After the storm [Finished]

49- Back to you

"Hello! We have just landed back in New York". Kayla and I were over the phone.

"How was the flight?"

"Quiet as heck. It's like everyone was hangover with us". She laughed.

"It's been years since I partied like that. I think my consumption of alcohol has been reached until New Year".

"I can't say the same". We laughed at each other for a while.

Kayla and Nicholas went to Los Angeles to spend a few days with me, and for Halloween, we went to the Walt Disney Concert and headed right away to Escape Halloween. The DJs were amazing and we had a lot of fun, I don't remember having so much fun at a party since I went to college. Of course, we drank a lot since we were all hyped, an insane amount of alcohol. That's what usually happened when you partied with Kayla though.

That night, Josh, his wife, and some people related to work joined us too. We all lived our best life that night, I really don't know what got into us, it was wild.

"Have Ryan called you back?" Kayla asked, I knew she didn't call me just to announce they were back in N.Y. That night I happened to call Ryan. Luckily enough, he didn't pick up.

"No, he hasn't". I was half disappointed, half relieved.

However, I think it was the best even if I felt disappointed; I actually thought he would call me back, but it was ok. Just around that time of the year, we broke up; and just around that time of the year, years ago, he lost someone he loved too. I just wished he didn't see my call to not stir a sensible string. That's all I asked for and cursed my drunk self for behaving like that.

"Alex, but tell me one thing. I thought you were over Ryan already, are you not?" Kayla sounded concerned.

"It's just the date, I must be a bit sensitive because of it. It's nothing".

"Hm, you're right". I heard Nicholas saying something at the back but I couldn't decipher what it was, Kayla laughed. "Right, right". She said excitedly. "What about that guy? What was his name?" I heard Nicholas again. "Yeah, Dylan!"

"What's up with Dylan?" I asked.

"He was at the party. He used every opportunity to talk with you, and you said he had asked you out quite a few times. What's going on?"

"Ah... nothing".

"Oh, c'mon!"

"He always talks to me and invites me to go out but I usually turn him down. I think he likes me, but I'm not interested in going out with anyone at the moment. You know I'm devoted to my career now".

"Ugh, you can have some fun too, you know?"

"No, thanks. I'm going to end the call if you keep going".

"Ah! No! I won't, don't get mad for something like this". She complained. "Anyway, I just send a message to this friend of mine about the apartment, I'll tell you when I get a reply".

"Oh! Ok, thank you".

"I'm sure we can make something out, I know him since high school". I giggled.

"Yeah, if not, you will have to put up with me for a while again".

"Girl, you don't want to stay with me this time". I thought about it for a second.

"Hm... I think you're right". She and Nicholas were living together now, it was better not to meddle in there.

"Nicholas is calling me for dinner, talk to you later".

"Bye!"

I hated to admit it, but, as usual, Kayla was right even though I said the opposite. I wasn't over Ryan. For a couple of months, I called Marcus to know if he was doing well; he never gave details, it was always "yeah, he's doing fine". After that, I was busy as hell and stopped calling him, but the moment I sat down in front of my canvas to paint at night, I would wonder if he was fine; I would shake my head and focus on what I was doing, but then I went to bed and the same questions would come to my mind again: how was his day? Is he doing ok? He's not closing up himself again, is he?