Baby

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three: Echoes of the Past

unedited

Radio silence. Four weeks of no contact. Four weeks since the encounter with Silas at the party. That night, that moment, changed everything for me, at least mentally. Every day, every passing thought was consumed by memories of that night. The feeling of his lips on mine, the taste of vodka on his tongue blending with his own intoxicating flavor - it was maddening, frustrating. It had happened in the blink of an eye, but the impact had lingered far longer than I ever expected.

Part of me was relieved to think that Silas' vanishing act meant he was doing what he had promised - working on himself and devoting his time to his people. It was a relief to know that he was keeping his word. As for myself, I had thrown myself into my studies, diligently completing the endless essays and projects assigned in my English classes. After all, that was the reason I had come to college in the first place.

When I found the girls at the party, I spun a little white lie to explain my lengthy. Fortunately, since Silas had slipped out of the party unnoticed, they bought it and I rejoined the game of cup pong, pretending like nothing had happened. But my thoughts were a chaotic mess, anything but controlled.

With the occasional intrusion of persistent thoughts about a certain someone aside, college life had proven to be everything I had imagined. The taste of independence and freedom was undoubtedly the highlight of this journey. Every twist and turn, every experience - it had helped shape me and lead me to this point in life. I couldn't have been more grateful.

It was the night before Halloween, and that meant one thing - costume parties, everywhere. Being the epitome of a social butterfly, Beverly had received invites to almost every party happening on campus. For weeks, she had been tirelessly trying to coax me into attending at least one with her, but my current mood had me buried in books and determined to focus on nothing but studying.

On this particular Friday, Beverly took her last shot at convincing me to join in on the fun by bringing along reinforcements in the physical form of one Raia Petrova.

Beverly let out a dramatic groan, throwing her head back in exaggerated despair. "Please, Babyyyy. I'll die if you don't come with us," she whined, her voice filled with exaggerated desperation.

Raia, chiming in from the side, nodded in agreement. "It's true. She's unstoppable when she wants something," she added, crossing her arms with a smirk.

I sat on my bed, my Norton Field Guide to Writing open and spread out in front of me. I looked at Beverly, amused by her dramatic plea. "I appreciate the...threatening and worrisome approach, but I really can't," I explained. "This research project I've been working on has been kicking my ass, and it's due on Wednesday."

Beverly persisted, looking intently at me. "You've been working on it since Monday! It's Friday. Come on, give yourself a little break and party with us. Trust me," she pleaded.

A soft sigh escaped me, and I shook my head. "I love you guys, really, but it's a no from me," I said firmly. "Enzo's party had me all partied out, probably until... New Year's."

Beverly's eyes widened. "New Year's?! That's months away!"

I tried to infuse a little levity into my response. "Exactly. And you can count on me having a drink in my hand by then!" I offered with a smile.

Raia and Beverly reluctantly accepted defeat, their shoulders slumping in disappointment.

There was a brief moment of silence before Raia spoke up. "Is it because of my...asshole of a cousin?"