When She Changed

ANNA “Anna!” I looked around to see who called my name only to be greeted by smiling Sasha. Fine, you still have the nerve to smile after keeping me waiting for almost ten minutes? She seems to notice my impatience. “Sorry to keep you waiting. This is all my fault and I should have arrive early, but I didn’t.” She said while taking her seat. “You should be sorry. You know I hate waiting, but what can I do?” we both laughed. Sasha is my my bestfriend since high school together with Lia. “Where is Lia?” she asked, I rolled my eyes which made her laugh. She already know. “The usual,” I said. “In the club.” I continued. Lia became very friendly and likes to hang with other people especially with the guys. And club became her hangout place, which was very weird because for all i know, that girl hates socializing, but who am I to judge? But one thing is for sure, she's keeping a secret from the both of us. “She better attend my wedding or else,” I laughed at what Sasha said. She stop beating around the bush and started the conversation. “So...” she started. “So what?” I asked which made her roll her eyes. “What’s the news?! I heard, Ryan asked you out. What did you say? Did you say yes? Did you?” No. I thought. But I didn’t tell her because I know she will get mad at me for rejecting Ryan, who happens to be her future brother-in-law. I tried to change the conversation by talking about their upcoming wedding and it works. “Are you sure about the wedding? You’re still 22 and young.” I asked which made her laugh. “You’re 22 and you’re still single. That’s what I’m worried about” She backfired. I smiled. “You know the reason why.” I said. “Yeah, sorry.” She said, feeling guilty. After a few seconds she didn’t say anything, I’m sure she feels guilty of saying those words, but it’s fine. She then took something from her bag and handed it to me, “An invitation.” She said. “Wait, I thought the wedding will happen two months from now. Why are you giving the invitation so early?” I asked, confused. And for the second time, she rolled her eyes. “Didn’t you read my message? It was decided yesterday, and the wedding will be in two weeks from now.” She stated. I took my phone from my bag and it’s true, she texted it to me yesterday. Gosh! I’m not really the type of person who reads messages. It’s just that, i prefer calls over messages. After giving the invitation, Sasha immediately leave the resto because her fiance called her. And now, I was all alone. I was startled when my phone rings, I hurriedly answered it when Sasha’s name flashed on the screen. Sasha’s calling. “Miss me already?” I joked but I heard nothing on the other line, which is weird. “Hey, you there?” I asked, and I heard her heaved a sigh. But she didn’t answer me, it’s as if she’s finding the right word to say. What’s wrong with her? I was about to ask her again, but the man who just entered the restaurant caught my attention. It was him. I followed his every steps and he seems to notice it so I looked away. My heart beats fast at the sight of him. He changed. His physical appearance improved a lot, and so his face. He became more handsome and his back, it looks so masculine. I closed my eyes and cleared my thoughts. I realized I was still on the phone with Sasha. “You there?” she asked which brings me back to my senses. “Did you, perhaps, see Cross Stanford?” she carefully asked. I looked at him again, and he was with someone, a lady specifically. I couldn’t recognized her because her back is facing me. I don’t know what to feel and what to say. Just the sight of him made me speechless. I was perplexed when he looks at my direction. While holding my phone, we stared at each other for almost ten second. He was the one first to look away. Did he recognized me? I bet, he did. The looks on his face. Something I couldn’t recognize. What is it? I dropped my phone on the table. I thought I already forgot about him. I thought I have moved on, but i didn’t. All memories from the past came flashing back. Memories that I want to forget. All of them came back. It came flashing back like it just happened yesterday.