If This Isn't Love

24: DECEMBER 2017 - Lost

"You really don't plan on going?" Megan asked for the third time. She had come over to Luisa's apartment for a quick chat after work.

Luisa shifted on the sofa. "We're in testing mode at school. I need to get all the rest I can." She purposely did not meet her friend's eyes. Megan would see the embarrassment she was trying to hide. The Halloween disaster, as she called it, was never far from her mind. The fact that it didn't change her feelings toward Seokjin made her even more miserable.

They'd run into each other several times since then. At the mailboxes, at lunch with their friends. At various places. Sometimes he was with Emily. Sometimes he was alone. It was when he was alone that she was in danger because she could feel his eyes on her the entire time, waiting for her to glance at him. But she couldn't. She'd be lost if she did. She'd agree to anything he proposed, and she would hate herself for being a party to cheating. She couldn't take the chance tonight. She was at her weakest point because she missed him too much.

The tall girl sighed. "Okay, then. I'm pretty sure Seokjin will be disappointed that you're not at his birthday party. This is the first year since college that everyone's in the same city."

"Well, it's not like I went to all his parties back then either," Luisa said. "It's not a tradition." She crossed her arms and sank lower into the sofa cushions. She knew she was acting like a petulant child, but why would she want to go to a party only to see Seokjin and his fiancée being all lovey-dovey? "Besides, you know I don't like large crowds."

"Uh-huh." Megan stared at her friend for a few seconds. "Is it because of Emily?"

Luisa scoffed. "What? No! Why would it be?"

Megan narrowed her eyes. "Uh-huh."

"Why do you keep using that tone?"

The redhead stared at her then grinned. "Why are you so defensive? I know you, Lulu. I think I know why you don't want to go."

The brown-haired woman scoffed again.

"No, really," Megan continued. "Deny it if you want, but I think that you don't want to see Seokjin because you still have a thing for him."

"I do not."

"Uh-huh."

Luisa bristled. "Stop that." She took a deep breath. "I won't deny that he's...well, extraordinarily good-looking, and any girl would be attracted to him, I guess." She scowled when she saw her friend's smile. "But just because I think he's handsome doesn't mean that I have any feelings for him. Other than friendship, of course."

"Of course."

"And...and I'm sure he feels the same way," Luisa concluded weakly.

"Fine. Fine. But whatever you do, please don't invite Charlie over or go anywhere with him. I heard that he's back in town. That ass needs to stay out of your life."

Luisa's eyes shot toward her friend. Her ex-boyfriend from college Charlie Ramos had texted her two days ago wanting to take her to dinner while he was in town.

"Of course I would never invite him here," Luisa replied. "And I'm not going out with him. Ever."

Megan nodded. "Good. You don't need his negative energy, Lulu. He's a vampire. He sucked the happiness out of you once. Don't let him do it again. Thanks to him you almost ruined a good friendship."

Luisa blinked. "I did?"

"Sure. When you ran off and slept with Seokjin as revenge," her friend began, "that could've been disastrous. If Charlie hadn't dumped you so cruelly, you wouldn't have gotten drunk and done that. Yet you and Seokjin have managed to remain friends."