I took a deep breath as I stood next to Billy at Elijah's house for the annual Christmas party. I hadn't even spoken to Elijah since I left him in the car earlier that year, I wasn't too keen on seeing him today either. "Are you ready for this?" Billy asked. "I think so." I said as I knocked on the door. Hannah flung the door open immediately. "Ahh! You came!" She yelled throwing her arms around me. I hugged her back. "I haven't missed one yet." I said, which was the truth. I'd been to the annual Christmas party since before it was annual. She hugged Billy. "Great to see you too Billy." She said.
We both walked in. "So how's everything been?" She asked. I nearly laughed. We talked to each other almost daily and it was just funny that she'd need to ask. "Fine, its new living here and all. Really nice of Billy to spare a room for me." I said. Billy had finally bought himself a huge house just outside of LA, and he invited me to move in with him. I of course said yes, and I help around the house with bills and such. "Well, he's a sweetie." She said. "Being here while you two talk about me never gets old. It's good for the ego." Billy said. I laughed. "Course it is!" I said.
I looked over and saw Orlando. I waved as his cheeks got red and he scurried off. I laughed. He still couldn't get past the incident at a party last year when he practically asked me into Elijah's room without realizing he'd met me before.
Hannah led us over to where Dom was sitting. I hugged him "Dom, it's so nice to see you." I said. He smiled. "It is, isn't it? I mean, I am God's gift to man." He said. "No, that was pixi sticks." Billy corrected. He laughed. "Billy! Long time no see." Dom said. Billy nodded. "Yea, you know how it is, always stuck at home with the kids," He blocked the side of his mouth with his hand and pointed at me with his other. "The wife's a wild one always out." He said. I hit him. "Dork! If you're not careful all the single women looking to fawn all over you will get the horrible idea that you're not single." I said. He yelped and hurried away. Hannah and I laughed. "So Billy and you are surviving fine as housemates? You're not dying of over exposure to testosterone?" She asked. I smiled. "Nah, we're fine together. We're so similar it's actually really scary." I said. "You seem well, I'm glad." She said. I nodded. "I am. He's my past, I suppose. I'm trying to keep it that way. I've started over and it's all been uphill." I said. "Good, you realize you're still practically my sister though." She said. "Of course, how could I forget? You tell me daily." I said.
I was looking around nervously, just waiting to run into the one person I didn't think I was ready to see. "He wont be over here, he's afraid to see you." She said. I nodded. "I suppose that's best, isn't it?" I asked. "Yea, because you two were best friends, now I'm pretty sure all that's over." She said. I looked at her. "It's life Hannah, we all learn to deal with it." I said. "Some obviously better than others." I heard Elijah say. I tensed up for a second. I sighed, and looked at him. "It's life." I said. "I see." He said back. "Wow, tense." Hannah said. We both ignored her. "How've you been?" Elijah asked. "Good, I moved here, you know." I said. He nodded. He'd been over to the house a lot, but I just avoided him. "How have you been?" I asked. "Good, sort of, it's been a while." He said. I nodded. "Yea, it has, a long while." I said. I hoped this conversation wasn't going to go to the one annoying place. "Are you seeing anyone?" He asked after a second. Oh, but it was. "Not exclusively, you?" I asked. He nodded. "Anja, she's great. You'd love her! She's around here somewhere." He said looking around. He spotted someone and ushered them over. A blond girl who looked quite close to perfect walked up. Why do exes always say 'oh you'll love her' isn't it obvious that we wont? She smiled and kissed him quickly. She was surprisingly a little shorter than him. "Anja, this is Forever, the girl I told you about." Elijah said. She looked at me with kind disgust. "Nice to meet you." She said sharply. "You too." I said.
Billy came up. "Elwood, Anja, nice to see you both." He said. She smiled. "Hi Billy." She said as she kissed his cheek and hugged him. I couldn't believe it, Billy knew about her and didn't say anything to me. "Little Girl, Dom's in the kitchen trying to see how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop. He said you have to come count." He said. I laughed. "Nice meeting you, I've got to go, can't miss this." I said. I ran off to the kitchen.
I opened the door and saw Dom and Hannah sitting on the counters. I grabbed a beer. "Dear God." I said. " I take it you met Anja." Dom said. "How serious are they?" I asked feeling sick to my stomach. "Nothing too deep, they've been dating for about 5 months." Hannah said. "Holy crap! And none of you thought to tell me?" I asked. I downed the whole bottle. "Sorry." Dom said. "It's ok." I said grabbing a second beer. "Watch yourself." Dom said. I nodded with a chuckle. "Are you sure you're alright?" Hannah asked. "Course I am!" I said, my voice full of sarcasm. I grabbed my beer from the counter and walked into the living room.
"Hey! What are you doing drinking?" Billy asked. "Billy, shut up and let me have a good time at this god-awful event." I said. He looked shocked. "Are you OK?" He asked. "I'm fine." I said. I took a drink of my beer. "Are you sure you should be doing that?" He asked. "Oh, I'm positive." I said. He nodded. "Fair enough." He said. "I'm really hot, I'll be back later." I said then I walked out to the back porch. I sighed and took a drink, and then I sat the bottle down on the ground next to me. I looked over and saw Elijah. "Oh good lord where's a fourth one while you need it?" I asked myself out loud. He looked over. "We meet again." He said. "What a horrible coincidence." I said. "Don't be excited to see me or anything." He said. "You break it off with your best friend, not talk to him for months on end, then see how you feel." I said. "You know, I'm not some stranger on the outside of this relationship. I was there Eve. It was going fine then hours later I get back the ring that I gave you as you tell me it's over. It wasn't a day in the park for me either." He said. "You seem to have gotten along OK." I said. "What was I supposed to do? Wait around to see if you were going to change your mind? I realize that works for you, but it doesn't for me. I can't wait around forever while you contemplate coming back." He said. I shook my head. "You bastard." I said as I walked out.
I ran into Billy as I was on my way to the kitchen. "Hey are you OK?" He asked. "I'm perfectly FINE." I said as I headed straight towards the fridge. I grabbed another beer, and headed to the living room where people were going to start handing out presents. "Eve, this is for you from me." Hannah said shoving a box at me as I sat down next to her. I smiled, and opened it. It was a photo album full of pictures. I looked at them with a fake smile as I tried not to cry. "It's so nice, thank you. Oh! Here's yours." I said giving her a box. She smiled and opened it. "I'm lost, what's the key for?" She asked. "Billy and my gift. Look out the window, silly!" I said. She looked outside and screamed. "OH MY GOD! I love you both!" She said hugging us. I smiled, and sat down next to Billy. "I have a gift for you Lijey!" Anja said. "Oh hell no." I mumbled. "Well, Elijah, we've been dating for 5 great months, and I love you so much. I know in my heart I'll always love you. I suppose what I'm trying to ask is will you marry me?" She asked. He looked nervous and I could swear he looked at me for a second. "Yea, I will." He said. I dropped my beer. "Shit!" I said. I threw a paper towel on it. "I love you Hannah, I'll talk to you later." I said. I went to the door and left. I got into the car, and drove away. I was stopped at a red light about a block or two away from Hannah's when a car turned too sharply, and ran straight into me.