Anthony's pov
Mother has been asking for my return home. I have been postponing but I Know sooner or later I'll eventually have to go home. There's only one reason that will demand my presence at home so badly and that is my marriage. As a William, it was traditional for us to get married at a certain age to members of other powerful families. I was already at that age and I was also already engaged since I was a child. Chantel and I had grown up together but I wasn't romantically attracted to her. From childhood, she had referred to herself as my wife and had been nutured to be the future Mrs Williams. She was also a close friend of the Triple gang as we all grew up together. She has been in France for her studies and had recently returned. She has probably gone to see mother and now I am needed to go home to finalize everything. Marriages in my family has always been a duty but I do not want to be a husband and a father only bound by duty just like my father. I hated the way my father treated us, like we were just a burden he was responsible for. I do not want to be like him so if I was to get married it will be only out of love and as it is I didn't love Chantel. She was a nice girl and a good friend but that is all she's ever going to be in my heart, My Friend.
It has been a really stressful day as usual. My whole day has been from one meeting to another. I had two business dinners and they were super boring, I couldn't even eat properly to my satisfaction as I had to maintain a proper business etiquette. So as usual, after a stressful day I'll go hang out with the boys in the play house. I met Richmond who was already there having drinks and Scott was yet to arrive.
"Finally! Someone is here. Why am I always the first one to arrive" Richmond said pouting while coming so close to me.
"Get away from me, and you have little or nothing to do that's why you have enough time in your hands to get here early" I said shoving him away.
"Ehh so stingy with your body, lemme hug you a little" he said still trying to hug me while I struggled forcefully. This little play soon escalated as he wanted to show strength by finally hugging me even though he knew I didn't like skin contact and I was not ready to surrender as I desperately pushed him away. I got tired of his little game and finally let him hug him and I could see the smug look on his face. I pushed him away when he finally hugged me.
"So where's Scott" I asked.
"Oh yeah, he said Chantel was in town so he probably went to see her" he said.
"Oh" that was all I could say. Ever since we were kids, Chantel and Scott has been closer but i was the one she was engaged to. Anytime I avoided her, she would go to Scott. It somehow made me feel guilty because it was as if my problems with Chantel were bothering him. He knew about how I felt about her and also how she felt about me, so as a close friend to both parties, he might be in conflict with how he's supposed to react sometimes. But he has always been neutral.
"Chantel might come with Scott here y'know" Richmond said looking at me with knowing eyes.
"Cool" I responded.
"You should stop avoiding her and just talk things out with her" he said with a serious tune.
"I know. But you know very well that her feelings won't let her see things from my point of view" I said honestly.
"You haven't even tried talking to her you have just been avoiding her, but anyway that's not my concern because, Who Am I" he said and we both burst out laughing. That was his iconic line and whenever he said it we always found it funny. We sat down to have drinks at the bar and had normal conversations until Scott walked in few minutes later but alone.
"Hey bro you are here" Richmond said as Scott just nodded and looked at me.
"Hey" I greeted and he responded with a hey as well. Like I've said before, Scott and I were close but there was this invincible wall between us. I didn't know when or how that wall was built but I know it was there and I didn't know how to get over it. He sat down and joined us to get drinks.
"How's Chantel" I asked facing Scott.
"She's fine" he responded plainly and moved his focus from me to his drink. The atmosphere suddenly became tense and I realized asking more questions would probably make things more tensed up.
"Oh yeah, the casting audition for the movie I told you about is tomorrow. Do you guys want to come" Richmond said probably trying to lighten up the mood.
"No" Scott and I said together. We looked at one another and smiled before looking away.
"Why???? I don't wanna go alone" Richmond said pouting.
"You always go alone anyway" Scott said.
"But I need my friends and there are gonna be hot girls auditioning" he said smiling dubiously.
"More reason why I'm not going" I said looking away and shifting my gaze to the television in the bar. Something suddenly caught my attention.
"Who's that" I asked suddenly.
"Who" Richmond said confused.
"The girl on the television" I said while Scott and Richmond shifted their gaze to the television to see who I was talking about.
"Oh! That's Mira one of my signed actresses. She's cute right. I even chose the red dress she's putting on". He said smiling mischievously.
"Not that one, I'm talking about the ginie" I said impatiently because of the piece of information I had received that I didn't ask for.
"Oh! That's emm..... What's her name again. I think it's Annie or something I don't really know. She's just some nameless actress" he replied while I nodded my head processing this piece of information. "Wait! Are you interested in her" Richmond suddenly screamed banging his hand on the table.
"It's not that. It's just that she looks familiar" I said shifting my gaze to my drink while Scott and Richmond stared at me.
"Ok ok, whatever you say man. But, I heard that she's gonna be coming for the audition tomorrow" Richmond said smiling mischievously.
"Cool" that was all I said. It was quiet for a while and I could still feel their stares. "You know what, I'm tired and I'll just head home" I said grabbing my phone from the table and headed towards the door.
"Don't run away man, if you want I can arrange things for you" Richmond screamed after me as I walked away.
I got home and had dinner that was already prepared by the maid. I had a quick shower and laid on my bed with nothing exactly on my mind. I suddenly saw an image flash in my mind. It was her. The sicko stalker. I might have been possessed for a second there when I grabbed my phone and called Richmond.
"What's up man" he said through the phone.
"I'm coming with you tomorrow".