Second Chance At Love

Confusing Feelings.

Cgc

Instead of going straight to the liquor store when I got out of class, I went to pick up Nova and Valdez from the townhouse so that they could come with me. We each bought something from everyone since we all seem to have varying tastebuds. We spent a good amount of money tonight on alcohol is all I'll say. All of us are still coming down from midterms so we deserve this. It may be a Monday, but no one seems to mind showing up shitfaced to class tomorrow. That is if they decide to get that drunk. Normally the captain in me would tell the guys to not get drunk because of practice tomorrow but they'll be the ones throwing up tomorrow if they choose to get fucked up. I'll be watching them in pain and smiling. But like I said, we deserve this which is why I'm keeping my mouth shut.

"God, I don't know if I want to drink tonight," Xander says inspecting our drinks. He hasn't canceled out drinking completely but a little more ever since he started taking his antidepressants the correct way last spring. "You don't have to. Water tastes amazing," Valdez says genuinely even though he sounded a bit sarcastic. Xander scoffs and nods, "Yeah, right." Nova sits on the couch with a glass of wine in her hand already. She doesn't plan on drinking much tonight either. Someone has to look after these kids and I guess it's going to be us. "Where's Rhys?" I ask. He wasn't here when I got home and he's still not here.

"Didn't you hear?" Xander says, sitting on the couch next to Nova. "He's bringing someone." My eyebrows pull together in confusion and Valdez laughs next to me. "What!" Nova asks, surprised. How come I had no idea he was bringing someone with him tonight? "Who?" I ask Xander. He shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head slowly. "He said and I quote 'you'll see'" he says. Nova smiles big. "Rhys is dating! This is amazing!" she says cheerfully. Amazing? Amazing for who? Not me. "No way I'm losing Rhys to a girl," I say, jealously peaking through. "Too bad," Valdez says in a sing-song voice.

Valdez follows them to the living room and I pull out my phone to text Rhys when I hear the door close shut. Thinking it's him, I put my phone on the counter and rush towards the hallway. I peak my head in but catch site of Maddy, Natasha, and Nat's boyfriend, Scott. "Oh. It's just y'all." I roll my eyes. "Who else were you expecting?" Nat asks as she hugs me. I return an awkward hug back. "Uh, Rhys," I say. Maddy grabs my face and scrunches my cheeks together. I pull away from her grip and she smiles before joining Xander on the couch. I've apologized to her since that last small. . . debate. "Scott," I say, handshaking Nat's boyfriend. "Scott," he says back.

He pats my back before following the rest of our friends to the couch. I stay in the kitchen, closer to the hallway that leads to the front door. "Hey, do you have any idea who Rhys is bringing, Maddy?" I ask her. She furrows her dark brows. "He's bringing someone? I didn't know that," she says. Great. So no one knows. "I never thought I'd see the day," Maddy adds with a snort. "Hey! Leave him alone. He's more likable than you!" I joke, pointing a finger at her. Xander rolls his eyes. "Here we go," I hear him say even though he almost whispered it.

"Yet I'm the one with a boyfriend. Not him," Maddy retorts and fakes a pout. "Because he's not gay. Otherwise, he would have had a boyfriend in me a long time ago," I reply with a shrug. Everyone but Maddy laughs. "I didn't know you swung both ways, Cgc," Scott chimes. "Only occasionally," I joke with a fake smile. I join them on the couch sitting next to Natasha. After a couple of minutes, the front door finally opens again and we all get quiet. "Oh god, oh god, oh god," Nova whispers. Heels click against the hardwood floor, but no voices are heard.

Rhys enters through the hall first, throwing his keys onto the kitchen island. A second later, his date follows. We all recognize her immediately. "Guys," Rhys starts. "This is Monet. These are my friends Valdez, Nova, Maddy, Xander, Natasha, Scott, and Cgc." He points to each of us as he names us. We all greet her as she wears the most expressionless face in the world. "Hey," Monet says. Maddy's mouth is in an 'o' shape. She's definitely fangirling. Rhys sits down next to me, and Monet takes a seat next to him. "Want something to drink?" he asks her. "Sure," she says. He nods and gets up, walking to the kitchen.