One More Chance
Chapter 72: The Stares

~~~I know I can't take one more step towards you, 'cause all that's waiting is regret. Don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore? You lost the love I loved the most. I have grown too strong to ever fall back in your arms. I've learned to leave half alive and now you want me

one more time. Who do you think you are?~~~

-Christina Perri-

"And who is that crazy and Amazon woman you refer to, huh?"

A loud chuckle cracked out of his lips when Jack suddenly appeared in front of us.

"Oops! I didn't say that. You've just misheard what I said." He tried to reason out in between his laugh.

"Hmmp!"

"It's been a while, how are you, Jack?"

"Well, nothing has changed, I'm still sexy and beautiful." Jack proudly stated that I just shook my head.

Paul joined us at our table and we were surprised when he told us that Liezel's fiance was one of their college basketball team members in. And he was also shocked to know that Liezel was our classmate from high school. But deep inside me, I couldn't help but think of the possible things that were going to happen all night.

Jack and I exchanged glances and I know she knew what I have in mind.

"I know what you're thinking, girls, but to answer your silent questions, yes, he's also invited."

My head snapped at Paul. "What silent questions are you talking about?"

********

"I know what you're thinking, girls, but to answer your silent questions, yes, he's also invited."

My head snapped at Paul. "What silent questions are you talking about?"

"And what do you mean by he's also invited? We're not even mentioning anything." Jack also reacted.

"Haist, I know what you're thinking and you just proved it by asking me in the most obvious way, but anyway, I'm not in a position to ask you about that personal matter, so let's just pretend I didn't know anything."

"Good!" Jack exclaimed and Paul turned to her with a smile. "Do you have any idea what happened to their marriage?"

"No." He shook his head. "Why? What happened?" Then he turned to me.

"They got divorced the next morning we met at the bar."

"Oh..." he said in shock with his mouth formed an 'O' shape.

That became our first topic before our conversation turned to the couple celebrating happiness that night. We learned about many things from Paul, how Liezel and Lexter met, how did their relationship grow and how they ended up being together after six years. After the couple announced their engagement and upcoming wedding, Liezel pulled her fiancé towards our table and she excitedly introduced him to us. It was only then that I recognized him as I remembered him visiting Dale in our house before to do a group project. "Congratulations on your engagement and happy birthday, Lexter." I greeted him with a smile.

"Thanks, Sam. By the way, I heard from Liezel that you're expanding your business here in San Francisco, is it true?"

"Oh, yes, but we're still thinking about it."

"Hmm..." He nodded. "In case you need a legal team to handle the documents and permits for your business, just let me know and I'd be glad to help."

"You're a lawyer?" I asked, amazed.

"Yes, he is!" But it was Liezel who proudly answered my question.

"Wow! So that means the woman here must be lucky, huh?" I winked at Liezel which she just returned with a chuckle.

When everyone got back to their seats, it was then that a sweet kind of music started to be heard around the venue and Paul didn't miss that moment to ask for a dance.

"Jack, would you mind if I asked your beautiful friend to dance with me?" Paul asked her and she responded it on her wity way.

"Oh, my God, why are you asking me, I mean, why do you have to ask me? Go on, she's all yours for tonight--- oops! Just for tonight because she already has a boyfriend."

Paul chuckled before standing up and offering his hand in front of me.

"Well, can I dance with the beautiful lady in front of me?"

"Jeez, so corny!" Jack exclaimed, rolling her eyes, but we both ignored her as I nodded.

"Yup," I said taking his hand and we headed to the middle where some of the guests were dancing to a piece of soft music. "And what is that smile for?" I asked after noticing him smiling for a few minutes.

"Nah." He shook his head. "I just realized how funny it was every time we met. Imagine, we always met every four years. Do you remember the last time, we bumped into each other in the middle of the dance floor? And then after four years, we met again and here we are now, dancing in the middle."

"Oh yeah, I didn't notice that," I said nodding as the memories of how we met four years ago came back to my head.

"It's funny, isn't it?"

"Yeah---" I was about to answer his question but my mouth suddenly hung in midair when I saw a pair of eyes looking at us a few steps away. A pair of eyes that was owned by Luke.

And I had no idea that Paul followed my gaze and saw who I was looking at.

"There he is."

