003~ RETURNING
1653 Words
Lucas
As I entertained the notion of escaping the dull party, a blonde in a blue dress approached me. She leaned just enough to show off her chest, and I found myself intrigued.
"Lucas Walker?" Her inquiry was met with a smile, and her cheeks flushed in response. The familiar effect I had on ladies seemed to be at play once again.
"Do you want to get out of here?" she propositioned.
The idea of f*****g her was far more appealing than enduring the monotony of the party.
I nodded in agreement.
Raising my cup to finish my drink, my eyes inadvertently shifted to my left. There, in the crowd, was the breathtaking green-eyed brunette, a vision that froze my breath. The room seemed to fade into a background blur as my focus narrowed on her. She was more woman now, adorned in a sleeveless red dress that clung to her curves with a demanding elegance.
The deep crimson hue of the dress set the night ablaze as if she carried an aura of passion and allure. Every graceful contour of her figure was accentuated by the silky fabric, leaving enough to the imagination. The straps delicately framed her shoulders, and the hemline teased the allure of her legs, creating a dance of elegance and sensuality that mesmerized me.
Ignoring the girl I had nearly succumbed to, I found myself irresistibly drawn towards the green-eyed beauty. It had been three years since our last encounter, and the unexpected reunion sparked a rush of emotions.
The sight of her sent an unexpected jolt through me, a sensation so visceral it felt like I was losing my grip on reality. She stood there, a vision of elegance and allure that I once treated as a mere desire. But as our eyes met, it became evident that the connection I thought was casual had left a lingering imprint on my psyche.
She wasn't just a girl; she was the embodiment of a wish I secretly harboured, the kind of desire you make even when the rational part of your mind knows it's unattainable. It was a silent plea I had convinced myself was dormant, buried beneath the layers of casual encounters and fleeting moments.
Fear crept in as I realized the depth of my longing. Losing my mind over someone I deemed a passing fancy seemed irrational, yet there I stood, grappling with an intensity that defied reason. The rational part of me screamed to keep my distance, to guard against an emotion I wasn't ready to confront.
However, the magnetic pull between us shattered my self-imposed barriers. At that moment, logic took a back seat, and I found myself drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
I should have been maintaining a safe distance, yet the gravitational force of her presence left me powerless to resist.
"Long time no see, Aria. It has been years." I remarked, trying to maintain a casual demeanour, though my heart raced with unexpected excitement.
"You... look really beautiful in that dress," I managed, carefully choosing my words. The word 'sexy' lingered on my tongue, but I resisted, not wanting to overstep.
Her cheeks flushed as she accepted the compliment with a simple "thank you."
Shit, I have missed the way she reacted to my words, my touch.
My gorgeous Aria.
"Thankfully, you didn't step on my foot," Iteased after the dance.
Aria's laughter, light and melodic, filled the air like a sweet melody. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of amusement and warmth, creating a moment that lingered in the spaces between us.
"Aria, I think you'll do well to avoid this man; he isn't the gentleman type," Ivy declared, strolling up to us.
She shot a playful glare at me, and I responded with a feigned look of hurt.
"You're still here; I thought you left?" Aria's face lit up with surprise as she turned to Ivy.
"Do you guys know each other?" I asked, a perplexed expression forming on my face.
The scene was turning into an unexpected twist, and I couldn't quite keep up with the surprises of the evening.
"She's my girlfriend," Ivy announced with a raised brow, as if I should have deduced that already.
Turning to Aria for an explanation, I found her laughing, her amusement echoing through the air.
"She's my junior sister. You should have seen the look on your face," Aria chuckled, adding a playful twist to the revelation.
A sigh of relief escaped me; I was genuinely pleased that the initial assumption was nothing more than a mischievous tease.
"Even at that, stay away from my sister. I don't like the way you're looking at her like a snack." Ivy warned, poking my chest.
"I think your sister is old enough to decide that for herself." I chuckled.
Ivy, caught between concern and amusement, looked from her sister to me, contemplating whether it was safe to leave Aria in my company before finally deciding to make her exit.
"s**t! I should have realized that. Aria Carter, Ivy Carter. I didn't know you two were related." I was genuinely shocked, my surprise evident.
