Forgotten Memories

Chapter 11: Old Friend Reunions Suck

-Rue-

"I lost Aria in the crowd!" I yell at Hope.

"What?" she shouts back.

"I lost Aria!" I yell again, trying to get closer to her. It's impossible. There are too many people here.

"What? I can't hear you!"

Rolling my eyes, I walk off, looking for a short redhead in the crowd. She couldn't have gone that far.

In the hallway, I bump into two girls. they're giggling and drinking. "Um, excuse me?"

Still giggling, they turn. "Yeah?"

"I'm looking for a friend. She's a short, redhead. Have you seen anyone like that?"

They giggled, and the tall one of the two spoke up. "I think so. She's on the terrace with the cute blonde."

I frowned, weirded out. "Oh-kay. Thanks."

She's probably with a friend.

I walk into the kitchen and see the counter lined with beverages. I laugh. "I wonder how many people are drunk already."

"I know right?" I hear a guy say. "It's a shame Luke's been doing it. . . I wanted to help him, but people learn on their own."

I turn and see the person I least expected.

"Y-you." My face pales faster than ever before. "How-when did-what?"

He grins. "Yep. Me. How's life been without me, sweetheart?"

••••••••••

-Daniel-

"You're-you're here! You look," he pulls away a bit and looks at her. "Wow. Beautiful. You really do."

Aria flushes, but her gaze doesn't waver as she stares at him. "What the hell is wrong with you? W-why are you," Aria gestures to his whole body, "drunk?!"

He winces. "I'm not. I'd never drink. . ."

She shakes her head in disbelief. "Yeah. and I'm a freaking unicorn."

I just stare at them both, dumbfounded. "May I say something, you know, before you end up killing each other?" They both turn around.

"What?" They say in unison.

"Why are two still hugging?"

Aria's frown turns into disgust and she pushes Luke away harshly, making him stumble backwards-straight into the pool.

"Ahh-!"

Splash.

"Luke!" she cries, and her hands fly to cover her mouth in surprise. We stay frozen to our spots until his head surfaces a few seconds later, sputtering.

"What the hell was that for?!" he yells.

Aria rolls her eyes and steps backwards. "Yep. Same old Luke." She shakes her head and starts walking back towards the sliding door, but Luke scrambles out of the pool and catches up to her just before she walks inside.

"Why are you here?" Luke asks her.

She looks down at her shoes, unaware of his arm, which is on her lower back. I get a strange feeling to push him away from her, but I don't.

"Why do you think I'm here? I'm a senior who goes to Goldenlake and who's life is so boring I decided to attend this stupid party. I guess it was a mistake."

Luke sighs. "That's not the answer I was really looking for. I meant, why aren't you at home, like you've been the past couple of days?"

Aria looks up and scoffs, hurt. "You think my whole life revolves around you? I have the right to go out and have fun, and not just sit around all day, crying my eyes out over you. I don't know why I did it in the first place."