She stood, holding the handle of her suit case. Dressed in a denim jacket and black shorts, Natalie tried calling her boyfriend's number severally but he wasn't picking up. Soon, a car stopped right in front of her.

    "Babe," Alex said as soon as she got out of the car. "I'm sorry." He hugged her.

    Natalie gave him a tight smile. "Where did you keep your phone?" She asked him, arching her brow.

    "My phone?" He kissed her lips. "Babe, I lost track of time." He watched Lucas take the suitcase away.

    "Hello Miss Natalie." Lucas flashed a smile at Natalie.

    "Thanks Lucas." Natalie smiled at Lucas. "And you," She faked a frown. "I've been waiting for almost twenty minutes."

    "I'm sorry." His killer smile widened, making Natalie laugh.

    "I've spoiled you too much huh?" She poked his nose. "I've missed you so much!!" Natalie said, giving him a surprise hug that almost got him off balance. 

    "Careful." He chuckled warming up to her hug.

    "Oh, oh!" She pulled away. "Guess who I met!"

    "Who?"

    "David!!!" Natalie squealed.

   "David? Which David?" Alex wasn't sure.

    "Who else? Our David!" Natalie jerked her head towards the right.

    "What?" Alex turned to the right. That's when he noticed a man, dressed in jeans and a tight muscle shirt, thick curly black hair and clean shave beards.

  "What!" Alex was taken by surprise as David walked closer to him.

    "Alexander." David grinned, showing off his white, straight teeth and his hollow cheeks —dimples.

   "Hey man." Alex went closer, giving him a brotherly hug. The two were of the same height, tall, but David was more muscular and bodybuilt than Alex.

     "How did—" Alex is too shocked to say anything.

    "I knew your lazy ass would never come on time, so I thought I meet up with Natalie here." David grinned.

     "I was also as surprised as you are now." Natalie couldn't stop smiling at the guys.

    "Hello Sir David!" Lucas greeted him.

     "Ah Lucas! What's up mate?! Hope Alexander here hasn't been a prick." David chuckled.

    "Me?" Alex rolled his eyes.

    "Guy guys guys, can we get going? We'll talk about everything in the car." Natalie walked over to Alex.

     "What's with the rush?" David shook his head, moving towards the car.

    "So we can beat traffic." Natalie playfully beats his arm.

     David was friends with Alex and Ryan, he was from a family of royalty. Actually, he was a full blooded prince but had abandoned the throne, handing it over to his younger brother to pursue his dream of being a writer. Yes, he still much received the benefit of being a prince and he was also quite popular since the people he moved with were stars in their own field...

    Ryan... Business tycoon, a mogul.

    Alex...  A race car driver, a movie star.

     Natalie... Proud owner of ALIE makeup line and brand.

    Layla... A hot top super model, with a family background of top Judges in the country. 

   He'd first met Natalie, then Alex and Ryan... It's been two years they met.
✴✴✴

   Ryan sat in his office reviewing some documents when his phone rings.

     "Yes Layla?" Ryan said to the phone.

   "When will you be coming home?"

      "Well, I have still have a lot of work to be taken care of, here in the office."

     "Can you make it before 8?"

   "I'll see what I can do. Is something wrong?" He asked but heard her chuckled.

    "You love assuming something's wrong."

    "I don't want you worrying too much." He smiled.

    "That's sweet, but hey, come home early okay?"

     "Sure." Ryan nodded before ending the call.

   Olivia walked into his office...

   "Sir," She walked to his table.

    "Mhmm." Ryan didn't look at her.

    "I was wondering if I could get off work." Olivia seemed worried.
   Ryan looked at her. "Why?"

    "Sir, I got a call from my daughter's school. She's sick, I was thinking I could go over to her preschool and take her home." Olivia said to him fully concerned.

    "Well of course! You should be with her, I hope it's not too serious?" Ryan asked her.

    "Fever." Olivia sighed. "But she was fine this morning."

