Chapter Two

Michelle and Kirstie were overcome with excitement as they walked towards the hall for the long-awaited university reunion. Ever since the annual tradition had started, they looked forward to it every year. As soon as they walked into the room, they could feel the party atmosphere. Kirstie peered around the room, searching for someone that she recognised. Her eyes lit up as she saw her best friend Matt waving at her from a corner table.

"I'm going to go and see Matt." she told Michelle.

"Okay, I'll grab us some drinks." Michelle replied as she headed off to the mini bar.

Kirstie beamed at Matt as she walked over to the table.

"Hey, my girl." he smiled at her, quickly wrapping his arm around her as soon as she sat beside him. Kirstie couldn't help but smile at how sweet Matt was. One of her biggest regrets in life was that things hadn't worked out with Matt. They dated all through school and university, until it suddenly dawned on them both that they weren't really in love and would be better off as friends. It meant a lot to the two of them to stay friends, since they knew each other better than anyone.

"How are you?" he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Good, you?" she replied.

"I'm always alright." he smiled. Matt laughed at her as she picked up his bottle of beer and took a long swig, playfully glaring at him as she did so.

"I see you're still an alcoholic." he bantered, bursting out laughing when Kirstie stuck her middle finger up at him. They both glanced up as Michelle returned to the table carrying a tray full of shots, wine bottles and a fishbowl.

"Holy crap Michelle!" Kirstie exclaimed when she saw the tray.

"Nah it's fine, it'll last us a while. Besides I'm planning to have a good night." Michelle smiled cheekily. Michelle giggled happily to herself as she handed Matt and Kirstie a straw for the fishbowl and quickly dug in herself.

"You really are a bad influence Michelle." Kirstie laughed, but her and Matt dug in anyway.

"Oh my god, Michelle!" a voice called from across the room. Their heads snapped up as they all looked towards the sound of the voice. Michelle quickly stood up and embraced Kathleen as she joined the group.

"Kathleen, it's been so long!" Michelle squealed when she eventually let go of her and allowed Matt and Kirstie to hug her.

"It has hasn't it." Kathleen agreed, quickly removing her jacket and sitting down.

"Are you still doing your column for the newspaper?" Kirstie asked her.

"Unfortunately, yes, I hate it though, my life is so boring, I never know what to write about." she sighed, slowly taking the glass of wine that

Michelle poured and handed to her.

"Anyway, how about you guys, what's new?" she asked the group.

"I'm still working in the hospital, but that's pretty much it." Michelle said quietly.

"I'm still working as a Domestic Abuse Support Worker, I really love it, being able to help people." Kirstie stated proudly.

"And Matt over here is a talent agent." she added.

"Yeah, well that's what you do when you have no talent yourself you become an agent." Matt laughed, causing the others to burst out laughing too.

"Seriously though that sounds amazing!" Kathleen exclaimed when she finally stopped laughing.

"It's not as exciting as it sounds, I just look after some boy bands that's all." Matt shrugged, not particularly enjoying being the centre of attention.

"Oh wow, you have to tell us who!" Kathleen said excitedly, bouncing up and down in her seat slightly.

"I've been trying to get it out of him for months." Kirstie piped up.

"That's because I'm not allowed to say." Matt told them.

"Oh, c'mon Matt, don't be a spoil sport." Michelle tired.

"Seriously I'm not allowed, when you are associated with famous people you have to sign a gag order." Matt insisted.

"Famous people!" Kathleen spluttered, sending a small amount of wine shooting out of her mouth.

"I am so sorry, I got a bit carried away, I can't believe you know famous people." she said, slowly wiping up the drink with her napkin.

"We'll get him drunk, then he'll tell us." Michelle winked at Kathleen.

Matt shook his head slowly and mimed zipping his lips closed.

Michelle glanced at Kirstie as she felt her gently elbow her in the ribs. Kirstie nodded towards the hall door and Michelle turned to look and gasped as she saw Chloe walking in the door.

"Oh jeez, this could get awkward." Michelle muttered quietly.

"What are you talking about?" Matt asked, following her eye line.

"Have you and Chloe fallen out?" he asked, turning to Michelle and Kirstie when he realised what they were looking at.

"We're not really sure." Kirstie said, quickly filling the group in on the fact that despite Chloe and Kirstie being very close, neither Michelle nor Kirstie had been able to get Chloe to take any of their calls for a while.

