NO GOODBYES (CHAPTER 2)

[WARNING]

Romance 

Suspense 

Addiction 

© All Rights Reserved 

BEFORE YOU

The meeting was over, and as my custom was, I look out for new people after each meeting to fully welcome them and intimate them about what we do, but not that day, I wanted to escape, I wanted to hide, the feeling was overwhelming, I'd never felt that way about anyone before, so I wasn't sure what that was. All I knew was I wanted to disappear from there.

So, I stood up to leave, stepped out from the hall and was about to exit the hallway with the next step I took, I felt someone tapped me from behind and it was my friend Alex.

"Why are you in a haste Ariana, where are you heading to?" "Alexandra, I can't be here now and I can't wait for you today, I have to leave here right now!"

"What? Ariana, what is this thing you have just said, whats going on with you and why do you look like you've seen a ghost? We usually leave together after each meeting and you want to leave me today? To where exactly?"

"I'll explain everything later Alexandra, I'll explain when I get home, but I have to leave now."
I turned to leave while Alex stood and watched the strange action play out and shook her head in disbelief, then turned and started a discussion with someone else.

I left Alex and was now in front of the building, waiting for the ride I ordered to arrive. I felt someone tap me again, an this time, it was Beatrice. Beatrice is one of my friends in the fellowship, for some reason or the other, she thinks we are sisters, like blood related. Treats me well and likes introducing me to people from different works of life. She sees me as an important person in her life (some sort of celebrity I suppose) maybe because of the singing, I'm not sure but that's Beatrice right there.

"Hey you! I've been looking for you, want you to meet someone". Who? I asked! "Don't worry, you'll see just now..." she said that turning around as though she was looking for the person and then turned to me...

"Why are you in a hurry Ariana today? where are you headed?" Beatrice asked.

"oh! I need to meet up with someone at home Bee"

"Okay, I won't take much of your time then, just give me few minutes..."

"Minutes...? I screamed, I don't have minutes".
As I said that, I looked around to see if the guy I was running away from was around, the very one making my life miserable at the moment, but I didn't see him or anyone that looked like him so I decided to give Beatrice the minutes she asked for.

As I stood there waiting, thinking and looking around if perhaps, somehow I would see him but he truly was not around anymore so I began feeling at ease, like I was getting back to normal again as I saw Alex in front of me looking like she was looking.

"Ariana, I thought you were leaving just now, what happened? Changed your mind??" "I'm waiting for Beatrice, Alex, she said she has someone she wants me to meet."

So we stood there discussing about Beatrice and the person she wanted to introduce me to and Alex trying to find out why I was in such a hurry to leave earlier cause she didn't believe what I told her, and as I was about to explain to her, Bee showed up and dragged my hand from behind and my pen fell, as I turned to follow her. I bent down, picked the pen and stood up. There, just there was this creature before me again. I saw the man from the assembly in front of me, the very person I was running away from. Shaking, I said under my breath, I thought he left, Beatrice heard me and asked, "who left...?" "Never mind I replied".

I was stunned, unmovable, looking at this fine man. The whole of my body wasn't mine anymore, I wasn't in charge of how my body was responding, they were just paralyzed and alive at the same time in his presence. He stood tall and proud and watched how I stared. He looked me straight in the eye and for a second, I wasn't sure of my surrounding, I had drifted into an oblivion until Alex and Bee couldn't watch anymore, then Bee spoke...

" Ariana, this is Brian, the friend I wanted you to meet, and turned to him and said, Brian, Ariana".

"Have you guys met before? Alex asked"
We both chorused
"NO!"

Brian brought his hands forth to shake mine, and mine his. We shook hands and he held my hands for some seconds while looking at me, then, he let it go. He asked if I was leaving already I said yes, and as we talked, my ride arrived and his at the same time. He decided to canceled his and paid for his (the diver's) troubles and decided to join me and Alex.

Beatrice wasn't ready to leave yet so we left her behind as Brian joined Alex and I home.

Alex sat in front with the driver while I and Brian were behind. I could see Alex looking at us from the mirror in front of her stylishly.

"You sing beautifully well I must say Ariana", "thank you Brian I responded".

"How long have you been singing?" Brian asked
"Since I was a little I guess"
"for real?" (Brian inquired)

"Yes!" (I answered).

"Put a date to the age, let me imagine for a moment how young you were when you started" (Brian continued)
"I was only 12years old when I started" I said.

"Incredible! Fascinating... No wonder you sound really good." (Brian said)

"You flatter me Brian"
"no, oh no! I don't" .
Then he turned his eyes to Alex and enquire, "don't you agree? You are her friend right?"
"Oh yes! Yes she does sing well" Alex added, she's an amazing singer but she will never agree with you."

"I don't think we've been properly introduced Brian said to Alex. I'm Brian, you are..."
"Alex, my name is Alex"
"As in Alexandra? Brian inquired"
"Yes!"
"Okay!"