Always Us

Chapter 3 - The Reckoning

"How much further do we have to walk?" I sighed, feeling the strain of the uphill trek.

"It's literally just at the top of this hill," Shauna replied, trying to sound composed despite the evident exertion.

After what felt like an endless trek up steep paths, we finally reached the top, greeted by the sight of a grand mansion nestled among verdant trees and vast fields.

The mansion stood proudly, its impressive architecture contrasting beautifully with the natural surroundings. Sunlight filtered through the leaves onto the building, and ivy crept up the stone walls.

"Oh, so he's definitely rich-rich," Danielle joked, eyeing the impressive estate.

As we approached, the sounds of laughter and music drifted towards us. There were crowds of people scattered across the garden, drinking and smoking. Just then, Isaac emerged, his tie haphazardly tied around his head, blonde hair tousled, and shirt partially unbuttoned.

"Well, hello ladies," he greeted, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "No going overboard tonight, alright Des?" he teased, pulling Shauna into a warm embrace and planting a kiss on her cheek.

I rolled my eyes at the playful banter, though I could not help but notice the other girls enjoying Isaac's charm, their lips pursed as if they were stifling a laugh.

"Right this way," Isaac continued, leading us through the bustling house with an easy smile. "I've saved four seats on the sofa just for you."

We followed Isaac into the living room, where Lewis was lounging on the sofa, a grin spreading across his face as he greeted us.

"Here you go, girls!" Isaac announced with a chuckle.

"Wait, did you just have Lewis lying there to save our seat?" Paige laughed, her eyes darting between Lewis and Isaac.

"Absolutely," Isaac confirmed, joining in the laughter. "Consider it a complimentary seat warmer too."

"He said he'd give me £50 if I did it," Lewis added proudly, clearly pleased with himself.

"Oh, god," Danielle cringed, shaking her head in disbelief.

Isaac, clearly in high spirits, turned to us with a grin. "What can I get you ladies to drink?"

"I got us for the first round" Paige, ever prepared, reached into her bag and pulled out four cans, handing one to each of us with a smile.

Perched on the arm of a chair, I surveyed the room, my mind consumed by thoughts of Darren. Was he with Emily? The uncertainty gnawed at me, mingling with the anxious questions swirling in my mind. But then, amidst the crowd, my attention was then drawn to Conrad. His black hair fell onto his forehead just above his brow, his jawline sharp, he exuded an undeniable allure. Our eyes met, his intense gaze locking with mine. There was something captivating about the depth of his dark eyes. A moment passed, and then he smiled—a wicked grin that sent warmth flooding to my cheeks. Flustered, I quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the chatter of the girls.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere in the house became something from what I can only compared to the movie "Project X". Curious about what other drinks were available, I ventured into the kitchen.

"If you fancy something different, there's a stash in the garage fridge. But that's only for the elite members," Lewis teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And Des, you might need the strong stuff if you're going to live up to your name."

I chuckled at his jest. "Those days are long gone," I replied, flashing a playful smile.

"Help yourself," Lewis offered, busying himself with pouring Shauna another drink.