"Don't take it personally you haven't fallen out." Matt said as soon as Kirstie had finished. Kirstie frowned at him, suddenly getting the feeling that he knew something that she didn't.

"How do you know that?" Michelle asked.

"She is going through a difficult time at the moment, I expect she got distracted." Matt told them.

"Too distracted to call back for the past few months." Michelle insisted, rolling her eyes.

"What do you mean, a tough time?" Kirstie asked worriedly.

"Just drop it guys." he said quickly as Chloe nervously walked over to the group.

"Hi everyone." she said quietly.

Even though Kirstie was still confused by what Matt had said and why he had suddenly gotten so defensive, she couldn't deny that she was happy to see her old best friend. Chloe hovered nervously on the edge of the group, appearing to be shyer than before. Kirstie couldn't help but look at her and frown to herself. Chloe had always seemed like one of those people that always had everything together, always a step ahead. Someone that people would look up to as Little Miss Perfect, but things had clearly changed. Her appearance was dishevelled and she had big dark circles under eyes, that she hadn't even bothered to hide with makeup.

"Maybe I should leave you guys to it." she whispered, after waiting a few moments and getting no response.

"Don't be silly Chloe, come and sit down." Matt piped up, patting the space on the bench between himself and Kirstie. She blushed as everyone watched her sit down and remained silent.

"So, how is everyone?" she piped up when she couldn't stand the tension any longer.

After a few moments of chatting, the group settled into having Chloe with them. Even Chloe herself seemed to relax when they told her about their lives and what had changed since she last saw them.

"So, what do you do Chloe?" Michelle asked.

"I am a personal assistant...kind of." she said quietly. Kirstie couldn't help but notice that Chloe was the only one not to have drunk anything since she'd been at the table. She clearly felt uncomfortable having everyone looking at her as she silently reached over to the table and poured herself a glass of water from the bottle provided for the table. Her hands shook as she quickly took a drink.

"To like a banker or something?" Kathleen asked.

"No not really, it's difficult to explain." Chloe replied.

Michelle and Kathleen glanced at each other and shrugged.

"You're very cagey about it." Michelle sighed.

"Ooooh!" Kathleen exclaimed, causing everyone at the table to look at her in shock.

"Matt was cagey too, maybe she is Matt's personal assistant!" she cried.

Chloe glanced at Matt who slowly shook his head at her, subtly giving her the cue to leave it alone.

"Oh well, we'll get you drunk too and then we'll find out." Michelle pouted, the alcohol clearly beginning to take an effect on her and Kathleen.

"More drinks?" Kathleen asked the group.

"I'll have another beer please." Matt said, handing her some money.

"A glass of red wine please." Kirstie asked, rummaging in her purse.

"Chloe?" Kathleen prompted.

"Nothing for me thank you, I'll stick with water." she smiled.

"Michelle?" Kathleen asked.

"I'll come with you Kathleen." she replied, following Kathleen to the bar.

Chloe sat silently watching Michelle and Kathleen queue at the bar.

"Oh great, I should have known he'd be here." Chloe said under her breath as her eyes wandered and she clocked her ex-boyfriend sitting at the bar talking to a beautiful young woman.

"Is that Andy?" Kirstie asked, following Chloe's eye line.

Chloe nodded silently.

"We're not together anymore." Chloe announced.

"Oh my god, since when?!" Kirstie exclaimed.

"Just over a year ago now." she said quietly.

"I can't believe it; you guys were together for like three years weren't you." Kirstie said.

Chloe shrugged and turned her attention away from the man that broke her heart, desperately trying to clear all thoughts of him from her mind.

Despite her best efforts, her eyes kept wandering back to him. Memories swirled around her head as she remembered that fateful day when he'd told her that he had met someone else. The day that her life had been changed forever.

"In fact, I think it might be best if I call it a night, it was nice to see you guys again. It's been far too long." she smiled.

"Please keep in touch Chloe, I've missed you." Kirstie said.

"I'll try. See you later." she said before quickly walking away.

As soon as she left the hall, Kirstie rounded on Matt:

"What did you mean when you said that she's going through a tough time?"

"It's fine just leave it alone." he answered.

Kirstie stared at him; her eyebrow raised as she waited for him to tell her what was going on. She didn't like the fact that Matt seemed to be keeping something from her.

"You hardly know her though do you, apart from when we were at Uni together?" she tried again.

"I just meant that you should cut her some slack, she could do with a friend." Matt said, before standing up and walking away to use the restroom.