To the Moon and Back (Royalty series #1)

Chapter 26- Collaboration

[Just in case you don't read the Author's note below : #Blacklivesmatter, never forget that everyone's lives matter and it doesn't matter what's your skin color, or your nationality, everyone is important.]

I went inside the agency only to see 2 girls sitting with 4 empty chairs beside them. Of course I knew what they were for, we were having this 'agency collaboration' wherein everyone who was selected from our agency would cooperate with the said event.

"Laiyllah you're here!" The girl with brown curls and dark chocolate brown skin said

"Ash!" I responded back as I enveloped her in a hug

"Hello? I'm here too" The girl with electric blue hair and pale white skin spoke

"Azure!" I hugged her as well as she did the same

"Who'll sit on the other three? Isn't it supposed to be only us three?" I asked still questioning the three unexpected chairs

"I don't know I mean I figured it was where our manager would sit down" She spoke before letting our conversation be cut short by the unexpected opening of the door

"Hello!" A guy with bright blue eyes and brown hair spoke

"Chase!" I spoke as I hugged him and he did as well with me

Two more guys entered, two men of whom I'm so familiar with. One being the guy who was my once best friend, he was back. Damian was different, he had a more defined face with a growing beard. He had tattoos all over his arm and yet he still felt familiar to me.

The last guy, Ace, the same guy as all those years ago and yet he was different. He had a more defined face that he did before, his hair unlike the usual messy and carefree hair he had back then was now in a neat and push back modern pompadour style. His eyes which I was very fond of was still the same, his light hazel eyes and yet I can't see anything in it. He was different, he didn't have any light within his eyes, he didn't have the same obnoxious smirk in which he had back then. He was a stranger.

"Everybody sit down" A manager said causing me to snap out of my thinking

He sat next to Damian before the discussion about this project started and yet, I didn't hear anything and I ended up just looking at him. Seeing how much I changed him, how I might be the reason he wasn't the same bright and lively guy I knew.

"This project would be called X6, 6 people from different groups and origin." A manager spoke.

"I assume almost all of you know each other but for the sake of formalities, this is Laiyllah, Ashlai, Azure, Chase, Damian, and Ace" She spoke and yet the only thing that registered through my mind was 'Ace' he chose to keep it, something I gave him for the rest of our partnership.

The meeting ended as we all made our way to the recording booth where we all will plan our supposedly collab song. I used the spare time to grab Ace's hand and drag him across one of the empty halls.

"Why did you come back?" I asked as I stared at his emotionless eyes

"Because it's a free country and I could come here since it isn't yours" He replied still giving me a cold stare

"But why?" I said as my voice cracked

"Because the world won't stop revolving even if you aren't in it" He spoke as harshly as he could

"What happened to you?"

"I changed Laiyllah, I changed because of you" He spoke before turning away and going to the recording booth.

"Wait" I said as I grabbed his hand

"I'm sorry" I spoke almost whispered as he shrugged my hand from his arms as he walked to the recording booth