Page 7 of Shifted

"Because I haven't knocked yet." Shifting my eyes to him, my mouth parted. What a prick.

"So, we've been standing here waiting for nobody to come?" I ask.

"Precisely," I quickly lifted the gold handle and knocked on the door three times, and soon, it whipped open.

"Hope!" Arms wrapped around me tight as Bella's Mom, Maria, squeezed me. "Oh, you look extraordinary!" The spacious apartment was filled with people and chatter. Flutes of champagne were handed off as I spotted Bella in the middle of the room. Her mother released me and looked behind me.

"Reed!" Turning back to look at him, Maria saw a gracious smile on his face as he hugged her mother. “Reed, you’ve grown so much. Look at you! So handsome!" Maria gushed.

"Mom!" My breath hitches in shock at the sound of his voice. Bella’s brother Theo comes into earshot as he begins to scold her. It takes me by surprise. It's been so long since he's been home. My eyes steady on her mother as Reed now stands laughing at her antics.

"What? He's a gorgeous young man who deserves to hear it!" I turn away to find Bella but almost crash into him instead. As my eyes looked to see him standing over me, he smiled.

"Theo."

God, he looked good—better than ever, actually. I hadn't seen him in years. She never spoke of him, and I only thought about him occasionally. We were close once ago, but so much time had passed that I was sure he had forgotten my existence.

"Hope." Without thinking, he gathered me into his arms for a hug, and then we pulled apart. He anxiously waited for me to start talking, but instead, we stood in silence as I didn’t quite know what to say.

"It takes your sister getting married to have you come visit home?" He shrugged in response; he’d missed so much in her life.

"Chicago keeps me busy, Hope." I kept any other words to myself. I was almost mad at him for leaving behind his family with minimal notice or contact. He was moving on with his life but owed it to his mother at least to remain in touch.

"Theo!" Reed steps forward and pulls him in for a quick hug.

"Hopeyyyy." Her sing-song voice drew me away from the two, and I quickly left their company and went to Bella. I entered the living room, where I had sat a few times before on game nights with her fiancée. Her hand grabbed mine, pulling me down onto the toiled sofa.

"God, this party is marvelous,” she gushed, admiring the people surrounding her to celebrate her upcoming nuptials. “I still can’t even believe it. Look at us, Hope.” She pulled me in for an airtight hug, attempting to cut off my circulation.

“I can't breathe," I groan, and she releases me. Reaching for my gift bag, I twirl it tauntingly as she stares at it.

"Ooooh it’s alcohol... is it fancy?" She snatched the bag as I looked around.

"I don't think it's as nice as this place. I can't believe you'll be living here," Bella said, setting the bag down and rolling her eyes as she began to open it. I couldn’t help but grin.

“Out of all the people, you’re saying this? You alone live in a penthouse in Back Bay; I’m pretty sure you’re doing well for yourself. I don’t think it gets better than that either.” She then continues to remove the tissue paper from the bag. As she lifted the bottle and saw the label, she gasped, “Oh, you shouldn’t have! See, this is why I call bullshit. Look at this?” She raised the bottle of Dom Perignon as other people looked over.

"My best friend is getting married, and I'm her maid of honor. You deserved something special for tonight." I’m pulled into a tight hug again, and as she lets go, I catch him staring over at us while he’s in conversation.

"You didn't tell me your brother would be here?" I whispered, still shocked as I stared at him, a known ghost.

"He's been in Chicago, and I told you his corporations really have taken off. He's making millions while I'm a struggling journalist." She sighed, fawning her hand over her forehead.

"You're marrying a millionaire; save your complaints." She rolled her eyes again. How I got my money always confused her. I usually just blamed it on huge bonuses. But even huge bonuses at a law firm don’t get you one of the nicest views in Boston. “You aren’t struggling; you made the front-page last week?”

“Yeah, but your shit is more together, Hope. You had a kid young, went to law school when you were pregnant, and somehow graduated early. Now, at twenty-five, you’re a full-time lawyer at a firm. I haven’t done anything in my life.”

“You sound accomplished.” Looking up, Reed stood in front of me once more.

"You love to follow me around, huh?" I tease.

"I was just here to congratulate the future bride; you just happen to be in her company." Bella stood, taking Reed into her arms as he stared at me and then the bottle in hand.

"So the hallmark bag was a cover-up?"

"Surprise, I'm not homeless?" He scoffed.

"She was once." As the words left Bella’s mouth, I sat awkwardly. She tended to slip things out sometimes that weren’t needed. I simply wanted to shove her as I sucked on my lips. Way to tell a cute guy I was once homeless, “It was long ago, though. My family is technically Hopes." I never loved explaining this story. Because it happened almost a decade ago, I felt no reason to relive it. I became a parent to my parents at a younger age as they couldn’t take care of themselves when all I needed was for them to just spare me a glance once in a while.

---