4

"I know that you are not on good terms with Zane but--,"

"No."

"Will you please let me--,"

"No."

"What is your problem?!" Angelica yelled out frustrated, causing the whole room to glare at us. Small sweat drops formed on her forehead even though the room was fully air-conditioned.

"My problem is that I have to stay longer than one week in the city that I absolutely despise." I hissed, motioning to our audience to go back to whatever they were doing.

"That is not your problem," Angelica stated casually, flipping her long shiny hair over her shoulders. "You don't hate New York."

She clicked her tongue, placed her elbows on the table, and rested her head on her hands. "Try again."

"You know the reason why I do not want to be longer than a week in New York." I cried out as I also placed my elbows on the table and rested my head in my hands. "I will tell Yasmin that I cannot make it until the actual day of the wedding."

"You will really disappoint her and Milan," Angelica said, a hint of sadness visible in the tone of her voice. She took a deep breath and continued,"It has been five years, why can't you get over it or should I say over him?"

"He chose her over me," I answered bitterly as I clenched and unclenched my fists. "And I also told him that once he broke it off with me, he does not exist to me anymore."

"That's really harsh considering that he still cares for you."

"He does not care about me."

"Really? If he didn't he would not break up with Savannah the next day."

"It was one day too late. The damage has been done."

I don't care if I was harsh on him, he should have chosen his words wisely.

"He still asks me about you."

"I know... You have told me this numerous times. And I already told you what to say, I hope you listened to me."

Angelica bit her bottom lip nervously and I groaned louder. I was so close to losing my shit. "Oh god, you still did it, didn't you?"

"I didn't want to lie to him. It's so unfair." she protested as she looked at me from under her thick and unbelievably long eyelashes.

"It's not unfair." I cried out as I facepalmed myself. "What did you exactly tell him?"

"I told him exactly what you told me to say."

"Liar."

"Fine." She sighed as she fiddled with the ends of her dress. "I just told him that you were doing great and that you work a lot and-,"

"Oh god." I wanted to slap myself. Angelica basically told him everything I told her not to tell him. "I will call Yasmin tonight and tell her that she should find another bridesmaid."

"No!" Angelica yelled, making a couple of customers glance toward us...again. It will not be a surprise if we will get kicked out of this place. "Don't... You will crush her heart. Please, Amari, don't act so childish anymore. The past is the past."

"Zane does not exist for me anymore, remember?"

"You can pretend he is someone else."

"Who?!" My love life is everything except interesting. I have only dated a couple of nerds in university, but it never lasted longer than one month.

So who the hell am I going to pretend he is? David Beckham? But he's already married and plus Milan knows him personally, so that will make it even more awkward for me since he will most likely be invited to the wedding too.

"I don't know why you are still holding a grudge against him. Was there more than just a friendship? Something I don't know about?" Angelica raised her eyebrows up at me.

"No, we were just friends. You know my parents, they were so strict. If Zane would make a move on me, I don't think his manhood would still be attached to his body."

Angelica chuckled. "It's always great to think about the good old days. Well, that is, until you decided to change schools. Stuyvesant was not the same without you. Anyway, just go with the flow. It has been five years, Amari. You should learn to let things go."

"Do you really want to know the reason why I don't want to go back?" I asked her quietly, knowing that I didn't have any other choice.

"Enlighten me."

"Because after that night he didn't reach out to me. He never did. It's like he waited for it to happen. When I changed schools he didn't even bother to ask me why. He did not even care anymore. And that's why I don't want to see him ever again. I realized that he did not care one bit about me."

Angelica sighed deeply, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. "But this is not about him. This is about Yasmin and Milan. Do you want to disappoint them because of some petty drama that happened five years ago?"

"Of course not, but I don't want to walk with Zane down the aisle." The thought of it only makes me want to vomit.

"Maybe you could ask Yasmin to change partners. I don't think she will have a problem with that."

"I'll see what I can do. Are you coming too?"

"Yes of course. Alex and I are also invited. The whole billionaire boys club is. Oh, did I already tell you who the new president is?"

I shook my head. "Who?"

"Really? It's almost six months since he had been chosen, as president. It's Zane by the way."

"Z-Zane? He's the president of the club?" I stuttered out, my eyes bulging out of my socket. "Out of all the guys, they chose him?"

"Yeah, I mean there is no reason to not choose him," Angelica said and eyed me suspiciously. "Or is there?"

"No," I answered honestly. "It is just hard to believe. Alex would have made a pretty good president too."

Angelica grinned, her eyes twinkling when I mentioned her boyfriend. "Alex is good, but Zane is better." She glanced at her watch and cursed loudly. "I need to go."

"We haven't even ordered yet." I wailed as I watched her pack her stuff. I didn't drive all the way here to not eat. Plus, I was actually starving. "Come on, we haven't seen each other in forever and now you are leaving?"

She gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry baby, duty calls. If you had arrived on time, we could have ordered."

"Angel! Come on. One meal, it is on me." I offered desperately. I watched her stiffen as she slowly looked up at me.

"You're desperate aren't you?"

I nodded my head. What was the point of hiding it anyway? "Yes, now please tell me you're staying."

"Make it two meals." She said as she put her bag down on the table. "Free food makes the lecture I currently need to attend worth skipping." She tapped with her fingernails on the table, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Two meals or I'm out."

"I'll make it three." I offered generously.

A big smile made its way to her face. "I know there was a reason why I'm still friends with you!"