We've known Ivy for a year now, and I didn't know Aria was her sister.
"Is not like you knew anything about me." Aria commented, looking away.
Shockingly, I felt a pang of hurt at her words. If I had tried to know more about her, we wouldn't be meeting now.
She abruptly announced she was going home, and when I attempted to make her stay longer, she refused, claiming she never intended to stay long.
I decided to escort her out. The night air was crisp, and the temperature had dropped significantly. I couldn't help but notice her rubbing her arms, a subtle sign that the chill had caught up with her.
Reacting on instinct, I decided to be a gentleman. I unfastened my coat and gently draped it over her shoulders. She turned around abruptly, her emerald eyes reflecting surprise. The warmth of the coat seemed to envelop her, momentarily easing the cold.
"Why did you wear so little if you were feeling cold?" I inquired, my gaze fixed on hers. Lost in the depths of her eyes, I felt an undeniable magnetic pull, an unspoken connection.
Caught off guard, a swirl of confusion danced across her features.
Stammering slightly, she managed to respond, "I left my coat inside," hastily stepping back as if the sudden proximity had unsettled her.
Suppressing the urge to tease her, I savoured every unexpected moment.
As Aria made a call, a sleek car pulled up in front of her, and I surmised it was her chauffeur. I graciously opened the door for her, and she entered, expressing gratitude. "Will I have the pleasure of seeing you again?" I inquired.
She playfully pouted, her expression a mix of contemplation and amusement, before turning to me with a captivating smile. "I don't think so," she teased. With a swift motion, she raised the car window, and the vehicle glided away.
Damn, she was playing the elusive game, and I couldn't deny the thrill it brought. What truly mattered was that she was back. The uncertainty of not knowing her whereabouts was replaced with the satisfaction of having clarity. I knew where she was now.
"You look excited." Ruby's voice, irritating as ever, reached my ears, prompting an involuntary souring of my expression.
"I don't think I owe you any explanation, Ruby," I retorted.
"Yes, you do. I am your girlfriend, Lucas. That is what everyone knows, and if you keep getting into a scandal, I am the one being ridiculed online," she asserted, marching purposefully towards me.
"Then you can stop. I don't need this relationship. It is fake anyway," I asserted firmly.
She scoffed, briefly turned away as if attempting to mask her emotions, and then faced me again.
"Is that why you got her the exact same dress as mine?" Her tone carried a note of hurt.
I shifted my gaze to Ruby's attire, noticing its striking similarity to Aria's. They were identical, yet Aria seemed to carry it with an undeniable elegance.
"I just met her at the party, Ruby. Don't blame this on me," I asserted, attempting to deflect Ruby's accusations.
Amidst the tension, Jaxson's voice echoed through the scene, a welcome diversion.
"Yo! Lucas, get your ass over here; we are going to the pool!" he shouted enthusiastically.
I turned away from the brewing conflict, offering a smile to Jaxson and the others. Theo and Ivy joined the group, creating a new focal point away from the escalating tension.
"Excuse me," I declared, using the opportunity to escape the confrontation, and I seamlessly made my way to join them at the pool.
Later, deep into the night, Ivy was a chaotic blend of intoxication. Ruby had departed after her father had ordered her home through his driver. The majority of party attendees had dispersed, including Ivy's mother.
"Should we keep her in one of the rooms or take her home?" Theo questioned, attempting in vain to rouse her from her drunken stupor. Jax, her drinking competition, was sprawled out unconscious beside her.
"I'll take her," I offered.
"I'll help you," Theo added.
"What about Jax?" Cole inquired, glancing up from his phone, raising an eyebrow as he shifted his gaze from me to Theo.
"You deal with it. Hurry, Lucas," Theo urged, attempting to lift Ivy swiftly, a subtle manoeuvre to avoid being tasked with handling Jaxson. I joined him in assisting, and together, we moved away, intentionally sidestepping the responsibility of dealing with Jaxson's incapacitated state.
"Then he will sleep here. That would teach him," Cole remarked casually, the indifference in his tone evident as he turned back to his phone, a nonchalant proclamation that seemed genuinely meant.
It wasn't the first time Jaxson had passed out outside, so he would be fine.
- Writer
