Friday, it's Jake's surprise party.

I finish getting ready, putting my silver earrings and a red lipstick. Tilting my head, I look at myself in the mirror. The red dress I'm wearing is cute on me.

Yep. I look cute enough, I guess.

I feel like today's gonna be a great day. I miss spending time with Elena, Jake, and everyone I didn't see for so long. I think we all need this. We need to have fun, forgetting about everything going on.

Playing with a curled strand of my hair, I walk out of the bathroom and find Enzo in the kitchen.

He's wearing a black shirt, the first two buttons unbuttoned, black jeans and black combat boots. Simple, but... hot on him. His hair is a mess as usual.

My first week living with him, in his apartment was... special. It started with me not wanting to be here at all, and me trying to ignore the feelings I shouldn't have and everything that happened between us. But I guess we did make progress. We talk more. There are no awkward silences anymore. We still don't talk about the past, but I guess it's because it is that; the past.

But I know that soon, we will. Something will happen and we will talk about stuff we don't want to. It's just meant to happen.

Enzo looks up from his phone. His eyes slowly travel down my body, and I nervously shift, not knowing why I suddenly feel so nervous under his stare.

"You look beautiful," he says sincerely, looking up to meet my eyes.

Swallowing, I smile a little. "Thank you, you too. I mean, you look... well, hot. I mean, no! You're handsome, and—"

Closing my eyes, I grumble under my breath. What the hell, Alex?

I hear him chuckle and I open one eye to see him closer to me than before. Both of my eyes fly open and I raise my head to hold his gaze.

"You think I'm hot?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Do you own a mirror?" I deadpan but automatically regret it.

He grins. "That's all I needed."

"Pfft, you don't need anything." I roll my eyes, turning to leave. "Anyway, let's go—"

His hand grabs mine and yanks me towards his body so fast I have no time to think. My chest is now pressed against his. My eyes widen and my lips part.

"I do need something," he whispers, not dropping my hand, nor stepping back.

"Okay," I say slowly, not able to think. "Me too. Like, I need food. And to watch a bunch of series on Netflix—"

"Alex." He shakes his head.

I know, I'm ruining everything.

But everything is ruined already. Right?

Finally, he drops my hand and turns around to grab his keys. I take a deep breath before he turns to face me again.

"Let's go, Princess," he declares, walking past me, leaving me shocked.

Princess?

There it is, again.

We have a weird relationship. I don't know where we stand anymore, but I guess I'm okay with what we have right now.

*

Enzo rings the doorbell and we wait a moment before the door opens.

I frown when Jake is the one to greet us. I glance at Elena who's staying behind, a smile on her lips.

"Wasn't this supposed to be a... surprise party?" I ask, glancing between the two.

Jake leans against the doorway, throwing a glance at Elena. "My wife doesn't know how to lie to me yet."

She blushes. I smirk, turning towards Jake.

"Well... surprise! Happy birthday," I say, hugging him.

"Thanks, Alex." When I step back, he goes to greet Enzo and I walk towards my best friend.

"Glad to see you're finally getting along with him," Elena declares, glancing towards Enzo after squeezing me in her arms.

I shrug, crossing my arms. "I don't really have a choice now that I have to stay at his place. I guess we're okay."

She nods and hands me a glass of champagne.

"Damn, I feel old," I state as I take a sip.

She laughs. "That's not your birthday, but I have vodka for later."

I grimace. "Not sure I really want to get drunk. No good things happen when I am."

"No good things happen when he is around while you're drunk?" Elena says innocently, looking at Enzo over my shoulder.

I look at him as well. When he meets my gaze, I turn away and narrow my eyes at Elena.

"Not because we're here in the same room and that I agreed to stay at his place that I have forgotten about everything," I mutter, focusing my gaze on my glass. "I decided to make efforts and to forget the past, but it's still not easy."

Elena's expression becomes sad and she sighs. Still, there's a weird look on her face when she glances at Enzo. She doesn't give me the chance to figure out what it is exactly that she turns towards me again.

"You guys haven't talked about what happened at all?"

"He left. End of the story." I shrug, my face emotionless, but my heart aches and I blink rapidly, taking a sip from my glass.

Elena slowly shakes her head. "Alex, you—"

The door bursts open and a familiar voice fills the room.

