The POPSTAR that got away

Party at Austin and Oliver's house

Diane is overly excited as she dumps her hands in my mum's trunk to take out a new set of clothes. 

Shakill timidily picks up once again a black bland dress. 

I feel like we are back to where we were 9 months ago and a smile tugs at my lips. 

I opt for a pastel pink dress tonight and I match it with pale pearl earrings. 

"Are you sure Austin invited us this time?" asks Shakill, worried, as we walk into the trail surrounded by tall vegetation towards the popstars' house.

"Even if they didn't," I say chuckling because Diane gave me a shot of vodka that I took without complain while Shakill is the only one of us who is sober. 

"This time I'll talk to Austin, you'll see!"

"You heard Stephan, no one gets invited, yet everyone goes. That one time Austin was on crack," says Diane, slurring her words. 

I notice with a tinge of disappointment that she doesn't mention Stephan also said that that one time Austin made a scene for us being there surprised every other non invited person at the party. Which amounted to everyone else being there. Stephan vaunted that he had known right then and there that he knew Austin liked me. 

It's crazy how many new friends the three of us made in a year. Stephan has been a regular studying with us at the French cafè and hanging out at our apartment. He knows all the ins and outs of our life before he came into it. 

As we approach the vast mansion a sentiment of nostalgia and excitement washes over me. I have missed this place, dreaming of sneaking in here very night to come see Oliver. 

The place is already packed with drunk and happy teenagers. 

"Well gals, let's show 'em how we party!" says Diane which doesn't waste a moment and drags us in the middle of the crowd where everyone is dancing. I start shaking my body with hers at the rythem of the music while Shakill looks out of place and doesn't move a muscle. But with a little too much ecouragment she starts dancing too. 

I gaze left and right as I dance to see if I see him, but each time I scan a new section of the garden and I fail to see him my heart sinks into a pond of sadness. 

Eventually the need to go find him is too strong and I drag Shakill and Diane outside the dance floor. 

"Let's go find Stephan" I exclaim, half because I want to see him and half because it gives me the chance to perlustrate around. 

Wr circle around for a bit and then spot him on top of the staircase that leads to the entrance of the mansion. 

"Stephan!" yells Diane running and jumping on him. Then she goes quiet when she notices Austin is right next to him. 

I am surprised by seeing Austin after so long. I didn't see him during the tour and the semester after the tour we had all different classes so I didn't pay much attention to him. I don't think I saw him once to be honest. 

Now, 9 months after our altercation, he looks taller and leaner. Older and more mature. 

"Deeeeity, someone has been DYING to say sorry to you about a certain time he threw a cupcake on you," says Stephan eyeing Austin, as if it wasn't already obvious.

I expect Austin to go into rage mode, first with Stephan and then with me, instead he shocks me

"Yeah, sorry about that, it was so immature of me," he says with a voice that is deeper than it was last year. 

Suddenly I feel guilty for the things I told him, so I feel the need to apologise as well. "Well, sorry for how I reacted back then, when I told you those things you know. I didn't mean them, I was just mad," I say, but I am lying. I totally meant them back then.