Songs: Beautiful People - Ed Sheeran ft Khalid
Hello - EXO's CHEN
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Carter's eyes widened just like mine. Surprise displayed on his face, he had not expected to see me here. His body turned rigid and his eyes were stuck on me like he couldn't look away.

Neither could I.

I had not expected to see him here either but now as I thought about it, I should have. He was one of the biggest businessman in the area, of course he would be invited to a party like this. Henry was too, he didn't come to care for mom instead.

Panic started filling in me. I should have never agreed to this. I cannot believe I let Blake drag me here tonight. Now I have to spend the whole night on my toes because Carter William was in the same room as I was.

"The William family!! Its so good to see you all" exclaimed Mr Boseman stepping forward and hugging Mr William. "Thankyou so much for coming"

Both Carter and I snapped out of our trance and looked away from each other. He stepped forward to meet with the hosts as I turned to look anywhere but him. Trying to find an escape route so I could leave.

In the midst of looking around my eyes stopped at Kaisey. She was already looking at me skepctically. I didn't know what to make out of her gaze so I shifted mine away.

"It'll be fine. Just let me handle it" whispered Blake from behind me and I felt like murdering him.

He is the reason why I am in this situation in the first place.
Looking back at him I gave Blake the deadliest glare I could. He just stared back at me with a bored expression. I could hear him say 'Relax Eva, you are making a big deal out of nothing' in my head.

"Kaisey! My dear! I'm so glad you came." I Heard Mr Boseman say.

Looking away from Blake I turned to look back at Kaisey and saw her hugging Mrs Boseman.

Did they know her too? How? As Carter's girlfriend? My chest filled up with sudden fire. He never introduced me to anyone.

"I'm glad to see you too. Its been a long time since we last met." She replied smiling at the hosts as she stepped back from the hug.

Her eyes flickered over to me again and the smile she was wearing dropped a little. I could see the confusion on her face, the question why I was here bothering her.

"Where are you parents?" Asked Mrs Boseman, totally unaware of the tension in the air.

"Dad will be coming over a little later. Mom is out of town to visit grandma" she replied, stretching her smile back on.

Then it suddenly dawned on me. Kaisey's father was also a businessman. A dinner like this was how she first met Carter. I remembered her telling about it during our staff dinner.

I could feel Carter's eyes on me but I refused to look back. I didn't know how I would react after seeing him. Why does every situation I am in turns into a problem?

"Eva I'm surprised to see you here, how have you been." Said Mrs William, moving towards me.

Smiling at her warm greeting I hugged her lightly.

"I'm good. How are you?" I replied as all the eyes turned towards me.

I didn't hear what she said, too concious of all the attention on me. My mind was becoming clouded as I tried to keep myself together.

After greeting Mrs William I turned to Mr William who gave me a nod accompanied with a small smile. We never really interacted when I was dating Carter, he would always be away for work and rarely came back home. I was even surprised he remembered me.

I nodded back at him with a smile of my own, stepping back to stand next to Blake.

"Ah, do you remember Mr Jackson? The owner of 'Jackson Enterprises'. Who tragically passed away in a house fire with his wife?" Asked Mr Boseman looking at the Williams.

What?

My eyes widened after hearing that as I tried not to gasp. Was this how Blake's parents died? I had always assumed it was something else, something less tragic. My heart ached knowing how Blake lost the two people who loved him the most in the world. It must have been a huge trauma for him.

Besides me I felt Blake freeze. I side glanced him and saw the forlorn look on his face. I knew he was playing back a memory. This must be uncomfortable for him. To talk about his parents with other people considering he never talked about them with me.

This was obviously a sensitive topic.

"Yes I remember" replied Mr William.

"This is Blake Jackson, his son." introduced Mr Boseman.

Breaking out of his frozen spell, Blake stepped forward and grabbed Mr William's extended hand.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Must have been devastating for you. Your father was a good natured man." remarked Mr William.

Blake nodded stepping back.

"Yes, yes he was" he replied shortly.

"That is Carter, Mr William's son" said Mr Boseman next, pointing towards Carter.

Blake stepped forward again, streching his hand out. It took a good minute for Carter to bring his hand out of his pocket and shake Blake's. For a moment I thought he wouldn't.

"And this is Eva, Blake's girlfriend, whom you already seem to know" said Mr Boseman with a wide smile, oblivious of what was going on.

My heart sank after hearing him say that. I don't know why but I didn't want Carter and Kaisey to think I was dating Blake.

My eyes drifted to Carter unconsciously but he wasn't looking at me. His gaze was fixated on Blake, his jaw clenched.

