Toxin Overdose

CHAPTER 1

Should I say hi? Or should I just pretend that I don't know him? Or should I pretend I did not see him? But honestly, we are not close.

The last time we saw each other was roughly twelve years ago and we were just kids back then. I can't barely remember a moment with him during our pre-elementary days. We were classmates when we were in kindergarten and that's it.

We live in the same neighborhood and I don't have an idea why we haven't seen each other for the past years. I always stay at home but there are times that I go out and wander around the village but I haven't seen him. I went to a different school in elementary and secondary and maybe that explains it.

"Oh!" Fuck. That was awkward. That's the only thing I muttered after we closed the distance. I am with my new friend and I did not expect that he is close with this guy. I have nothing against him but it's just awkward? Because after years we see each other again.

"Hi!" He smiled. He seems comfortable. I just nodded and smiled. This is really part of my personality, I don't usually speak a lot and I get embarrassed easily. I am a shy person and conversing with other people is really hard for me.

"You both live in the same neighborhood right?" Ghian asked. He is my gay friend, my new friend that I was talking about earlier.e

"Uhmm." I shyly nodded. I looked at him and he was already staring at me.

"So you already knew each other?" Ghian asked again. Isn't it obvious?

"Yep. Were classmates before." Ashton answered. Wow, he remembered. I thought he would not remember that.

"Oh! That's nice!" Ghian exclaimed. I don't know what's going on inside his head but yeah, this is awkward. Maybe he will expect us to be friendly toward each other but to be fair I don't know how I will approach him. I am an introvert.

We are at a birthday party. It's Ghian's friend's birthday today and he just grabbed me here. It's not my cup of tea but he told me that he wants me to have more friends so I agreed. I just didn't expect that I would see familiar faces here.

Two other familiar faces are on the other table. I know them. One of them is also our classmate and the other one is in another section. Wow, they all went to the same highschool.

I was sipping on my juice when I saw the two familiar girls approach our table. I heard Jane asked Ghian, she was my classmate before too. "Is that Nicolette?" She pouted in my direction before giggling. She is now looking at me so I smiled.

"Hi!" I smiled. She seems approachable so I greet her. She is one of my classmates that I was close with before so I am hoping that we'll get along. We are now in the same school and I am not aware that they are also studying there.

Sana, on the other hand, waved her hand at me. Maybe she noticed that my face is also familiar to her. Of course, our classroom was next to each other when we were kids.

"You did not even say hi to me." I frowned when I heard Ashton's voice. He is on my right side. Two vacant chairs separate us, that's the only distance we have from each other.

"Sorry?" I did not get his riddle.

"Tsk. I said you did not even say hi to me when you saw me." My brows furrowed but then I shrugged it with a small laugh.

"I'm sorry, I'm just shy. I don't know how to greet you, and how to approach you either. It's our first time seeing each other after years." I said before sipping on my juice again.

"Uhuh, I barely see you in the village. I only see you maybe more or less around ten times in the past years." He answered.

"To be honest, I did not see you ever in the past years." I chuckled.

" I don't know with you but I only saw you last time on the basketball court." He said. I thought about it and yeah, I was on the basketball court last time.

"Yeah, I was there to watch my brother's game." I answered. But I did not see him there.

"Do you always go there?" He asked. I put down the glass that I was holding before answering him.

"Yes. For the past years I always go there to watch my brother's game." I said. Wow, it's over a decade and we are really not meant to see each other in those years. Our friendship is really delayed.

"Seriously? How come I did not see you. I am always there too." Then he laughed.

"Maybe we are really not meant to see each other during those years." I said.

"Yeah, but maybe we are destined to be with each other." My eyes widened for a second and he laughed.

"What?" I was shocked and in disbelief. This guy!

"I was just joking! Don't be too serious." And he shook his head.

I was about to say something when Ghian went back to our table. I don't know why Ghian put me in this situation. Maybe he thinks that because we live in the same neighborhood, we are close to each other. I hope we are, but we are not.

I want to be friends with him, to be close with him, as well as with Jane and Sana. I want to reconnect with them because I shared my childhood with them even though I don't clearly remember it all.

"I can see you both laughing from afar. Nics, you seem to be enjoying the night." Ghian smiled at me and I smiled back at him.

"Yes, I am." I smiled again.

"I told you! You will enjoy this party!" Then he sitted in one of the vacant chairs between me and Ashton.

"Thank you for inviting me, where is the birthday girl by the way?" I asked him.

I am quite familiar with the birthday girl but I don't know if she knew about me. We are mutuals on our social media accounts and I think this is the first time that we will see each other face to face.

"Oh, she's inside. I will introduce you to her later." He said.

"Why don't you introduce me to your friend, Ghian?" I heard one of the visitors ask. I doubt he is not with Ghian's circle. In Ghian's circle of friends, there are two boys, two girls, and of course one gay which is him.

I saw Ghian roll his eyes before speaking. "This babe is not available in the market." He said and I just laughed.

"I just want to be introduced to her? What's wrong with that?" The smirk on the guy's face cannot be dismissed. He is a playful one, I guess.

" It is wrong! I know that moves! You just want to get in her pants, jerk!" Then he rolled his eyes again. I felt my cheeks burning from what he said. In my pants huh?!

"You're thinking too many bad things about me, Ghian." The smirk on the guy's face is still there.

"Because you really are!" Then Ghian put his lips in a thin line.

"Your moves are getting rusty, man." I heard Ashton's voice and that made me look at him.

"Oh, bro shut up. This lady is just too pretty and my intention is pure, I just want to know her." Then the guy laughed. I looked at Ashton and his questioning look was directed at me.

"I am Nicolette Rivera, 17."

I was seventeen when I saw him again. I was seventeen when I saw my childhood crush again.

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