Chapter 2

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, remaining by the door with one hand on the knob, "How did you get in?" 

"It's nice to see you again, Lila." 

It was as if time had stopped. That voice, the last time she had heard it was years ago when they ended things. But she shoved that memory away, not wanting to rehash things now that they've aged. He had aged. The shadows under his deep blue eyes that made him look more haunted, it was like he went to hell and back. 

"How did you get in here?" 

"Addie…she told me you'd be here." 

Lila pursed her lips, unsure of what to make of it. Addie, her close friend and publicist, had always rooted for the both of them to be back together, but then again, she didn't know much about their relationship, no one really does. Lila had personally made sure of it. 

She opened her lips, about to ask what the purpose of his appearance was when he suddenly handed her an invitation from his suit jacket. Forcing her to let go of the doorknob she was tightly holding onto, she found herself holding an invitation to his wedding. 

"You're getting married?" she asked, failing to mask her surprise. She hadn't even known he was dating someone but it's not like she followed his news either. 

"Yes," he confirmed, shoving his hands in his pocket as if he couldn't believe it either, "and I'd like you to be there."

"You could've just left this to Addie, you didn't need to come all the way here, is she…" Lila looked around, feeling stupid now that she realized there was no way he would've brought his fiance to her concert. Even if he did, he highly doubted she would've been able to hide in this small space. 

"She's not here, you don't have to worry," his lips quirked up despite his empty eyes as he take a few steps closer to her, so much so that she couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity at the scent of his cologne, "I'd just like to say that I've enjoyed your performance. I have never seen you like that before." Well that's because you never really see me, she wanted to say, but kept her mouth shut. The past is the past. 

Lila cleared her throat to break the spell, looking up to find him gazing at her like he always did back in high school and she can't help but feel sad at the sight, "Are you sure it would be okay if I go?"

"Angie even suggested that you'd perform for us in the reception but I said no."

"Why?" she hadn't known why she asked that, but for some reason her lips simply had moved without her own accord. 

"It wouldn't be right, I don't want to create unnecessary spectacle especially when our friends would be there."

"Friends?"

"I've invited all of our friends from high school, and so far most of them had accepted the RSVP," he shrugged, "I guess most of them wouldn't want to miss the wedding of the century."

"Well then," she smiled sadly to herself, wondering where this dull ache in her chest was coming from, "I'll see what I can do. Addie might have something planned that she hadn't told me yet."

"No worries," he said as she felt that familiar touch against her cheek all the way to her chin to tilt it up, "I'll look forward to hearing from you either way."

"Nate…" she began to voice her rejection but was cut off when he crashed his lips on her, catching her by surprise. 

Clarity struck her like lightning. Nate was about to deepen the kiss that had felt so wrong all over, on so many levels. He is engaged, she is his ex, they were practically standing by the opened door in a place where stage crews would roam around doing the cleanup. So she pushed his chest without thinking, causing him to stumble back by surprise. 

"Nate…please," Lila began, her body still trembling from the sudden kiss, "you can't do this."

"I'm sorry, Lila, I didn't know what came over me, seeing you so close after all these years…"

Anger flashed in her eyes at his words, "Don't. Don't you dare do this to me after all these years. You're engaged, you can't simply show up here and…and…bring up the past."

"I know, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen," for once he looked and felt apologetic as he said so, "I came with pure intentions, I hope you know that."

She watched him with trepidation as his eyes connected to the invitation that had fallen on the ground. She hadn't even realized that she had dropped it. Guilt was starting to ache her bones now that she watched him pick it up. Maybe she shouldn't have reacted so harshly. He hadn't meant it after all. 

"So how did you two meet?" Lila asked, desperate to veer the topic away from the past as he placed the envelope on her dressing table, right next to the bouquet of red roses, "Your fiance, I mean."

Nate smiled to himself, wondering whether she was asking out of curiosity or something else. Either way, both reactions are good. It meant that she still had felt something for him. He walked towards her, "Angie and I met a year ago at work, her father is a client of ours and we hit it off."

Nate was already halfway out her door when he finished that sentence, just so Lila wouldn't catch the way he had tried to settle his discomfort at the mention of Angie, his fiancee. Somehow it just felt wrong to bring her up but it can't be helped. So he just shoved his hands in his pockets, awkwardly resembling a typically nervous guy on his first date. 

"Look, Nate…" Lila held one hand on the door, ushering him out of her dressing room in a subtle way, "I'll see if my schedule allows it…"

"I'll look forward for your answer either way," he said, cutting her off, "it would mean a lot to us if you could make it, for old time's sake."

"For old time's sake," she repeated, "I truly wish you both the best, though, I hope you know that. I'm sure Angie's lovely."

Nate suddenly felt this sizable lump in his throat but he schooled his expression, doing his best to pretend as if this was just a normal, friendly conversation between people with history. "Thank you, I'll make sure to pass it on."

She nodded, watching him walk away the same way she did many years ago. The memory still stinks but it was a necessary experience, she thought. She wouldn't be the person she is today, if it weren't for their relationship and she wouldn't have changed it any other way. 

Lila closed the door to her dressing room with a click and immediately, she felt her knees weakening from the relief of finally having some moments to herself. She had always loved performing. There is certainly nothing else that could compare the rush of adrenaline and the sheer exhilaration just from being on stage, basking in the energy and admiration of the audience. And yet, performing one of the most grueling setlists of her career for two straight weeks took it out on her. But she had done it, it was finally finished and that's all that matters.

She felt her lips twisting at her achievement as she pushed herself away from the door and towards her dressing table, eager to strip off her makeup. Seeing the bouquet of red roses laying there prettily wrapped in black paper and a gold ribbon, waiting to be admired, she felt the dull ache in her chest from a while ago slowly dissipating. Picking it up, she inhaled the familiar scent that reminded her of her childhood home. 

Not many people had known this but she had always loved the smell of roses. This one, though, this one specifically smelled like the one that decorated her family's old estate, her childhood home. If she closed her eyes she'd still remember what it was like to run through the driveway decorated with her grandmother's favourite flowers and into her grandmother's arms. Now with the estate practically abandoned and the garden long gone, she, too, had lost her childhood sanctuary. All she had left were these bouquets left by some mysterious admirer who had been doing so at every concert of hers. It was like he knew because these roses smelled, looked and felt exactly the same like the ones that used to grow around her childhood home.