8

"So wait...let me get this straight. You met this handsome man, you had a conversation with him, he called you beautiful, but you don't know his name?" Angelica asked for the hundredth time this morning. She placed her breakfast tray on the table next to my bed and turned around to face me.

"Yes, that's what I have been saying for the past ten minutes!" I let out a loud sigh as I closed the door of my walk-in closet which was pretty much empty except for the very few clothes and shoes I left behind from the last time I had visited this place.

I really did miss this room though. It was the most beautiful and luxurious room with rick purple tapestries on every surface, a perfectly polished marble floor, and lots and lots of gold leaf. There was also a lot of furniture from different parts of the world. Dad always wanted for me to have the best.

"Why--how can you forget to ask his name? How is he going to find you? Did he even recognize you?!" Angelica continued asking, staring at me dejected. 

"It was a masquerade ball. I did not even recognize him. And besides Ivan and Alex did not even know who I was." I told her tiredly.

"Yeah, those two do not count. They are stupid anyways."

"One of them is your boyfriend you're talking about."

"Yeah, I know. Still stupid. Handsomely stupid that is." She chuckled with a dreamily gaze. This girl. Only the mention of Alex and she's already in another world. 

I shook my head and rolled my eyes before plopping down next to her. Angelica will stay a couple of days with me before moving to her parent's condo in SoHo. Currently, the condo was under major construction, so she had to wait a couple of days before moving in. 

In the meantime she stayed with me at my parents, giving me relationship advice, clothing advice, and all type of advice that will come in handy one day. Her words, not mine. 

"I don't think a handsome stranger would be interested in me," I said as I played with the fluffy blanket on my bed that I had since I was fourteen. "He's totally smitten over a girl with blue eyes like mine."

"Oh really? He told you that?" Angelica asked, disappointment visible in her voice. "Damn it, here I thought he could become your boyfriend and we could go on double dates."

I laughed and threw a pillow at her. "I will get a boyfriend and you will get your double dates. Just not now."

"Then when? Don't act like we're not getting older. Before you know I will pop little Alex's out and you will still be single and virgin."

"There's nothing wrong with being single and virgin."

"Yeah right." She rolled her eyes at me before throwing her hair into a ponytail. "You don't know what you're missing missy. By the way, have you seen Zane yesterday?"

"Nope, thank god. Have you seen him?" I asked curiously.

Angelica shook her head. "Not at all, but then again he never shows up at the parties he's organizing for the club. But I thought he would make an exception for this one."

I snorted. "My brother saw him in the elevator. I think he came for a minute or so to check up on things. And bytheway I'm not that special to him anymore, Angel. When are you going to get that through your thick skull?"

"Shut up. We all know how much he cares about you. He never stopped caring about you."

"Yeah right," I said averting my eyes to the window. If only I had stayed at home that night of homecoming, Zane and I would still be best buddies. 

Even though I hate to admit it, but deep down I still missed him. He is like a missing piece of me.

 New York reminded me of him. It brought everything back. Our memories, our fights, and of course our separation. 

New York is too painful for me and that is actually the main reason why I do not want to stay here for a long time. 

There was a soft knock on my door startling both Angelica and me. Before I could say something, the door swung open and Yasmin poked her head inside. "Hey girls. I was wondering if you guys would like to go to my bachelorette party this weekend," she asked cheerfully. Yasmin was too sweet. I wonder how my brother could get so lucky. 

"Sounds like a hell lot of fun, Yas. I'm going!" Angelica shouted, smiling widely. 

"Count me in too. Where are we going?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at Yasmin.

Instead of answering my question, she gave me a mysterious smile. "That's a surprise. Anyways, Amari can you come with me for a second. It's about your dress for the wedding."

I nodded my head and looked at Angelica before pointing at the breakfast tray on the table. "Can you bring that back to the kitchen? I don't want ants in my room."

"Yes, I will. Don't worry." Angelica said before picking up the tray and making her way to the kitchen.

I walked after Yasmin to Milan's old bedroom. That's the room Yasmin and Milan use every time they come over to the states. Milan's bedroom was really different from mine. It was like you entered a whole other world. 

There was a huge chandelier dangling over his bed and a plush silver gray carpet that practically felt like heaven on your feet. Milan's room was kept really simple with not a lot of furniture since he would play soccer in his room when he was younger.

"Yasmin, I really cannot change partners?" I asked as she closed the door behind us. I was still hopeful about changing partners. 

 "I'm so sorry Amari, I can't. I have already ordered your dress and Zane's. You two are the first one who is going to make the entree so the dress and tux are a little bit different than the rest." she said with a sympathetic smile. "If I knew you two were not on good terms I would have not paired you up together."

"Actually, it's okay," I told her as I sat down at the end of the bed. I will stop bothering her about this whole thing about changing partners. I don't want to mess up her arrangements that she must have made months before and most of all I don't want to make her upset or overthink her decisions. "It will not be that bad. Or I hope so."

Yasmine chuckled and opened the walk-in closet. Milan's closet was a lot smaller than mine, but it was still spacious enough to fit all his shoes and clothing. I looked around the room and not much had changed except for the curtains. Last time the curtains were an awful shade of blue, it was so out of place. Now It was replaced with a beautiful shade of gold.

 A few seconds later Yasmin came out with a big red box in her hands. "Your dress is in here. I want you to try it on so I can see if there are any alterations needed."

She opened the box and my eyes widened at the beautiful gown inside. "It's so beautiful." I gasped, touching the fabric which felt incredibly soft. "If this is the bridesmaid's gown, I don't even want to know what your wedding dress will look like."

