Chapter 8- Two Birthdays, One Venue.

I put on the pair of black heels I bought to go with my short, black long sleeve dress. The sleeves were black lace as well as the shoulder portion and midway of my back. I actually can’t remember how I ended up with this dress though, considering I hardly wear dresses. As I said before; when my birthday comes around, I’m a different person. The only accessory I wore was the medium sized silver snowflake studs and a charm bracelet that had silver charms from each of my friends that they gave me earlier. My hair was curled, and I put on simple make-up to go with everything.

I went downstairs and to my surprise no one was there. It’s either they left, leaving me behind, are still getting ready or-

“Surprise!” voices shouted and my friends suddenly popped up from behind the sofa.

“Guys, I told you all about this,” I complained.

“We know Unnie, that’s why we just made you a cupcake only at least,” Emily remarked, giving me a cupcake with a single candle and a twenty-four iced on the surface.

I smiled at them and hugged them.

“Oh my God, Sariah looks y doesn’t she?” Talia remarked and I chuckled.

“Thanks but you guys look really hot yourselves,” I responded.

We’re in the car now and I’m silent while all of my friends chat with each other. Just like in a movie, I look out the window and I can’t help myself. The memories just flood back; all of them. The good times that turned into bad on realizing it was just a lie. My hand lifted up to feel the back of my shoulder and near the back of my neck. Just like in a movie, the person would normally cry, but not me. I handled things a different way; a worse way.

“We’ve arrived!” Leah beamed with some small excited shrills from the girls.

It was dark and we stood in the line in front of the club. We were only outside but we could still feel the beat of the music and even hear it clearly. We weren’t the type of girls to go partying but we thought since we were ‘vacationing’ in another country, why not take on a new experience? They put special bands around our wrists and let us in. We all paused with our jaws dropped. For a kind of small club, there were a lot of people. Some dancing, drinking and doing other stuff I shouldn’t start to speak of.

“Guys tell me again, why did we choose to come here?” Alex asked and we knew the meaning behind her words.

“Well we’re already here sooo…”Talia trailed.

“Let’s just stay away from weirdos and stick together,” Emily suggested.

“Good idea,” Alyssa inputted.

With the music pumping, our dance mode was on, especially for Keana-Lee and Talia, the two major dancers in our group. The multiple laser lights illuminated the room with many different colors and main lights flashed to the beat of the music. After a while, I think I lost my vibe. I knew I should be happy and I thought being with my friends for once would change my depression but I was wrong. Flashbacks and images began to flood my mind once more and wouldn’t get out of my head so I needed to get my mind off of it. I took one glance at my friends who seemed to be having fun. I smiled and turned to walk off when someone caught my wrist.

“Where’re ya going?” Alex asked.

“Uh-um, to the bathroom,” I responded, not wanting her to know where I was really heading to.

“Oh, okay, be careful Unnie,” she responded cautiously.

“Don’t worry, I brought one of my knives,” I winked and she chuckled while shaking her head.

                                                                    ~o0o~

The guys were nervous. They had arrived at the club and for some this was their first time at one. They began to worry about sasaengs, reporters and such especially after Kris’ incident but then again, they had a life of their own. They came here to celebrate Sehun’s birthday which was actually yesterday and to celebrate the first day of their break and that was what they would do. As they entered, they wowed at the atmosphere. They were grateful for the dim lights though, it would be harder to notice them.

“Guys want to go up there?” Suho pointed at the upstairs area where there were hand rails so you could see below.

“Yeah, check out the ‘place’ a bit,” Kai winked.

The guys all decided to go there and after looking around in the club a bit, they realized they made a coincidentally excellent decision.

“Guys look!” Chen shouted, trying to catch the boys’ attention over the loud music.

“Leah and her friends!” He exclaimed with excitement.

“Chen, do they have to put up a ‘No Trolling Zone’ sign for you?” Lay asked, turning to his friend.

“Look, pabo,” he said, pointing in the direction.

All heads spun to the direction of the girls this time and they were astonished to see them yet again.

“Damn! Korea is such a large country yet we keep seeing them everywhere!” Baekhyun remarked.

“Yehet!” Sehun reacted.

“Maknae, calm down, there’s girls everywhere for ya,” Chanyeol assured.

“I already have one in mind,” he responded, staring at the one dressed fully in black and modestly in a full length top and jeans. He observed her two different personalities; being when she’s with her friends, she’s more open and less blunt but with anyone else, preferably him, she spits words like venom but instead of stinging him, it makes him grow even more attached to her.

“Wah, I could just stand here and stare at Keana-Lee and watch her dance,” Luhan commented.

