Freefall ✓

30 | storm

It was almost scaring him because usually when things were going this well it was the calm before the storm hit

—michelle sutton

▬▬▬ ♫ : ▬▬▬

(songs from party pt.2):

Dance Monkey - Tones and I

In Your Eyes - Robin Schulz

▬▬▬ ✦ ▬▬▬

AUDREY

I finally spotted her, among the swarm of moving bodies and flashing dazzles. "Millie?" My tone was higher than I expected.

"Audrey! It is you!" The dark-haired girl catapulted herself onto me, her hug ferocious.

She pulled back straight away. "Oh my gosh! It's been such a long time! And you look so fantastic! I almost didn't recognize you," she effused the downpour on me.

"You too," I beamed, slightly dazed. "Mills, this is Cameron. My boyfriend," I introduced.

"So nice to meet you, Cameron!" She almost squealed. I smiled to myself. She hadn't changed. She was still that old bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Millie.

"Likewise!" Cameron shouted above the music.

"Oh my gosh, I so need to get you to our group. Come!" She nudged my arm and started leading us somewhere, snaking her way through the dancing people.

"Our group?" I asked, unconfidently.

"Yes! Our group, from Aurelia. They're all here. You didn't forget us, did you, Aud?"

A harmless, light-hearted question — what it seemed at first sight. But I couldn't have just imagined the fleck of hurt seriousness that floated within it.

"Of course not," I gave her in my most earnest tone.

She smiled even harder at that. "This was supposed to be our party, you know. Cal went all crazy with the invitations. Pretty sure half the town ended up here."

I laughed a little, totally agreeing with that last bit. We followed her up a number of steps to a terrace that opened up to give a full view of the mansion's front lawn; containing the tented dancefloor, the luxurious bushes and flower beds, and the legion of other dainty decorations.

On the terrace, stood a large table amassing champagne bottles and glasses, along with other refined delicacies. They looked like samples of the stuff the waiters were carrying around below. My eyes landed on the group of people gathered around it and my breath caught. It was them. The people I once knew as my second family.

I'd conjured up a lot of ways in which they could react seeing me. I'd wondered. Would they be mad? Annoyed? I'd so abruptly just stopped talking to them one day — and that was something blatant, there was no denying it.

Thinking back about it, I had been in the wrong. I'd been offended by someone I didn't even know and had taken it on them.

Would they just ignore me back? 

"Yo, listen up everyone! Guess who I've got over here?" Millie announced to them all before I could object. Forthwith, dozens of eyes fell on me. 

I'd never felt more seen in my life.

"Audrey!!!" A chorus sang out as I winced, with a smile.

"Hey guys," I managed to vocalize, between hugs and greetings.