An intruder or outsider.

~~ Flashback~~

~A few hours ago.~

I heard the door open and close but didn't move from where I sat. It had been some time after his mother left and still, I couldn't wrap my head around the visit.

My mind replayed the conversation like a tape recorder, trying to find some hidden message behind it.

' Mrs Myers really came here for him.' I heard Lia say as she stood close.

' It's not like she was thinking about me all this time.' I said, sparing her a glance.

' Here.' The smell of hot chocolate hit my nose as I received the cup.

'Thank you.' I said.

She joined me on the bench and we sat in silence for a while.

' In some way, I think she's right.'

I turned to her with a frown, ' No.' I disagreed.

'Not about everything, but that you were his childhood friend.'

' We weren't that close.'

' It didn't look like that back then.' She disagreed in sing song tone.

I rolled my eyes at her.

' You and mom are just the same.'

Mom made sure to have her own word in, after Mrs Myers left. She inserted the whole childhood friendship topic, to draw a point.

Did I take it? Not really.

I had not made a decision yet, that was proof.

'I stand by you on this.' I looked at her. 'You know your mom, she believes in moving forward without the past hanging over you.'

' I've done my part but they------'

'It shouldn't have happened in the first place. You and William were good friends, there was nothing wrong with that.'

' Until his life was in danger.'

She opened and closed her mouth, but words failed her.

If only she knew how messy things had been ever since William and I, mistakenly reunited.

End of flashback.

I am dreading tonight. My mind has been attacked with countless thoughts and scenarios.

As I stare myself in the mirror, I no longer see my alone self but with company.

Him. A shadow of him.

It's the last image of him before I walked away, 2 months ago.

'What would meeting him again be like? '

'What do I even say, because there's definetly a lot to say.'

' I wish my mother hadn't persuaded me to do this.'

Attending meant a step in the right direction, according to my mother of course. She simply had no clue that this was a set up. She's basically setting me up.

My mother could be naive at times. It wasn't her fault, really. In this case, I am to blame, since I have kept a lot of secrets from her. Her health and well being comes first, always. Stressing her out is the last thing I want to do. I can't put her through all the burdens, when she's carried a load of them before.

Agreeing to attend was also influenced by the guilt within me for the lies, hidden from her. I no longer had it in me to protest about tonight, when guilt became dominant once again.

A welcome home dinner or party.

This sounded familiar, because it was.

The Myers were not rookies when it came to hosting events, whether big or small. Their name held importance and anything linked to them, meant travel worthy news.

William Myers, known around our neighbourhood as the prince of the family. The news of his return had already reached most places I know.

I couldn't do it that day, I had no courage to even step foot near his home, in case we saw each other by chance.

All of this feels too sudden.

He shouldn't have returned.

It's too soon.

Whatever he had planned, he should have let me know first.

'You wouldn't have answered.' My conscious reminds me.

I don't like surprises, well not anymore.

Fear grips every part of me, for what tonight may result to. Stepping into the Myers residence takes me back to 9 years ago. I'm hit with a sense of nostalgia, the further I walk in, now approaching the mansion.

I'm fighting against myself right now.

I want to turn back and forget about all of this, to remain in hiding from him but it won't happen.

I'm here now.

The ideal vision is that we never cross paths but that already happened, and now I'm leading a life full of secrets.

' I can do this.' I nod to myself.

The little courage I am able to gather, pushes me to continue on, until I find myself entering the mansion.

Red has never been the colour I thought best suited me but Lia always disagreed. She has expressed so many times that red is the right colour to make a statement.

I couldn't see her view. In my eyes it felt quite bold for someone who is making a reappearance into this place, after so many years.

My view only fueled Lia's belief in my look, being the best to make a statement.

' And what kind of statement am I supposedly making, hmm?' I'd asked.

' Simple, you are making your presence felt, to remind everyone that looked the other way, especially the Myers', that you are not one to be ignored. There is no one like you.'

I'd rolled my eyes then, because she sounded way too dramatic. I didn't feel like I had anything to prove, especially to this family.

And in all honesty, I have no intention to meet them again after tonight.

I do have to admit though, that her words keep on repeating themselves as I walk past people. They are the same kind of people who make no effort to hide their curiosity.

There are a few people I am familiar with and I acknowledge them along the way. Those I'm not, I continue to greet them politely.

The last time I was associated with the Myers was when we were young. So for some, who knew of the history between my family and the Myers, my presence has spiked their curiosity. I'm pretty sure that I've entered their list of topics for tonight's rumours.

Ever grand with the purpose of showing off in style, even after all these years this family presents to the witnesses, leaves people with something to say and I am one of them. Styles have changed and their approach to the modern feel is amazing.

As I remember it, the big crystal chandelier still hangs at the center of the room, but I notice the difference in both size and built.

' They must have upgraded it or bought another, quite similar.'

At the center of the room, like I had found myself doing, it happens again, that my feet pull me to a stop right there. Nostalgia hits me hard as I stand there looking around the place.

I make a brief note of the kind of people I am surrounded by. It hits me then, that among the few times I felt someone looking at me, this time, I feel it the strongest.

It's a gaze so strong that it demands for me to return it.

My eyes take me there with no hesitation at all. I don't have to look too far or search too wide to know where such an intense gaze, is coming from. Above he stands, alone might I add and dangerously focused on me.

His gaze alone has captured my feet and made my body to freeze on the spot.

My breath hitches when he steps even closer to the banister, making it even more obvious as he keeps his eyes below, that he is focused on me.

Months it has been yet it feels just like yesterday, that we stood staring at each other like this. He still looks the same, the same William Myers.

Looking away seems like the best option, I don't want to stare at him for too long, but I can't help it, not now.

Had he remained standing alone from above, for even a few minutes more, I'm sure I would have looked away.

The will power would have been there, but at this very moment, I can't. More minutes pass on and before I know it, it's not just us two but three.

He has company, beautiful company, matching company.

Piece after piece fits well together and I, so strongly this time, I feel like an intruder or an outsider.