    "Olivia, it's okay! I'll take care of the rest and we would see later. Kenny comes first." Ryan smiled at her. 

   "Thank you so much! You don't know how happy I am, thank you so much sir." Olivia thanked him, it was rare to have a nice boss like Ryan.

    "It's nothing."

   "One more thing, I haven't finished sorting the project files so that you could review them. Can I place it on your desk very early tomorrow? I promise you'll see it." Olivia prayed he would agree. 

     "Okay." Ryan knew she was reliable so he allowed her.

   "Thank you so much." Olivia was extremely happy, she quickly walked to the door. "See you tomorrow sir!" Said Olivia near the entrance. 

   "Tell Kenny I said hi." Ryan smiled.

    "I will." Olivia hurried to pack her things in other to leave for her daughter's school.

   Who would have thought, Olivia? A mother? She didn't look like she could handle a kid at such a young age but Olivia was doing a great job. Although, Ryan had never met Kenny— Olivia's daughter, he'd seen a picture frame on Olivia's desk and also heard Kenny's voice.

   Ryan continued what he was doing before Layla or Olivia interrupted him. But then he stopped again, staring into the empty space. His thoughts floated back to years ago when he was still happy with Sophie.

  So many times, he had fantasized about what their life would have been if she were alive and then... Their baby? He'd be so grown up by now! Him, Sophie and their baby. Speaking of the present, he still hasn't forgotten about Sophie so it was possible that he'd still love her, and his baby. But these were only his imagination.

    He hadn't done it in a while but he did now—tears swelled up in his eyes.

    It was past eight, he drove down to his house. He spotted Bee immediately he entered.

  "Oh! Dear cousin, welcome home." Bee smiled as she walked closer to him. "Let me take this for you." She took away his briefcase. "Jeez, it's heavy."

   Ryan laughed, ruffling her hair. "Thanks."

    "Hey, you'll ruin my hair. Go to the dinning, they're waiting for you." Bee struggled with the briefcase as she strolled away.

    "They?" He frowned but then remembered Layla and Dony. He entered the dinning room and saw his friends. "What are you guys doing here?!" Ryan asked. He wasn't expecting to see any of them. Alex, Natalie, David. Wait David?

     "What's up buddy! Still walking in those suits I see." David grinned.

    "Don't start." Ryan pointed a finger at David. "When did you get back?" Ryan asked, giving David a hug. 

     "Hours ago." David was happy to see Ryan.

    "Natalie." Ryan gave her a warm hug.

    "Ryan. Did you miss me?" Natalie grinned.

    "Everyone missed you." Ryan laughed.

   Layla entered the dinning room with Dony.

     "Ooh," Dony placed a big fully barbeque turkey on the table. "Who's hungry?"

   "Food! Thank God!" Alex settled down.

    "I wonder where all the food you eat go to." Natalie hugged Alex's neck from behind.

      Ryan walked towards Layla who was smiling at him. "Hey."

     "Hey." Layla pulled her hair behind her ear. 

    "Thanks. A lot." Ryan knew she put in so much effort to keep his friends company.

       "It's nothing. They are my friends too." Layla hugged him. "You must be tired. Have your bath first and come down." She placed her hand on his cheek. "Hope you didn't stress yourself so much hm?"

     "I'll survive." He shrugged, placing a quick kiss on her lips.

     "Dude, you stink already!" David shooed Ryan away, making Ryan laugh.

    "Shut the fuck—" Ryan stopped talking.

     "Hit me. Did you just say the F U C K word?" Bee had returned.

      Ryan cleared his throat. "I should really go." He noticed that the room had gone silent and everyone was staring at him as he left their midst.

    "I'm wowed." David smirked.

   "He fucking swore, He fucking swore?!" Bee nodded slowly, making her smile last longer.

     "Crazy." Dony wasn't expecting that.

    "Ha! Did you see his face? He couldn't believe it." Alex said to David. They all laughed.

      "Okay guys, break it up." Layla chuckled.
.....................................................

