The Past, The Present, The Future

I walked in the cool air, my hand clasped in Chad's. Laughter drifted across the night sky as we approached the bar entrance of the restaurant.

"I'm going to warn you again," I teased, "these dinners last hours."

"No way. You're exaggerating."

"Hours," I emphasized gleefully. We'd only been dating a few weeks but I already knew how much he hated dinner parties, especially dinner parties filled with people he didn't know. "You'll love it," I insisted evilly as he pulled open the door.

I caught sight of the birthday girl seconds after we walked into the bar. Raising my hand to wave, I stopped, the blood leaving my face. Sitting next to her was my most recent ex boyfriend. I hadn't seen or talked to him in months. Once, I'd thought we'd stay friends. Then, I'd found out he'd cheated on me the last few months of our relationship. My stomach knotted at the memory of humiliation when I'd accidentally discovered I'd "shared" my boyfriend with a woman in my class for the better part of a year.

I clutched Chad's hand tighter. "Oh my God," I whispered fiercely in his ear, pasting a smile on my face. Carl is here."

"Where?" Chad looked around the room.

"Don't look!" I hissed, pulling his arm down. "He's sitting next to the birthday girl." Instantly, I realized her husband must have invited him. They'd been friends for years and he'd been responsible for setting us up. "It's okay," I managed. "Just smile and nod."

Chad raised his brows. "Do you want to leave?"

"You're not getting out of it this easy," I laughed, the sound fake even to my own ears. Over his shoulder, I caught sight of another friend talking to a tall, familiar looking man. "You have got to be kidding me!"

The man turned and caught my eye, a wide smile splitting his face. "Mandy!" he exclaimed walking over to me with a loose gait, a beer in one hand. He gave me a casual hug. "How have you been?"

I smiled back, the shock dissipating. "Dan! Good to see you. It's been a while. I'd like you to meet my boyfriend Chad."

Chad looked at me, a question in his eyes. "Chad. This is Dan."

I watched as my current boyfriend shook hands with my first boyfriend, looking past them to my friend who shrugged her shoulders in a silent apology. A warm voice spoke in my ear.

"Well, this is awkward."

I spun around shaking my head. "Hey Derek! I didn't know you were going to be here."

"The birthday girl invited me. She must have it out for you."

"Apparently," I said, hugging an old friend who had been much more than a friend. "What is this?"

"It could be your version hell," Derek laughed. "I saw you walk in and bought you this." He handed me a cranberry vodka, the fumes of the alcohol overpowering the restaurant's smell of garlic and bread.

"I think I'm going to need it."

This week's post was inspired by the Write on Edge memoir prompt. Yes. This is a true story - though the names have been changed. And yes, it was tense.