"My wedding dress is out of this world," Yasmin said smiling as she pulled out the beautiful silver dress. "Your brother wanted the best out of the best."

I nodded my head in agreement. Of course, he would only choose the best for his Queen. That's what he calls her. 

Picking up the dress I walked into the bathroom to change. When I finally slipped it on, I couldn't help to stare at myself in the mirror. I was in complete awe as I saw how beautiful the dress was on me. 

"It's made for you." I heard Yasmin's voice from behind me. "It complements everything, from your eyes to your curves."

"Thanks, Yas." I turned around and flashed her a bright smile. "But I'm pretty sure, you will look even more gorgeous than I will. After all, you're going to be officially the Queen."

Yasmin laughed out loud and even snorted. "You have been on I*******m too much."

"Can't help it when those fan pages tag the whole family in their edits," I said, which made Yasmin laugh louder.

"I'm not really hungry mom, I think I will just skip dinner. I will order something if I really feel hungry." 

Yesterday I already went out to dinner with Angelica and today I was planning to stay at home, watch a movie, and maybe order pizza. 

"No!" Mom exclaimed, waving with her hands in all different directions. "No,no, no! Everyone is going to be there. It's a reunion. I want you to be there and spend time with us."

"Mom!" I gave her a pleading look, but she didn't buy it.

"Come on, Amari! Don't be such a brat."

I let out a deep sigh as I grabbed my phone from the kitchen counter. "Fine! I'll be there. Where is it again?"

"At Ocean Prime. You know that place right?" I wanted to wipe the big smile of triumph off her face. I still love her endlessly even though she could be so persuasive sometimes.

I nodded my head at her. "Yes, I do." 

I walked out of the kitchen to go to my room and get dressed. I was totally not in the mood to go to some fancy restaurant tonight and socialize. Mom also said that everyone's going to be there.

 This means that the Shaw family is going to be there also. I didn't really mind meeting Zane's parents. They are the kindest people on earth and they have always loved having me over at their house. It was just Zane I had a problem with. But earlier today I heard Milan say that Zane went on a business trip to Maryland. 

"I'm here to save you!!" My bedroom door swung open revealing Angelica in her bathrobe holding a grey mini skater dress in her hand. Her hair was in a bun and her makeup was halfway done. "This is the perfect outfit for dinner tonight!"

"How did you even know that I'm going to dinner?" I asked, knowing that I have told her earlier that I would not go. "Have you been eavesdropping on me and my mom?"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes at me. "Of course not. Your mom called my mom like three minutes ago and my mom immediately texted me and well...yeah you know."

I facepalmed myself. How could I forget that those two women were best friends?  They literally tell each other everything. "Right, how can it slip my mind...Anyways let me see the dress."

Angelica gave me the dress and it was indeed beautiful. It was sleeveless, with a plunging neckline, a self-tie wrap-around belt, an open back, and a flared silhouette. With a pair of silver heels, this outfit would look bomb on me. 

"The dress is okay."

"Okay?!" Angelica exclaimed. "Don't you mean perfect, beautiful, thank-you-for-saving-my-ass-angelica?"

I laughed, knowing she was right. "That's what I meant. Anyways I will see you at Ocean prime later."

Alex will pick Angelica up and I will go with Yasmin and Milan. 

After Angelica left my room, I took a long shower. Afterward, I did my hair and makeup and slip on into the dress Angelica gave me. I opened my walk-in closet to find my silver heels and when I finally found it, Milan burst into my room.

"Are you done, sis?!" I heard him yell from somewhere inside my room.

I walked out of my walk-in closet and saw him standing in front of my bed. "I'm done, let's go."

He stared at my dress and I waited for him to tell me to change and I, as always, would not listen to him. But instead, he said something that totally caught me off guard. 

"I can't believe you're an independent woman now. To me, you're still pearl."

"Milan!" My heart just melted at what he just said. Sometimes, just sometimes he could say things that could make me tear up from happiness. "I'll always be your pearl. No matter how old I am." 

"Will you listen to me then when I tell you to change into something else."

There's the 'Big brother' side of him again. I don't think that he will ever get used to the fact that I'm already an adult and not some twelve-year-old girl. Dad is the same. He definitely got his protective side from dad. Instead of arguing I just rolled my eyes and walked past him. "As always, No."

Ocean Prime was a five-star restaurant that served seafood. It was a very popular place for elite people to have dinner. 

When we entered the restaurant I was stunned by how amazing it was decorated. The setting was splendid and the ambiance was something I was stunned by. 

Ocean Prime took my breath away. It was luxurious, classy, and hands-down the best seafood restaurant I have been at in America. 

I greeted everyone at the table. Zane's parents, Timothy and Christine Shaw. They were so happy to finally see me again. Angelica's parents, Reina and Luca Rossi. Reina as always hugged me and placed kisses on my cheeks like I was still a toddler as Luca just shook his head and greeted me with a smile. 

Then I had to meet Alex's parents and little sister who was the cutest little girl ever with dimples on her cheeks when she smiled. Lastly, Ivan and his parents and his little brother who already looked like the next heartbreaker. 

When we all were seated I saw there was still an empty chair next to me. "Is there someone else coming?" I asked, looking around the table.

"I don't think so." My dad looked at his watch. "We will start soon and---,"

"Sorry, I'm late!"

I turned around to see who the voice belonged to and my eyes widened, my heart dropped, and I could feel my soul leaving my body. 

There, a couple of inches away from me, stood the person I have avoided for the past couple of years. Now, more handsome than before. Wasn't he supposed to be in Maryland?

When his eyes met mine, a smirk made its way to his face.

"Sugarplum."