Chapter 4: Encounter

One week ago

Victoria's POV

"Hello? “ I answer the phone. The person on the other line begins to talk but I don't quite understand them considering I'm having a hangover. My head is dizzy and I look to my right to find naked Joey next to me.

"Wait. Wait. Could you repeat that?” I murmur into the receiver.

"Victoria! Can you listen to what I say once in your goddamn life? ", my friend Anna growls at me from the other line.

"No. I'm still sobering up. Hurry with your speech so I can get back to my sleep. What did you want?"

"Your cousin Colton and Kate invited his best friend to the wedding. I researched a little and found out that he's moving to New York and is going to go to our college. He's also super rich and fucking hot. "

"And I should care why?” I say bluntly. I really don't want to do this right now. Not with Joey's eyes watching me as I speak.

"Because he's from Boston, your birth place. His name is Ian Adams. "

I stare at my black painted nails and run my thumb over the other.

Ian Adams.

I remember him. We were just kids when we first met at Colton's place. Cute dimples, wavy blonde hair, mouth smeared with ketchup and at other times, chocolate. He loved cupcakes, as I recall. We've hung out very often but as we grew older, our paths separated and went in two different directions. I haven't seen him after the incident and we knew each other since birth. So, we'd known each other for about twelve years.

The memories of our times together flash like a lighting through my head, quick and not so clear. I recall loving our hangouts and admiring him for a few things he said or did but that's a long time in the past, so the memories are a little blurry.

He was also cute, I guess. I absolutely adored seeing him blush, for whatever reason I had, and I sometimes embarrassed him on purpose. It was not mean or malicious in any way, since we were friends; it was pure childish fun and teasing.

"Victoria? “ Anna breaks me from my thoughts.

"Yeah. I know him. We used to be friends when we were kids."

"Great! That's great. We are having a rebound when he comes here and as your good friend, I, Anastasia Maslow, am telling you to hook up with him. "

"Are you crazy? I'm not hooking up with my cousin's best friend."

"He could take you anywhere for vacation if he gets to like you that much.” she teases.

"I'm not fucking him. I don't need his money and even if I wanted to be him, it wouldn't be for his wealth. He needs to be hot for me to consider dragging him to bed.” I protest.

"Just think about it. If he turns out hot, please sleep with him. For me. ", Anna pleas. I roll my eyes.

"Whatever. I have to go now."

"Alright. See you in class. "

"Bye, Ann. ", I hang up frustrated.

Why does she think I would do this with Adams? For his stupid ass money? I am no prostitute. When I have sex, it's for pure fun.

Sex is not a job to me. It's more like a hobby. I have had several sexual partners in my life. By society’s standards, I guess I’d be marked in red, like polluted air or an old dilapidated building whose foundation is just about to give way. But it's not like I care. I like to have fun and I don’t like love stories; they just exhaust. Regardless of my turbulent sex life, such that I currently have a new partner at three-four months, I am highly respected in society by people who love me. They know my value maybe better than I do. Everyone has always told me that I am above average smart, which has been shown by my success in college. High school, though, didn't go the best for me, because of the bad company and the deeds I tangled myself with, but I managed to regain my score in senior year. Books about meditation and philosophy fill my soul, so much so that I could talk about it for hours without even stopping once.

Opposed to being respected, I don't truly let people in. I leave my friendships on shallow basis, just like my love life, if I may even call it like that. Trusting people has always been hard for me, as only people I've ever trusted in my damned life were Ian Adams and Colton Prior, in our young days. Today, it's practically no one, since the three of us drifted apart. Maybe Colton, but just a little, since he's always been there for me one way or another, subtly. He's my cousin by mom's line who always deeply cared for me, and Ian was his reckless little best friend that tagged along.

"Sexy thing...” Joey runs his fingers down my arm.

"Don't call me that.”

"Ready to give it another shot?” he still tries.

"No. Good night. I'm going back to sleep. ", I turn away from him and cover myself to the nose.

"Imagine all the things we could do...”

"Sleep sounds like a better idea.”

"Oh, Victoria."

"Say one more word and I'll kick you out with no underwear.”

"Alright, princess.”

"Queen for you.”

Present

After the ceremony is done, I make my way towards the bar, hoping to get wasted tonight. There's a highly choice of drinks which doesn't surprise me. Kate and my cousin are both wealthy and know what to get for me to have a good time at their wedding. I am thankful.

This is a catastrophe. Everyone is getting married now. I feel as if I finished high school just yesterday.

Now I lost Colton to a crazy, rarely survived bitch called matrimony.

Don't get me wrong, Kate is alright and they've been together for a long time, it's just that I prefer being single so I expect the others to feel the same way. I guess that's so wrong of me but what's the point? How can one person hold you back from having intimate relationships with others? No one ever gave me those feels. The last time I ever fell in love in some kind of way was when I was crushing on Ian. Only a little bit, though!

I just watch how some of my friends commit to one person and then break up and feel trashed. If it's not a break up, then they get married and a few years later, they realize it's not working out and divorce.

There's no such thing as forever. Really.

"Sorry.", a guy says as he accidentally brushes my shoulder on his way to the counter.

"You should be. “ I mutter as I drink away the last drop of my vodka.

I throw my eyes at the guy and surprisingly, it's the Adams boy. My eyebrows raise and his mirror mines.

He's amused. Why is he amused? He should be anything but that while around me.

"So, you're the nice type then?” he smirks.

I chuckle. "Who said you could talk to me?"

"And you obviously like making friends.”

"Are you here to order or to bug me with your sarcasm? I sincerely hope it's the first option. "

"You attend NYU?”

"Yeah?"

"What course?"

"Social science and psychology."

"I study natural science, associated with psychology and biology. We will be classmates. "

"You're serious?", I laugh and shake my head. "Great. Unless you like a nice and hard fuck, sorry to break it to you but we won't be close in any other way. "

"Yeah, I like those. ", Ian Adams smiles to himself. "But I also have a crazy ass girlfriend who will rip my head off if I try anything so don't worry about me.”

"Typical.", chuckle escapes my mouth. "I was just kidding. I wouldn't get into your pants. You don't really interest me, Mr. Adams."

"How sad.” Ian pretends to be hurt and I smile. "You weren't so feisty when we were small."

"And you're much more toned down, if I may notice.” I remember his girlfriend I saw about an hour ago.

"People change.” he runs a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, they do."

Waves of silence rock between our separated lands.

"Waiter!” I call for the guy.

He rushes back to me. "Hey.”

"Give this guy something to drink on me. Just something to shut him up so I can drink in peace. "

"I'll take cherry vodka. Thanks. ", Ian flashes him a smile.

Why is he so nice? He used to be grumpy occasionally. It's really weird seeing him in his grown up state.

The waiter walks away and I yell after him to get me the same thing.

"Wow. You called me a waiter. I wish everyone on campus was as nice as you are. ", Ian teases me.

I hit him in his shoulder. "I am not nice.”

"You so are.”

"I did that so you'd shut up and leave me alone.”

"And is it working?” Adams taps his fingers against the wooden counter and I get lost in that sound for a second.

I turn away from him, trying to make it clear that I am in no mood for a talk.

"I haven't seen you in a long time, Victoria. “He speaks slowly as my insides tighten from the speech. He causes this nostalgic feeling in me. "I'm sorry if me not recognizing you earlier offended you. I just hope that we can rekindle our friendship, now that we are both here. "