Love Of My Life

67

Aria

"I can't get over how beautiful it was!" Lucy exclaims at the premiers afterparty. We quickly shuffled to the party to avoid the traffic coming out of the theater. 

"You really think so?" I ask over the blaring music.

Lucy nods excitedly. "It was amazing," 

I'm giddy with excitement by the time the film ended. The crowd laughed, cheered, sang along, and cried. It was everything I imagined and more. And the fact that everyone close to me enjoyed it is something else. I don't even care right now what the journalists or reporters think. 

A glass of champagne is shoved into my hand by Rami. This is my third glass of the stuff, but I'm not complaining. I love champagne. 

As I raise the glass to my lips, I spot a familiar face in the crowd. A smile spreads on my lips.

"I'll be right back," I say. I push out of wear I am now to go greet my friend. "Luke Deacon," I say when I approach him.

"Aria Mercury," he says, his smile matching mine. He clinks his glass against mine. 

"I didn't expect you to come," I say. "We hadn't hear back from you or John," 

"Dad wants to hold off on seeing the movie. He wants to wait until it comes out on DVD so he can watch it with the whole family," 

My heart. 

"That's really sweet," I tell Luke. God, I love Deaky. 

Luke shrugs. "I think it was just an excuse not to come," he tells me.

I swat his arm with my free hand. "Don't be rude," 

"I'm being honest," 

To that I don't reply, but I take a sip of my champagne. 

"Rufus and Jimmy are here too," Luke says after a moment of silence. "I'm scared to hang out with them though,"

I furrow my eyebrows together. "Why?" I ask.

He gives me a look like I should know what he's talking about. "You know," he says. When I don't answer he leans in a little closer and whispers, "Heirs,"

"What does that have anything to do with it?" I ask him. 

"If Taylor, May and Deacon are all chilling here together, people are probably going to joke 'Oh look Queen 2.0' and I'm awful with hiding things, Aria. Awful," he sighs. "So we take turns. I'm the solo one right now. Next is Jimmy's turn,"

I laugh. That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, yet his paranoia makes sense.

"You're insane," I tell him. 

"Insanely smart," he tells me with a grin. He glances down at his watch. "I should go find Rufus now,"

"Alright," I say, a little disappointed. I was hoping he would stay around for a little while longer so I could introduce him to everyone. "Don't be a stranger. Come back to hang out,"

"I will. Oh and by the way, Tigerlily and I are going to the club after this if you would like to join," 

"Thanks," I say. Clubbing really isn't my thing and I am already exhausted. "We'll see,"

Luke and I exchange goodbyes, and then I head back over to where I was earlier. Only Ben and Rami remain. The others must have left to talk to other people or to get a drink. 

"Ah Aria," Rami says when he sees me approach. "I was just telling Ben how we're going to miss him at the Japan promotional tour,"

I feel the familiar twang in my heart when I get sad.