Song: Clementine - Halsey
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"Hi" said Kaisey with a smile, her hand extended towards me.

"Hey, its nice to meet you" I replied, stretching mine to shake hers.

I stared at her for a few more second, completely lost and then realizing what I was doing, I turned towards Ally.

"Ally, I brought these for you" I said, handing her the roses.

"Oh Thankyou so much Eva, they are beautiful"

"They really are" added Kaisey.

I looked at her smiling face and nodded with a small smile.

"Why don't you two go sit in the living room? I'll put these flowers in some water and then join you" said Ally.

I wanted to say no, that I had to go do some work I suddenly remembered or that I'll accompany her, help her with the flowers. But both of the options seemed either rude or obvious.

So I nodded my head and silently followed Kaisey to the living room.

"They have a nice place right? Small and cozy. I really like it." said Kaisey, sitting down on the couch.

"Yeah, they do" I replied, hesitating for a moment and then sitting down next to her.

We kept quite, awkwardness and silence thick in the air. My eyes were glued to the door, waiting for Ally to pop up.

I could have never imagined a situation like this. Sitting on a couch with my ex's current girlfriend. From the corner of my eye I looked at her. She wasn't like me, not in the slightest bit. Her dressing sense, the way she did her hair, her light makeup and overall aura. She was nothing like me.

I guess Carter doesn't have a type.

"Listen Eva?"came Kaisey's voice and my eyes shifted from the door to her.

"I know who you are" she said looking at me straight.

I stared at her confused, what is that suppose to mean?

"Sorry?" I asked.

"I mean, I know about you. You were Ally's childhood best friend and that you dated Carter..."

"Oh" I replied cause I didn't know what else to say. I thought she didn't know me, didn't know my past. And maybe I would have preferred that.

Did Carter tell her about me? About us? Or was it just Ally. My mind was spinning too hard, this was all too much for me. Everything seems too hard recently whether its mom or coming back home or Ally being a stranger or seeing Carter again.

"I said that so things won't be awkward between us" she said with a genuine smile.

"So we can be relaxed in each others company, whatever happened, happened in the past. And everyone has clearly moved on"

Have I moved on?

Has he?

"Ally and Drake are your friends and their my friends too now. So instead of us being uncomfortable around each other, I just thought it would be better if we became friends too"

I looked at her, she wasn't taunting me, at least it didn't seem like it. She looked serious, like she meant every word. I slowly nodded to what she said.

"Yea....yes, you're right" I replied.

"Great" She laughed, jumping at little.

She had this energy that I never had, she was golden while I was grey.

"So tell me about yourself" she said, leaning back in the couch a little.

"Oh me? Well...my name is Eva...which you already know" I stutter, uneasy with the sudden attention.

"I live in Canada with my father and siblings. I work at a publishing house and thats about it" I said.

"I think there is so much more to you than that." said Kaisey with a smile.

Before I could ponder over what she said or ask her about herself, the door bell rang, startling me.

"Oh that must be Drake and Carter" said Kaisey getting up.

I could feel panic set into me. I didn't want to meet Carter, didn't want to see him again. I have already seen him enough. I just wanted to disappear now, transport myself back home.

Kaisey walked towards the door and after a moment of thought I got up too. Ally had opened the door already when I stepped out of the living room. My eyes landed on Drake first and I was shocked to see him. He didn't look like Drake at all. He was wearing a simple green shirt and had grown a mild beard. But it was the worn out look on his face that surprised me the most. It looked like he had aged alot more than five years.

"Hii" said Kaisey in a little high-pitched voice.

I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms, creating as much distance as possible from them. I saw Kaisey walk towards Carter and hug him. I watched as he hugged her back. Tightly.

"I missed you" I heard him say.

"I missed you too" she replied, pulling back and smiling at him.

"Eva?" Said Drake and I realized what I was doing. I hope nobody noticed.

I shifted my eyes away from them but not before catching Carter's.

"Hey, Drake" I said walking a little further towards them.

"How are you?"

"Im good, how are you?" He said.

I waited for him to make a move, come forward and hug me but he didn't. I guess five years are not enough for Drake to get over his anger on me. Or maybe we are just strangers now.

"Im good too" I replied with a smile.

"Eva brought these really beautiful flowers" said Ally to Drake.

"Oh that's nice, thankyou" He said.

My eyes shifted from Drake to Carter. He was standing next to Kaisey, his arm around her waist.

"Hi" I said as casually as I could.

"Hey" he replied back, just as casually if not better.

"You all can go sit in the living room, tea is almost ready. Plus me and Kaisey baked a cake which I'm betting is delicious" said Ally walking towards the kitchen.