   Mia kept on twisting and turning, trying to get a better position to sleep but it wasn't working. She pulled away from the bed, walking to her wardrobe to search for her pills. Mia walked into the kitchen to get her water.

     "Can't sleep?" Andrew said as he had noticed the kitchen light turn on.

   "Yeah." She gulped the water down. "You too?"

    "Mhmm. So how's the preparations for Saturday?" Andrew pulled open the fridge to get a can of soda.

     "Tiring," Mia sighed. "And Archu isn't making my work any simpler, she hates me." Mia said to him.

    "Pay no attention. Oh! I got something I wanna show you." Andrew said, walking out of the kitchen.

    "Oh really—" Mia slumped to the floor, crashing the glass on her hand.

    Andrew jumped, turning back at the unconscious Mia. "Jesus! Mimi!" Out of fear, knelt down to see what happened.

  "Mimi! Mimi!! Mimi!!!" He pulled her up, carrying her numb body in his arms, panicking.

    Back at Ryan's house...

   "The show went well and I'm so happy it did." Natalie said to everyone seated on the dinning.

     "Good to know you had fun." Layla smiled.

    "More than fun." Natalie smiled.

      "Who's going for Leon's wedding?" David asked all of them. "I'm his best man so I cannot say no."

     "Natalie and I are." Alex nodded in agreement.

     "How about you Ryan?" David asked.

       "Saturday? Still not sure about that." Ryan took his glass into his hand.

    "Layla?" Natalie looked at Layla.

     "Of course, it's my cousin we're talking about. She'll kill me if I don't attend." Layla said to them.

      "I wish I could go, darn it!" Bee shook her head.

    "Well, Bee and I have other plans for Saturday." Dony told them.

    "So David, what are your plans? I mean since you're here in NewYork, you have plans right?" Ryan asked him.

    "My plans? Well I was hoping you give me something to do at Mi-Tech, for the meantime." David shrugged.

    "What?! You want to work? For real?" Alex was puzzled. David had never seemed interested in handling any hectic job before.

    "Yeah." David nodded.

    "What happened? I thought you don't like stress? What's with the sudden change?" Natalie asked him. 

    "I'm not getting any younger guys. Actually, I wanna do something with my life and prove to my parents that I'm capable of being on my own. I don't need their help." David said and they all agreed.

     "What about writing? You always love writing." Layla told him.

    "I'll still be writing though." He looked at Ryan. "So buddy, I need your help."

    "You're a real prince David, you don't need his help." Bee said to him.

    "Like I said, I want to be independent and not use my title to gain favor." David drank from his cup.

   "What do you want to do at Mi-Tech?" Ryan asked him.

   "I heard you're setting up a committee for your project in California, I can supervise the planning department." David suggested.

    "You? Supervise? Uh-uh." Natalie shook her head.

    "Really Natalie?" David rolled his eyes.

      "Just because you're my friend, I'll think about it." Ryan nodded.

    "Wait a minute. David, are you sure you're not trying to find a ticket to the ladies at Mi-Tech?" Layla eyed David.

    "What!" David blinked, making them laugh.

    "If that's your plan David then I can cancel—" Ryan is interrupted.

     "Whoa whoa whoa, no! I wouldn't do that! I'm a changed person, trust me." He turned to Layla. "What the hell Layla, you know that's not true?"

  Layla puts up her hand in surrender. "I'm just saying." She said.

    "Dude," He looked at Ryan. "You can't actually believe what she's saying. I'm a changed man, I'm no player no more." David sounded convincing.

     "That's why I'm gonna think about it." Ryan told him.

   They all chatted through out the dinner, and when it was over, the girls decided to help out clear the table while the guys resumed talking.

    Ryan found himself in his study room, looking at the jigsaw portrait when Alex entered.

    "Hey." Alex cleared his throat to get Ryan's attention when he noticed Ryan was engrossed in the portrait.

    "Oh. I didn't see you come in." Ryan turned away from the portrait.

