Shadows of the past

Chapter 2

Two years ago.

I was driving my car to Amy's place, Amy is Joe's older sister and a real good friend of mine, we (Joe, Amy, Zach and Me) all are childhood friends expect Amy and Zach who are more than friends now. So I am heading towards Amy's place to get going on our biannual trip and this time we planned on going to Vegas. Since the last three years that I've been back home it's been a tradition when we all take out time from our busy schedules and make time for each other and a small trip to catch up with one another.

I reach Amy's place and park my car in the garage, I pick my bag from the back seat lock my car and get inside the house. The door was open as usual so I entered the living room their they all (Joe, Amy, Zach) sit glaring at me " I guess I kept you waiting long" I said Zach snorted on my comment and said "At this point it doesn't even matters Ella we've gotten used to your lateness". "Anyways we don't have time to waste our cab will be here soon we should all get our bags outside, Joe you go and lock the garage" Amy said. "I'm sorry to keep you all waiting for me this long" "Relax Ella we're not mad at you and besides Zach does have a point we've gotten used to it" Joe said and everyone cracked a smile to it.

We reached airport on time and we're now sitting in the plane waiting for take off Joe was sitting beside me and offered me a drink and said "Relax we didn't miss our flight just chill so what you were a little late you had your reasons relax now " I took a sip from my glass hmm it is amazing whatever it is " I wasn't thinking about that I was thinking about work..." " And there we go again, Ella this is a trip to relax if you're going to think about work here also you may as well have stayed at home and done that just relax and enjoy, you work too hard learn how to enjoy and no more talking not even thinking about work during this trip. Deal? " " Deal " I replied , and finished my drink and helped myself with another and decided not to think about work anymore and just relax.

The flight was short, we reached our hotel on time and decided to go out after relaxing for a bit.

I entered my room, emptied my luggage and headed for the shower, I took my time the journey through small was still tiring.

After a relaxing shower I decided to get ready so that I'm not late again well not again on the same day at least .

After getting ready I went to the bar and ordered myself a brandy while waiting for others to come, I was on my second drink when Joe came " looks like you took my advice too seriously" he said referring to the drinks. I laughed and ordered one for him too, he sat beside me "well I'm in Vegas and I'm getting totally drunk and besides this actually is very good" Joe replied after taking a sip from his " this actually is pretty good " I roll my eyes, he's very choosy and has very singular tastes, while waiting for Amy and Zach we have another round of drinks. " At last the love birds arrive." "Looks like you both started without us little brother, you couldn't even wait for us." "Oh! Come on now don't start you two we're already late come on now our cab's waiting outside for us" Zach stopped Amy and Joe before the started getting on each other’s nerves. " Do you guys want to come? You look mighty drunk already" Amy asks me and Joe " We're finnne " I say. "Damn I'm slurring already", "Are you sure?" Amy confirms "I'm on a vacation I very much deserve and I'm getting super drunk. What?" "Nothing it's just that this side of you comes out very rarely." " It will come out of you too if you had the special brandy of this bar it's amazing and even Joe accepts that. " They both seem shocked at the revelation, Zach was the first one to speak " Well if Joe likes it it’s got to be something, I guess we'll have one too." He said and took a seat beside me Amy sat to his other side and we order another round.

The night has just begun.

The morning sunshine pecked through the window waking me up I slowly opened my eyes adjusting to the sunshine, sitting up I gaze at the unfamiliar surrounding around me "where am I?" Then I remembered I'm in Vegas in my hotel room. I look at the clock on the bedside table it shows quarter past one I decide to take a shower and join everyone for lunch.

After taking a long shower I make my way downstairs towards the restaurant, there I spot Amy and Zach already sitting, I make my way towards them and sit across Amy "Good afternoon" Zach greets me before I can reply, Amy interrupts me "So... Are we going to talk about last night?" "I know I shouldn't have drank that much the headache is still killing me." "We were not referring to your drinking Ella" Zach said, he continued "Perhaps we should wait for Joe and then we can continue." I gave him a confused look and decide to ignore him and looked at the menu "Have you guys ordered anything? I'm famished." "We've ordered for everyone it should be here soon." "Great."