“I know right, Talia is just so… intriguing,” Kai added, watching her closely; the way she dances, her cute yet feisty expressions while she danced with her friends.

One person in particular was awfully quiet yet looking intensely at the group of girls. Kris’ eyes scanned for Sariah but she was nowhere to be seen. Odd; she was usually with the whole group. He turned to head downstairs to look for her when Tao called him.

“Yo Kris! We’re going downstairs to meet them you going?” Tao asked.

“One step ahead of you.”

 

Talia was dancing to her heart’s content as it was her passion. Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around immediately.

“Mind if I cut in?” Kai asked, dancing smoothly as he did.

Talia let out a soft shrill of shock on seeing the whole Exo group. Not only her, but everyone else was shocked.

“What are you guys doing here?” Chanyeol asked.

“Ziplining. What does it look like we’re doing?” Amanda answered and Alex stifled a laughter at her friend’s usually sarcastic behavior.

“Wait, what are you guys doing here?” Alyssa asked skeptically.

“Aren’t you guys afraid of damaging your reputation?” Emily spoke.

“Umm, we just came because of Sehun,” D.O answered.

“Mind if we join you?” Suho requested and the girls nodded, a bit hesitantly because it was actually sort of a girls’ night for them.

Kris’ eyes scanned the area once more and his heart sank in disappointment. Sariah was nowhere to be seen. Odd; all her friends were here and she wasn’t. They were all sitting at tables now; not one table since it was a lot of them so they split up into smaller groups. Sehun, Kai and Luhan noticed Alex, Talia and Keana-Lee sitting at one table so they decided to sit opposite them at the same table.

“Yah Cutie, you want to dance?” Kai asked, smirking at the way Talia pouted when he called her that.

“When you learn my name I’ll dance,” she responded, blushing madly but the dim lighting concealed it.

“Well could I call you Hottie then?” he responded, implying the way she looked through a new nickname.

“That’s not my name,” she mumbled softly, looking away.

“Talia! For God’s sakes! Stop refusing his compliments and go dance with him!” Keana-Lee finally spoke, earning a shocked expression from Talia.

“Fine! You don’t have to be so mean,” she pouted, staring at Keana-Lee in a hurt way but kidding of course.

“Keana-Lee, you want to dance too?” Luhan asked, hoping her answer would be positive; and it was.

The four left the table and disappeared to the dance floor.

“So, looks like it’s just you and me,” Sehun smirked; elbows on the table to lean closer.

“Unfortunately,” Alex rolled her eyes.

“Why treating the birthday boy so harsh?” he asked; a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“It’s not your birthday today,” she retorted.

“Well we’re celebrating it today, reason why we came here in the first place,” he explained.

“Well I didn’t come to celebrate your birthday, I came to celebrate-”

“Sehun! Alexandreia!” Kris yelled on seeing them.

Kris L

I spotted Sehun and Sariah’s friend Alexandreia at a table. Hey, maybe I can ask her if Sariah’s here.

“Sehun! Alexandreia!” I called, earning their attention as I stalked towards them.

“Alexandreia, can I borrow you for a minute?” I asked.

“Sure,” she responded, leaving Sehun who was glaring at me, alone.

As we strode a little distance away, she turned to me.

“What is it?” she asked, expressionless.

“Umm, Alexandreia-”

“Would you stop calling me Alexandreia? Call me Alex,” she muttered.

“Alex? Isn’t that Sariah’s husband’s name?” I asked.

“What? Husband?  What the hell are you talking about?” she responded with a baffled expression.

“Sariah’s not married is she,” I mumble; realization of the truth slowly dawning on me.

“No you , why would you think that?” she spat.

I clearly deserved that nickname from her. It was all clear and proved how stupid I looked and sounded. Sariah wasn’t married and the person she always referred to as ‘Alex’ was Alexandreia. If my friends saw me now…they’d call me a dumb blonde. I face palmed myself and looked at Alex who had an amused look on her face.

“What’s with the ring on her ring-finger then?” I questioned.

“It fits her only on that finger,” she responds, making me feel like such an idiot.

I curved my lips into a small ‘oh’ in understanding.

“Kris, let me ask you something,” she says and I nod for her to continue.

“Do you like her?”

I looked at her with full attention and widened my eyes at her question. My heart sped up for some reason when those four words came out . I mentally asked myself the same question but it was obvious what the answer was.

“Yes,” I breathed, but I wasn’t finished talking, I needed to clarify something. “Why does she keep pushing me away though? She acts coldly sometimes and always ignores or pushes me away when I try to get close to her.”

Alex heaved a sigh and sealed her lips into a thin line. She then turned her gaze up to me;