"Where's the ice cream?" Xander questions when he walks in, grinning widely.

I exchange a look with Elena. We both shake our head with amused expressions.

Jake crosses his arms. "Hello to you too, Xander."

"You know I'm kidding," Xander says, before they do the handshake-hug all boys do. "Happy birthday, man!"

There's a silence that follows. We're all waiting for it.

Then it happens.

"But seriously, where is the ice cream?" Xander narrows his eyes, glancing around the room.

Jake shakes his head, an amused smile on his lips. "Waiting for you as always."

Xander smirks and walks towards the kitchen. He stops to kiss my cheek and Elena's before disappearing for a moment.

I smile. "He hasn't changed at all."

Elena scoffs. "He probably never will."

Edward appears then, running a hand through his blonde hair. He's even tanner than last time I saw him.

"Hey guys," he says, then shakes Jake's hand. "Happy birthday, man. I'm glad I could make it."

"I am too," Jake replies, smiling.

"You're getting old just like me."

"You're only twenty-five," Elena declares, shaking her head.

"Twenty-four already," Jake replies to Edward, taking a sip of his drink. "How's everything with your wife?"

"She says sorry for not being able to be here, but I think the pregnancy is taking a lot of her energy." He chuckles, smiling softly.

My eyes widen when I remember. Edward's wife, Cynthia, is five months pregnant already. I'm very happy for them.

Elena squeals, thinking the same. "Ah man, I'm so gonna be the best aunt."

"And me the best uncle." Xander reappears, his mouth full of chocolate ice cream.

Jake kisses the top of Elena's head. I lean against the back of the couch and Enzo walks to stand beside me. His shoulder brushes mine and I tense, ignoring the shiver running down my spine. I cross my bare arms over my chest.

"How about you, Xander?" I ask, clearing my throat. "Still with that girl? What was her name again?"

I really realize we're all been so busy with our lives and that it's been a while since we were all—or almost all—reunited. It feels great to get news about everyone.

Elena answers for me, grimacing. "Eva? My baby brother is going through a heartbreak."

Xander groans, taking a break from his ice cream. "Hey, it's not my fault! The girl is always complaining about how she never finds nice guys, and once I start acting nice and sweet and all that shit, giving her all the attention in the world, she says I'm too sweet and not a real man! What does it even mean?"

I wince. Well, this sounds rough. At least, for someone like Xander who's just cute and sweet in general. I mean, his best friend is ice cream.

"You'll find someone one day," I reassure him, giving him a smile.

"Thanks. You too," he says before his eyes widen, and he looks at Enzo with a nervous expression. "Wait, I mean, uh..."

Pausing, he turns towards Elena and whispers, "Too soon?"

Her sister glares at him. I roll my eyes, trying to act normal. Enzo doesn't really react, and I don't want to look at his face to see his expression.

I noticed a while ago that Enzo has always been kind of quiet in a group. But when he talks, you know everyone will listen.

Looking around me, I remember something and glance at Elena. "And Wren?"

I miss him. It's been a year since I saw him and I thought he would be here.

"He's still traveling the world with his boyfriend and is still working in the computer science." Elena smiles softly, looking at her glass.

I know what she feels right now, what she's thinking. It's been years since everything that happened with Valdez and well, Wren. At some point, we obviously have forgiven him, but we stopped seeing him a lot like we used to.

"I'm happy for him," I say, nodding to myself with a smile.

I feel Enzo's eyes on me, but I don't look in his direction.

Elena looks at me and we silently understand each other.

"He deserves this. After four years, we have to forgive, at some point. Forgiving others and ourselves."

A silence follows. Her words resonate in each of us, and we're all lost in our thoughts.

Forgiving others and ourselves.

"What Wren did," Elena continues, clearing her throat and fidgeting nervously. Jake grabs her hand and intertwines their fingers. "He did what he had to do for love."

Again, she pauses. She looks up to glance at me, and then at Enzo.

"Sometimes, people make sacrifices for love. Even if they don't want to do that sacrifice." She shrugs, smiling sadly. Her eyes meet mine. "It's love."

My eyes start to fill with tears and I blink rapidly, biting the inside of my cheek.

Thankfully, Xander is here today.

"Well, it's not that what you just said wasn't inspiring and sweet, but it's someone's birthday today and the mood kinda sucks now. No offense, sister." Xander raises his hands in defense, and Elena sighs.

