I stare at him. "Oh. Hilarious. Ha."
He grins. "You got scared. You thought I was gonna jerk off to you."
I want to disappear.
"Anyway," he adds, stepping back, "please don't get drunk. I'm not dragging you out of here. Have fun, Ravioli."
Two hours later
I'm sitting on a random chair, looking like a poor lost child someone forgot to pick up.
I must look pathetic. Just… abandoned vibes. I even tried calling Sophia, but she's out with her friends, apparently.
So now it's just me, myself, and this Malibu in my hand. At least it tastes good.
It makes me feel silly. The place itself is actually nice. Almost distracts me from how awkward I am.
There are so many flashing lights that I'm one strobe away from developing epilepsy on the spot.
But the vibe… yeah. It's not terrible.
Then finally, something decent plays. Poison Lips by Vitalic. Bless whoever picked that. After hours of straight-up noise pollution, this is the first song that's actually good.
"Rava?" I turn.
Carla. Dario. Holy shit.
It's like seeing ghosts from a past life.Mypast life.
We were classmates back in elementary and middle school, literally the only two kids I ever actually got along with.
Then we switched schools, drifted apart, life happened… and that was that.
I think my mouth actually drops open because Carla just laughs and grabs my arm like no time has passed. She has glitter on her cheeks and a drink in hand.
"Oh my god, itisyou," she says, wide-eyed and beaming. "You look insane, Rava. Like—insanelygood."
Dario nods. Carla looks exactly the same. I don't know how she pulled that off. Same face, same blond hair, same energy. Same everything.
Dario, though… yeah, he changed. A lot.
He's taller now, relaxed, with messy dark curls falling over his forehead, a cigarette half-lit.
Back then he was the biggest anti-smoking warrior I'd ever met, lectured everyone, threw fits if someone lit a cigarette near him.
And now? He's standing there proudly holding one.
Life is insane.
He gives me that same cocky smirk he used to have in gym class. "What the hell, man. You grew up hot. This isn't fair."
I feel my face heat up instantly.
It's strange seeing them again, especially Dario. I haven't seen him since… well.
Since I was going through that identity crisis I never admitted to anyone. He asked me out once, back then. A real date. Just the two of us. I freaked out. I didn't say yes.
Didn't say no either. I was too young. Too confused.
