Chapter 3

"I know that you're not on good terms with Zane, but--"

"No."

"Will you please let me--"

"No."

"What is your problem?!" Angelica yelled out in frustration, causing the entire room to glare at us. Small beads of sweat formed on her forehead, even though the room was fully air-conditioned.

"My problem is that I have to stay in a city I absolutely despise for longer than one week," I hissed, motioning to our audience to go back to whatever they were doing.

"That's not your problem," Angelica stated casually, flipping her long, shiny hair over her shoulders. "You don't hate New York."

She clicked her tongue, placed her elbows on the table, and rested her head on her hands. "Try again."

"You know the reason why I don't want to stay longer than a week in New York," I cried out, also placing my elbows on the table and resting my head in my hands. "I'll tell Yasmin I can't make it until the actual day of the wedding."

"You'll really disappoint her and Milan," Angelica said, a hint of sadness in her voice. She took a deep breath and continued, "It's been five years. Why can't you get over it, or should I say, get over him?"

"He chose her over me," I answered bitterly, clenching and unclenching my fists. "And I told him that once he broke it off with me, he no longer existed to me."

"That's really harsh, considering that he still cares for you."

"He doesn't care about me."

"Really? If he didn't, he wouldn't have broken up with Savannah the next day."

"It was one day too late. The damage has been done."

I don't care if I was harsh on him; he should have chosen his words wisely.

"He still asks me about you."

"I know... You've told me this numerous times. And I've already told you what to say. I hope you listened to me."

Angelica bit her bottom lip nervously, and I groaned even louder. I was so close to losing my temper. "Oh God, you still did it, didn't you?"

"I didn't want to lie to him. It's so unfair," she protested, looking at me from under her thick and unbelievably long eyelashes.

"It's not unfair," I cried out, facepalming myself. "What exactly did you tell him?"

"I told him exactly what you told me to say."

"Liar."

"Fine." She sighed, fiddling with the ends of her dress. "I just told him that you were doing great and that you work a lot, and-"

"Oh God." I wanted to slap myself. Angelica basically told him everything I specifically told her not to. "I'll call Yasmin tonight and tell her to find another bridesmaid."

"No!" Angelica yelled, making a couple of customers glance toward us...again. It wouldn't be a surprise if we got kicked out of this place. "Don't... You'll crush her heart. Please, Amari, don't act so childish anymore. The past is the past."

"Zane doesn't exist for me anymore, remember?"

"You can pretend he's someone else."

"Who?" My love life is everything except interesting. I've only dated a couple of nerds in university, but it never lasted longer than a month.

So who the hell am I going to pretend he is? David Beckham? But he's already married, and Milan knows him personally, so that would make it even more awkward for me since he'll most likely be invited to the wedding too.

"I don't know why you're still holding a grudge against him. Was there more than just a friendship? Something I don't know about?" Angelica raised her eyebrows at me.

"No, we were just friends. You know my parents; they were so strict. If Zane had made a move on me, I don't think his manhood would still be attached to his body."

Angelica chuckled. "It's always great to think about the good old days. Well, that is until you decide to change schools. Stuyvesant wasn't the same without you. Anyway, just go with the flow. It's been five years, Amari. You should learn to let things go."

"Do you really want to know why I don't want to go back?" I asked her quietly, knowing I didn't have any other choice.

"Enlighten me."

"Because after that night, he didn't reach out to me. He never did. It's like he waited for it to happen. When I changed schools, he didn't even bother to ask me why. He didn't even care anymore. And that's why I don't want to see him ever again. I realized he didn't care one bit about me."

Angelica sighed deeply, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. "But this isn't about him. This is about Yasmin and Milan. Do you want to disappoint them because of some petty drama that happened five years ago?"

"Of course not, but I don't want to walk down the aisle with Zane." The thought of it makes me want to vomit.

"Maybe you could ask Yasmin to change partners. I don't think she'll have a problem with that."

"I'll see what I can do. Are you coming too?"

"Yes, of course. Alex and I are also invited. The whole billionaire boys club is. Oh, did I already tell you who the new president is?"

I shook my head. "Who?"

"Really? It's been almost six months since he was chosen as president. It's Zane, by the way."

"Z-Zane? He's the president of the club?" I stuttered, my eyes bulging out of their sockets. "Out of all the guys, they chose him?"

"Yeah, I mean there's no reason not to choose him," Angelica said, eyeing me suspiciously. "Or is there?"

"No," I answered honestly. "It's just hard to believe. Alex would have made a pretty good president too."

Angelica grinned, her eyes twinkling when I mentioned her boyfriend. "Alex is good, but Zane is better." She glanced at her watch and cursed loudly. "I need to go."

"We haven't even ordered yet!" I wailed as I watched her pack her stuff. I didn't drive all the way here to not eat. Plus, I was actually starving. "Come on, we haven't seen each other in forever, and now you're leaving?"

She gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry, baby, duty calls. If you had arrived on time, we could have ordered."

"Angel! Come on. One meal, it's on me." I offered desperately. I watched her stiffen as she slowly looked up at me.

"You're desperate, aren't you?"

I nodded my head. What was the point of hiding it anyway? "Yes, now please tell me you're staying."

"Make it two meals," she said as she put her bag down on the table. "Free food makes the lecture I currently need to attend worth skipping." She tapped her fingernails on the table, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Two meals or I'm out."

"I'll make it three." I offered generously.

A big smile made its way to her face. "I knew there was a reason why I'm still friends with you!"