High stakes part 2

ACT 1 - two

I finished, once again, out of the points. Ever since Rae left, I just couldn't concentrate. My career was falling apart but I didn't care.

Tonight was not about me, it was about her.

I wore my black button-up shirt and left the two top buttons open, wore her favorite cologne, the one that she got me months ago, fixed my curls and looked at myself in the mirror.

I could do this, I could make her remember everything we shared. The good and the bad.

I walked in the venue and my heart was almost beating out of my chest. I scanned through the room and there she was.

Rae.

She was captivating everyone in the room, but especially me.

I watched her for a little while. She was wearing a black dress, one of my favorites on her, her hair down her shoulders, with a glass of champagne in her hand.

Heads turned, conversations paused, and whispers followed her every step.

She looked so beautiful, even more now, and she looked bored. She hated these things as much as I did.

I noticed Oscar was looking at me, he nodded at Rae, encouraging me to go and talk to her.

So that's what I did. I walked up to her and it felt as if everything was happening in slow motion. I could feel my heart beating in my throat, she was definitely the only girl who made me feel like this.

I cleared my throat, gathering all the courage to talk to her. "Rae"

She turned, and for a moment, our eyes locked. The weight of unspoken words hung in the air. The room seemed to fade away.

"Lando" She nodded.

"You look... amazing, Rae." I said, scanning my eyes over her body and back up to her eyes. She smiled, but only a little.

Great opening move, idiot.

"Thank you, Lando. You don't look too bad yourself." She said, her eyes gazed over my chest, her smile grew bigger when she noticed my shirt. "Nice shirt"

"It's my favorite" I smirked, because it was her favorite one as well. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Rae nodded, her gaze momentarily drifting away before returning to meet my eyes. "Yeah, it has. A lot has changed."

"I've missed you, Rae. And not just at events like these."

Fuck, even I was surprised by my words.

She sighed softly, looking down at her glass of champagne. "Lando, we chose different paths. It wasn't easy for me either."

"I know, but seeing you tonight.." I put my hand under her chin, making her look at me. "You're driving me crazy, I miss you Rae, I miss you so damn much"

For a slight moment, I saw a change in her eyes, until her gaze drifted away again.

"We had our time, Lando" She sighed. "but we're on separate journeys now."

I nodded. She was right and it was my fault. I brushed my thumb against her cheek, she dug her teeth in her lower lip.

"Maybe our paths will cross again someday." I whispered.

Rae chuckled a little. "Maybe" she put her hand on my back, kissed my cheek softly and whispered. "Your girl is looking for you"

I turned around, Violet stood in the back of the room, her eyes locked on me. I turned back to Rae, but she was already gone.

"What was that about?" Violet said as she walked up to me. "Isn't she dating that football player?"

Unfortunately, she was.

"Yes she's dating Mason" I said as I kept looking at Rae. She was mesmerizing and I wasn't the only one who thought so.

Every guy at this event was thinking the same thing.

But they didn't know her like I did, they didn't know her mind. She was so smart, so powerful, yet still so funny.

"Excuse me" I said as I walked out of this stupid event. I needed some fresh air. I needed to be alone, so I started walking.

Until I was standing in front of something familiar, yet I couldn't really place it, until it came all back to me.