Aftermath

POV Erin

Bianca takes the empty seat beside me, smoothing out the front of her black evening gown before resting her black clutch on her lap. "You can't imagine how shocked I was to see you."

She runs her finger along the glistening diamond necklace around her neck. "You look fantastic by the way."

Last time I saw Bianca, my life was falling apart; I could barely feed myself, and I was making bad decisions. And while that was happening, I was falling in love with her brother. "I'm surprised you even remember me."

A soft smile touches the corners of her full red lips. "You can blame my brother for that. He's made it impossible for any of us to forget who you are."

Don't bite-don't bite!

Keep it together-keep it together!

I will never forget the day I showed up at her brother's door and Bianca thought I was the paid help and he didn't correct her. I mean, technically I was, but by that point things had changed between us.

"Who did you come with?" She asks.

I'm not sure what to say-not that it's any of her business-yet I can appreciate her curiosity since I'm not a celebrity or socialite. "My dates a DJ."

"Wow." Her eyes widen but her tone is flat, and she sounds neither impressed nor interested.

And as expected, she has no interest in asking who, and I'm glad she doesn't care enough to ask since I don't want that information getting back to Styles. I'd prefer he know very little about my personal life. And him living in New York has been a blessing for me. It's meant I haven't had the fear of bumping into him around Sydney.

She rests her elbow on the armrest and leans over it towards me. Then she runs her finger along her necklace again as the diamonds sparkle from the movement and the bright lights overhead.

"You know, my brothers a different man now. He's been through a lot over the last year. What happened between you and him shook him deeper than any of us ever could have expected, including him."

I nod. "Good for him."

"Oh. You sound-"

"Uninterested," I say.

Then I wave to the server coming my way. "That's because I am." I take a glass from the tray and drink, ignoring the tang of the champagne as it hits my throat and hopefully fills me with the courage to get through this night.

I gulp and gulp until I drain the glass. Then I hold it up in front of me and say, "See this glass, it's empty because I just drained it-- just as your brother once did to me." I wipe the damp from my top lip before I continue. "So, what you're telling me is pointless. I no longer care."

The thought of seeing him again makes me all kinds of anxious.

And yet, I'm not sure how to avoid it, short of leaving or hiding from him. Which, obviously, I realized I can't do since I'm here with Zach.

"You should know that I've moved on. And the only thing I want is for him to keep his distance, especially tonight," I inform her. "If he doesn't, I'll call security."

Her blue eyes widen. "Isn't that extreme?"

"No more extreme than hearing about a man I have no interest in." I rise on my heels. "Excuse me... I need to find my date. Have a nice evening."

Her eyes near burn holes through my back as I make a dash towards the crowd. Not that I care if she misjudged my honesty for rudeness. I just need to put distance between us and get myself together.