Eyes Behold

8. Reunion

" Claire "

Rose couldn't believe her eyes . She blinked her eyes but still she could see her best friend since diapers standing in front of her at the same height as she was . She then raised her hand and very slowly moved it forward to slightly touch her elbow. She shrieked covering her mouth and jumping a bit as she realised she was really truly standing in front of her.

"EVE" Claire shouted as she went in for a tight hug .

They stayed like this for a few minutes hugging each other tightly as if ensuring each other that they were really here , while their eyes brimmed with tears but both refused to let them slip . They didn't want to spoil the moment with tears .

Amelia let out a sigh of relief as her eyes filled with tears too . She glanced over at Ryder who was looking at her with a slight smile on his face .She mouthed a 'thanks' towards him as he nodded back . Next she heard a loud slap .

Rose was rubbing her arm while scowling yet the twinkle in her eyes said a different story . Claire was now full on glaring at her.

" Where the heck were you Miss ROSE EVELYN WILDER ? And what do you think you were doing all these years ? You just vanished ,like Poof!! and gone . Didn't you even think once before doing that to me ? To us ? I know we had this fight and weird things going on between us but you just can't run away without telling me anything . We've been together for our whole life time for god's sake. Why Eve? Why? "

Claire was full blown crying now .Rose too couldn't hold back anymore . She let out a few sobs and both wrapped their arms around each other again .

" Hey ! Don't forget me "

Amelia rushed into a group hug. All three chuckled . Somewhere in the conversation Ryder had led others out to give them privacy .

Rose was guilty . She was practically drowning in guilt .

" I'm sorry , I'm so sorry guys . I never meant any of this to happen . But back then some things happened and I had to just leave . I wasn't even in my senses to notice anything happening around me. By the time I recovered I had lost everything, my hometown, our school ,you both and even my own self . I couldn't contact you earlier'cause I still was trying to comprehend what was happening to me and couldn't do it later because by that time it was probably too late . It's just now that I have you both in front of me that I realise that it was never too late . I should have contacted you and it's completely my fault . I'm sorry , so very sorry guys . You know I love you right? I've always loved you and never stopped doing that . " Rose almost pleaded to them..

Claire let out a sigh moving her brown hair with blonde highlights out of her face

" Yeah we love you too Eve but what happened that you had to take such a big decision? You need to trust us dear ."

" I trust you .. you both with all my heart . And I'm ready to speak it out . You both deserve to know . But not now , at least not here . Trust me I'll tell you everything but somewhere else . This is neither the right time nor the right place . Please trust me on this ?"

The look of distraught on her face told her besties to drop the topic ,for now .

"So you finally got admission in your dream college ..huhh ? " Claire asked changing the topic much to Rose's comfort.

She really was ready now more than ever and she meant every single word she said out there.

" Yeah ! What are you doing here by the way and how did you know I was here ? "

Amelia gave her an ' are you serious right now ' look ." Of course I called her here . But she didn't know you are here .She was just invited to the concert to spend some time with me . So guys , how was the surprise? "

" You know Meli , right now I'm so happy that if you ask me to marry you right now , I'll do it without a second thought . This was awesome" Claire excalimed .

" Eww !! Who is interested in marrying you . I can't even bear to be with you for more than an hour in the same room alone ."

"Aww!!! Meli just admit you love me " she wiggled her eyebrows.

Amelia scrunched up her nose and hid behind Rose .

" SOS !! ROE !!SOS !! I don't know this girl , she is not our Claire ."

Rose chuckled at their antics as she took in her friend after so many years . She had gotten her brown curly hair straightened with golden highlights . She had grown a bit taller too but not more than Rose .Her hazel eyes lit with happiness while she wore a black tank top , white ripped shorts with grey net woolen shrug . She had grown more beautiful in these years .

" Hey ! Don't drift off the topic. Tell me Meri !! Do you live here ? " Rose lit up with excitement at the possibility while bouncing on her feet like a child . She and Claire called each other from their middle names. Thus Claire Meridith Carver was addressed as Meri by Rose from the time they could speak and register each other's existence.

" Yeah Eve !!! I am in Raymond College for Journalism here .You know it better than anyone that I always wanted to travel out and when I got an offer from a college here in Calgary , I accepted it immediately wanting to stay close to Meli. Moreover I was still hanging on the hope to see you again so this might have been the last chance and I didn't want to miss it for life .So I just came " she shrugged .

Rose felt warm knowing she waited , they waited for her and still had hope for her . A genuine big smile made way on her face as she nodded .

"I'm glad you made that decision . Changing the topic you know Meri someone already has a crush here " she said wiggling her eyebrows .

Amelia blushed but tried to rub it off as casually as she could in her flustered state . " Oh Roe is just making up things .It's nothing . " she waved her hands off .

" Oh really !! Who ? " Claire exclaimed noticing the blush on her face . She was so excited for her .

" Ryder . A sophomore in our college"

" Ryder as in Ryder Carter ?" Claire all but screamed.

" Yeah ! Do you know him ? "

" Oh Eve ! Who doesn't know him ? He is the sole heir of the multi billionaire buissnessman Carl Carter . He is loaded guys . People say he has looks worth drooling at ." She replied mesmerised.

" Yeah and he was the one who escorted you here . This stadium or buliding whatever this is belongs to him " Amelia shrugged .

" OH MY GOD!! He was Ryder Carter . The rumours are true then , he is seriously an eye candy .Ohhh !!! "

" Nice to hear that . As much as I would love to sit here and listen those things about myself , I would hate to break it to you that the concert is beginning."Ryder strolled in .

"Hi ! I'm Ryder Carter,but I guess you already know that " he said glancing over at the two girls at the back , especially at the one who was trying to fix her pink skirt even though it had no crease whatsoever.

" Hey !" Claire extended her hand " I'm Claire Carver, a freshman in the Raymond College for Journalism and best friend of these idiots out here "

Rayder shook her hand politely and motioned them to follow.

"Let the fun begin "

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A/N

Hii people ! How are ya all ?

So our dear Rose met yet another friend of hers. Ok ! I promise this was the last one. Even I can't bear to handle any more of these guys.

Have you ever had a friend whom you had to leave behind in your life ? Would you like to meet them again ?

I had one in my preschool and her name was Kawleen ( as much as I remember) . She was a very very good friend of mine. Probably the first best friend in my life. I miss her a lot and would definitely like to meet her again ,at least once .

Anyways that's it for today. We'll meet again tomorrow and trust me , tomorrow is going to be a blast .

Thank you
Lots of love and hugs
Joban ❤️