    Alex walked over, glanced at the portrait and looked back at Ryan. "We have to talk." He placed his hand into his pant pockets.

    "About what?"

   "About," He pointed to the portrait. "That." Placing his hand back into his pocket.

   Ryan sighed... "It's not what you think, I didn't do that."

   "I know." He shrugged. "Dony told me you got it from the exhibition. Do you... Do you think it's possible?"

  Ryan gave him a look. "Possible what?"

    "That's happening again? The prediction and—"

   "Wrong. All wrong. Just because someone took this photo, doesn't mean it's really true." Ryan shook his head.

    "Well, what if? What if I told you that..." He paused, moving closer to Ryan. "What if I told you I've met her." Alex said to him.

   Ryan frowned. "That's not true." There was no way Alex already met her.

    "It is." Alex carelessly waved at the portrait. "Blond hair, grey eyes. She's the one. We met at the airport, infact, we bumped into each other. I myself was surprised, but it was her." Alex nodded, tracing his lips with his finger.

     Ryan walked back to the portrait on the wall, carefully staring at the complete jigsaw picture in front of him. It was the first time in seven years he had seen a recent picture of her since the accident.... But this time, she was different.

      "Are you sure?" Ryan's eyes trailed down large portrait, it was almost like a dream.

    "Absolutely." Alex eyed the picture portrait.

      Ryan turned to him... "I want to meet her."

     "That's the thing, we only met once and since then, I haven't seen her." Alex nodded.

      Ryan looked back at the portrait. "Then I'll need to find the man who took this." His hand traced her face. "I have to meet her." He stared at the picture , narrowing his eyes.
✴✴✴✴
    
    Mia fluttered her eyes open, trying to clear her blurry vision.

   "Thank God! Mimi." Andrew held her from getting up.

    "What? Wh-where am I?" Mia looked at Andrew, she was confused.

   "You're in the hospital, Mimi you blacked out. Try not to get up." Andrew pushed her gently  so she wouldn't get up.

    "I did? Oh." Mia placed her hand over her forehead. "Can we go home now?"

    "Home? We're not leaving until the doctor figures out what's wrong with you." Andrew was worried.

    "Hasn't the doctor seen me already?" Mia wasn't comfortable.

    "He can't seem to find out what the problem is." Andrew told her.
   "That's because I'm hale and hearty." Mia shook her head. "Andrew, please let's go home." She begged him.

   "Mimi we can't. Can you hear yourself? You suddenly fainted and you seem okay with that?! Do you know how scared I was for you?" Andrew didn't like that she wasn't taking care of her health.

    Mia sighed, how was she gonna start explaining everything to him. She wasn't ready to tell her story yet.

    "I'm sorry." Mia said quietly. "Forgive me. Andrew, I know you're worried but trust me, I'm fine."

    "No you're not! There's something you're not telling me. Do you think I'm that stupid that I wouldn't notice? The pills? The dizziness? The frequent headaches? Now this?! Mimi, please, I'm your friend. Tell me." Andrew squeezed her hand lightly.

    Mia closed her eyes shut only to open it seconds later with tears.

   "Oh Mimi. What's wrong?" He asked her.

    "I don't know where to start." She sniffled.

   "Where it's convenient."

   "I have this... This.. Con-condition. It's rare. There was an incident some years back, it affected me. The pills keep me stable from losing consciousness and the headaches are just part of the damage that was done." Mia didn't want to remember what happened back then. 

    "What incident?" Andrew asked.

    "A terrible one. You'll be disgusted by me, if I tell you." Mia had tears rolling down her eyes.

    "You're wrong. I can never do that to you. No matter what your past has been, it don't define who you are to me." Andrew said to her.

    "Andrew... I don't think..."

  "Listen Mimi, you're my friend and I can't bear to see you suffering." Andrew frowned. "Mimi, I love you no matter what."

     Mia wiped her tears, burying her face in her palms. She wasn't going into details of the remaining incident that followed because she didn't want to be reminded of what she did.