I looked away, reminding myself that I shouldn't care about what Carter thinks.

"So you two are officially dating now?" Asked Kaisey excitedly, she seemed very happy to hear that.

From beside me I felt Blake place his hand on my back, pulling me closer. I turned to look at him and saw a smirk plastered on his face.

"Yea, I guess so" he replied, his smirk doubling in size. 

.........................................

After greeting another couple, whose names I could no more remember, Blake and I stood alone in that hall for the first time since we came here.

Sighing I looked around for a chair to sit or a bathroom sign where I could hide for a while, away from the noise of the rich. Their laughters and talks about dogs and swimming pools. It was clear from the start that Blake and I were the only misfits in this glamorous hall filled with beautiful people.

Unknowingly my eyes started scanning the crowd, trying to find Carter. Realising what I was doing I snapped myself out of it. Reminding myself again and again that it didn't matter Carter was here. I cannot react like this everytime he was in close proximity. I promised myself I would get over him.

But why was it so hard?

Sighing I turned towards Blake. He was looking at the crowd too but for no one in particular. Just taking in every person he saw. A foreign look on his face.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked stepping closer to him.

He looked at me and nodded, smiling softly.

"This isn't the first time I have attended a party like this. I used to accompany my parents all the time. But today it feels so weird. Like a home that no longer belongs to me." He said looking out at the people again.

I stayed quite, not knowing what to say. This was a rare moment. Blake talking about his feelings wasn't usual. This Blake was different from the happy go lucky one I knew.

"Want to get some fresh air?" He asked me after a few seconds.

I nodded my head quickly, wanting to get out of this place.

We went to a balcony upstairs. Away from the noise and perfumes. I took in a deep breath while closing my eyes. The fresh air filling me up and surrounding me.

"This is one boring party" I said after I felt somewhat relaxed.

"Yea, sorry for dragging you here. I just didn't know anyone else who could have managed this with me." Replied Blake, his eyes staring up at the stars.

I turned my head to look at him.

"Is that a compliment?" I asked.

"Yes Miss Eva Evans, that was a compliment" replied Blake looking at me.

I smiled and turned my head back to the front. From here I could see the ground filled with tress, flowers, lights and people. The cars parked outside gates filling up an empty space.

"I didn't know Carter was coming. If I did, I would have never asked you to come." Said Blake and only now I realized that he was still looking at me.

"Its fine, Carter is my past. It doesn't really matter." I said casually, hoping Blake would not see through the facade. Could not tell that it did affected me alot.

"Do you still love him?" Asked Blake for the second time since that night at the bridge where we ate ice-cream.

I looked at him and suddenly felt too exhausted to lie. To wear a mask that said I was over my ex-lover. To act strong and cool and unbothered when I really was not.

"Yes" I replied looking straight ahead. "Yes, I am still in love with him"

It felt weird saying it out loud in fresh air but it was also liberating. I felt light once again, like I did when I told Leigh.

"But its not that simple." I added when Blake didn't say anything back.

"I also hate him for making me feel this way even after years. I mean I try to. Everything is just so complex when it comes to Carter. It always have been like that."

I sighed and closed my eyes, composing my scattered thoughts before looking at Blake. He just stared back at me, his face vacant of any judgement.

"But don't worry, I'm not trying to tear him apart from Kaisey. I would never do that. Its hard but believe me I'm trying my best to get over him."

I gazed at Blake, waiting for him to say something. To make a joke because the situation was turning too serious or to ask another question but he simply looked away from me.

"He's still in love with you" he then stated.

It took me a minute to process what he was saying and my breath got caught in my throat.

"Wh-what?" I managed to stutter out.

Blake took his fine time to turn away from the scenery ahead and look back at me.

"Your both really dumb and your both still very much in love with each other."

I scoffed at his words.

"Blake, he's moved on. He has a girlfriend-"

"Which he is realizing is a mistake." Cut in Blake.

I took in a deep breath. This was the last thing I wanted to hear and especially from someone like Blake.

"If he really loved me he wouldn't have broken up with me" I muttered in the smallest voice I could, more to myself than to Blake.

He didn't say anything else, probably sensing my discomfort. We stood there at the balcony, letting the cold air dance around us as we stared at small people below.

I tried to focus my racing mind on the present. Trying not to think about what Blake said. Forcing images of Carter out of my head, telling myself again and again he has no place here to rest.

"It was because of me" said Blake suddenly, breaking the silence that engulfed us.

I looked at him confused, not understanding what he was saying.

