Concatenate

1

It's supposed to be 2040.

I still remember the year when we're supposed to be having our high school reunion.

I found it absurd.

But then it came sooner than expected and I am overwhelmed.

It's 2025.

I just got my career in a stable state and starting to find my footing in terms of independence. Not to mention that I just got out of a long-term relationship six months ago.

So, receiving the news about the reunion made me feel ecstatic. Well, not really.

Before I could even fathom the fact that I'm meeting my former classmates, I found myself signing the record book at the event. I stood present, alright. The itch to chicken out and go back to my hotel room was persistent. I felt my hands start to get clammy as I went down the hall.

You know how these reunions go. There's a lot of anxiety and masks being put on faces to convince themselves that life didn't just make them bend and break their bones. Some might even sell their souls to the devil. The point is, everyone, is trying their best, be it negatively or positively.

I have grown my hair to mid-length now and my curls were not having it resulting in a messy outcome. I'm clad in my black button-up shirt and trousers with a pair of white sneakers. My outfit screamed casual but wearing my watch and a bit of jewelry was the cherry on top.

"Alex! Over here." I sighed as I heard the familiar holler of Makaela.

"Hey! Thank you. I was about to look like a fool. You saved my life." I exasperated.

"Damn! I should've called you a bit later. I'd love to see you look like an idiot." She said while handing me a glass of champagne.

"Come, on. I know you love me." I replied as she contorted her face in disgust.

A few moments later, some of my other friends came. We catch up about the things that happened in our lives for the past years. We laughed a lot and that made it a little less suffocating.

"I heard you're single now, Alex. I'm sorry you broke up." Justin said.

"Well, that's just how it is. It wasn't sour, at least. We parted ways on good terms. But it still made me feel cliché "heartbroken" emotions." I retorted.

"Wow. That's rare! I'm glad that you're okay now." He said.

The conversation drifted to others as time went by. I did my part by nodding and listening because the withdrawals of the breakup started to kick in. I'm okay now but that doesn't mean I'm fine. Eventually, I excused myself from the circle to go sit at the bar and got myself a drink.

"Do you mind?" Someone said as she referred to the seat next to me.

"No, you can take that," I said while downing the fourth shot of whiskey.

"You're Alex, right? Do you still remember me?" She asked.

I looked over and tried to recognize her name which I clearly forgotten. But I remember how she was the darling of the batch back then. I could tell that she still is, whether or not she's with no one right now.

"I remember you being one of the popular kids before. But I forgot your name." I said.

"Oh. Yes, I was a bit popular back then. My name is Hailey." She said after giggling from being only recognized as famous.

"Ah. Hailey was your name. Got, it." I said as I ordered another shot.

"You changed a lot, Alex." She said.

"Yeah? How can you tell?" I asked.

"You look hotter now." She said without hesitation. "I didn't expect you to be into girls, too." She added.

"Well, I didn't expect you to be this flirty either despite knowing I'm a lesbian." I chuckled lowly as I gave her a glance.

"Was it that obvious? Oh my. I'm bisexual actually. At least, I know now that I saw you again." She said as she batted her eyelashes at me.

I admit that she's attractive. Her proportions are no joke other than her face. So I decided to go with the flow and hopefully get her number after. A casual fling for this vacation.

The conversation went smoothly than I thought it would be. We have some mutual interests in hobbies especially about having tattoos and she can't keep her hands to herself after showing her my half sleeve tattooed arm. The touch wasn't friendly so I assumed it was okay to rest my hand on her thigh as we were speaking.

We continued to talk about anything. Her hand went from tracing my tattoos to caressing my arm. I could conclude she has a thing with inked people. In my defend, it meant that I have the permission to travel my hand higher and I could feel her hair stand up with every squeeze. Added to that, her eyes are full of want. Definitely feeling the tension.

She leaned into my ear and I could smell her perfume as she whispered.

"Can we take this to your room?" She asked breathily. "Please?"

And if that didn't turn me on, then I don't know what would be.

As I was about to nod my head, a slap came out of nowhere. I was dumbfounded because who would do that? My hand was retracted from Hailey's and gripped tightly by the person who had the audacity to make me feel like a dirty motherfucker. I was too stunned to speak as I kept my head low.

"Alex, are you okay? Who are you? Why the hell did you slap her?" Hailey shouted.

There was a sinister laugh instead of a reply.  The grip this person had on me got tighter.

"It's y/n, bitch. This is my woman so it would be great if you can stop seducing her. I don't really appreciate people who touch what's mine." Y/n said.

"I don't remember having an owner. Let alone having you as that owner. I thought you said you could never reciprocate my feelings, y/n?" I said with sarcasm.

"Well, now you have one because I said so," she said. "I apologize, but we have to go. My woman and I have a lot of things to do." She spat to Hailey without feeling any remorse.

I got dragged out.