I felt the first pang of jealousy strike at me. Me and Ally used to bake things together when we were school. Half of them were fails, the other half were saved by my dad or luck.

"Oh, I need to get going. It was nice seeing you all" I said, straightening up.

"No, don't go yet, I've completed the tea. Just need to pour. Besides, its been so long since we all sat together" said Ally.

"Yea, Eva, we didn't have time to talk and get to know each other. And you need to eat the cake, I promise it'll be really good" Said Kaisey.

I didn't want to look at her cause then I would have to look at Carter. I would have to look at her standing next to Carter.

I don't know what I'm saying. I need ti get out of here and get a grip.

"Okay sure, I'll stay for the cake" I said with as much of a streched smile as I could.

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

"So what's Canada like?" Asked Kaisey.

We were all sitting in the living room, Kaisey and Carter on the couch right in front of me while Ally on my right. Drake was sitting on the chair to my left. I had a tea cup in my hand, while a plate with a piece of cake was on the table.

The cake was good, it was chocolate but not too much. Just perfect balance of sweet and fluffiness.

"Canada....is nice" I said looking up.

My eyes landed on Carter who was already looking at me. I saw something pass in his eyes like fast wind. I didn't know what, maybe I had forgotten how to read him after all these years. Or maybe I never knew how to read him.

"Its fast paced, of course. And sometimes it gets a little too much but other than that its great. Nice place with nice people"

"I have gone to Canada before, but it was just a two day trip. Maybe we can go there for vacation sometime" said Kaisey, looking at Carter.

"There are better places to go to for vacation than Canada" Replied Carter, reaching forward to grab his cup of tea. I felt a shiver run through me, the kind I can't explain.

"We'll go some place better"

"How's you're dad's restaurant going Eva?" Asked Ally.

I looked away from Carter, who didnt look at me again. He had been ignoring me the pretty much the whole time I had been here. He didn't say much either.

And I'm fine with that.

"Its going great. Really good. A lot of people come there, you need to book a table days before and the food is amazing" I said.

"That's great to hear, your dad always dreamed of doing something like this"

"What about you Drake, what are you doing these days?" I asked, turning towards Drake.

"Ah...me? Nothing, absolutely nothing" he replied with a bored expression, not looking at me.

"But he'll start working in Carter's company soon" said Ally hurriedly from beside me.

"Oh that's great-"

"I haven't thought about that yet, so nothing is confirmed" replied Drake looking at Ally sternly.

The tension that was in the room before due to Carter and me suddenly shifted and increased. So thick I could feel it moving around me. I shouldn't have asked Drake that, I just wanted to start a conversation with him.

"Did you like the cake Eva?" Said Kaisey.

I looked up and could see she was trying to change the subject, open a window for all the tension to go out through.

She knew something I didn't and I don't know why that made me feel worse than I was already feeling. Five years ago, I was the one who knew everything, who was a part of this friendship that seems a mess now.

"I absolutely love it!" I exclaimed. Grabbing my plate and taking a bite from it.

"Maybe you can join us next time we bake"

I don't want to. I dont ever want to be in the same room with all these people again, with Carter again. Its too much for me to handle.

"Sure"
..................................

"She's something" I said to Ally.

We were both in the kitchen, I helped her with bringing the dishes and stayed while she washed it. I wanted to spend few moments alone with her.

"What do you mean by that?" Said Ally looking at me.

"I mean she's so friendly, how can someone be so nice to a stranger? Especially a stranger who is your boyfriend's ex"

Ally stopped washing the dishes and turned to me.

"Are you saying she's fake?" She said, a slight shrill in her voice.

"No....that...that's not what I meant" I said shaking my head.

Ally looked at me for another second before going back to her work.

"Kaisey is one of the most kind, funny and gentle human I've met. And she makes Carter really happy"

My gaze shifted from Ally to the living room, I could see Carter and Kaisey from here. She had the plate with cake in her lap, a spoon in her hand as she tried to feed him.

"They really have a great bond, understand and appreciate each other. She is perfect for Carter."

Carter was trying to hold her hand, to get her to stop. Both of them were laughing.

"I can see that and I'm happy for them"

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

I was driving back home from Ally and Drake's house. The air cold around me as the windows were rolled down. I wanted the chilly air to bite my skin, to make me me forget about the previous few hours.

Coming back had been a whirlwind of emotions, the city was so much more now than what I left, like a child who was all grown up. Speaking words I couldn't understand and acting so distant.

My mind drifted back to Carter. I wasn't ready for him, I wasn't ready for this feeling that I feel everytime I see him. I don't know what it is and I don't what to find out. The answer scares me.