I heard him whisper and I really wanted to look at him if it wasn't for the woman who came and grabbed Luke's arm.

"Tss!" A sneer left my lips not for what she did but for what she's wearing. "For God's sake, is that even a dress?" I couldn't help exclaiming.

"Uhm... a fitted black short dress with a deep neckline and totally naked at the back? I think yes---for her it is a dress." He shrugged when I turned to him and glanced at the bitch again.

I think she really likes to show off her small cup size.

I sighed in dismay and turned to my partner who I hadn't noticed staring at me at the moment.

"Why?" I asked him--- which means why he's staring at me.

"Nah." He shook his head. "Do you mind if I ask you something about him?"

I guess I don't have to ask him who the person he's referring to.

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"Are you on good terms now? I mean, you have a daughter and---"

"Actually, yes and no," I answered and didn't even let him finish what he was saying.

"W-What do you mean by yes and no?"

"Yes, we're on good terms when it comes to our daughter. He can take her, have her sleep in their house and spend time with her whenever he wants, but when it comes to what happened between us in the past, we haven't talked about it--- I refused to talk about thee." I shrugged.

"But why when it's all in the past? It's all over."

"Exactly, it's in the past and it's useless talking about those things when we already have our own lives now, besides, I think it's better if we just focus on the present and the future, not the past."

"Hmm... okay, you have a point there."

When the music changed, we decided to sit down and talked about some random things. And a few moments later, I excused myself to use the bathroom.

Honestly, I wasn't really going to use the bathroom, I was just about to call Cali to tell her not to wait for me tonight because I don't know what time we can go home.

And by the time, I ended the call, it's exactly the time that someone had entered the door and walked towards my direction. I turned to that someone and my eyebrow knew its way up when I saw who that person was and she's none other than the bitch herself, Cherry Petterson.

I avoided her gaze and grabbed my powder, well, I didn't exactly avoid, it's just that I don't want to start a conversation with her. You know, a nonsense conversation.

But it hadn't been just a minute, the bitch had opened her mouth that almost made me drop my powder on the sink.

"Why are you here? Are you here to seduce my boyfriend again?"

I took a deep breath and let it out calmly. I don't what my reaction would be, to get annoyed or to laugh at her stupid question. I just wonder how this woman would feel if I pinched her fake pointed nose and suddenly pulled her false eyelashes at the same time? That would be a great scene if ever, to watch her scream all her shits out.

"I'm here because the future bride, who was happened to be my former classmate and friend invited me. And I'm too busy with my life to do the thing you're accusing me of. Do you have another question because I'm going back to the venue now?" She sneered but I returned it with a fake smile.

"I don't speak without basis. I saw how you stared at him earlier and I don't like it."

I

"Stared? I didn't stare at him." I said crossing my arms over my chest. "For your information, he was the one who stared at me and as far as I remember, there is no rule in this country that says you can't take a look at the person staring at you!"

"Your marriage ended four years ago, so get yourself a place!" She said, taking a step closer to me, but I didn't move in my spot. I just stood there, raising an eyebrow, waiting for her next words. "Don't you dare ruin what we have because I'm telling you, I'm not going to sit on a side and watch you seduce my boyfriend and take everything from me as you did before! So you better stay away from Luke! He's mine and he will forever be mine!"

A loud chuckle escaped my lips. I can't believe how pathetic this woman acts in front of me.

"Wow! Isn't that the line I used when I talked to you before our marriage ended four years ago? I even said the same words to you, remember? I told you to stay away from him, but in the end, I was the one who stayed away and left him."

"And what the hell are you trying to say?"

"Uhm... Nah." I shrugged, shaking my head with a smile playing on the corner of my lips. "This is only what I can say to you, Miss Peterson, don't tell me to stay away from him because I wasn't the one who always approached him. It was your boyfriend who always approached me. He was just the one that always bothered me, so save your words and tell that to him, hmm?"

I brushed past her with a sarcastic smile.

"And by the way, have you already talked to him about the second chance he was asking me?"

"Huh!"

"Please tell him, I can't do it. I can't give him the chance he was asking, so he better stop bothering me."

I saw how she clenched her teeth and formed her fists in a hardball before I opened the door and left the ladies room.

I can't explain exactly what I feel the time I close the door, but I can say I'm satisfied... I'm satisfied with the reaction I got from her.