Spencer stared blankly at the producers in front of him. There was Pete who wouldn't stop talking about his cat and dull Dolly who had the most boring, most unrealistic ideas for a screenplay. He had actually gone to school with Dolly but he couldn't remember her being so boring. Still though, never in a million years would he have imagined he would be sitting across from her planning a movie.
His phone pinged and, unapologetically, Spencer whipped it out of his pocket and checked the message he received.
'Hope we see you later tonight'
Spencer smiled at the text he got sent from Nora.
'I wouldn't miss your engagement party for the world' He replied back.
Of course that was a big fat lie because Spencer hadn't actually been intending on going until the night before. He had one very big 'con' for not going. He was afraid Madeline would be there. But after interrogating Oliver with a late night, paranoid phone calls, Oliver reassured him that Madeline would not be there. Why would she be? It wasn't like her and Nora were friends again. Besides, Madeline was probably busy wedding planning. And breaking hearts. And moving on. Spencer wasn't salty at all.
"So what do you think!?" Pete chirped.
Spencer looked up at his smiling face and frowned. "Huh?"
Pete waved a photo of his cat in front of Spencer's face. "My cat. Her name is-"
"I'm sorry. No, I can't do this!" Spencer snapped. "We have been coming to this damp café for the last three days and have come up with nothing. I know more about your damn cat than this movie that we're going to make! Can we please just have one hour of productivity!? I have to leave soon for an engagement party."
Ignoring the first ninety-six percent of Spencer's rant, Dolly's mouth fell open. "You mean Nora Lawrence and Oliver Scott's engagement party?!"
"Uh, yeah. Anyway, can we-"
"No way. No freaking way. I would have killed to go but I didn't get invited. Spencer, why are you still here?! You should be preparing! It's only the biggest event of the year. Well second biggest because Madeline Lockhart's wedding is in a few months. Again, I wasn't invited even though I sat beside her in like all my classes. Oh my god, is Madeline Lockhart going to be there tonight?! Woah, can you take a picture!"
Spencer was evidently startled by her sudden outburst by the way he was staring at her. Even Pete looked taken aback. She had said more words in her outburst than she had said for the past three days combined.
"Um... yeah, I'm just gonna go now," Spencer said.
"But what about screenplay planning?"
Spencer shook his head. He couldn't be with them any longer. "Um, maybe some other time. I'll call you guys."
Spencer hurried away before anyone could object. He needed to get a hair cut anyway.
After a quick trip to the barber shop and Cartier (Spencer bought Nora a bejewelled ring and Oliver matching cufflinks as an engagement present), he was finally making his way home. However he barely had one foot out of Cartier when he heard a voice behind him.
"Yo."
Turning around, Spencer found his brother Charlie standing behind him with his hands in his pockets and a sad smile on his face. They hadn't spoken since their fight and seeing him again brought back all the anger in Spencer.
"Why are you here?"
Charlie held up a small bag in hand. "I just bought an engagement present for Oliver and Nora."
"Is that some sort of sales tactic. To get Oliver to buy more cocaine from you?" Spencer spat sarcastically.
"Man, fuck you. Oliver's my friend too."
"Since when?"
"Since forever. Maybe I'm not as close to him as you but we're still friends."
Spencer rolled his eyes. "No you aren't. He's just your customer."
Charlie took a moment to breathe in and out slowly. "Look. I just wanted to apologise that you found out that way. And I'm going to quit as soon as Dustin is out on parole."
Scoffing, Spencer rolled his eyes again. "When? Ten years? Twenty years?"
"Spencer-"
"You know you're just perpetuating a stereotype now? Young black man dealing drugs. And the worst part is that you weren't forced to do this. You didn't need the money," Spencer ranted.
"I'm not doing this because I'm black. The man I love asked me to help him and I did."
"Love? Charlie, he's a criminal!"
By this point, Spencer began to notice people staring at them. They were still standing outside Cartier and were having a shouting match. Needless to say, their shouts weren't exactly part of the Cartier aesthetic.
"Obviously this conversation is getting no where. All I'm asking is for a bit of leniency and empathy, Spence."
"And all I'm asking is for you to stop dealing drugs!"
Charlie rolled his eyes and began to walk away. Spencer watched as he disappeared round the corner and the further he got the more relaxed Spencer became. Never in his life had Spencer been so angry at his brother. Charlie was two years older but acted like an entitled teenager and Spencer hated that about him. He just wanted a responsible older brother. A mentor, someone to look up to. Instead he got Charlie.
