That's How it Happens

3. Somebody that I used to know

Leo stared through the open doors as someone else entered the event's room, back down at his watch, and began pacing again.

Ainsley was late.

Cursing under his breath, he knew he shouldn't have agreed to meet her, but she had made a promise and always kept them.

Usually.

He frowned. 

Looking at his phone, he hit the call button and listened as it went straight to voicemail, as it had the last several times. With another curse under his breath, he pocketed his phone. She hadn't wanted to be here tonight, and she knew he had been lying about the auction; he was sure of that. He huffed an annoyed sigh and turned to face the party. What was he going to do if she didn't show?

Last year, Ainsley had scored the highest bid, raising more than any of the other girls, and they had been invited to return. Unfortunately for him, Eugene won the bid last year, but that wasn't his fault. Leo tagged along on their bizarre date to ensure the man kept his hands to himself. Shaking his head, he smiled at the memory; he couldn't help it.

He didn't understand what was so horrible about the whole ordeal anyway. Who wouldn't love getting pampered by the city's elite? He certainly wouldn't complain. Besides, it was for a great cause.

He worried for her, especially after this breakup with Chris. She was one more bad relationship away from losing her sanity which already seemed waning. However, if the mannequin would stay out of her business, he wouldn't have to worry about her dating idiots like Chris or anyone for that matter. 

Ugh...the mannequin.

He despised her. What was it about that ridiculous woman that Ainsley liked? There was also Eugene. The man didn't understand rejection, not that Ainsley had spoken up about how she felt. She'd much rather hide and pretend the guy didn't exist.

A lot like most things she didn't like doing, as in...

That's it. He was going to go after her.

"Were you looking for me?" Ainsley tapped his back, amused. "You look crazy talking to yourself, you know."

His shoulders dropped with relief, and she smiled. It served him right to feel a little uncomfortable. She had known about this event since last week but waited until he asked; she certainly wasn't going to volunteer herself, which is why she had gone shopping at his expense. It wasn't her fault the hair appointment had run late; the shop had squeezed her in last minute when she called a few days ago. Admittedly, it had been for this weekend, but two birds, one stone. It had been years since she had done something with her hair - she didn't have her mother nagging her about it - and she had gone far out of her comfort zone with a shoulder-length bob.

"You took long..." He stopped as he turned to face her. She waited for the rest of the sentence, but the words were lost. His mouth hung open in silence as she stared at him, expectantly. Realizing this, he shook his head to clear it. "What is that?"

The words had come out more accusatory than what he was sure he meant.

Brows furrowed, she looked down and back up at him.

"Does it look bad?"

He almost laughed out loud. The idea that she could look bad looking like that was hilarious. She didn't even look like Ainsley. He blinked, cursed himself for being rude, and smiled. He had to force it because something strange was happening to him.

"Not at all. You look," he closed his mouth again, searching for the right words, still sending out one expletive after the other in his mind over his dumbfounedness. What the hell was going on with that anyway? This wasn't some hot girl he ran into off the street; he hadn't had that issue since high school. It wasn't even a hot girl, it was Ainsley, his best friend who looked a lot like a ho... "You look different."