Can We Start Over Again?

6. Facade Of A Cheerful Mask

Samanta Rivers

I hadn't seen where I was moving, when I walked away from Zane and the others only to collide with someone, who observed my face concernedly and took me in for a hug.

"Sam? What happened?" It was Ava, our 'mom friend'. Every group of friends got a mom friend and Ava was ours.

"Tch!" the tall figure that stood by Ava, irritatably. This other figure had once been my best friend, my partner in crime, and my matchmaker to Zane.
But now, we don't even look each other in the eye.
"Nothing." I mumbled, wiping away the tears, and directing my eyes at the other figure, Spencer.
She, being well aware that I was looking at her, held her head up, and continued to stare somewhere distant.
By the time I regained my composure, Abbie, Rayna and Ryder had already walked in,
"It's Zane." whispered Ryder to Ava, who nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"You guys are late," said Abbie, welcoming the newly arrived friends into the party.
The others fidgeted uncomfortably on the spot, trying to warm themselves with the once affable circle of friends.

Once, we were a group of 8 friends.
We'd not always been an eight. At first, it was only Spencer, Ava, Rayna and me.
But after Spencer introduced us to a math genius named 'Zane', who was Spencer's cousin's cousin, who coincidentally happened to be my knight in shining armor too, we became a 7. Seven with his best friends Chris and Ryder.
Abbie was the last to join the clique, she also happened to be that mutual cousin of Zane and Spencer.
And as of now, she was the only member of the circle that was trying to patch things between us, while the others were in a Cold War.

"Girls, your reserved table is there." Abbie pointed at the table, where I sat earlier, before dashing out.
Zane and Zion were walking away from it, to the podium, checking their watches as if something important was about to happen.

Ava pursed her lips tightly, "Are we all supposed to sit together?"
I directed my eyes to Ava,
"Yes Ava, that's the whole purpose of this invite." Said Abbie, rolling eyes. "You guys, sitting together and talking, which unfortunately you people never did for the past 2 years."
"As we're meeting each other after two years, I want you guys to behave humanely."
"I'll try my best." Responded Spencer, glaring at Ryder.

"Good evening to all the ladies and gentlemen present. It's such an honour and a privilege to meet most of the 'big' and the 'accomplished' entrepreneurs of the country here, at my welcome party."
I turned to see a flushed Zion talking to the presented audience, who clapped as he paused.

Abbie quickly directed the others to the table, while I excused myself to the washroom to fix my messed up face.
I could hear him thanking his aunt for the surprise party, by the time I entered the washroom.

I stood by the mirror looking at my mascara smeared face, and the time I spent trying to look my best to impress Zane. Tears trickled down as I tried to compose myself.

I understood why Zane hated me.
It was I who asked him to be my boyfriend, and it was I who later wanted to break things up with him. But I had a very strong reason to do it.

Although I didn't look like it, I had this bad habit of hiding all my problems and emotions into a facade of a cheerful mask.
What others saw in me, was the image that I wanted them to see.

Sniffing, I pulled out the tissues from the bag and mopped out all the black pigment that was smeared on my face.
Once I looked normal as I did before, I heaved out a breath, and plastered a smile on my face like I've been doing all these years.

But I should admit, I looked Cute!
How does Zane the nerd resist this look?

With a smirk on my face, I walked out the restroom, only to come face to face with Zion.

"Zi.." I gasped, and he looked taken aback. Was he not talking over the podium like a minute ago??
Did I seriously take more than 5 minutes to fix myself up?

"I'm sorry I startled you. Didn't mean to." He said.
"I actually came here for two things."

"Ummm.. Zion?" I looked at him confused, cutting back the stupid thoughts.
"Number 1, I wanted to apologize on behalf of Zane, what he said to you was indeed unpleasant and wrong."
"You may already know that he hadn't been this way 2 years ago. That break up had changed him a lot."
I stiffened as he said it.
Doesn't Zion know it was I who broke his brother's heart? That I was the reason for his new, cruel persona?
"You might wonder if a break-up could change a person into a monster."
"But Samanta, we grew up without our mom's love, you know she took her own life."
"So it's really hard to move forward when we suddenly receive the love we had been yearning for, and then all of a sudden they leave us for no fault of ours."
"I think it is possible to be"

I squirmed with guilt.
I wanted to tell him that I was this person who stabbed Zane's already bleeding heart and I don't deserve any apology.
"But what I don't understand is, why he specifically chose you as the bait, however, it was wrong, and I ask you to forgive him."

"Zion, I..." I started, but he stopped me and took hold of me by my hands,
"The second thing is, I was asked to take you out to the tent,"
"To the tent?" I asked him, bewildered. He took me by the hand and walked me out.
I could already whiff the smell of deliciously cooked food, and my stomach stirred up in excitement.
"To the tent, where they serve food."
"Food!" I cried in excitement, just like my stomach.
I mean, who's not excited for food? Especially when it had been displayed as in an exhibition, but for free.

A huge tent had been put up in the garden and cuisines from all different countries were put on a display.
Each cuisine was given a respective counter and some waiters, who stood next to them.
People had already started to taste and self-serve their favourites. Zion ushered me to follow him to the counter which held Chinese cuisine.
"Mmm. Smells lovely," I exclaimed, breathing in the smell of the food.
"Try these prawn balls. Or the Kung Pao Chicken." He said pointing at two dishes in front of us. "There's a fun fact that I'd like to share regarding these dishes."
I looked at him questioningly, then nodded, jabbing the prawn balls into a fork that the waiter handed me.
"I'll get you a plate." He whispered into my ears and walked away.
"Mmmm.. yummy!" I responded, savouring the prawn balls, "I'm already in love with the chef who prepared this."
I looked at the waiter who stood watching me eat,
"Do you like to try? I won't tell anyone. Here, try one." I said, handing the waiter the fork in my hand.
The waiter smiled at me, and then he stiffened, staring behind me.
I felt someone lingering beside me, but ignored them and urged the waiter again to try some.
"No miss. I'm good."
I shrugged and jabbed the fork again on a sweet yet sour tasting prawn ball, when someone clasped my fork free hand and tugged me to face them.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He hissed with hatred etched in his voice.