Marvels Of Fate

Giving In

The door suddenly bangs open and in walks Kate. It's quite funny to see her waddle in a loose white dress, hand on her bump. However, I've been warned by Liam, while I was in the plane not to mention, or laugh about the way she walks, talks or eats. Unless I have a death wish.
"I'm here to help unpack!" Kate sings, plopping herself down onto the bed. She spreads her legs wide open and leans on her outstretched arm. "Gosh, I'm sleepy." Chuckling, I gesture towards the closet.
"Already done, Ma'am, so you needn't worry about anything." I say, taking a seat beside her. Kate looks at me warily, before opening her mouth.
"So, what's up, Mus? I mean, what's going on in your personal life?" Kate says, cocking an eyebrow. I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly.
"Nothing interesting. Once you're with someone for more than a few years, I guess the spark does die down." I say, thinking of the many evenings that Carter and I spend watching a movie, without uttering a single word to each other.
"No, no, it doesn't." Kate pouts and shakes her head. "Take Liam and I, for example. We've been together since what 2018? But we still haven't lost that lust, that excitement for each other that's been there since the start. And I strongly believe that if a couple are compatible for each other, the love and excitement of being together never fades away." I purse my lips.
"Well, once upon a time, I thought that too Kate. But guess what? Reality hit me – hard. I mean, novels, plays and poems are just fiction. Our life, however, is real and we don't get to pull the strings of the characters that infest it, like writers do." I let out a dry laugh. "And that's why I've stopped reading fiction. What's the point of letting yourself get dragged into a universe that doesn't exist? What's the point of dreaming unrealistically?"
"You're broken, my friend. You're broken." Kate looks at me solemnly and lets out a resigned sigh. "The content in your books portrays your heartbreak, and it pains me to believe you've gone through so much, without a single complaint to anyone. How do you do it, Mus?"
"I don't, because I'm perfectly content with my life and with the people in it." Lie! My subconscious yells at me. "What more could I ask for? A fiancé, a job that I've dreamt of since I was a child and great friends." I give Kate an award winning smile, trying to show her just how happy I am.
"Babe! I can't find the crystal glasses." Liam yells from downstairs, startling both of us.
"Can't anything in this house get done without my interference?!" Kate screams, getting up, as hastily as she can. "Coming!"
"You know I love you, hon!" Liam's tone is filled with love, even though Kate just screamed at him in a not so sweet manner.
"I hate him." Kate tells me, before waddling her way out of my room and toward the stairs. That sentence was filled with far more love than hate. I glance around my room and decide to go downstairs as well. I mean, what's the point of staying cooped up in this room, when I've come to spend time with my one and only best friend? I grab my phone off the dressing table, shove it into the back pocket of my jeans and exit my room, only to bump into a hard chest.
"Fuck!" Harry curses, his phone clattering to the ground. He turns his head toward me and glares, as if I'm a stranger. Not a flicker of emotion passes through his features at the sight of me. He bends down to pick up his phone. "Thanks for destroying it." Saying that, Harry stomps down the stairs. I just stand in the hallway, hearing his boots create a ruckus in the house. A door is yanked open - the front door, if I'm not mistaken - and banged loudly. I think he's left. Why'd he react in that manner, upon seeing me? In fact, the question is, why didn't he react to my presence? Well, how did you want him to behave? My subconscious snaps at me. She's right. After all, we haven't met in years and the way we left things off last time...Maybe I am a stranger to him now, and so is he. Because I've never seen Harry's features so hardened. His eyes have never contained so much anger. There used to be love in those green irises, not anger. But today, there was no love. With all these thoughts spinning a web in my mind, I make my way downstairs. Kate and Liam are in the kitchen, arranging crystal glasses on wide wooden trays.
"Need any help?" I ask, leaning against the bar counter.
"Nah, not now. But later, when we have to carry these out, I'll be looking at you for aid." Liam says, pointing at me with an empty box of glasses. I nod my head eagerly. Doing work is better than lounging around. Plus, thanks to my hectic schedule, the past couple of years, I'm not used to sitting on my ass any longer, doing nothing whatsoever. Nor do I want to get back into the habit any time soon.
