When we were young | Chris Evans

Chapter 2

A very displeased Jess stood in front of the shop. Tapping her foot at a speed indicating her extreme irritation. I flashed her an apologetic smile before she rolled her eyes and grabbed my arm, pulling me through the door.

"oooh I like this one" she pointed at a red and black invitation with black lace, it went with the theme of The Rose Room so I gave a small nod. While she was talking to the man behind the counter about how many they would need, I was discussing getting some of my photos printed off for the walls. We had agreed that they would be black and white and to a reasonable large scale, I was trying to work down the price he was offering. Once the place was up and running, I was hoping to actually put some of my work up for sale.

After paying we left the shop to go grab some lunch. Walking to our favourite spot The Elk, we nabbed an outside table in the sun. After ordering my go-to pesto and parma ham panini we began to write our guest list for the opening. For our first night open we wanted to keep it friends and family, hoping they would spread the word for when we opened for the public a few nights after. Jess scrolled through her phone contacts and adding people to the piece of paper in front of us. "Seb called to tell me he wanted us to put him down with a plus two" I informed.

"let me guess, two blondes or is it red-heads this time. I think I remember him saying he was into reds at the mo" she chuckled.

"no two 'buddies' apparently" I shrugged my shoulders. Pulling my phone from my bag I unlocked it and clicked on the contacts app. Scrolling through alphabetically, Chris' name was near the top. I hesitated for a moment wondering to invite him. It had been 7 years since the whole thing happened. Taking a deep breath in a continued to scroll down, jotting names of my friends down. I hate to say it but I only really spent my time with Jess and occasionally Seb, when he was in NY. Scott Evans. I clicked on his contact, i'd spoken to him a couple of times over the past 7 years, he was still one of my dearest friends, even after everything... I wrote his name down, concluding my list and I handed the piece of paper over to Jess who appeared to be nowhere near done. Jess used to be in the retail industry before we decided to open our own speakeasy, meaning she had a shit-ton of friends, some models. I still cringe at the sorry excuse for a first date she tried to set me up on. I'd popped into Macey's where she worked in the fashion department, she was styling this man who supposedly 'found me attractive' and decided that we were meant for each other. A few texts later, I ended up sitting across from him in a small Italian restaurant, the food was amazing but I wish I could say the same about the rest of the date. But is was completely opposite. His name was James and he spent the whole night talking about his mother, and not in an awe he has a good relationship with his mother way, it was borderline psychotic. His mother even called towards the end of the date and he insisted I spoke on the phone with her. Its safe to say I did not go back for date two, his number ended up in the blocked contacts. Bless Jess though, she tried, she always wants the best for me.

I scrolled back up to the top of my contacts, contemplating to invite Chris.  My thumb hovered over his number. Jess must of glanced up from her list as in one swift move she snatched the phone out of my hand. "Chris? Really?" she questioned disapprovingly.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him in so long and it happened years ago" I persisted.

"Nope." she replied bluntly, over the ten years I've known her, she has become used to my habits when it came to him. She pressed a few buttons on my phone before handing it back. The contact name previously named 'Chris Evans' had now been changed to 'don't even think about it bitch'. Rolling my eyes I looked opposite me, raising my eyebrows.

"Really mature J!" she flashed a sweet smile before our food came over and was set in front of us.

In the end I decided against inviting him.