a few words with the bouncer, and got me in. I followed him until we were seated in a private area.
"You hung up on me," he started, his voice laced with mock indignation.
"You called me here at four a.m. to tell me this? It could've waited until a reasonable hour instead of disturbing my much-needed sleep," I retorted.
"Oh, come on, stop whining. I had trouble sleeping, so I thought it'd be a good idea to call my friend and spend some quality time together," he explained.
"Quality time? You know, you can hire an escort if you're in search of 'quality time,'" I said angrily.
"You can be a bitch sometimes, you know that?" he shot back, taking a sip from his glass.
"I'd like to order a drink now, please," I said, flagging down a passing server. After placing my order, I turned back to George.
"I'm not stopping you," he replied, though a bit too late.
"That would've been a great comeback," I mocked.
"Okay, can we be serious now? I've got a lot to tell you," he said, his tone shifting to something more serious.
"Talk. I'm listening. What's new, and how is everybody?"
"I guess you already know this, but your father is furious. He wants you back as soon as possible. He almost got me to tell him where you are."
"I don't want to talk about that right now. Can we change the subject?" The discomfort and deep pain I felt every time my father was mentioned was overwhelming. I hated him with every fiber of my being. But I wasn't here to talk about my father with my best friend.
"I figured you'd react like that. What did he do to make you run away from home, man?" he asked, getting too curious for my comfort.
"I said I don't want to talk about it. Can we just move on?" I gripped the edge of the table so tightly my knuckles turned white.
"All right, sorry," he said, raising his hands defensively. "Nathan's here too."
"Oh? When did he get here?" I asked, surprised.
"Two days ago."
"What's he doing here?" I asked, knowing Nathan, it was surprising to see him here.
"He's going to work here from now on, apparently."
My drink finally arrived, and I didn't hesitate to scoop it up, taking a sip. The liquid burned as it slid down my throat, warming me from the inside.
"Is he coming tonight?" I asked, anticipating his response.
"You know he doesn't like to go out," George chuckled. "He declined as soon as he understood what I was asking."
"So, how've you been?" I asked, taking another sip, the burn now familiar.
"Huh, there's not really anything new to talk about. It's the same old stuff happening every day," he said, looking bored.
"What about you?"
"I think I'm going to stay here longer than I thought. Things have started to get interesting lately," I told him, trying hard to suppress the smile threatening to creep onto my face.
"Interesting? Did you meet someone?" he asked, a smirk appearing.
"It's not like that," I denied, though my lie was evident. But was it really a lie? Kayla was my professor; I shouldn't have been thinking there could be more to our relationship. But I couldn't stop myself.
"You're lying. I can see it in your eyes, the way they lit up when you said 'interesting.'"
"Believe whatever you want. I don't care."
"Is Laurent Bellamy in love?" he teased with that pushy expression of his. I didn't want to tell him anything, but he was my friend, and I couldn't just lie to him.
"I wouldn't say it's love, but it's something different, something I've never felt before, and I want to explore it, see where it goes. But it's complicated, you know?" I confessed, feeling a little embarrassed.
"What is it...a man?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"No, it's not a man, George."
"Then why is it complicated?"
"Let's just say it's harder than ever for me to get someone out of my mind. I can't stop thinking about her. She occupies my thoughts 24/7, and every time I see her, the connection I feel only gets stronger."
I was saying more than I wanted to, and I knew I'd regret it. I wasn't ready to tell my best friend that I was talking about my professor.
"Wow, you're down bad. So who is it? Do I know her?"
"Okay, enough about my love life. What about you? Have you found someone yet?"
"No, still single, and you know darn well what situation I'm in."
"Yeah..." I was immediately cut off by my phone vibrating in my pocket.
I could've ignored it, but I didn't. Instead, I took it out, stopping mid-sentence to check the notification.
My eyes widened as I stared at the name on the screen, my heart quickening in response. A surge of impatience washed over me, urging me to open the email she'd just sent.
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Hey Lovely readers I hope you are doing well.
This was a short chapter with not much going on but I trust you all liked it.
I'm looking forward to Hearing your thoughts so please comment and vote.
Until next time.