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Being fashionably late, Spencer ran into the engagement party. He had underestimated traffic and had missed the first hour of the party. Thankfully, Nora and Oliver seemed to also be fashionably late because he couldn't see them anywhere. It looked like a fabulous affair with tall ceilings and gleaming pillars. Around each pillar was a coating of white roses and fairy lights. It was pretty magnificent.
"Spencer! Oh, hello! It's been so long!"
Spencer hadn't even noticed Penelope Scott, Oliver's mom, approach him but immediately looked up and shook the hand she had extended towards him.
"Miss Scott. How are you?"
"I'm just wonderful, darling! How are you? How is Harvard?"
"Oh, I didn't go to Harvard."
"Oh? But I thought you studied Law in Harvard."
Clearly Penelope hadn't seen or heard of Spencer for a long time. It was true that once upon a time Spencer was destined for an Ivy League school but after Madeline left during high school, he found he had a lot of time to discover himself and realised he didn't want to become a lawyer like his mother. Of course it took a long time to convince Helena that filmmaking was a much better fit for him but eventually she agreed and he couldn't have been more happy with his choice.
"Uh, no. I did filmmaking in NYU..."
"Oh. Anyway, I am so happy for Nora and Oliver!" She boomed, changing the subject. "They are so lucky to have found each other! Especially with that whole Madeline drama in high school! Gosh, it was so long ago!"
Spencer tensed at the mention of her name.
"How are you and Madeline? I assume you two are still going out."
Spencer choked on absolutely nothing. He coughed to clear his throat and looked back at Ms Scott. "Oh, we never... I mean I think she's.... but no we never went out. No. Never."
"Oh. Gosh, Spencer, I am so sorry! Oliver never tells me anything!"
"It's okay, Ms Scott!" Desperate to get away before she asked any more inaccurate questions, Spencer sighed in relief when he spotted Oliver at the other end of the hall with Nora by his side. "Anyway, I have to go meet Oliver and Nora. It was lovely seeing you!"
Spencer walked away before she could pose any questions and practically sprinted towards his friends. He really had missed them. Especially Nora.
He clamped his hand down on Oliver's shoulder and laughed when Oliver jumped in fright. Nora's face lit up when she saw him and she immediately engulfed him in a hug.
"Spence!" She squealed. He instantly regretted not staying more in touch with her. Nora was so pure and sweet and he wished they were closer. It had been nearly two years since they saw each other.
"My man," Oliver whooped, patting Spencer's back.
Spencer couldn't help but feel awkward because of the secret Oliver wanted him to keep from Nora. He couldn't tell her how he got arrested for defending Oliver because Oliver was too drunk/high to fight back. He found himself subconsciously flinching as Oliver's hand patted his back.
"I'm so happy you're here! How have you been?" Nora chirped.
"Good! I'm currently in the middle of writing this indie with two producers and we're so busy but I couldn't miss this!"
"Wow. Writing? That's impressive!!Congrats man," Oliver laughed.
Spencer laughed. "Thanks! It's only a project, nothing too major but I...."
Spencer's voice trailed off as the grand double doors of the fabulously lush hall swung open and in walked the enigma that riddled much of Spencer's life. Gliding in, clad in a sparkling red dress, she looked around the hall to find Nora. She had an innocent and unknowing look on her face. Her ruby lips pouted as she worked her way down the stairs and her dress trailed behind her.
It wasn't just Spencer who looked up. Everyone in the entire hall was hooked and silenced. It was a phenomenon. Oliver had tensed up and Nora's eyes darted nervously from Spencer to her.
And in a split second every emotion that man can experience rushed through Spencer, flooding his each and every vein and artery. His heart was overwhelmed. It pounded urgently, perhaps unsure of what else it could do to ease the pain Spencer felt. He felt dizzy and confused as she approached Nora and Oliver. She hadn't noticed Spencer's presence yet.
She was so beautiful and he was in awe. Even after all the time they had spent together in the past, he still felt a rush of wonder and astonishment whenever he saw her. But he hadn't experienced that rush in a while. Maybe it was less awe and more shock. It had been five years.
Suddenly he wasn't a successful twenty three year-old filmmaker. He was the scrawny seventeen year old who was so stupidly in love with his best friend.
It had been more than five years but she hadn't changed much. She was unmistakable.
Her face slowly turned towards them and her smile faltered when she saw him. They made eye contact and for a few seconds it was just them in the hall. There was no one else but them. Time slowed down. Then finally he spoke.
"Madeline," Spencer choked.
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A/N:
A reunion chapter to kick off the start of the new decade! Happy New Year guys! Hope 2020 brings you nothing but happiness and success
Love,
-hexed
xoxo