CHARLIE

"Unbelievable, right? But yeah! It was him all along! He has gone through a lot of transformation and has become a lot more gorgeous as a result!” Just now I became aware that Avery had begun drinking when she waved to Mason while holding a bottle of vodka in her hand.

Mason approached us with a kind grin, instantly putting me at ease. "Wow! Hey, there! Charlie Caivano and Avery Guavez, right?"

“Yeah! And last but certainly not least, the unrivaled Mason Wickson! What a wonderful birthday!" Avery gave Mason a bear hug, which made it uncomfortable for me to not reciprocate, so I gave Mason a little bear hugs out of embarrassment instead. Mason seemed to appreciate the gesture.

"You caught me off guard! You both look amazing. I wanted to catch up, but more guests keep arriving. Let's reconnect with our old classmates later. For now, just enjoy the night," Mason said graciously before excusing himself to attend to other guests.

I hadn't expected him to have such a large circle of friends. In high school, Mason was an awkward dork, rarely seen with companions.

He hurriedly turned around and entered the penthouse before leaving. He had a lot on his plate between mingling with the freshly arriving guests and walking about.

"See? I told you he was so adorable now!" Avery chortled and dragged me closer to the water as she glanced about for a spot to sit down.

"And when did you start admiring nerds?" I teased.

"Oh, for God's sake! Just take a look at him now! He is not like anybody else!” Avery replied.

“There!” She continued right away while pointing to the large sofa that was next to the pool.

"You know what, Ms. Journalist? Instead of second-guessing your preferences, why don't you fetch us some vodka?" Avery settled onto the sofa, gesturing toward the bar. As Avery relaxed into the party, my shyness waned. I agreed and headed toward the bar.

I approached the bartender who was standing closest to the edge, despite the fact that all of them seemed to be in good grooming.

"Vodka for two, if you could, please!" The bartender seemed to be no more than 20 years old based on his appearance alone. After receiving the order, he began preparing the beverages.

"Yes, two vodkas coming right up, for you lovebirds," the bartender joked as he started preparing the drinks. I waved off his comment, not wanting to entertain any romantic notions.

“Love birds…” I began to say, but before I could finish, a familiar voice interrupted me from behind.

To my utter astonishment, I recognized an old friend. A tall, gorgeous man who wore a suit that seemed like it cost a lot of money – almost as much money as the broad grin he sported on his face while glancing at me.

"Hi Charlotte!" I was speechless, my jaw dropping at the unexpected encounter. Memories flooded back, and it took a moment for me to regain my composure.

I had no way of forgetting that this person was involved. It took me a few seconds to blink before I understood that he was listening for me to make a comment or question.

I gave myself some time to process the fact that I was gazing at Julius for an extended period of time. I was really captivated by him. It was indeed him, right in front of me.

‘Julius Ferguson.’

However, he was not like any of the other students in our high school class. He was one of a kind of our classmates.

In my mind, he was never just an average student who shared the same classroom as I did and sat next to me. He was priceless to me; he was a star, serving as a fascinating inspiration and a source of motivation for me throughout those days, and I could tell... maybe even till today.

“Charlotte, I apologize for appearing out of nowhere like a specter here. Have you forgotten me already?" Julius grinned and walked closer to where I was standing.

"Oh hello! Julius! It was –" Even though there was no genuine cause for my nod, I nevertheless gave it. "It was wonderful to have you with us today. I simply... didn't really expect to see you around"

As I blurted out my response, I was aware that my face was becoming pink. So, I had to look away.

"You haven't changed one bit, Charlie. You still get tongue-tied around me, and I have no idea why," Julius said with a playful smile, approaching me.

"What do you mean?" I chuckled nervously, feeling the intensity of his gaze. Even looking at him was too much for me to bear.

"Perhaps because I always seemed to show up unexpectedly. But don't worry, I won't be the only one here tonight," Julius teased, walking beside me.

I slowed my pace, unable to process his sudden presence. I had no right to inquire why he was here, and I didn't want to embarrass myself further.

Julius was standing next to me as I turned to face the counter. Unfortunately, by the time I had feigned to observe the bartender, he had already finished making the drinks.

"Here it goes! Two vodkas for you, love birds!" As he was setting the drinks down on the counter, the bartender again mentioned the word, ‘love birds’.

“Uh no–” I made an aggressive motion with my hand. "He was not... my... I wasn't even his—"

When I looked across at Julius for a moment. He seemed to be making fun of me by smiling widely and giving me the impression that he was taunting me.

"Sorry, but we’re not love birds. Thanks for these, by the way!" I immediately accepted the beverages, and Julius stopped me just as I was going to make an embarrassment of myself by walking away.

“Charlotte, calm down. There is no need for you to behave awkwardly. He was unaware of it," he uttered.

I was completely taken aback by him, being here, and I had no idea what action to do next. I am not allowed to inquire why, and I never had the right to do so.

"You're hanging out with Avery, right?" After giving him another quick glance, I nodded in his direction.

"Oh, I see. Well, let me introduce myself to her!" He stated and I didn't say anything. On our way to Avery, I just let him to accompany me.

