Ghosts of the Past
Rian’s POV
The moment I spotted that red hair in front of me, I knew that it was her. It had been years since I last saw her. She refused to speak to me on the phone. She would only text. She wouldn’t even respond to video chats on social media. I thought that she must hate me for what I did to her. My heart broke. I had never meant to hurt her and all I wanted right now was to wrap her in my arms and shower her with my love.
I was about to call her name when she turned to laugh at the woman she was with. Our eyes met and it was like nothing had even changed. My heart skipped a beat. Then I saw the delight leave and be replaced by panic. She quickly grabbed her friend and started walking away from me. The streets were crowded on this beautiful day. I followed her and called her name, but it was lost in the noise. I don’t know where it was that I lost them, but I lost them. I texted her and she didn’t respond. I continued to text. Where was she staying and how could I find her? I went back to the pub.
“Where in the fuck did you go?” Shane asked, annoyed that I ditched him.
“Isla is here. I just saw her,” I said, trying to catch my breath.
“Geez, did she run away from you or something?” He laughed until he saw my face. “When was the last time that you saw her?”
“Actually face to face about 6 years ago, when she was in the hospital. I went to see her when she got out, but her apartment was empty and the landlord said that she had moved to America. I’ve gone to see her on her birthday every year, but never to where she could see me. Except her 21st birthday when she saw me in the car fucking Rebecca outside of Meg’s Diner,” I replied still searching the crowd for her.
“What is with you and that bitch? Is she that good of a fuck that you can’t help yourself? You just have the urge to ruin everything good?” He was annoyed at hearing Rebecca’s name.
“No, she is my repeat drunken mistake to hurt Isla. It’s always after I’ve seen Isla with Patrick. Always,” I responded.
“You’ve been in love with Isla since she was five. Why do you keep fucking it up with her? You should have told her how you felt. Then she wouldn’t have slept with Ian or me. She wouldn’t have chased Patrick. She would be here with your dumbass,” he scolded.
“Why don’t you tell me how you really feel?” I said sarcastically. I didn’t need to be reminded that I was an idiot.
“I just did, moron,” he said, sticking his tongue out. “I’ll message Patrick and ask.”
I gritted my teeth. Rebecca had sent me a photo of Isla making out with Patrick on her 21st birthday. Rebecca was always jealous of Isla. She grew up with us too but was never included. She was Shane’s step cousin and whore. I’ve lost count of her conquest. Though I was shocked when she told me Patrick had finally fucked her and that she was pissed that he ghosted her. At the time I thought, that’s because he’s smart. I’m just a jealous idiot.
“She’s at Ian’s. I’m allowed to go, but if you’re with me you’re not invited,” Shane said. “I’m not even allowed to talk about you. WTF? He’s so overprotective.”
“Well, I did drive her to suicide and punched him in the face,” I shrugged knowing that I would be the same way.
“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. That was a sucker punch, bro!” He laughed at the memory.
“Can you text her?” I asked.
“Nope, I just put myself in the middle as much as I’m comfortable with,” Shane has remained friends with all of us over the years. Patrick and I had made peace. Periodically talking, but it wasn’t the same. Isla and I only texted. I knew that it hurt too much to see me. Ian was Ian. Always doing his own thing. His clubs were doing well and so much fun. I will admit I go there for my sexual pleasures outside of the drunken nights with Rebecca.
“I’m just glad that you found out that the baby isn’t yours before you married that snake,” Shane said, shaking his head. “You still have a chance to get Isla.”
“Me too!” I said in relief. A month ago, after another one of my drunken hookups with Rebecca, she had come to me claiming that she was pregnant and that it was mine. She insisted that we get married and expedited the planning even sending out save the date cards before I even proposed. I told her if the baby is mine after the paternity test, then I would marry her. So, I was pissed at the fast tracking and more that she did it without my knowledge. My own mother called and yelled at me. She must have gone through my address book. The day after those were sent, the test came back not mine. I called everything off, but she wouldn’t tell me who she invited. I was still working through that damage control.
After a week, I couldn’t understand why Isla was avoiding me. Then my mom called Shane and asked why I was avoiding her calls. I told her I would fix my phone because I didn’t have any missed calls from her. Shane suggested checking to see if I accidentally blocked her. It was blocked but seeing the numbers that were, I knew that Rebecca had done it. Along with several others.
Fuck! I bet she blocked Isla’s number too. I searched my blocked numbers and sure enough she had blocked her on everything. I quickly fixed that. I had several missed texts and calls. That meddling bitch!
I messaged Isla. “Hey, beautiful. Where have you been and why did you run from me the other day?”
There was a knock on the door as I waited for her reply. I was shocked to see her standing in front of me. Without words I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her deeply. She moaned in my mouth, entangling her hands in my hair. Someone cleared their throat and I pulled back, staring at her. She was magnificent.
I looked up to see a pissed off Patrick and an annoyed Ian. I stepped back, releasing her. As my eyes landed on the brunette on Patrick’s arm. The girl in the dreams with Isla. And then I noticed the woman from the streets on Ian’s arm, she’s also been in my dreams. What was going on?
“Patrick, Ian, Isla! You must be Amelia and Zoe! I’ve heard so much about you. Excuse Rian, he’s forgotten his manners,” Shane pushed me aside and hugged Isla, then Patrick and Ian, while shaking hands with Amelia and Zoe.
I stepped back holding the door wide for them to come inside. Only looking at Isla. Her green eyes were sparkling and timid. I’ve never seen her so shy before.
We all walked into the sitting room. The couples on either side of Isla as she held Zoe and Amelia’s hands. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Patrick was glaring at me.
“First of all, you are all assholes. “That’s a huge thing to keep from me,” Ian accused the group.
“It wasn’t mine to tell,” Shane defended himself.
“Nor mine,” I said, still staring at Isla.
“It wasn’t mine either,” Patrick added ashamed.
“It was ALL mine! I had the right to choose who I shared it with. Patrick broke that trust by telling Shane first. Then Shane broke it by telling Rian.” She yelled. Her eyes blazed. Isla was a force to be reckoned with when you ticked her off.
“I was there, with Patrick. He asked me to go with him when he couldn’t reach you,” Shane said quietly while looking at his hands.
“I pressured Shane when I couldn’t find you,” I said.
“It doesn’t matter, you idiots. That was a dark, scary, and embarrassing time of my life. My heart was broken. I had lost my best friend and my dream at the same time,” she said as a tear slid down her cheek.
“I’m sorry,” the four of us said in unison.
“I know that you wanted to protect me my whole life, but the four of you hurt each other in the process,” she scolded. This has been a long time coming. “I never told you what happened at home. You acknowledged the bruises and cuts, but never asked questions because I asked you not to. My dad tortured and raped me for years. If it weren’t for Patrick’s grams, I would have died in that house. We threatened to report it, but my dad offered to pay me off. It was enough to last me a lifetime and I took it. I lived with grams and she wouldn’t let me spend any of it. He later apologized before his death and left me his entire fortune. I turned the house into a refuge for victims,” she said without looking at any of us. “Your friendship saved my life. But this bitterness between you has to stop today!” She looked at Patrick and I.
“Sorry, Isla. I didn’t mean to upset you,” said Ian. Zoe smacked the back of his head and Amelia did the same to Patrick.
“Now can everyone leave Rian and I alone?” Isla requested. Amelia and Zoe kissed her and left. Ian followed the same kiss before leaving. Shane got up and kissed her cheek confused by the other lip kisses as was I. Patrick sat for a moment. She patted him and said, “I’ll be fine. Go.” He nodded and kissed her deeply before walking out.