Realize (PUBLISHED)

Realize (40)

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Peter went to the bar.

He ordered champagne and leaned his back on the counter as he searched for a good-looking girl. He drank his champagne and looked around. There were a lot of nice girls but most of them already had a boyfriend.

He believed that getting a girl who had a boyfriend was like stealing a lucky charm from someone. If you steal a lucky charm, it would bring you bad luck.

So he kept his eyes open in case a single girl just slipped pass by him. And as if on cue, he spotted a dark-haired chick in sexy red dress.

He drank his champagne in one gulp, placed down the glass, and walked toward the girl. He didn't take his eyes off her. He was by the stairwell already when – BUMP! – he collided with someone and almost lost his balance.

“I'm sorry, it’s my fault!” said a girl’s voice. “I was hurrying and . . .”

“It’s my fault, too,” admitted Peter, smoothing down his jacket and looking down at it. “Don't worry about it.”

“P — Peter?”

“I beg your pardon?” Peter looked up at the girl.

She had a long straight blonde hair with a little brown highlights. She had a pair of big sea green eyes and undeniably kissable lips. She was wearing a black balloon dress. She was smiling at Peter like she couldn't believe her own eyes.

Damn. If Peter knew someone like her, he would no doubt remember her instantly. Although, she looked familiar to him, he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

There was no way he would forget someone who looked this pretty.

“Don’t you remember me?” asked the girl.

I sure as hell wish I did, babe, thought Peter.

Then, she rolled her eyes. “Daniella Marie Howard?”

Peter froze.

Even before the girl said her name, something in Peter clicked that made him recognize her almost all at once.

It had been a very long time since he had seen her face. That face that he used to know so well. That face that he spent nights thinking about. That face that he used to love staring at.

Daniella, also known as Dani, was Karl and Peter’s childhood best friend. Even though she was a couple of years younger than them, they were all inseparable. They did almost everything together.

However, one day in the summer before Karl and Peter's ninth grade, she left New York City. She bid them goodbye but she left without giving any reason why she had to.

And now, she was in front of Peter like she popped out of nowhere.

“Dani?” scoffed Peter incredulously.

“No one calls me by that nickname anymore,” laughed Daniella gracefully.

He gazed at her, just realizing how much puberty had done her well.

“Daniella’s too mouthful – Wow! It’s been a long time!” he exclaimed, before fully embracing her.

“I know,” she smiled warmly.

Slowly, they pulled away from each other.

“How are you?” they asked in unison.

“I’m fine, you?” they answered at the same time.

They burst out laughing.

“Have you been breaking hearts lately?” she accused playfully.

“Only a little.”

“You were always the heartbreaker.” She shook her head in amusement.

“So how long will you be staying in the city?” Peter grinned excitedly.

Daniella’s smile faltered. “Just for tonight, I’ll be leaving tomorrow. Daddy wanted me to attend the Royal Ball this year for the first time.”

“Oh,” said Peter in a small voice. “I heard Don Howard was beginning to be quite sad lately.”

“Yes,” she sighed. “But I can’t stay with him right now.”

“Why?”

“Just things. By the way, where’s Karl?” she asked, looking around. She still wasn't very open about her leaving.

“He’s, uh, he's with some friends,” he stammered, which was lame because he rarely stammered anymore. “Do you want to go see him?”

“No,” said Daniella quickly, glimpsing at the clock. “You don't have to. I have to go, anyway.”

“But it’s just half past eleven,” he protested, glancing at the clock himself. “It's too early for you to leave. What, you've turned to Cinderella without me knowing?” he added lightly, smiling crookedly at her.

She giggled. “I've missed your sense of humor.”

“Just my sense of humor?”

“No, everything. I missed everything.”

“I've missed your presence,” he said in a low and serious voice.

Daniella’s eyes looked away from him.

“Dani,” Peter whispered.

She looked at him with those green orbs he adored so much. He couldn't even begin to tell how much he missed every bit of her. He wanted to tell her to stay. But how could he? It had been years since they've seen each other last.

They didn't even keep in touch.

“How about we meet up at three o’clock on Park Avenue tomorrow?” she suggested. “I really missed hanging out with you.”

He gazed at her for a moment before grinning broadly as though nothing bothered him and the awkward seriousness a little while ago didn't happen.

“Of course, Dani,” he agreed.

“Yay!” beamed Daniella. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” She gave him a goodbye hug. She pulled away hastily and walked toward the stairwell. Then, she abruptly stopped and said over her shoulder, “Oh, and take Karl with you if he wants to.”

She continued to climb the steps, leaving Peter who couldn't do anything but watch her go.

Like he did the last time.

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Juts to clear it up, Realize's time setting is 2008 to '09. MC, where Daniella is the main character, is in 2015. So this, what happened here in this chapter, is basically the past.