A couple of minutes later Joe arrived looking completely exhausted, he opened his mouth to say something but Amy cut him "We've already ordered, food will be here soon." "Thank god." "Joe's here too now, so... Shall we discuss what happened last night." "What happened last night?" Joe asked. My eyes drift towards Amy's hand "Oh! My God" I squealed and grasped it showed it to Joe. "When did this happen?" Joe asked looking at the ring on Amy's hand and then looking at Zach. "Last night" he replied. I couldn't control my excitement and got out of my seat and hugged Amy first and then Zach "congratulations guys I'm soooooo happy for you." Joe got out of his seat and congratulated them too. Just then the food arrived, we all took our seats and Joe ordered champagne, I looked at him questioningly "it's huge we got to celebrate it" he said and poured us all a glass, he raised his glass "A toast to my sister and future brother in law, congratulations may you have a long and happy life together. Cheers (we all took a sip from our glasses). I must say Amy's a very lucky girl, but you Zach on the other hand are a certified insane."

Everyone was eating in silence when Joe broke the silence "you guys don't seem very excited for a couple who just got engaged." " It's just an engagement Joe not like we got married or something." "Come on Amy it's huge how often do you see friends getting engaged?" I asked her. "Not as often as we see them getting married." Zach replied to my comment in a sarcastic tone. "Where are they going with this?" I said to myself not able to tolerate any more of their sarcasm I asked them directly " What's going on? Is there something we should know and we don't know" They looked at each other deciding whether or not to tell. I looked at Joe and he looked as confused as me. "What's going on?" He asked them. I started thinking about what Amy just said about getting married and realization stuck to me.

"Did you two got married last night?" I blurted. "No Ella we didn't got married but... Someone else did." Zach replied my question. "Enough of this, now stop with the riddles and just say clearly what you want to say I can't handle the suspense anymore." Joe said, he's getting irritated as am I. "You guys really don't remember what happened last night? Or you're messing with us?" Amy asked. "Of course not Amy, we remember every single detail, we're just messing with you two." Zach said. He continued "are you nuts when we're telling you we don't remember anything we actually don't remember anything and we've got far more important and better things to do than messing with you two. Now will you please tell us what happened last night we have no clue and I certainly can't take this suspense anymore."

Amy gave Zach a look and then resumed her eating. "Are you going to make me beg now?" Joe asked. She laughed and said "No I won't torture you any further. How about this we finish our lunch and then we'll show you what happened last night." "Amy... " Joe started I put my hand on his arm and whispered in his ear "there's no point in arguing with her, you know you can't win let's wait till we finish our lunch and I don't think it's something big or serious because if it were they would have told us by now, relax they're just messing with us." "You're right I think I'm overreacting I mean if it were something important they would've told us by now." I succeeded in calming him and we finished our lunch in silence.

I'm in my room freshening up before I join Amy, Joe and Zach in Amy's room. They are going to show us what happened last night. What do they mean by showing? Why didn't they tell us already? I can't take this suspense anymore, earlier I was curious to find out but my curiosity is long gone now, now I'm agitated to find out what happened last night. Earlier I was calming Joe but now I'm getting restless.

Maybe I'm getting nervous for nothing, maybe they are just messing with us or maybe it's some sort of a prank. I need to calm down, if it's some lame prank I'm going to kill those two. I need to distract myself, I should decide their engagement gift. Yes, that will probably help me clear my mind.

I've decided what to give Amy and Zach as an engagement present and I didn't think about last night's suspense at all. Oh! Who am I kidding? That's all I've been thinking for the past hour. I make my way towards their room my agitation at its peak now.

I knocked the door to their room the question not leaving my mind...

What happened last night?