We Come Alive 5

The Past

Saturday afternoon, Manny listened to her heels click against the concrete as she walked into the party venue with Bryce by her side. She flipped her hair over her shoulder as Esmeralda fussed in her stroller that Bryce was pushing.

"You look nice." Bryce complimented, adjusting the sunglasses on his eyes.

Manny giggled softly. She was in a strapless white top, high waisted white and black jeans, and gold strapped heels. She looked down at Esmeralda in her purple dress that Bryce put her in.

When they got to the ballroom, Manny took the stroller. Bryce looked at her confused, but she nodded her head to the group of girls watching Bryce's every move.

"I'm not a jealous baby mama. Go get you a new girlfriend." Manny smiled, walking inside the party. When she got to the table where Diego, Clover, and Jose were, she let Diego take Esmeralda right out the stroller.

Diego didn't mind that Esmeralda drooled on his black sweater that paired well with his light blue dress pants and brown belt. Esmeralda laid against his muscular chest as she held her teething toy in her mouth.

Manny sat down in Jose's seat when he got up to let her sit down. He smiled to the group of older women walking past, but one of them grabbed him by his black jeans belt loop and pulled him to the dance floor. Jose didn't want to dance much since he was wearing a thin grey shirt and brown boots.

Manny looked to her best friend who was sitting with her legs crossed in her pale pink long sleeved top and matching skirt. The whole outfit tight on her skin. Her feet were exposed in her light purple strapped heels that were actually Manny's.

"You okay? You should be happy, you're going to third playoffs." Manny smiled.

Clover just shrugged and looked around the party looking for her former love wanting to get the interaction over with. Manny gently tapped Clover's arm and pointed to Dante laughing with some of his friends across the party.

"Want us to come along?"

Clover looked over at Diego who was bouncing Esmeralda on his lap. "No. I need to do this alone."

Both him and Manny nodded while Clover got up and walked across the party. She ignored everyone else and went straight to him. Clover adjusted her bun that her naturally curly hair was contained in. When she walked up to him, Dante had his back to her.

"She looks good." Dante said to his friend. "Nice dress. Revenge serves her well."

Clover smiled to herself and tapped his shoulder. Dante turned around, his cheeks turning bright red.

"How long have you been standing there?" Dante gasped.

Clover smiled. "Longer than you'd like." She admitted. "Want to talk in the lobby?"

Dante nodded, motioning for her to walk first. When she walked the first few steps, he walked along side her. Clover stopped when Dante put his hand on her hip.

"Sorry." Dante stopped mid-step. "Force of habit."

Clover walked ahead of him and into the lobby. Dante followed right behind her, joining her in sitting in the chairs across from each other. Dante sighed, looking over his ex-fiancée who tried her hardest not to make eye contact.

"I still love you." Dante was the first to speak.

Clover looked at him with an emotionless expression. "You're the one who broke up with me. You told me that you didn't love me as much as you used to."

Dante rubbed his hand over his stubble. "It's complicated."

"Wasn't complicated to me." She shrugged. "You chose to end it with me at the lowest moment of my life. Our engagement. Then said all you did during the break-up and let your family bash me afterwards. There's no complications there. You loved me, now you don't."