As soon as we got closer to Avery, we could see that she was already feeling a little tipsy and that she had a large number of empty glasses in front of her. There were both male and female voices heard conversing alongside her.

"What took you so long?" Avery inquired in a jovial manner, and then she spotted Julius standing next to me. As she spoke, I saw that her eyes were becoming wider.

I gazed at her, warning her not to make any fun comments or so, but to no avail.

"Oh my! Charlie, you really shouldn't have come back sooner. Now the two of you can have a good time together, in secret, if you'd like..."

It was obvious that Avery was being playful. She was aware of the fact that I had a significant crush on Julius while we were in high school together.

And perhaps, up until now as obviously, I am blushing.

CHARLIE

The stars in the night sky had already begun to appear. The penthouse seemed so near up in the sky that it gave the impression that you could reach out and touch them if you jumped off of anything.

As midnight drew closer, the volume of the music that was playing inside increased. Because the penthouse is outfitted with enormous transparent mirror walls, it is possible to see the occupants from the outside.

I stood back and observed the other guests as they danced with one another. Some of them were gathered in the bar, while the others were perched on the edge of the rooftop looking down at the city lights.

There were some other people who seemed to be having a good time with others who I had believed they had just met at the party, and then I noticed Mason taking a drink from each of his closest pals one after the other.

There were guests waiting at the doorway who seemed like they were about to leave the party, but some of them had remained and were becoming rowdier. Just like me and Avery.

We didn't actually get off the sofa, and in fact, Julius didn't really walk away as well. He had simply been standing there next to me drinking.

But a few seconds later, he only said his goodbyes to Avery after exchanging a few brief pleasantries with her before leaving.

"Avery, what was that, huh? Why do you have to make things even more awkward?" I gave Avery a little squeeze on the arm before rising from my seat to take in the sights of the city after dark.

"Oh come on, don't act like you're so bothered by it! I was only kidding around with you!" We had a guffaw together.

Avery handed me another glass of liquor. And while I watched the city lights shine like chunks of the Milky Way, I took a drink from my cup.

"By the way, you two make a really cute couple! It was, undeniable!" She persisted in making fun of me. I just shook my head and then returned to my seat next to her.

And before I could even drink more on my glass, I realized that Julius was on his way back to our seat. And with that, I took another gulp from my beverage. He was coming back with more beverages for us.

"Would it be okay if I came over to hang out with you tonight? There isn't anybody else in this place that I know quite as well as the two of you.” He explained.

After placing a large number of beverages on the table, he proceeded to come over and sit down next to me. Avery chuckled and then just nodded in response to him.

Julius surprised me by moving closer to where I was seated and I felt my heat racing faster than usual.

I was conscious of the fact that Avery was aware of how uncomfortable this situation was for me. I had a feeling that she would come up with something, but I wasn't sure whether it would be humiliating or not.

Even so, I was certain that she would think of something. While I waited, sipped, and savored the flavorful tequila, I gazed at the opulently beautiful pool that was in front of us.

"So, tell us, how have you been all these years, Mr. Ferguson?" Avery's question finally broke the tense stillness that had been there.

"Well, I've been good. The business is doing great. Things have been...” Julius was still talking but Avery cut him off.

"Oh, I see. But what I mean is…” Avery stated and then stared at me. After a few seconds of pause, the next words she uttered were unexpected.

"I just need to know… Have you already tied the knot with someone else or are you dating or something?" Avery’s smirk after her litany was something else.

I gave her a lethal look before pinching her arm to get her attention and then I gave her a lethal look.

The word "What?" escaped her lips, embarrassing me greatly. I couldn't entirely blame her; she was clearly intoxicated. I was also curious about Julius's response, but apprehensive about what he might say.

“Ah, no. Not really. Right now, I am single.” Julius answered with a smile.

The words 'I'm single' lodged a knot in my throat as I heard him utter them for the first time. I sat upright, glancing briefly in his direction.

"Single… can you elaborate, please?" The lips of Avery never really understood when to be quiet.

"Single. And no rings yet. So, I can basically say, I am ready to mingle,” Julius lightly chuckled after he responded.

"How about you guys? Are you married? Or still single?" Julius’ smile didn’t escape from his face as he asked us this question.

“Yes! We are, of course! Charlie is single, she’s also free to mingle!" A straightforward response from Avery, which was somewhat embarrassing. My pupils drew more widely.

"Yeah, right! What she said was true," I reasoned that it would be less humiliating to go along with it, letting out an uncomfortable giggle, rather than confronting the question head-on.

Avery persisted with her inquiries to Julius, undeterred by my feeble attempt to silence her with a gentle cheek squeeze.

During that time, I mostly kept to myself, while Avery and Julius engaged in conversation. They reminisced about our high school experiences, both the good and the bad.

My participation amounted to the occasional comment or nod, merely to show agreement or respond to unrelated questions.

As time passed, I noticed the guests inside gradually dispersing. I ventured indoors to find Mason to bid our goodbye.

Inside, the lights were still flashing rapidly, but the volume of the music was lower than it had been previously.

Inside was a massive dark blue sofa, the kind that appears on the cover of well-known furniture magazines, and that's where I discovered him chatting with Fiona.

