Setting Sun

3 | False Promises | 3

George sat, knee bouncing up and down, at a table for five, awaiting the arrival of the rest of his party. Part of him couldn't help but jump to the worst conclusion, that he'd been stood up, that no one was coming and he'd been made a fool out of. Again. More false promises to add to the list.

The hostess kept coming to check on him, asking him if he'd like water or anything. Every time he turned her down, stating he was waiting for his friends. She didn't look like she quite believed him, but was too polite to say anything. She had soft pink hair that she had tied into two half buns, and wore black eyeliner. George didn't know a lot about makeup, but he believed it was called a cat eye. She wore a striped turtleneck sweater which she had tucked into high waisted black jeans that were held up with a black belt and a golden buckle. She partnered the outfit with a pair of white Doc Martens. George took note of her name, Nihachu. 

Just as George was about to give up and leave, he saw Luke and three of his friends from the office enter through the door, laughing hysterically. He sighed in relief after realizing that they hadn't stood him up. Luke was wearing a white hoodie with the hood pulled up over his head, a gold chain hung around his neck, with a pair of high top sneakers and black jeans that seemed to be the night's theme. The relief shifted into confusion as Luke and the rest came to the table.

"George, you actually came?" Luke questioned, disbelieving.

"Uh, yeah. I said I would, did I not?"

"I know, but you're kind of a recluse so I'm just surprised to see you here," Luke said casually, as if that information should be obvious. "Whatever, I'm going to go grab a drink. Anyone want anything?" Everyone asked for something except George, who preferred not to drink.

Once Luke returned with the drinks, the conversation flowed smoothly between everyone, everyone but George, who sat awkwardly, listening back and forth between discussions but never joining in. He didn't mind all that much, he'd never been a huge talker, typically preferring to keep his thoughts to himself. That is, until Luke turned the topic of discussion to him.

"So George, what is it, exactly, that you like to do in your free time?" Luke asked. Though he seemed to be trying to be nice, George couldn't help but feel like there was hidden meaning behind his words.

He shrugged. "Depends really. Like you said, I'm a bit of a recluse, don't like to go out much."

"Why is that?" Luke said, curiosity showing in his eyes that George sensed to be false.

He shrugged again. "To be honest, I don't have a lot of friends." All of their eyes were on George now.

"I'm sorry, I can't imagine why." George definitely wasn't imagining the two-faced tone now. The others snickered.

"It's fine," George responded nervously, trying to shrink back into silence, allowing them to finish their own talks. Unfortunately, Luke wasn't quite done. George desperately wished the waiter would come get their orders now.

"Do you think it's because...." Luke started, hesitating to ask whatever it was like he was waiting for permission, though he looked like he would regardless of what George did.

"Yes?"

"Is it because of what happened to your old friend?"

George did a double-take, swearing that he must've heard wrong. Yeah, that was it, he'd simply heard wrong. Luke didn't know anything about them. No one did, he'd left all that behind. They all stared at him, now genuinely curious.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me. Is it because of-" George didn't hear the rest. More likely, his brain didn't let him hear the rest. His mind had taken to blocking out any memories of those events, it was trying to protect him. He couldn't think about it, he knew what would happen if he let himself go back to that dark place.