The wrong sister

Chapter two

Alex

Signing the last document on my desk, I leaned back on my chair and heaved a heavy sigh of relief. Finally, another day done.

From meetings to conference calls to piles of documents to go through and sign to going through my endless emails, I was so ready to call it a day and go home.

Pressing the dial button on the intercom, I summoned my assistant, Lisa. Minutes later, a knock sounded from my door

“Come in”, I said

“You called, sir”

“Yes please, see to it that these documents are sent to the appropriate departments”

“Yes sir”

“Yes, please. You can round up for the day after that”

“Thank you sir”, she said, retreating out of the office

Leaning back once again, I swiped a hand through my hair and down my face, a habit that comes when I’m feeling stressed or tired.

Suddenly, the door swings open and in comes the bane of my existence also known as my best friend, Antonio Gonzalez.

Visibly groaning, I returned to packing my briefcase hoping he’d get the hint and go away.

Ha, who was I kidding? It was Antonio we were talking about. Dude never takes a hint.

“Hey baby”, he said grinning

“What can II do for you, Antonio?”

“Can’t a man come over to see his best friend?”, he asked, making himself comfortable on the couch opposite where I sat.

“I’m busy”, I grumbled out

“Oh, come on, Alex, you can’t be too busy for your best bud”

Giving him the side eye, he raised his hands in surrender.

“Okay, fine. It’s been a while since we’ve hung out and I was thinking we could do some drinks tonight. Plus, it’s my cousin’s club opening tonight and I really don’t feel like going alone. Please, you gotta go with me, even if it’s for an hour or half”

“Do you have to go in the first place?”, I groaned knowing that if he pleaded well enough, he might actually be able to cajole me into going to the club with him.

I’m pretty sure the idiot was aware of this

“It’s the club’s official opening and it’s expected of us to be there as a sign of support. I would decline if I could. Please, pretty please”, he said, pouting.

“Enough with the theatrics, why don’t you find one of your many girlfriends to go with you?”

“Cause you’re the one I love”, he said with a wide toothed grin.

“You’re very stupid”

Laughing, he replied, “You know I can’t just take anyone to a family event. Please man, and hour tops and we’re out. Come on man”

“Fine”, I said, running a frustrated hand through my hair and down my face.

“One hour and I’m out”

“One hour and we’re out”, he affirmed.

Sighing once again, I said, “Lead the way”

“Yessssss”, he said, doing some sort of victory dance while I stood up to gather my things and head out.

“That’s why I love you, man”

“And I hate every thing that has to do with you”, I said gathering my things and walking towards the door.

Slapping my back hard, he said, “I know you don’t mean that”

“Don’t push it, Toni”

“Okay, geez, grumpy pants”

Getting into the elevator, I pressed the button for the underground garage while bringing out my phone as the doors closed. Scrolling through it to pass time, we waited for the doors to open.

Getting there, I went straight to my matte black Lamborghini urus.

“Meet you there, yes?” Antonio shouted whilst going over to his white Bentley bentayga.

“Yeah”

Sliding into the driver’s seat, the deep red colored leather interior enveloping me with its cedar wood scent.

Not even a second after I settled in, my phone rang indicating a call. Checking the caller ID, I rolled my eyes seeing it was Antonio. Groaning for the umpteenth time this evening, I picked up the call knowing it was useless to decline. The idiot would just keep calling until I picked up. Might as well get this done and over with.

“What do you want?” I growled out

“You know you don’t have to go all bad boy on me?”

“I’m not doing anything”

“Uh huh”

“I’m serious, ever since her you’ve been distant and cold and you’ve locked everyone out….”

“I’ve been busy-“

“No you haven’t Alex, you’ve always been a busy man but never too busy to hang out with your friends and family, especially me. I’m not justifying what she did but I’m saying it’s high time you let it go and move on”

I was silent because as always, he was right. I needed to move on from her. But I’ll be damned if I say it was that easy.

I wake up and I immediately think of her. Every damn thing reminds me of her. I shouldn’t be this soft but after saying for three years, you tend to get a bit too attached to someone and it takes a while to move on and let them go.

“I know bro, I’ll get there soon”

“Well, I hope its sooner than later cause I miss my babe a lot.”

I scoffed at that. Leave it to Antonio to make a joke out of the blue just to make me feel better. It made me feel a bit better but I was never going to admit it to him. He’d keep rubbing it in my face.

“I’m serious man, it’s been months since we hung out and as much as it hurts my pride to admit, I miss you man. Burying yourself in all ‘em paperwork won’t do you any good, you gotta go out there and continue living your life for you….. okayyy?”

“I hear you bro. Thanks man, you’re a real one”

“I know right? Hehehe”, he said in a high pitched voice.

“And that’s my cue to get off the phone”, he can be such a drama queen sometimes, I thought rolling my eyes.

“Well, we’re here anyways, so……”, he said in a cocky tone. The bastard knew what he was doing.

“Thank the heavens”, I said sarcastically as I followed his car to the parking lot with the sign saying “RESERVED”.

“Hey babe”, a high pitched voice from my window made me jump in my seat. Looking out, I saw none other than the bane of my existence once again.

“Stop calling me that, fool”, I said getting out of my car. He just laughed at me and leaned against the right back door while waiting for me to lock the car and follow him.

“And quit jumping me, we’re not seven anymore”, I said glaring at him.

He had the nerve to giggle and flick me off while walking past me to the door where a huge looking bouncer stood.

“Good evening Mr Gonzalez, Mr Antonov”, he said giving us both a nod and opening the door.

Nodding back, we entered the building and climbed the stairs to the first floor which overlooked the dance floor. We passed a few rooms and went straight to what looked like a small hall with people standing or dancing in corners or doing whatever it is they were doing, I really didn’t care. Going straight to the small gathering of people in the middle, we greeted Antonio’s cousin, Luca and his friends whose names I can’t remember for the life of me.

A few chatting here and there and I was just about ready to go back to my car and drive back home. I casually strolled to the railing and leaned down to just take a sweep of the place.

And that was when I saw her.