~Present Day~
"Uh… guys?" Cashmere inquired, "You alright?"
Kori and Xavier snapped back into reality to see both Cashmere and Carmen staring at them with concern coloring their expressions.
Kori's widened eyes met theirs and then Xavier's. She had a feeling he'd been thinking about the same thing she had, though she had pieces of the story that he was missing and it was likely the same thing could be said on his part.
"I'm fine," Xavier answered, "I was just thinking about something. Kori?"
"Same," Kori replied, "I'm fine. Never been better."
It was an obvious lie and she hated it. She'd oversold the last part, she knew it.
"Kori," Xavier began, "Maybe we should talk-"
"Actually, Xavier," Kori interrupted, pulling out her phone, "I'm due for a conference call in five minutes. In fact, the only reason I was able to come here was become I promised my business partners I'd attend a quick meeting with them. But, we can totally catch up later."
Before anyone had the chance to speak, Kori was speeding off toward the house.
When she finally got inside she raced up the stairs to her room, blowing out harsh breaths in an attempt to calm herself.
Once inside, she plopped down on her bed and buried her face in her hands.
"Come on, Kori," she urged quietly, "Remember what happened after Xavier. Remember the reason you're here, right now."
And, remember, she did.