"Right, sorry." She laughs. "Wow, okay! Let's have fun!"

"Let's blow up this place!" Xander exclaims, getting up.

"No, you idiot," Elena narrows her eyes at him. "I know you could actually do this."

"I'm gonna arrest you if you do," Edward warns but rolls his eyes at the situation.

Xander sighs. "Got it, officer."

I clap my hands together after placing my glass on the near table. "Cake or gifts first?"

Since Xander claims to be hungry, although he's still eating his ice cream, we start by the cake. Jake blows the candles and kisses his wife, who happily applauds, more excited about the whole make a wish thing.

We eat, we talk, we laugh. I feel like I'm with my family again. And I mean, these people are my family. The only one I have left.

Thinking about it makes me emotional. Dammit. Noticing my change of mood, Enzo gets closer to me and frowns.

"Are you alright?" he whispers, his eyes wandering my face.

Blinking, I nod. "Yeah, everything's fine."

He still stares at me intensely, sensing something's wrong, but when I repeat that I'm really okay, he slowly nods and turns towards the others, but rests his hand on my lower back. I almost gasp out loud but realize how dramatic and crazy that would be.

It's just a hand. His hand. On my back. Lower back. As if it's completely normal. I guess it is. Not. But it's fine. It's Enzo.

Oh my God.

After this moment, it's time for the gifts. I had no idea what to offer to Jake, so I went for a silver watch that cost me a shit ton of money, but I smile when I see that he really is happy about it.

My mouth drops open when Elena declares that her gift for Jake is that they both going to go skydiving together.

Holy shit, they're so goals. Ugh.

Jake stares at his wife as if she's crazy, and she might be, but he seems perfectly fine with that and kisses her until it's so awkward we have to cough and Xander obviously yells 'Get a room!' because he's, well, Xander.

Overall, we're having fun and this day is really amazing.

Two hours later, we just all sit on the couches. No one speaks for a moment. It's not weird at all, but very peaceful. Jake and Elena cuddles on one couch, lost in their thoughts. I sit beside Enzo, and every time his arm brushes mine, I resist the urge to move away so it won't be awkward for anybody if they notice. But maybe it's also because I don't want to move away from him.

However, someone has to break the silence, and guess who it is?

Yep. Xander.

But what he says surprise us all.

"It's too quiet," he starts, pausing for a few seconds. "Something bad will happen. I'm calling it."

Elena's head whirls towards him and she narrows her eyes. "Don't say that."

"What? Come on, we know it always happens when we least expect it. With everything you told me about that new Valdez and all, it's obvious something will happen."

We all look at each other. I start getting nervous and gets closer to Enzo. Noticing it, his jaw clenches and he intertwines his fingers with mine, glancing at Xander.

"Stop it. Everything's fine," he declares in a firm voice, but even I can tell he starts to doubt it.

"Jesus, can't I celebrate my birthday without the word Valdez haunting us all?" Jake mutters under his breath, closing his eyes.

"Hey, hey, okay," Xander says quickly, standing up. "I didn't say anything. Everything's good. Let's put some music!"

Right, music's a good idea.

Xander puts on a random song and starts moving his hips to the beat, making us cringe and laugh at the same time. He catches my gaze and winks, walking towards me. My eyes widen.

"Xander, no way—"

"Dance with me!" He takes my hand, and Enzo releases my other hand, an amused smile on his lips.

Traitor.

I have no choice but to dance awfully with Xander, but for the first time in a while, I'm laughing until my stomach hurts and this is the most amazing feeling because it's real. I forget about everything and I feel good.

Finally, everyone ends up joining us and we're all dancing and singing like we have no care in the world.

I'm still laughing when Edward makes me twirl, and the next second I end up in Enzo's arms like a stupid cliché in a novel. My mouth parts open, my chest rising and falling rapidly from all the dances. Enzo glances down at me, his eyes intense.

"Dance with me," he says, his arms coming around my waist.

Suddenly, I'm back to two years ago, when the best day of my best friend's life became the worst day of mine.

*

AHHHHHHHHH.

I liked this chapter so much! Man, I missed Xander! 😂

Oh, and I promise: shit will go down.

Actually, shit is about to go down. Or maybe not. Who knows? 🙃🤭

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I love you xoxo

Audrey