When Fate Decided to Play its Part

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN;
Party Night
--
"By the way Althea," Melanie said behind her.
"Hmm?" Althea puts back her son's ID on the counter and looked back. "What?"
"Charlotte..." She hesitated. "Is your friend, right?"
Althea laughed and pretended to think while leaning on the counter. "Hmm? Friends?" She turned to Kai and jokingly asked. "Are
mommy and Charlotte friends? What do you think Kai?"
Kai also turned to look at her and think, his blue eyes were sinking in depth of the ocean. Then, he said truthfully. "No."
"What?" Althea dragged the question in amusement. "Why do you sa so?"
Kai said with a serious expression. "Charlotte said that you don't have friends. So I think you're not friends with her too."
"..." Both Melanie and Althea stared at him in silence before the former let out a laughter that annoyed the latter.
"What are you laughing at?" Althea yelled at Melanie in annoyance. Melanie just shook her head and didn't say anything about it.
"Ah," Melanie suddenly had a realization which stopped her laughters. "What did she say to you?"
"Oh," Althea stopped as well when she remembered. She was about to bring Kai inside to take a bath. "About that, she asked
me to attend a party for them this weekend."
"Asked? Then you're not going?"
Althea shook her head. "I'm still thinking about it."
"Why not?" Asked Melanie. "It's just a party."
"Well," Althea showed discomfort when she thought about why. Melanie noticed this and said that she doesn't need to answer it
if she didn't want to. Althea shook her head. "No, no. It's okay. I just... Don't like going to a party with pretentious people."

'Pretentious?' Melanie asked herself. 'Ah, it's that kind of party.'
"Then you're not going?" She asked again.
"Well," she said again. "I really have to think about it!"
Melanie let out a small laughter, "Okay."
"Let's go Kai, let's take a bath." Since their discussion is already over, she ushered her son back.
Kai obediently followed his mother. "That auntie..."
Auntie who? Althea raised a brow. "Who?"
"That auntie who came here was weird." He said.
"Weird? How weird?" Without even knowing the name, Althea know it was Sheryl. She's very curious about why did his son
thinks that way about her.
"She was asking too many questions," Kai pouted his small lips. "It was bothering."
Althea widen her eyes and stared at him in shock. Her hand that was reaching for the knob stopped midway. Kai also stopped
when she did and glanced up at her in confusion.
Kai said that he was bothered. It was the first time he was bothered by something! Althea had an unknown feeling stirring inside
her.
Should she thank Sheryl or not?
"Mom?" Noticing his mother's silence, Kai can't help but asked. His eyes were looking at her with curiosity and confusion. "Is
something wrong?"
"Oh- no-" she shook her head and laughed awkwardly. "Nothing."
She turned her head a way and just about to grab the knob to open the door so they can get inside, the door was opened from
the other side.

"That was really scary!" Jack was the obe who opened the door, he was looking at whoever was behind him, so he didn't notice
Althea and Kai. "Who could have thought that people will do that in a heavily guarded bank?"
"Maybe their stupid," it was Becca. She was following behind him. "Ah, maybe they aren't since they're successful."
"Wait," Jack paused, completely blocking the door. "They succeeded on robing the bank and wasn't caught right? Maybe they
have a backer!"
"Maybe," Becca responded then looked in front. She noticed the two first. "Good morning ma'am."
"..." Althea smiled. She was still calling her that. "Good morning."
"Oh!" Jack also noticed them. He greeted. "Hello Althea! Hello to you too, young man. What are you two doing there?"
None of the two answered him which made him wonder why. Becca also wondered why, "Who's blocking who?"
Jack finally noticed the problem and awkwardly laughed before moving to the side. "Sorry Miss!"
Althea just shrugged it off, "It's okay, not that as if it's the first time."
She laughed and entered the room with Kai following behind her.
Jack awkwardly smile then looked down at the floor while covering his nape with his hand. Becca, on the other hand, was
looking at him with confusion.
It wasn't really the first time. Everytime that he speaks with Becca, his intelligence decreases a lot, like he was matching up with
her level of intelligence.
Sometimes, it just makes her laugh.
-
Two days just passed in a blur. Nothing unexpected happen for the past 2 days and Althea jad a peaceful time of decided about
whether or not she'll go.
After some thinking, she finally decided to go.

When she called Charlotte the morning before the party, the dress she promised arrived soon after. It was too fast to the point
that she thinks that Charlotte already knew she'll agree.
That bitch.
Anyways, it was already the night of the party. After getting dressed and telling Kai that she had to go, she drove herself to the
venue.
She parked her car on the basement of the hotel after verifying that it was really the place. Grabbing her purse, she got off from
her car then directly heading to the elevator.
-
A man went out from his own car and noticed Althea, he was about to ignore her when he noticed that her face was familiar. His
eyes widen.
"Hey-" another man went out from the same car. He looked at the other with confusion and asked. "What's wrong?"
The other man was staring at the elevator that just closed in silence before turning at the other. "Do you know Althea?"
"Hmm?" The other asked in confusion again. "Althea who?"
The guy pursed his lips and stopped the urge to slap his head down. "Althea! Tyler's girlfriend- ex-girlfriend!"
"... Which one?"
"Stupid." The guy can't help but smack his head. "The one in highschool! The girl we forced to come to a party so he can go too!"
It was only then the guy remembered. "Ooh! Her! Didn't she disappear like, 7 years ago? Why suddenly bring her up?"
"I just saw her." He plainly answered.
"What?" He exclaimed in shock. "She's back?! And she's here? What a coincidence!"
"Yeah," he also agreed. "A coincidence indeed."