We're currently in Dublin's most famous pub, the Temple Bar. It's already late when we arrive so naturally the place is packed with all kinds of people. But no one is bothering the lads. It's like they're normal people to them.
I've given up on my good intentions to not get drunk tonight as I'm currently on my second beer. Shots arrive and I don't object either.
Emily and Alexis arrived an hour ago and much to my surprise they've brought Agnes along.
"How on earth is she here with you?" I had asked when I hugged Alexis.
"She asked about my plans for the weekend and I told her I would be visiting you so she said she'd come along." He had replied with a shrug.
After I introduced Alexis and Agnes to the rest I sat down next to Emily.
"Don't go!" I whispered in her ear.
"You know I have to. You knew I was gonna be here for a week only."
"You can't leave now, I need you around."
"You can call me." She replies slightly irritated.
"Fine." I get up and move to the other end of the long table, where Alexis and Agnes are sitting.
"So how did you two meet." Mark asks curiously and with a weird look on his face.
I had introduced Alexis as a friend. It's been a few years now that he retired his job, so I don't mention it anymore.
"We met in London 15 years ago. I scouted her." Alexis speaks up for the first time this evening.
"Oh." Mark visibly relaxes in his seat.
"Yes. I had just moved from Paris and found out that Agnes worked in a London-based model agency as head booker. And since we're both french I wanted to scout for her. A couple months after we sent Loulou off to New York, Agnes and I relocated back to Paris."
"Loulou?" Mark snickers.
"Don't." I warn him playfully.
"Wait, you were in New York on your own? Weren't you only 15 when you started modeling?" Andi asks.
"Yes, but that's how it is in this business. You gotta show commitment."
"Wow," Glen shakes his head, adding, "must've been hard."
"Pure hell. But I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for these hard times."
"Amen." Agnes states as a matter of fact. "Those were some crazy times, do you remember?" She laughs.
"Thinking back, it was funny, wasn't it? But back then, not so much."
"Are you thinking about Luke?" Alexis asks sheepishly.
I haven't thought about Luke in a really long time.
As I look up I see all eyes staring at me.
I look at Emily, Agnes and Alexis. They're the only three people in the world who know about Luke. Not even my dad knew about him and I kept no secrets from my dad.
"Just some guy I dated briefly." I shrug it off.
"Why do I think that there's much more to this?" Danny returns.
"Luke was her first love. But it ended bad." Alexis begins but his voice trails off as he looks at me for approval.
"He wasn't that special. We had been friends for a few years before we became ... more. I had no intentions of falling for a friend, but it happened." I say casually.
"Why did it end bad?" Danny presses on.
"He had a girlfriend when we became friends. I guess at some point she dumped him so he started flirting with me. Four months later I get a call from him saying he's not ready to commit and that we should be friends instead. I had no idea what had happened, I never said I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. But I accepted his decision and wasn't really that heartbroken. Until I spoke to a mutual friend a few days later and found out that his ex took him back. Of course he ran back to her without hesitating. That really broke my heart."
