I drive to Eric's manor that night. I was the first to show up, with a bottle of Dom Pérignon in one hand. As soon as I got out of my car, a parking valet drove it to the parking. I found myself standing outside a country home-inspired resort.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" A woman spoke from beside me. I did not have to look her way to know, I could recognize the sound of her voice and the smell of her perfume. But I did want to look... her eyes were the softest brown infused with green... the eyes that remind me of my favorite trip to New Zealand in Spring sometime ago... they were the forest floor and the gentle flowers, somewhere to rest and breathe.
"Hi," Riley spoke to me for the first time since the meeting in the park. I couldn't find a reply, so I forced a smile at her. "Have you been here before?" She asks casually.
"Yes, actually. My best friend's hosting,"
Riley and I made our way inside, she was busy admiring the interior and architecture that she didn't notice she was about to run into a wall before I grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her close to me. Riley stared at me for a while, before I dropped her hand and ran up the stairs, mentally cursing myself.
Eric stood in front of two huge wooden doors, waiting for us. He gives us both a warm smile and welcomes us to the party. Riley walks past me as if nothing happened a few seconds ago.
"Are you ready?" Eric asks while I was distracted, taking the champagne from me.
I pull out my mother's golden ring she gave me the night before and smile at him. "You can say that."
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More of our friends and guests arrive, but no sign of Savannah even at thirty minutes to twelve. I was so lost in my head, I didn't see a girl walk up to me, two cups of punch in her hand.
"Where's Savannah?" Ivy, a long-time friend of mine, asks me, punching my shoulder. I smirk at her and say "she's coming,"
"Doesn't seem so," Ivy offers me a cup of fruit punch. "It's almost midnight."
Savannah finally arrives with a man many minutes later, fashionably late as always.
"Is that her date? I thought..." Ivy smiles into her plastic cup.
I scoff at the thought. "Him? Hah! He's just a friend from her work."
"Yeah, right," Ivy says, gesturing to him, and then at me. "What's a tall, dark, and handsome man compared to... whatever this is?" She snorts and walks away before I could punch her.
"Specimen," I mutter under my breath as he approaches me, Savannah following suit.
He smiles at me like a supermodel would. "Julian. I don't believe we've officially met." He holds out his hand.
I reluctantly shake his hand. "Heath. I am-"
"I know who you are, of course!" His laugh booms across the loud room. "Tell me something I don't know!"
He looks at Savannah with so much lust, I wanted to rearrange his perfect, handsome face. I give him my best "get away from her" smile and drag Savannah away from him.
"Why did you bring him?!" I hiss.
"Calm down! I didn't! I just met him on the way here," Savannah explains, rolling her eyes.
"Okay," I try to believe her. "Listen, I've got to tell you something—" I start to say, hand reaching for the ring in my pocket.
"I've also got to tell you something." She didn't meet my eyes. I take my hand out of my pocket and place it in hers.
"Both our "somethings" can wait until after the party, then,"
Savannah nods and walks away from me. And then I see her again.
Riley.
My heart starts beating faster, and before I knew it, my legs were taking me in her direction.
Her sparkly dress in the dim light made it look like she was glowing. Before I could say anything to her, Hailee, another one of my closest friends, shouted over the noise. "Countdown's starting, with or without you, Heath!"
I will myself to snap out of it and force myself to go to Savannah instead.
10
I search the room for Savannah and see her talking to Julian on the other side of the room. I push my way through the crowd to her, ring in my pocket.
9
As I walk towards her, I realise she's laughing. She seems more comfortable with this man than she ever was with me.
8
She playfully punches his bicep, trying not to spill her champagne. "Our dorm was a madhouse, I tell you..." I hear him say.
7
She laughs some more. "It was made for me," she jokes and he laughs with her. The weight of my mother's ring suddenly became heavy in my jeans pocket.
6
I suddenly stop a few feet from her. Taking my ring out and pausing to ponder my decision.
5
This is my chance, I tell myself. Do it now. Don't let this man get in your way.
4
I tap Savannah on her shoulder and she turns around to look at me. I catch her gaze, and the usual warmth in her soft golden brown eyes were gone, to be replaced with a cold stare that sent electric shocks down my back. I hold my hand out for her.
3
"Huh?!" She says as she takes my hand. I pretended to not notice the fact she was holding the other man's hand as well. I kneel in front of her, taking my ring out.
2
Julian did not notice me.
1
He turns her around and kisses her before I even get the chance to figure out what's happening.
"Happy new year!"
Confetti cannons burst, celebrations all around us. The little bubble in which I was in processed none of those celebrations. Time moved slowly around me as I watch her lip-locked with Julian. All I hear is deafening silence.
All the time I stood there, befuddled, I did not know what to think or say. The realisation creeps in slowly. I could feel all the color draining from my face as I glanced at our friends around me, the room going deadly silent. Some of my friends were grimacing, some staring in bewilderment, and some with confused looks on their faces.
I force myself to look at Eric, whose mouth was agape in disbelief.
I stand in front of her, ring in my hand, heart on my sleeve. I was frozen in time, at a loss for words. She turns around and looks at our friends' faces as if just noticing them. Our friends. I don't think we'll ever say that word again.
"What?" I ask her softly. A single tear threatened to fall down my cheek. It took me every bit of my strength to not break down. Julian, behind her, had lost his smile, also confused now.
She turns to me, her face turning scarlet before muttering a quiet "sorry" and running out of the room without reason, leaving me crestfallen behind.
