Fated

Chapter 8: Man of Honor

Addie's POV:

I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. I had the feeling since I ran away but it suddenly intensified when we were walking down the street.

I gave my best smiles and laughs as we ate dinner with the other bridesmaids and some friends and family of Tasha's. We finished eating and walked down the street to our favorite spot. As soon as we were inside I went for the bar because I was so on edge I couldn't take being sober anymore.

The other girls took a couple shots with me before getting on the dance floor but I needed more than that so I ordered another shot and a margarita on the rocks to sip on. I took my drink over to a tall table and watched Tasha dance with the other girls, an actual, genuine smile reaching my face to see her so happy.

I sipped on my drink and kept glancing around the room at the different faces, half-expecting to see one face in particular. A perfect face. All the searching made my anxiety spike and made me feel overheated so I made my way outside onto the patio. I leaned against the bars separating the porch from the street and let the cool air hit me as I closed my eyes.

My eyes opened immediately because the same thing kept happening. I'd close my eyes and I'd see him. Xander. His beautiful green eyes. His annoyingly perfect face and body. I felt like I was losing my mind. All day my mind drifted back to him and I didn't understand why. I'd barely spent five minutes with him so why did I feel like I missed him? Why did I so badly want to go back to him? I took another long sip of my drink and turned around, deciding I needed to get in there and join the fun.

I stopped in my tracks because right across the way was the object of my thoughts. Xander was walking slowly towards me, a surprisingly gentle look on his face. I should avoid him but I couldn't look away because for some reason I desperately just wanted to run into his arms since they were the last place I felt safe.

He got closer and I took a step forward. I heard my name and someone grabbed me from behind. I screamed, turning around, my heart racing.

"Whoa," Travis said, pulling his hands back in surrender and looking at me with wide eyes. "It's just me."

I set my hand over my chest and whipped around but Xander was gone. Had I hallucinated him?

"Addie?" Travis asked, stepping around and looking at me with concern.

"I..." I looked around the patio but didn't see him. I was losing my mind.

"Addie, are you okay?" Travis pressed.

"Yeah. Sorry," I said, shaking my head.

I flushed in embarrassment as several people were staring in my direction after the scream. I put my head down and quickly walked back inside the club to hide in the shadows. Travis followed after me, taking up stride next to me.

"Hey, hold on," Travis said, grabbing my hand to stop me. "What the hell was that? We scare each other all the time for fun but you seemed legitimately scared just now."

"I'm fine. I'm sorry. I'm just jumpy," I said, looking around to see if I would see Xander again.

"Liar," he said, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. "That was way more than just being jumpy."

"Seriously, I just have a lot on my mind. I've had a rough couple days and I think I'm seeing things," I admitted, glancing around the club. He wasn't there.

"What is going on with you? Why have you been ghosting me?" He asked, frowning.

"Uh..." Shit. Travis was my best friend since I was five years old. I knew for a fact I could lie to anyone but him. I gave him a sheepish smile and turned on my heels, making a beeline for the bar.