Another City Of Lights.

Chapter 43.

December, Karachi.

Samantha's POV:-

When Remy pulls me through the dull wooden door and on to the giant open roof that's decorated with thousands of twinkling lights covering every empty surface, I find my heartbeat going haywire.

Remy actually had to drag me in because I was standing outside, all jittery with nervousness and confusion. I had spent a total of fifteen minutes just standing outside that door and jumping up and down, and rambling.

I wanted to be here, obviously I did. But it was truly annoying and awkward and silly that I felt so nervous and insecure and weird about meeting my best friends. But honestly, it had been too long. And under such bizarre circumstances, I think my reaction was sort of acceptable.

Remy has my hand in his, our fingers twisted together, as he pulls me through the door and out in the open air. It's chilly out tonight, as cold as it can get for this city. And I'm loving this weather, I've missed it.

I know Hailey told me that it was just going to be a few people, but the place is apparently too crowded. There are people everywhere and it's actually stuffy, even though we're on a roof.

There's a dull hum of music in the background, faintly audible over the sounds of people talking. And I swear to God, Hailey is literally just perfect when it comes to decorations. I can see that she put an effort in to this, and I know she knows that I'll love it.

My eyes are scanning the crowd for those familiar faces that I can't wait to see, but it's hard to locate anyone this way.
I'm just standing helplessly in the crowd, having no idea what to do, when Remy pulls me along with him. His back is to me, and I can't see where he's going. But he stops suddenly and I run in to his back.

He turns around to face me, and smiles before moving to stand at my side, and Hailey comes crashing in to me. She's like a hurricane, and I wrap my arms around her, smiling like an idiot. It's a completely different feeling, to be able to have her here with me again, even though we just met a day ago.

"I knew you would come!", She shrieks in to my ear, and I laugh.

I catch Remy's eye and he's smiling at me, happiness radiating off of him and enveloping me.

I pull away from Hailey, and she turns around to face him as well.

"Hails, this is Remy", I say, gesturing towards him, and she smiles up at him.

Hailey isn't shy. If anything, she's honest, and I'm the shy one.

She doesn't hesitate and pulls Remy in for a hug, while I stand there gaping at her, my eyes bulging out of my eyes.

"I can't believe I'm finally meeting you! I've waited for this moment, and honestly I can't believe Sam dragged you here", She babbles on, casually talking away like it's no big deal. And Remy laughs out loud at her comments, which make me smile too.

Suddenly it's not awkward or weird or uncomfortable. Suddenly, it's all warm and fuzzy and I'm so thankful that I have her as a friend. Because she is like sunshine, brightening up everything she touches. And God, have I missed having her around.

My heartfelt fangirling moment is short lived, because as I'm watching Hailey and Remy talk, I realise that I'm being watched. It's just a feeling, just a feeling that I feel deep inside me, and I know that I'm right because I don't even have to turn around before Dash comes and grins at me like an idiot.

"Well well, look who finally showed up", He smirks at me, his eyes gleaming. And I'm suddenly so happy that I feel like my heart is going to burst.

"Dash, holy shit", I shriek, and wrap my arms around him without giving it a second thought. And it's all right, because he hugs me back.

I pull away from him to get a better look at him. And I can't believe my eyes. I can't believe this is the same scrawny little kid that was always getting in to trouble. He looks just the same, but a little more grown up, stubble and all. It suits him well, and I inform him of that, which makes him laugh.

I introduce him to Remy next, and he grins at me mischievously sideways before joining in the conversation Hailey had already started.
I never exactly knew what to expect from them about this whole Remy thing, and I still haven't told them anything in detail, but it makes me so grateful and proud that they're being so genuinely nice to him.

But now that they're both here, I can't control my nerves anymore. And it's overwhelming and my mind is clouded with confusion and denial and I think I might as well be having a mental breakdown. I'm excited, and curious and I don't know how to ask any of them where he is. Because that's honestly what I can think of right now. That's the only thing on my mind. I'm wondering if he actually seriously didn't show up to see me. He's capable of that, and if Hailey and Dash are already here then that does mean he isn't here.

Dash notices my interior conflict as I raise my hand and pull his sleeve to catch his attention. But he looks at me and answers me before I even ask, smiling wickedly at me.

"Turn around Sammy", He grins at me, and watches me as I gulp and take a deep breath and slowly force myself to turn around.

Aaron looks at me just like he always did. His eyes find mine, even in this crowd, and I finally feel like I'm home. He looks at me like he's been waiting for me all this time. He looks at me, and I feel like running across to him and closing this distance between us. But I just stand there, and wonder what he might be thinking of me. I wonder what he must think of me now, and the black sparkling sweater that I pulled over my jeans feels oddly simple, and my hair feels like it might've frizzed out already.
And Holy shit. Holy shit. When I finally move my eyes away from his, I realise that Dash has nothing on him. Because Aaron still looks like Aaron, but this Aaron makes my heart feel weird and I can't breathe right. And I wonder how someone can change so much in such a short amount of time. I don't know if it's the hair, or the slightly overgrown stubble, or the cigarette dangling from his mouth, but I can't form a coherent thought inside my head, and I don't even notice that he actually has pulled himself together enough to walk toward us. And when he's standing in front of me, so close that I can smell his cologne, and I can hear Dash snickering behind me, I swallow my shattered pride and look up at him.

"Hi", I breathe out, and something changes in his eyes.

"Hi, Sam", He says, his flicking from mine to look at something behind me.

And that's when I remember Remy. The boyfriend Remy, that I dragged me here today so that I could see my friends. The same boyfriend Remy, that's standing behind me watching me ogle over Aaron.