Page 15 of Upgraded Friendship

“I don’t know about you guys, but something about them just seems off to me,” she confesses, her voice tinged with skepticism.

Alex nods in agreement, a thoughtful expression crossing his features. “Yeah, I know what you mean. They’re all smiles and sunshine on the surface, but something about their interactions just feels...fake,” he muses, his brow furrowing with concern.

Tanya frowns, her expression mirroring my own unease. “I’ve always thought Jeremy was a bit of a snake but seeing him with his fiancée just confirms it for me,” she admits, her tone somber.

As we gossip and speculate about Jeremy and his fiancée, the tension in the air grows thicker by the second. But amidst the uncertainty and unease, there’s a sense of camaraderie and solidarity that binds us together like a lifeline.

As the conversation about Jeremy and his fiancée tapers off, Alex politely excuses himself to go catch up with some other friends. Tanya glances at her watch with a small frown. “I should probably go check up on Josh really quick. It was great catching up with you, Sarah,” she says, her voice apologetic.

I nod in agreement. “I’ll be right over,” I reply, offering her a warm smile.

With a final wave goodbye, Tanya slips away from the bar and disappears into the crowd, leaving Sarah and me alone once again.

Sarah rises from her seat with a playful grin. “I’ll go grab us some snacks. Be right back,” she says, her tone light and carefree.

As Sarah disappears into the throng of people, I’m left alone at the bar, the sounds of laughter and chatter washing over me. Despite the chaos of the party swirling around me, I don’t feel the pressure of the stifling atmosphere as expected.

But then, I see Jeremy and his fiancée, walking closer to the bar. It’s bad enough having to endure the sight of them, all loved-up and blissfully ignorant of the turmoil they’ve caused in my life, but now, if they come over here I will have to try and make happy small-talk with them..

As they approach, their smiles bright and their eyes shining with excitement, I can’t help but feel a surge of nausea rise in my throat. I force a polite smile onto my face, steeling myself for the inevitable onslaught of well-meaning questions.

“Hey, Andrea! So glad you could make it,” Jeremy exclaims, his voice dripping with false sincerity.

I nod, trying to keep my composure despite the knot of anxiety twisting in my stomach. “Hi, Jeremy. Congratulations on your engagement,” I reply, my words laced with forced civility.

His fiancée, a tall and impeccably dressed woman with a perfect smile and flawless hair, beams at me. “Thank you, Andrea. We’re so excited to celebrate with our friends and family,” she gushes, her voice saccharine sweet.

I nod again, my grip on my composure slipping with each passing second. “That’s great,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jeremy’s eyes gleam with mischief as he leans in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “So, Andrea, did you come with a boyfriend tonight?” he asks, a sly grin spreading across his face.

My heart sinks as his words hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. I freeze, my mind racing as I struggle to come up with a suitable response. I can feel Jeremy’s eyes boring into me, his gaze filled with gleeful anticipation as he waits for my answer.

But just as I’m about to open my mouth to reply, a voice breaks through the suffocating silence like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

“Hey there, babe. Sorry I’m late. Do you want something to drink?” Josh’s voice is like a lifeline, pulling me back from the brink of discomfort.

I turn to face him, relief flooding through me at the sight of his familiar face. “Josh, thank goodness you’re here,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper.

Chapter six

Josh

As Andrea stands there frozen, I can see the panic in her eyes. She’s caught off guard by Jeremy’s tactless question, and I can’t stand by and watch that douchebag talk to her like that. Without a moment’s hesitation, I step forward, sliding my arm around Andrea’s waist and pulling her close to me.

“Hey there, babe. Sorry I’m late,” I say, my tone casual as I shoot Jeremy a pointed look. “Do you want something to drink.”

Andrea’s eyes widen in surprise, but she quickly recovers, playing along with my impromptu act. She thanks me in a whisper so low I am the only one that knows she is speaking. She wraps her arm around my waist, leaning into me as if we’ve been together for years.

“Josh, this is Jeremy and his fiancée,” she says, her voice steady despite the chaos swirling around us. “Jeremy, this is my boyfriend, Josh.”

Jeremy’s eyes widen in shock, his face paling as he realizes that his attempt to embarrass Andrea has backfired spectacularly. His fiancée’s perfectly painted smile falters for just a moment before she quickly recovers, her gaze flickering between Andrea and me with thinly veiled curiosity.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, extending my hand with a polite smile. “Congratulations to you both on your engagement.”

Jeremy mumbles something unintelligible in response, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he hastily retreats, dragging his fiancée along with him. As they disappear into the crowd, I can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the sight of their retreating figures.

Andrea turns to me, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Josh, what in the world just happened?” she asks, her voice tinged with confusion.

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