Pieces Of Love

♡ Chapter 18 ♡

The next morning when Zaria woke up she was laying on the couch with a blanket draped over her. Aubreyanne seemed to have left, but Zaria still called her to say thank you and apologize once more.

Aurbeyanne had suggested moving, but Zaria brushed it off. She liked her apartment and she wasn't going to be forced to move because of him.

When she called her brother the next day she didn't dare mention what happed, but she knew he knew something was up. So to get it off her chest she called Liam and told him everything. He too insisted on moving, but also suggested a restaining order and made her promise to call if he come by again.

Much to Zaria's delight two weeks had gone by and no Tobias. Everyone seemed to calm down more, and her heart wouldn't race whenever she walked down the hall to her apartment.

The ringing of her phone pulled Zaria out of her thoughts. She'd spent the whole Saturday morning just tending to her plants and setting up the decoration she bought.

"Hello?"

"Regan, are you home right now?" Aubreyanne asked, sounding like she was driving.

"Uh yea...why?" Zaria asked setting down her little watering spray.

"Good. I'll be over in five" The Aubreyanne hung up.

Zaria sighed, and just set the phone down as she finished up.

True to her word, five minutes later Aubreyanne was standing at Zaria's door. Only she was all dressed up like the night she was going to the gala. She wore a beautiful silver dress, and heels to match. her hair was held up and decorated in pins that matched her jewelry.

She was also carrying what looked like a makeup kit and clothes sealed in a dry-cleaing bag.

"Uh what's all this for?" Zaria asked as she let Aubreyanne walk past her into the livingroom.

Aurbeyanne turned to her with a light huff. "You're coming to a dinner with me. We should probably start getting you ready"

Zaria looked panicked, but Aubreyanne just began laying everything out. "What? I can't"

"Why not? Do you already have plans for the evening?" Aubreyanne asked looking up at her.

Zaria averted her gaze as she leaned against the wall. "Well no...but I just can't imagine myself in such a setting" She shuddered at the thought of a huge fancy room, filled with extensive things and people all eating bite sized meals and talking in words that couldn't be found in a dictionary.

Aubreyanne sighed. "I can't promise it won't be bad, but you'll fit right in"

"No I won't" Zaria inisted. "And what if I just don't want to go, I can just say no"

Aubreyanne looked up at her. "Regan...you wouldn't"

Zaria couldn't help but smirk. "oh but I can, and I don't see the appeal or benefit in going"

"I don't want to go alone" Aubreyanne mumbled, causing Zaria to raise an eyebrow. "because I don't want to spend time talking about work and deals...I thought why not bring someone that I enjoy talking to"

Zaria felt her face slightly heat up and she gave in with a sigh. "Fine, but in the future no throwing me in plans without a warning ahead of time" She said getting a grin and nod from Aurbeyanne who seemed satisfied with her victory.

After a moment Zaria headed to shower and get changed, Aubreyanne insisted she wore the dress she brought and by the time Zaria manged to slip on the black gown that match Aubreyanne's and finished her hair and make-up Zaria couldn't deny she felt beautiful.

"We should get doing." Aubreyanne said forcibly pulling her gaze from Zaria who was adjusting the strap of her heels. She got up and nodded, picking up her purse and following Aubreyanne down to her car.

Just as she feared the place was huge and fancy, and filled with all sorts of people in designer and expensive attire. Although she looked the part, she didn't feel it. She wasn't like Aubreyanne, who simply emited power and confidence in her walk and mannerisms. Zaria felt more like a scared mouse with a forced smile.

They were led to a table out on the balcony. It looked catered to fit about ten people and a few heaters placed around it to battle the cold breeze of the night. Down the balcony there were steps that led to a garden and a pond father down that glimmered in the moonlight.

Half of the seats were already occupied when they arrived and the only person Zaria could recognize was the man who had been at Aubreyanne's house. She greeted him with a polite hug and handshake.

"Plessure to meet you. I'm Justin Brooks" He said with a smile, and Zara felt slightly guilty for her disease towards him but he just left a bad feeling in her gut.

She still smiled. "The pleasure is mine. I'm Zaira by the way" She said letting go of his hand and following Aubreyanne's lead, greeting the other people at the table then settled in the seat beside Aubreyanne.

As more people arrived they seemed to follow the ritual of greetings and introductions and eventually the table was full. They had staters, then a main meal, then dessert was served as Zaria mostly half listened to the boring conversations about business and new vacation houses.

She tried incredibly hard not to look bord, but she also lit up way more and her eyes showed some sort of interest only when Aubreyanne would lean over to murmur something and make both of them laugh and indulge in silent conversation until Aubreyanne was pulled into another boring one.

People began to leave after the food and the setting seemed to get less tense and formal but Zaria still felt tense. She excused herself to go to the restroom and headed inside the restaurant.

Just as she walked down the short hallway that secluded the bathrooms from where people ate. She heard footsteps approaching behind her and her name being called out.

She turned to come face to face with Justin. "Can I help you with something?" She asked trying not to be rude just because he was Aubreyanne's friend.

"Yes actually" Justin hesitated for a moment seemingly gathering his thoughts. "You and Aubrey are best friends right?"

Zaria tried to ingore him referring to her by her nickname and nodded. "Well I wouldn't say best- that's probably Case but-"

"Yea yea whatever" Justin cut her off hurriedly causing her to forown at him. "I plan to ask her out tonight and I just wanted reassurance from a close friend that it would be alright. I could ask her to go for a walk, and yea"

Zaria mused over it for a moment and her eyes met Justin's expecting ones and she nodded. "I can't say yes positively, but go ahead" If it's what aubreyanne wants then all the best to them. She thought as she turned and stepped into the bathroom

She could barely recognise herself in the mirror. Maybe she should dress up more she thought feeling unsease grow in her chest. She couldn't understand why she selfishly didn't want Justin to go through with his plans.

Maybe it was because she didn't want to feel like a second option. Sill, back when both Liam and Zach started dating their partners she didn't feel this way, so why did she feel like she'd be less important in Aubreyanne's life? Why did she not want Aubreyanne to be with someone else?

She convinced herself that Aubreyanne would be happy, and everything would be fine and stay the same between them, even if she didn't fully believe it.

She sighed, unable to wash her face in fear of ruining her makeup. She had been in the bathroom so long people would think she ate something wrong.

But the moment she stepped back out she regretted it. her chest felt heavy at the sight of Aubreyanne and Justin walking hand in hand in the garden. Justin stopped and Zaria held her breath as she watched him lean down and kiss Aubreyanne.

She hated what she saw, she grabbed her purse off the table where only two or three people remainder still lost in their own world of conversation.

As Zaria sormed out of the restaurant she didn't care who looked at her, or if she fit in or not. She just got one of the taxis waiting outside and headed home. She sent Aubreyanne a message that she had left and didn't explain why because in all honesty she didn't know either. Why did she feel so hurt?