Page 11 of Four Times Taken

I've had to tell a lot of people goodbye for most of my life at that point, people I still haven't seen again until this day. Some of them were friends I loved, and it was gut-wrenching until I learned to run from my feelings. With her, I couldn't run. It was unbearable to think about doing the same with her. I don't think I would've survived. I might have even tried to stay. It was a lot to consider, and I didn't know what I was doing, so I ghosted her instead. I don't suppose that felt very good. If she cared for me half as much as I cared for her, I must have hurt her to spare myself from hurting. Except I didn't spare myself.

Now, there's an opportunity to see her again. Oh, what am I thinking? It's not as if I'm going to bump into her on the street just because I'm going to Durham. I don't even know if she still lives at the same place or whether she moved away from Durham at all. And she doesn't have any social media. Trust me, I've checked.

Shaking my head, the streets spun. I'm shitfaced. I drank way too much, especially after Ryan invited us to North Carolina. It's as if I've been injected with a magnet, pulling my soul there. I couldn't back out if I wanted to. And I don't want to. I'd like to visit where she used to live, just in case.

"Brother, what're you doing all the way back there, mayyyyne," Matt dragged, snickering with himself.

"Mayyyyne," Ryan echoed, hiccupping. They erupted in laughter; I grinned a little bit. "Get yo ass up here." He gestured.

"I'm coming. I'm com-ing." My words dragged.

"He's cumming guys. Better watch out," Ethan guffawed.

"Don't cum all over us, I beg." Matt blocked his face.

"Speak for yourself. I haven't gotten laid in so long, you could cum all over me if you'd like." Ryan grinned.

"Listen to this one." Matt rolled his eyes. "No one's stopping you from getting laid. Look around you; there are beautiful women, beautiful men. The world is your oyster."

"You're one to talk. When's the last time you got laid?" Ryan fired back.

"No one was talking about getting laid, you horny bastards." I slapped them on the back of the head when I got close, attempting to run off after but ended up swaying and almost tripping over my own legs. They laughed at me. I laughed at myself. "Some things are more important than sex." I fell to the ground.

"Yeah, but sex is pretty awesome," Ethan added as he offered me a hand, pulling me up, stumbling backward himself. I patted him on the back to steady him.

"Do you know I used to live in North Carolina?" I said offhand, turning around, surprised when I saw that we'd arrived at the hotel. "Ayo!" I celebrated.

"What?! You never told us that," Ryan said.

"Yup." I burped. "For two years. My final years of high school. Up until the year before I met you guys."

"Sick. That's sick, isn't it?" He looked at the other guys. "What a coincidence! Maybe we can visit some of your old buddies. See if you were still a sp—sweetheart back then." He smiled, pinching my cheeks as the elevator door opened.

"What were you about to call me?" I gently pushed him in.

"Nothing," he lied, grinning as he leaned back against the wall, and we all piled in after him.

Putting my finger against his chest, I flipped his nose off when he looked down. "I only had one best friend. Lily. She was everything. I didn't need anyone else."

"Ooh. Sounds like someone had it bad." Matt nudged Ryan with his elbow.

"Aw. Was she your little girlfriend?" Ethan teased.

"She was more than that," I admitted.

"Your wife?" he said, and they all grinned.

"Hey, I'm trying to be serious here," I pleaded.

"Oh, sorry." He cleared his throat. The elevator door dinged open, and we stepped out, walking to our room. When we got there, we all looked at each other in confusion.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you have the key? Or do I have the key?" Matt asked.

We all checked our pockets like real spazzes. Thankfully, the keycard was in my wallet. I didn't think any of us wanted to go back downstairs and request assistance. More than likely, we would have opted to sleep in the hallway. We're all too happy to flop wherever we can when we step into the suite Matt and Ethan paid for. My eyes were heavy with sleep as I lay back on the carpet, staring up at the ceiling.

"So, what... erm... was she like?" Ethan asked on his way to the bedroom. Ryan was passed out on the couch, and Matt headed straight to the bathroom, his stream of piss echoing throughout the suite as he sighed in relief.

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