"Holy moly ! Is that little Aria?! "Trip stands up and rushes me . Before he can get an inch closer Alex puts himself inbetween us as a buffer.

"Back up Trip, she's just reacquainting herself with everyone," he says as nicely as possible.

Trip eyes me and then flashes me a toothy grin, "Stop playing Alex , I just want give her a hug."

"Back off Trip, if Alex doesn't want you near her , it's probably because of the last time we all were around each other," Warren warns him .

Trip steps back with his hands in the air, "you know I didn't mean any harm back then Ar. I was really just trying to help," the look in his eyes says that he's sincere but Alex wasn't budging .

"Honestly, I don't remember much from that time in my life . All is forgiven," I try to say as kindly as possible .

"You don't remember the incident?" Rachel asks . I remember Rachel being a brunette like Trip and Warren , while Florence had wild dirty blonde hair like Alex.

Alex shakes his head, "more like she lost her memory from that age and before."

"Aria, I didn't know . I'm sorry , I didn't mean-" Trip starts blubbering .

"Trip, it's okay . I'm alive, I'm here and I've made a ton of amazing memories . Plus we're all together again, I'm sure we'll make more memories," I try to calm him down .

Alex's mother comes over to me and gently guides me to my seat . Her warm smile instantly made me feel at ease, "Aria, you grew up to be such a beautiful young woman . Come , sit and let's catch up."

She sits be down across from Warren and I felt my heartbeat speed up . His intense gaze heightened my senses and I tried hard to look away from him . He mumbles something to himself that was intelligible to everyone else .

"It's good to be reunited with everyone," I say , looking at everyone and giving them a smile .

Alex sat next to me and as he did he reached for my hand under the table . He rubbed the back of my hand where my thumb as reassurance that he's here with me. I gave him a smile and turned my attention back to the table, which was still quiet and staring at us.

"Aria , if I can be frank, I'm surprised to see you here . Dating my son, no less," his father finally spoke up.

"Sir, I honestly didn't know we had a connection until Alex came to brunch with me the other day," I tell him.

"Well , regardless, I'm glad that we got a chance to reunite . And hopefully we can get the families together again," he says with an honest smile . I felt pangs of guilt begin to build as I realized that our little secret will probably blow up in our faces.

"I hope we can," was the only answer I can give and I wished I could take it back. How did things get so complicated. During that small exchange I noticed Warren rarely taking his eyes off of me . There's something intense in the way he stares . Something that keeps drawing me in .

Before we begin dinner we all finally relaxed and start chatting with one another . I learned from Rachel and Florence that their husbands would be running a bit behind but will join us in the middle of the course and that Trip won't be able to stay long because he has some things he needs to prepare for (which I know exactly what it is, considering that I'll be very much a part of it).

"I ran into Penny the other day," Warren throws out , making everyone stop what they were doing.

"Are you two thinking of getting back together?" Alex asked , surprising me at his sudden interest.

Warren slightly cocks his brow but soon disappears. This was a subtle cue that no one else was able to pick up . It bothered him and I want to know why . From what Alex told me and the reactions at the table, this was something no one expected to happen.

He shrugs , "Who knows . She looks fantastic and we agreed to go out for dinner this weekend."

Although I don't know Warren anymore, hearing that he's taking out another woman sent me into a but of a jealousy. Alex shifted uncomfortably next to me that raised even more suspicions.

Florence was the next to speak up , "I don't like her . I only accepted the fact you guys were together for so long . But War, you can't get back with her . She ruined you."

He doesn't react to that comment and continues playing with his first course. No one dared to say a word and I desperately wanted to diffuse the awkwardness that hung in the air.

So , what does Aria Lawson do to make an awkward situation less awkward? Make it more awkward by saying random things like , "karaoke."

Yes, I blurted out one word that had no relation to any of the topics that were being discussed. Everyone looked at me again, Alex rest his head on his hand with an amused smile . Trip's eyes lighting up with glee , the girls a little stunned by the random suggestion , while Warren just glares at my direction.

"Karaoke?" Warren utters the word as if it was some foreign object.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to just say it outloud, " I feel my whole face getting hotter , wishing I can just slide down my chair and under the table.

"Why were you thinking such a random thought?" Alex asked, still looking like this was pure gold to him.

"You guys were all talking about reunions and unwanted things . For some reason karaoke night popped in my head," I begin to ramble , "and friends from college always try to drag me to their weekend outing for loud music and cheap alcohol, two things I don't like, all for our mini monthly reunion."

It was the best I could do to pull it out of the air . It did diffuse the situation before this as Trip clapped his hands together , "I'll go with you," he says in delight.

To which , everyone at the table said , "NO!"

He was surprised that even I joined in with them and that's when I realized , now would be a good time to say , "I don't think the PR agency would agree to that Trip."

"How did you know?" He asked almost with an accusatory voice.

I straightened up and put on my professional voice, "Right before Alex picked me up , my bosses gave me a new client . A one on one client; which I rarely ever agree to take on. They sent the files over via courier while they had me on a conference call . Apparently , I'll be taking over as your personal publicist."

Now that got everyone to sober up fast and Mr. Wells was the first to say anything , "You're the genius talent that Philips and Wright chose? I heard about all those miracles you did with the Hughes company," he is beaming with a large smile , "I heard that they'll make whoever takes Trip on, a partner."

I nod , "the offer has already been extended," I lied. I didn't want them thinking that their son will be the reason why I get promoted , "They asked me if I wanted a challenge and when they said Trip's name, I knew I had to take it . Who better to manage him than his brother's girlfriend?"

Warren looked angry and without warning his voice boomed , "that's absurd. Don't take him on , he's a loose canon . He might try to kill you again," his face turns into a bright tomato color.

"War, I NEVER intended for that incident to turn out that way, and if Aria will be the one helping me out, I'll be even more serious, " he says with sincerity.

I hadn't realized that during this whole exchange , Alex had been stroking my hand as he held it close to him . I suppose my revelation made him aware of my discomfort. I look at him and smiled as a sign of my appreciation.

When we were done with the main course and moved on to the final course , I excused myself to find a bathroom . They had 10 bathrooms in this place and I so happen get lost . They told me down the hall and make a left , another left and then a right . I think . I should've asked Alex to guide me.

Before long I was standing at the end of the hallway , shifting my weight from one leg to another, doing the pee pee dance . I can't let my bladder burst on their carrara marble floors. But I can't let myself get another UTI because I held it in for so long . Just as I was about to give up and go outside to find a bush, a voice startles me .

"Did you get lost?" The last person I expected to find.

"Warren," I say ,"yeah , sort of."

He smirks , "Thought as much . You hadn't been here since you were 5 , yet you seem to find yourself near my old room."

I felt a bit flush , "do you have a bathroom in there, then? I really really need to go," I plead with him.

"Yeah, follow me," he says as he opens the door to my right.

So I followed him.