Find Our Way Back - T.H

•2•

"I don't know what made me agree to this." I groan, looking through my closet. "How about this?"
I hold up a black dress and Lia cringes.
"Absolutely not, you're young and hot. You're wearing something better." she says.
"I'm also a mother." I laugh.
"So what?" She says, looking through my closet. "Wear this."
She pulls out a skimpy red dress and holds it up.
"That was my prom dress Lia." I laugh. "I'm wearing the black dress."
"Fine." she frowns.
I get ready for the evening while Lia keeps Audrey busy.
As I put in my earrings, my phone vibrates.
Abbi: I invited Adriana and Haz!
Allie: why?! They probably hate me !!!
Abbi: no one hates you Allie, they also don't know you're coming🤷🏽‍♀️
Allie: i can't believe you're doing this to me😫
"Alright, if there's any problems what so ever, you call me Okay?" I say to Lia.
"Will do." she nods.
"Mommy you look pretty!" Audrey says and I smile.
"Thank you baby." I say. "You have fun with aunt Lia."
"I will, you have fun too!"
I say goodbye and leave the house, taking an Uber to the bar since I'll be drinking.
Anxiety rushed through my veins as I walk into the bar, seeing people I haven't seen in six years, plus the fact that I basically left without a word was stressful.
"Oh my god no way!" Adriana yells, running up to me and hugging me.
"Hey!" I smile as we pull apart.
"When she told me you were coming I couldn't believe it. Look at you! You're gorgeous!" She says.
"Told her you're back, couldn't get ahold of haz though." Abbi says.
Ugh, having my girls back feels so right. We've been best friends for as long as I can remember.
We all talk for a moment before Adriana's face falls, concern laced in her eyes.
"Oh no.." she says.
"What?" I ask.
"So I'm not sure if this is good or bad.. but-"
"Allison?" Haz says and I turn around. But my eyes skim right past haz, and onto someone else. The brown eyes were wide, and staring directly at me.
"Wow what are you doing here?" Haz asks as he pulls me into a hug.
"I um, I moved back." I say, not removing my gaze from Tom. He does the same.
"Oh uh.." Harrison's eyes move between Tom and I. "How about we go get some drinks?"
"Yeah let's go." Abbi says.
"Count me in." Adriana says, all of them walking towards the bar. Leaving Tom and I.
"Hi." I manage to say, not knowing what else to say to him.
"Hey." he says, not showing any emotion. I have no idea if he's mad or upset with me. Or if he just doesn't care.
"So you moved back?" He asks.
"Yeah, just got in this morning." I nod. "I thought you were out in Los Angeles?"
"We finished filming, I just got in a few hours ago." he says and I nod.
"Maybe, um- maybe I should go." I say. "I don't want to ruin your first night back."
"Don't go." He says. "You won't ruin my night."
"Okay." I say. Feeling a slight spark of happiness that the boy I've been best friends with since we were eight, doesn't hate me.
"It's good to see you, Allie."
It's been six years since I heard that nickname come off of his lips.
"Tequila shots!" Abbi yells, walking back with a tray of shot glasses.
"Absolutely not." I laugh.
"Come on! It'll be just like old times, sneaking Abigail's dads alcohol into the basement!" Adriana says.
Oh, do I remember those days. We'd all get black out drunk, Tom and I would make out in the closet, thinking everyone else would never suspect we were together. Haz somehow always ended up outside naked. Adriana would spill all of her hoe stories. It was great.
"Fine. One shot." I say.
"The gang is back!" Haz says, all of us downing a shot.
"Oh my god I haven't done that in years." I say.
"Seriously? You were always the fun one!" Haz says.
Yeah.. well your not fun anymore when you become a mom at 18 years old.
"Well, not anymore." I laugh.
"So, filming done?" Adriana asks Tom.
"Yeah. And yes Jacob is coming to visit soon" he says.
"Jacob?" I say, not knowing who he is.
"My co star, Adriana has quite the crush on him." Tom shakes his head.
"Do not." Adriana rolls her eyes.
"Ooo any other secret romances I should be updated on?" I ask. Almost praying that Tom isn't with someone. It's not that I'd be jealous or anything, it'd just be.. weird.
"Haz had a thing with some girl at a donut shop." Abbi says.
"Not anymore." he says.
"What why?!" Adriana asks.
"I'm pretty sure she only liked me because of Tom, then she actually asked me to meet him." he says.
"That sucks." I frown. Sometimes I forget that Tom is famous now.. I try not to think about him too much.
The night goes on, and we do a couple more shots. Tom and I pretty much avoided talking to each other, but we did catch each others gaze several times through the night. I missed this. All of us hanging out like old times.
"Oh god, oh no." Adriana groans, getting up and running to the bathroom.
"I think we all know, once Adriana starts puking it's time to call it a night." I laugh. I didn't do nearly as many shots as the girls. So I'm not too drunk.
"I gotta get home before I fuck that guy over there" Abbi says drunkenly, grabbing her phone and getting an Uber for her and Adriana.
"How about we all take an Uber together? I mean we all live on the same street." Haz says to Tom and I.
"Yeah okay." I shrug.
"Sure." Tom says.
Haz gets our Uber and Adriana walks back in.
"Alright, I'm never drinking again." she says.
"You say that every time." Abbi laughs.
"I mean it this time." she says.
"Well, is this the big welcome home you two had hoped for?" Abbi asks.
"Feels just like old times." I say.
It truly does feel like we're in high school again..
"Uber is here!" Haz says.
We all walk out of the bar, well.. Adriana was kind of stumbling.
"I'll see you guys later!" I say to the girls.
"Definitely, well have to plan a movie night or something." Abbi says.
"Or we can go find hot guys to hook up with!" Drunk Adriana says.
Tom gets in and I get in after him.
"Bye guys!" Haz says, slamming the door shut as the three run back into the bar giggling.
"Really?" I laugh to myself.
"They really put a lot of thought into this one didn't they?" Tom says sarcastically. "406 Baker Street"
He gives the driver my address.
"Do they think we're still in high school?" I say.
"Oh believe me they act like it's middle school most of the time." he says and I laugh. It feels good to talk to him. Familiar.
"I missed all of this." I say.
"Can I ask you something?" He asks, his brown eyes connect with mine, making me feel uneasy.. in a good way?
"Yeah." I nod.
"Why did you leave?" He asks.
The question I have no idea how to answer. Although we left it on good terms, I never did give him a proper explanation for why I left. I sit silently, almost pretending to be in thought.
"Alright were here." the Uber driver says as we pull up the the sidewalk.
"Thank you." I say.
We get out of the car and Tom turns to me, still expecting me to answer his question.
"Things happen.. people change." I say, trying to come up with an explanation other than I got pregnant with his daughter and ran away instead of telling him.
"Was it because we were going to move to Los Angeles?" He asks. "Was it too much? Too fast?"
"No, believe me I wanted to move with you more than anything." I say.
"Then what was it? Because we loved each other, we had a plan, and you left." He says.
The way he explained our love in past tense hurt me. I know it's absolutely crazy to think that there may still be something there. Of course there's not. It's been six years.
"I know.. and I'll never get over the guilt of leaving the way I did. I don't have a good explanation for you. I'm sorry." I say and he nods.
"It's fine.. I just- all these years I've wondered. I just expected there to be some big reason, something to explain it." He says.
"I'm sorry... but Tom we've been friends since we were eight.. I'd really love if we could stay on good terms." I say.
"Allie, you will always be my best friend. I don't think there's anything you can do to change that. Not even leaving." He says and I smile.
"Good. Because I feel the same way."