A Missed Opportunity

4

✧𝙽𝚘𝚊𝚑✧

It's rare when someone from my past finds their way into my life. I'm not exactly still in their line of view anymore, mostly staying away from bars and too loud parties. The only exception being my niece's birthday party and the bar my sister's friend owns.

As it turns out though, my niece's birthday party isn't as safe as I thought it was.

She doesn't look at me, keeping her eyes down elsewhere while she shifts to stand beside me. I don't know why she's still standing here after Aaliyah walked away though. I watch her curiously, waiting for her to say something. She never does though.

Eventually, I decide to bite the bullet. "So, how'd you meet Aaliyah?" I ask. Aaliyah's version of events are a little jumbled form how excited she was to brag to me.

"While I was getting milkshakes." Is all she offers.

I chuckle at her rigid tone. "Yeah, she mentioned milkshakes, but honestly I couldn't tell what she was talking about." I admit with a shrug. She doesn't answer. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

She hesitates to look up at me. With a very reluctant sigh, she nods. "Yes?"

"Your last name is Stone, right?"

She stares silently for a few seconds. "Yes." She quietly confirms. This little look crosses her face—almost disappointed.

I smile. "Yeah." I nod. "We've met before." I point out, in case she doesn't know. Maybe she doesn't, we were both pretty drunk last we saw each other. Only difference is my drunk was never so dysfunctional. Being drunk all the time is terrible for your body, but it does start to grow a little used to it.

"Yeah." Kiara mumbles. She remembers me too, I guess.

I smile politely still. "It's been a while, huh?"

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

I shrug. "Me neither." I agree, watching her curiously. "I stopped going to bars not long after we...met." I squint a little at the word. I caught her last name when I playfully checked her ID for her middle name somewhere in our drunken conversation of the night. We talked more than I probably would've talked to someone who I was going to spend the night with. Even still, I don't really know what to call it. I guess we did meet.

Her brows slowly furrow. "You stopped..." She trials off. "Do you still...?"

"Drink?" I finish. I shake my head before she can answer. "No, I've been sober for six years now." I can't help but smile proudly. "Well—" I sigh sharply and look up at the ceiling. "Mostly sober."

She grows rigid all over again. "Mostly." She repeats.

I shrug. "About a year ago I was messing around with my brother-in-law and took his glass to drink it. Wasn't water." I shake my head with a laugh as I look away, remembering the way Alex stared in horror at me as soon as I grabbed his glass. To his credit, he did try to tell me what it was. I thought he was just trying to get his glass back though.

"Just a drink?" She doesn't look convinced.

"A sip." I correct on a hum. Not my proudest moment, but I'd like to think I handled it well. I wanted to be quick when messing with him, so I swallowed it before I processed what I was drinking. When I did though, I set it down and made a whole show of acting like I was now dying just for the pleasure of watching Alex panic.

"Oh." Kiara whispers.

I smile and shrug at her. "Still go to the same bars?" I return.

"I—No. I, um," She shakes her head and quickly looks away. "I moved." She admits. "I just, um, came back though. For my mom."