I need to stop thinking of him, he is just a stranger now, someone with whom I share a past but nothing more. I have more important matters to stress over instead of Carter, like my sick mother.

My eyes flickered to the left side and I saw a street filled with restaurants and shops. I remember this place, I used to work here in Sandy's cafe. A sudden wave of nostalgia passed over me and I turned the car in the direction of the cafe.

It took me a few mintues to reach, after parking the car I stood outside staring at the front. I didn't realized how much I missed this place until now. Making coffee, taking orders and getting free donuts. That world seemed so far away now.

Taking a deep breath to make my warm inside cold, I walked to the door and pushed it open. The interior had changed but not too much, it still looked like the cafe I worked in five years ago. Just upgraded, like every other person here. There were very few people inside as it was nearing closing time.

I closed the door and walked over to the counter, a yound boy, probably in high school was standing behind it. This used to be me.

"Can I take your order Mam?" He said, grabbing his notebook from his pocket.

"Yes, a chocolate shake" I replied. My favourite in the whole menu.

"Anything else?"

"Nothing. Is Sandy still here?" I asked, looking at the door behind him.

The boy looked up at me and then back at his notebook.

"I'll go and check" he said, turning around and walking towards the kitchen.

I sat on the chair, placing my hands on the counter. Looking around I saw a family of four sitting on a table. The baby boy was laughing at his elder brother who was making weird faces.

"EVA!!! I can't believe you're here" I heard the booming voice of Sandy and a smile crept on my face.

I stood up from the counter as he leaned over to me and hugged me.

"Hi sandy, I missed you"

"Liar, if you did you wouldn't have taken five years to meet" He replied.

He was wearing a grey coat over a white shirt, his beard the same size as it used to be. Apart from being worn out by time he looked fine.

"Yea I know, I know, I get to hear that enough by my mother"

"Here is your chocolate shake" said the boy coming out from the back door as me and Sandy sat down on the chairs.

"Of course" Sandy remarked as I took the shake from him.

I sipped from the straw and felt myself being transported back. The sweetness and richness of the shake lingering on my tongue like it always did. It tasted exactly the same as it did 5 years ago.

"How do you manage to make it the same?" I asked, taking another long sip.

"Experience my dear, experience"

I nodded, devouring the warm feeling of past that I was getting. I should have come visited Sandy sooner. Everything had changed except this place, everyone had changed except him.

"So what brings you back?" He asked, smiling at me gently.

"Mom"

Taking in a deep breath I told Sandy my situation. His facial expressions shifted from happiness to sorrow and worry. I told him how worried I was, how I didn't know what to do. I hadn't spoken this openly about my mother's sickness with anyone except Leigh.

I remember sharing my high school problems with Sandy. He would listen to me intently, give me advise and then free donuts to take home. And that's exactly what he did today. Listened to all of my fears, my worries and then tell me how it was going to be okay, how my mom will get better.

"Thankyou Sandy, I didn't remember how helpful your therapy sessions were. I really needed this right now."

"No problem kiddo. Its so good to see you again, I have missed you greatly"

We talked more about our lives. He told me about the cafe and stories of his new employees. He told me about his family, his son had a daughter a year ago and he was very fond of her, he has finally shifted in his new home that him and his wife had been saving for years.

"Oh I never asked. How is your boy doing?" He asked, taking away my empty shake glass and motioning the worker to take it.

"My boy?" I asked confused.

"Yea, the one who would always be here, the one who didn't let you work. I can't remember his name"

"Carter" I said softly.

"Yea, that one. How is he doing?" Said Sandy, unaware of the sudden shift in my mood.

"He isn't my boy anymore Sandy, we broke up before I went to Canada"

"Oh really? That's sad. I really liked him. He came here alot after you left"

"He did?" I asked surprised.

"Yea, all the time. Then he suddenly stopped. But I saw him a few days ago. He was leaving when I came to the cafe"

I didn't know what to do with this information. Carter visited this place after I left. Maybe because it brought him good memories.

I shook my head, trying to get rid of these sinister thoughts. I don't need to think about him, it doesn't matter why he came to the cafe.

Spending a little more time I decided it was time to leave, I had already received two calls from mom asking me when I was coming back.

Before I left Sandy gave me my share of
free donuts.

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

Hello everyone!!! I hope you are all doing good, I'm sorry for such a long wait, I hadn't actually planned it but something happened due to which I couldn't write.
I hope you like this chapter. Can't wait to hear your feedback. Your comments are one of my favourite things in the world.

Love
S. Maham Fatima