"By the way, this might be dumb of me to ask right now, but why're we doing all this?" I ask, gesturing around the counter with my hand.
"Because there's a dinner tonight." Kate answers simply, furrowing her brows, as she perfectly arranges the glasses. "Liam's throwing it in celebration of our last week." Her eyes flit over to him, and something that only they can decipher passes between them in that one glance. "He's throwing the party, yet I have to do all the work around here." Kate spoils the moment by cracking one of her shitty jokes, making us all crack up. The clattering of heels echoes into the kitchen, making us all turn our heads towards the doorway, puzzled. Rain's anorexic body comes into view, making me roll my eyes. Kate whispers something in Liam's ear and he nods, tension radiating off his body.
"How's it going, darlings?" Rain says, in an extremely high-pitched tone. I wince, and take a step back. My ear drums will fail if I stand near her, while she's speaking.
"All's good. Till now," Kate murmurs the last part. But since I'm standing so close to her, I hear it.
"Need my help?" Rain's chewing gum like a cow, as she speaks. I can literally hear her chewing that pink gum that's in her mouth, and I want to tell her to stop. However, I bite my tongue.
"No, too many chefs spoil the broth." Kate says, adding a bark of fake laughter towards the end. I cock my head towards Kate, wondering why she's so...distant and fake with Rain. I mean, I know Kate has a no bitch policy. But still...it's disconcerting because Kate always tries so hard to like and get along with all kinds of people. However, right now, she's not trying at all. Neither is Liam.
"Oh okay." Rain murmurs, looking upset now that she can't help. "Well then, I'll just head on out to the beach!" She squeals and swivels on her heels. The minute we hear her room door bang shut, Kate sighs in annoyance.
"Good lord, I can't stand that girl!" Kate says, rolling her eyes. "I mean, who the fuck wears six inch heels at home?" I chuckle and so does Liam.
"That's just her style, I guess." I say, shrugging my shoulders nonchalantly.
"Oh, come on! You of all people shouldn't be defending her." Liam says, looking at me with wide eyes.
"What? Just cause she's dating my ex, I should hate her? I'm in a relationship, too, you know. Plus, Harry and I have no connections now whatsoever. He can date whoever he wants, and I will not hold a vendetta against that person." Kate and Liam exchange glances and the conversation ends there. I climb onto the bar stool, my eyes following Liam and Kate's synced movements.
"Mus I hope you've got yourself an evening gown or dress?" Kate asks me, after a while. Laughing, I shake my head.
"No, actually I have not because I do not see myself attending this dinner of yours. To be honest, Kate, I'm way too tired." I say, fiddling with the curled up strands of my hair. Kate fakes astonishment.
"It's my party and my best friend won't attend? No way! You're coming and that's final." Kate stomps her foot gently, crossing her arms across her chest.
"No, I'm not. Even if I wanted to, I don't have a dress or anything formal."
"Oh, yes you do." Kate sings, grinning mischievously. "I knew you were going to say something like that, so Liam and I have already arranged your dress, shoes and jewelry. All you have to do is, get dressed and show up." I roll my eyes and shake my head adamantly.
"Not happening, Kate."
"Fine, if you don't come to my dinner, I won't attend either." Liam straightens up, his eyebrow cocked.
"What? No, Kate." Liam says, stepping towards her. She shakes her head.
"If my best friend will not attend, then neither will I." Liam looks at me pleadingly, and then at Kate.
"Oh, come on, you two!" Liam exclaims. "Stop being childish and Kate..." He trails off when he meets her annoyed gaze. Then he turns to me. "Mus, you're not pregnant or moody, so please, just come."
"Maybe I'm pmsing." I retort. Liam snorts.
"God, who the fuck am I stuck with?" He looks up toward the ceiling and huffs. "Mus, please." He begs me again, jutting out his lower lip. I stare at him for a few seconds, then realizing Kate - being the stubborn bitch that she is - will not back down, I nod my head.
"Fine! I'll come," I throw my hands in the air in defeat. "But only for an hour."
"I'm sure you'll enjoy it so much that you'll want to stay." Kate says, smiling satisfactorily.