"The fire, it was because of me"

Goosebumps formed on my skin, my eyes stuck on Blake's as a sad, lonely, guilt-ridden look made its way slowly on his face.

"I was a difficult teenager, reckless and selfish. Always fighting with my father. I became friends with wrong people just so I could fit in. Started drinking and doing drugs to look cool."

I looked away from him, staring straight ahead like Blake. Trying to find what he was looking at. But he wasn't really looking anywhere.

"One day dad found out my stash of alcohol hidden in my room. He lost it and I did too. We had the biggest fight ever which ended with me running away. When I came back at three in the morning I found a burnt, broken, disfigured mass in place of where my house used to be. There were Firefighters, ambulances and police officers everywhere."

Blake took in a deep breath, closing his eyes as if the scene he was describing was happening right now infront of him.

"The first thing they told me was that my father died and my mother was in hospital in a very bad condition. She died two days later."

I reached out and grabbed Blake's hand that was resting on the balcony railing. His hand was cold and after a moment of contemplating he held mine too. Squeezing it gently.

"The second thing they told me was that alcoholic drinks set the house on fire."

My body shuddered at his words.

"I was the one who broke the bottles in anger when I was fighting with dad. I still remember my mother screaming at me to stop. To calm down. To come back when I was running away. If I had just listened to her-"

His tears finally rolled down his cheeks as he shivered, closing his eyes as tightly as he could. His pain radiating out of him. I never knew Blake had gone through so much in his life and that too at such a small age.

"Stop" I said sharply, wanting him to stop thinking all those wrong thoughts.

I stepped forward and engulfed him in a hug, he stood frozen on his spot, surprised by my action. Then slowly he wrapped his arms around me too.

"Your parents death wasn't your fault. It was an unfortunate tragic accident." I whispered in his ear.

"You were young and stupid but that doesn't mean you caused their death. Your parents loved you Blake and they still do. Always will."

"Thankyou" he whispered back lightly.

I don't know how long ee stood there under the moonlight like this. What I did know was thay the loud crowd and their pretty faces downstairs didn't matter anymore. In that moment there was just me and Blake in the world. No one else.

"Ahem" came a voice, disturbing our little, safe bubble.

I lifted my head from Blake's shoulder and looked up to see Carter standing near the door, his hands in his pockets as he stared at me and Blake with an unreadable expression.

His eyes seemed like they were angry and sad.

I stepped away from Blake as he looked up too to see who it was.

"I need to talk to Eva. Alone." Said Carter, his eyes stuck on Blake as if challenging him to disagree.

"God, he's obvious" muttered Blake under his breath.

"Why" I asked, raising my voice.

What could he possibly want to talk about with me? Especially here?

He stayed quite for a while, as if coming up with answer.

"Ally" he simply stated.

Of course, why else would he talk to me?

"Sure, I'll see you downstairs princess" said Blake loudly with a streched smile, first looking at Carter then me.

I watched him walk out of the balcony, unsure of being alone here with Carter. Shifting my eyes to him I realized he was no longer looking at Blake. His eyes bore into mine, asking a question I couldn't understand.

Slowly he walked over to me, his eyes still staring into mine, his hands still in his pockets.

He looked devilishly handsome.

"Ally is fine-" I started.

"Are you really dating him?" Carter cut me off, an irritated look on his face.

"I thought you wanted to talk about Ally"

"Answer the question Eva, are you really dating that guy"

Why does it matter to him?

"None of your business" I snapped back.

Deciding I have nothing else to say I started walking away from him and towards the door. But a gentle hold on my hand stopped me.

"He's not a good man Eva, you can't date him. What is wrong with you-"

"Still better than dating a drug dealer who breaks up with me just because I'm moving to another country" I replied, hoping every word of mine stung him. Caused him pain like his did to me.

The frustrated look on Carter shifted and was replaced with a sorrowful one. He didn't cover up his face this time, didn't hide his expressions like he usually did. It was like he was being his raw self in front of me again like he did all those years ago. The saddness in him glowing, making me feel so many things at once.

"That's why I'm saying this. I don't want you to be with another guy you doesn't deserve you" he said softly.

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Hello everyone! I hope you all are healthy and happy. I was supposed to post this chapter tomorrow but I decided to post today as an apology gift for updating so late. I'm really sorry about that.
My university has started which means I am super busy. Therefore, I won't be able to post twice a week. I would try to post in between if I manage to write a chapter earlier but officially the updates will be every Friday 12 AM (PAKISTAN STANDARD TIME)
I hope you enjoy the chapter and do tell me what you think about it.

Vote and Comment.

Love,
S. Maham Fatima