Three's A Crowd

Chapter 14: The Cliche After Party (Birthday Part 2)

A little recap of the previous chapter.

I skim through the crowds and see many college kids and alumni, freezing for a fraction of a second, when my eyes land on an all too familiar face, and just like that it's gone.

I feel my heart palpitate in my chest.

Oh god no. Not him of all people.

---

My palms feel sweaty as my gaze scans the crowd again and again but to no avail. His face disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, making me wonder if it had just been a figment of my imagination.

I anxiously chew on my bottom lip, shutting my eyes as glimpses from the past play in my mind like a movie trailer.

Shivering in my spot as a gust of cold air hits me, I curl my hands into fists and open my eyes, trying to calm down as my breaths come out in shallow spurts.

I need to get away. At least for a few minutes. I need to be by myself.

Everything I had buried deep within me is resurfacing by just a glance at his face.

What the hell is happening to me?

My mind is all over the place and I don't even realize that I've started walking until I bump into someone.

"Whoa, whoa! Easy there birthday girl."

I look up to see a grinning Cameron with a bottle of Vodka in his hand.

Cameron's mouth starts moving again and the only thing I can make out is 'party', the rest slips my mind as I'm still too engrossed in the thought of my cheater of an ex-boyfriend.

His face morphs into a look of concern as he picks onto my distant behavior. Grabbing me by the shoulders, he looks me in the eyes. "Hey, you okay? You look..worried..."

"Huh? Uh-yeah. Yeah it's just - I think I saw someone but I'm not sure-" I answer him distractedly.

"You look like you just saw a ghost and quite frankly, it's kind of freaky," he points out, handing me his bottle, "Here, drink up and enjoy. Whoever it is that's got you all worked up doesn't deserve a second of your day. It's your birthday, c'mon not-so-baby-anymore-sis," he nudges me, "Eighteen only comes once in a lifetime. You can worry about people later."

I let Cameron's words sink in and find myself nodding.

He's right. I need to stop acting like a fucking wuss.

What happened to all those times when I told myself that I was over it? What happened to all those times when I knew that if I ever saw him again I wouldn't care anymore, rather than let my emotions take over me and sulk in a corner when I'm supposed to be having fun?

I'm better than that.

I'm fucking Coraline Mathews who gives zero shits about douche-bags like Dylan!

To hell with the past!

I'm going to enjoy my damn birthday and no one is going to ruin it for me.