~Ariana's POV~
I felt eyes on me even as I got back into my car and drove away with a wave at Luc, I dropped Sky off at the mall before heading to the library were I was to meet up with my partner for our project on biochemistry & genetics.
We exchanged ideas as we worked, and we soon rounded up with our work, after which we said our goodbyes, she left and I decided to stay back a bit in the peaceful atmosphere and do some studying.
An hour later, I checked the time and noticed it was almost 7pm, I got up, packing up my stuff and leaving the library, deciding to head home first and take a shower before meeting up with Luc and Sky at 8pm.
After my shower, I got dressed in a black long sleeved body con dress, pulling on a silver heel, I grabbed my keys and left the house.
I walked into the restaurant we were having dinner at a bit late, frowning as I noticed the weirdo who had been waving creepily at me from the parking lot had come in as well, now standing in front of me with a stupid looking grin on his face, some people just couldn't take a hint, I wouldn't have blatantly ignored his frantic gestures outside if I had any interest in being acquainted with him.
"Hey, I've been trying to get your attention since you stepped out of your car, can we... maybe talk for a few minutes?" A man wearing an expensive looking suit came up to me and said, I frowned, giving my name to the hostess, once I was given direction to my table, I turned to the man.
"I'm meeting my fiancee, or rather fiancees, we're here to celebrate you see, our girl is expecting, I think it's gonna be a boy." I said, and with a tight smile, I walked away leaving the astonished man to pick his jaws off the floor. I wasn't in the mood to entertain any admirers anytime soon.
Reaching them, I took a seat, frowning at the nervous look on their faces.
"What's up, you both look like you were caught trafficking drugs." I said teasingly, picking up the menu and glancing through it, I hadn't had anything since breakfast and I was starving.
"Ana..." Luc began, his voice really hesitant, I raised a brow looking up at him.
"We're really, really sorry." Sky rushed out before grabbing Luc's hand and hurrying out the restaurant, I frowned, staring after them for a while, before scoffing in disbelief, as I started to stand, intending to go after them and give them a piece of my mind, two men occupied the place across from me where Luc and Sky previously sat, I paused, looking up, I froze as I identified the men now seating across from me.
I moved to stand but Jay grabbed my hand, giving me a pleading look, I frowned but lowered myself back into my seat, staring apprehensively at the both of them.
We all remained quiet for a while before Jay picked up the menu, looking through it.
"What will you have?" he asked me and I frowned.
"I'm not hungry." I said coldly, they both flinched at my tone, before Jay sighed.
"I'll just order for three of us then." he said, giving his specifications to the waiter, and turning to face me.
They both kept on staring at me and after sometime, I was beginning to feel uncomfortable, just as I was about telling them off, the waiter dressed formally in a tail coat arrived with the cart containing our orders, laying them out on the table, he spoke politely with a thick British accent.
"As you requested Sir, enjoy your meal." he said before dipping his head in a slight bow and pushing the cart away.
They both stared at me expectantly and I frowned again but picked up my cutleries and began eating, they sighed in relief, doing the same but kept glancing up at me throughout the whole meal, as if expecting me to stand up and bolt any second, I wouldn't lie and say the thought didn't cross my mind, but I was more dignified than that.
Finishing my meal, I downed my glass of wine before I reached for my napkin, wiping my mouth and setting it aside, I looked up at them, Lon called for the waiter and he cleared the table, replacing our finished bottle of wine with a new one, Lon refilled my glass and I raised a brow at him before picking it up and taking a sip.
"How have you been?" Lon asked me softly as I placed down my glass and I shrugged.
"I've been great." I replied truthfully and they winced at my words, probably knowing that I meant I was doing better without them.
"School?" Jay asked.
"Stressful, really stressful but challenging and fun." I replied, and he nodded smiling slightly at my words.
"Glad to hear that." he replied and I nodded.
"How about you guys, back together now I see?" I asked, honestly happy for them, Lon smiled nodding.
"Yeah, I came to my senses some months back." he confessed sheepishly and I laughed lightly nodding.
"Hallelujah!" I replied and they both laughed.
"So what brings you both to Oxfordshire?" I asked seriously and they stared at me quietly for a while.
"You." Lon stated simply and I raised a questioning brow.
"We wanted to apologise for everything." Jay said guiltily and I shrugged.
"There's nothing to apologise for, what's in the past should stay there, I've already moved on from that." I assured them in a dismissive tone, Lon sighed dejectedly.
"But that's the issue love, we don't want you to move on, we can't move on from you, we want you back, scratch that, we need you back in our lives." Lon said in a pleading tone, I scoffed.
"Uhmm, that's cool and all but I'm not interested." I said, ignoring the fluttering of my heart.
Their expressions turned sad, hurt flashing through their eyes at my words, I bit my lip against the ache in my heart, I wasn't going to let myself get off track again, it had turned out horribly the first time and I'd be damned if I went through that again, I wasn't cut out for this mate stuff, I was glad that at least now they'd have each other.
"You look great in a dress, you don't wear those often enough but then you probably prefer pants because of how amazing they look on you." Jay said suddenly, after a long silence and I gave him a bewildered look.
"Ana please..." he continued after my stunned silence, referring to me accepting them back.
"I already gave my answer." I said firmly and Jay sighed.
"At least give us a chance to explain..." Lon began but I cut him off.
"There's nothing to explain, did you really think Sky wouldn't tell me about what happened with James?, She did, and I understood clearly, but forgive me for believing that still justifies nothing, I had my life all figured out before I met you both, at least to a good enough extent, but with you, I slowly lost myself, I walked out on you no longer knowing who I was or what I wanted, after these months, I've come to accept I will never be able to go back to the woman I was before I met you, and as much as that fact annoys me, that's okay, because now, I'm trying to figure out who I've become after all that pain, they say there's always a light at the end of the dark tunnel, I'm slowly finding that light, I'm slowly finding out who I am after you." I said, my voice shaky, I took a deep breath, calming myself down.
"Ana, we love you." Jay said desperately, his gaze pleading and I sighed.
"If you love me, you'll accept my decision and move on, just as I have." I said coldly, before standing up and walking away as fast as my trembling legs could carry me, rushing to the parking lot, I got into my car, shutting the door and locking it before leaning my head against the head rest, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, a single question on my mind, the same one I had been asking myself for the past five months and still wasn't able to answer.
"Who am I after you?"
~Author's Note~
Hey y'all, a few chapters left till our journey comes to a hopefully fulfilling end