I felt it was important to let him know that we would be leaving since Avery is unable to drink any more. I only wanted to also say thank you and wish him again a happy birthday, but I chose not to annoy them while they were engaged in their passionate make-out session.

Both of them seemed to be having a good time but were visibly under the influence of alcohol, exactly like Avery, who was passed out on the sofa in the backyard.

"Gosh, forget it then!" I pondered the situation and then stumbled out of the room.

Even though I was aware that I was intoxicated myself, Avery was the only thing on my mind right now. Similarly, I was not capable of allowing her to drive a vehicle in such condition, nor would I ever do so.

"Hey, Miss Guavez! Let’s go!" I called out to Avery, finding her slumbering on the sofa.

"She had already had too much alcohol. I can drive you home,” Julius stated who I noticed was standing by the side of the pool.

He dropped a cigarette on the ground and carried our pouches on his arm at the same time.

Because I was feeling dizzy, it was difficult for me to focus on him and determine whether or not he was intoxicated.

CHARLIE

“No need, Julius! We can handle it,” I refused with some reluctance. "Give me her pouch so that I can look for her keys and then drive her home," I added and the instant that I finished saying that, I found myself lying on the ground, right next to the swimming pool.

‘Oh, God! Did I just slip or something? What?’ My whole body had the feeling of being numbed.

‘No, I was not inebriated, and there was no way I could have been.’

These ideas rushed into my head as quickly as I felt Julius' hand, and I immediately realized that I needed to take Avery back to my house.

Because I was so lightheaded, I thought for a moment that I was having a hallucination. The first thing that happened was that I found myself on the floor, and the next thing I knew, I was on Julius' arm.

It took me a little time to figure out that he had lifted me up, and that it was indeed true that I had fallen close to the water.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked myself. How did it get to the point that every part of my body felt numb?

But then I was aware of how quickly my heart was thumping. It was so loud that I felt as if I may be jolted out of my body at any moment.

"This won’t do, Charlie. It’s unsafe,” Julius added in a solemn voice, "I'll drive both of you home, and that would be the last time I'll say that."

Julius was serious. He was like a rigorous instructor who gave me directions that were difficult to follow, but I wasn't afraid of him.

His words had such a seductive tone that I couldn't help but feel that it had caused me to flush.

Everything seemed to be out of focus. I felt like I had a snooze. I have no idea where I was or how I got there.

Just now, I saw brief glimpses of Julius' chest, the elevator, the parking lot, and his vehicle.

Later on, I had the impression that we had pulled over to the side of the road. I used a lot of effort to lift my head and turn it toward the window, but I was unsuccessful.

"Are we now in Avery’s place?" I managed to mumble the words. Julius, who was standing next to me, seemed to have heard me and responded.

“Yes. It's a good thing I have an excellent memory because I was able to recall how to drive all the way here.” He explained.

"Really? Why have you... I mean, when did you come…" I was about to ask him but he cut me off.

"I bet you really forgot about the big party that Avery threw in their house during our high school days. You seem to have a poor memory, Charlie,” He chuckled after uttering these words.

So that's how he was able to find out where Avery lived. However, he does have a point. Though it was really hazy, I was able to save the memory of the crazy party that he was referring about.

"Just relax. You need not be concerned about anything. We just dropped her off, she's home safely…” Those were the last things I heard before passing out and losing consciousness.

…..

The following morning, I awoke in one of the most infuriating ways possible: the light was shining through the window directly into my eyes, which caused my eyelids to fly open.

Because my head is hurting so much, I have no recollection of anything that happened after I fell asleep.

"What the bloody hell? Seriously?” I mumbled to myself as I inched my way slowly toward the bed and pushed myself to sit down.

At that point, my eyes were still closed, and the moment I opened them, the realization that I wasn't in my bed caused me to instantly regret doing so. There is no way that this was ever my room.

"No way!" I said due to disbelief. I began stroking my own body irrationally, as if I were a mad person, and then I hurriedly glanced beneath the heavy black blanket.

When I saw that someone had changed my clothes from last night, I let out a gasp. I found myself wearing an oversized white shirt and boxer shorts, definitely not my own clothes.

Someone had taken off the black dress I wore last night. And my mind started to have a race with thoughts like, ‘Who brought me here?’, ‘Is Avery safe?’, ‘What did I do?’ and most importantly, I uttered the last thought in my mind, "Who the hell had the guts to change my clothes?"

“Charlie! What have you done?” I carefully got out of bed and glanced about before deciding to find out what happened.

The room was rather spacious and seemed quite elegant. The bed that I stayed on was so large that it could have easily accommodated six people.

A flat-screen television with a broad screen was mounted on the wall, and there was also a large matte wardrobe and fashionable furnishings. I saw a door and reasoned that it must go to the restroom; so, I made a beeline for it.

However, just as I was about to open the door, I recognized a familiar voice coming from outside the room.

I couldn't wait to find out who it was, but I had to admit that I was already making some educated guesses. I simply was conscious of the fact that I was in denial.

“Damn it, Charlie!” I mumbled as I closed my eyes in disbelief.