Severing Ties (Book 2. Ties)

29. Calvin The Stranger

The big day had arrived. My best friend was going to be offered a promise of unconditional love. It was Friday and Lucas was taking a big step in a man's life. Everything was set.

We sat in Stephanie's car as she tried to turn it on. "What the hell is wrong with you, you piece of crap?" Stephanie was frustrated that her car would not ignite. What she didn't know was that everything was premeditated. Luke having the experience of working in a car shop gained the knowledge of how to make a car not work. I had no idea what he had done, but it would function perfectly fine when he decided on it.

"Now what," she yelled in irritation.

"We can take the subway. C'mon." I got out of the car.

I had started walking when I realized Stephanie was not following me. She was staring at me with a hand on her hip, actually she was glaring. "You expect me to ride the subway in heels?"

"You can wear different shoes from here to the station. Then, you can switch 'em for the pumps you will have in your purse before we arrive at the restaurant."

She smiled cockily. "Ah, I've trained you so well... Except for the part that you are adamant on wearing flats. You already look like you're seventeen; the flats don't help."

It was true I was not very keen about heels. "It's my birthday celebration; I get to wear what I want," I lied. I had paired the shoes with a black romper. Girly enough for Steph and comfy enough for me. It was a win-win.

The restaurant we had said we were attending was going to force us to pass alongside Central Park. It was all part of the plan.

On the subway, we luckily found some seats; uncommon for the hour. Stephanie switched her sandals for the pumps, and I shook my head in amusement.

"So, I was thinking that when my mom looks more pregnant, I am going to take a picture of her asleep, hopefully with food in her hands. Then I will draw her with charcoal, and give her the finished product as a gift, before the baby comes." Stephanie had grown a bit more fond of my mom's situation the past few days, so I felt like I could speak about my mom's pregnancy with her.

"With food in her hands? Seriously?" Stephanie laughed at me. "I like the idea, but make her look pretty."

"Stephanie," I scowled and continued, "the woman always looks beautiful. I don't get it, but she does. An unfair thing in life."

My best friend rolled her eyes. "Please, you wish that the big T-shirts you wear made you look ugly, newsflash—they don't. You're still naturally not ugly; that's unfair."

I laughed briefly. "Says the girl that has flawless skin."

"I do have flawless skin. Thank you." She smirked, and I rolled my eyes at her smug expression.

"You draw," a man in his mid-twenties asked.

My head snapped up in the direction of his voice. "Excuse me," I answered with a question.

"Sorry, I'm Calvin." He smiled. "I think you dropped your earphones one night, and I handed them to you." His smile turned into uncertainty. "It is you; isn't it?"

I felt the frown on my face deepen. "Well I did drop my earphones one night, but you don't look like the man that picked them up," I responded truthfully.

"That's because I had not shaven in two weeks, and I had been in my art studio all day... Oh, and I was not wearing contacts like today."

As I stared at him, I faintly recognized his eyes. He had been wearing black glasses the night I met him. "And you weren't wearing a suit."