"See you tomorrow Miss Wright"

"Goodbye Tom"

Mary's voice is barely audible as she waves goodbye to the last of her students after they all rushed out of class at the end of the school day.

Going over to the window, she watches the kids rush to their guardians, exchanging hugs and kisses, before being whisked away to their respective homes.

The sight gives her the feeling of nostalgia, what she wouldn't give to go home to a loving family at the end of a long day. Such was her life once upon a time, but all that has changed now.

The thought of her past brings back mixed feelings, something she would rather avoid dwelling into altogether.

Shaking her head slightly, she shuts out the unwanted memories and focuses on the present....finish off some school work, then go home, eat, watch some movies, until she falls asleep. Simple and she likes it that way.

"Hey, i am just about ready to call it a day, are you ready to leave?" Rachel asks, poking her head into Mary's class, as she offers her a lift back home, like she usually does on some days.

"Hai.... No, I have quite a bit of material to grade, i think i will stick around a little bit today, but thanks" she replies, snapping out of her reverie and turning around to give her a warm smile.

"Are you sure? It's a friday, you have all weekend, c'mon, live a little." Rachel insists, wiggling her eyesbrows at her and walking into the room altogether.

"I have this thing i was invited to, and i am allowed to bring a plus one, come with me" she offers, putting her hands on Mary's desk and starting to put her things in order, before she slithly puts one hand in the back of her demin jeans, she likes to dress casual on a friday, like most of the other teachers here at Lakeroad Elementary School.

Watching her, Mary sighs, having known her for the past two years now that she has worked here, she knows this discussion will only end well if she gives in to her request. She has been denying Rachel's invitations long enough and will not hear the end of it if she declines again.

" I guess i can work on this stuff later tonight" She concedes, trying to offer her her best smile.

"Yay" Rachels claps her hands in excitement and rushes to the door.

"Meet me in the car park in five minutes" she adds before she dissapears out of the door.

Mary's stares at the door for a minute, already regreting her decision, she walks towards her desk to pack the remaining things and starts heading to the car park.

*

"We can stop by your house so you can put your things away and change into something else" Rachel utters, after giving her a brief glance.

Mary immediately recognises this for what it is, a reprimand of her outfit, which comprises of a formal dark green cotton dress, that ends just over herp knees and a black button up sweater. This is not new to her, because Rachel often chastises her about her choice of clothes and often tells her she dresses as if she was 10 years older or something.

"Are we not going to be late, where are we going anyway" she finally asks, remembering that she didn't get the details.

" You know Rancic publishers? The owner also owns the 'The Post Newspaper'? Well, my cousin works for the him and they are having some kind of party i think, and so she invited me."

"Oh, well, that doesn't sound much like my kind of scene" Mary responds, thinking how much she would trade what Rachel has described to throwing herself on her sofa in her pajamas to watch her favorite series on Netflix back at home.

"From what i have noticed, nothing is your kind of scene, anyway, i have to stop at my house, i can lend you something to wear" Rachel continues briefly waving her hand at her, indicating her outfit.

"Can't i just....."

"No! When was the last time you went out? You are in your twenties but live like an old maiden, which is such a shame for someone so pretty. You need to get out more, and maybe....you know, meet someone, you need a man, someone to rock your body and loosen up those tight screws, you are way too uptight...lucky for you, i got this." Rachel declares with a wink and Mary cannot help but laugh at her choice of words.

"Fine" She smiles in resignation. I don't know about the man part, but i guess i can loosen up a little bit.

*

"She is really so annoying" Rachel declares after calling her cousin for the 3rd time. They have been waiting in the car for twenty minutes after their twenty minute drive to the private residence of Rachel's cousin's boss.

"I can't believe this, i am going to kill her.......wait, i think i see Ryan, her boyfriend right there, i will be right back" she says motioning to Ryan who is walking towards the entrance of residence as she quickly jumps out of the car and despite her six inch heels, sprints to him leaving Mary alone in the car.

She catches him just after he finishes talking to security and is about to enter the door. They talk briefly afterwhich he grabs her hand and tags her along with him inside.

'Ok, am sure she will be out any minute now to get me', Mary tells herself.

Fiften minutes pass. 'No need to panic right? Just stay cool,' she reaffirms herself.

Fifteen minutes turn into thirty minutes.

"I can't believe this. This is what i get for trusting her. I should have known better' Mary scolds herself.

Looking at the ignition she notices that Rachel left the key still in there and contemplates driving back home and leaving her behind, however, the thought of driving causes her anxiety.

With a sigh, she disembarks the vehicle and starts walking to the entrance.

The evening wind blows lightly causing her long curly hair worn loose, to dance around her shoulders. After having tried several of the clothes Rachel had offered her, they couldn't agree on anything, so she ended up maintaining her earlier outfit afterall.

"Name?" one of the security guys holding a cardboard with a list, sneers at her as soon as she is within hearing distance and gives her a look of disapproval after looking her up and down.

'Simmer down, cowboy, i don't want to be here either' she thinks to herself.

"I am not on the list but....." She starts to explain but he cuts her off.

" Invitation only"

"Yeah yeah, i know, i am sorry, but uhhmm...my friend just walked in here a couple of minutes ago and i really need to talk to her. Can you please just get her for me. Her name is Rachel clarke, maybe you know her." she pleads.

But he just stares at her without saying a word, as the other two guys watch the exchange.

"Please, it's an emmergency" she tries her best puppy dog look but he is unmoved.

"Do i look like a call boy to you?" he grunts.

"Mary?" a deep masculine voice speaks from behind her and she turns around to find none other than Angelo, whatever his last name is, the very last person she expected to see here. or Ever. Could this day get any worse.

" Hai" she whispers.

"What the hell are you doing here, teacher?" he asks mockingly.

"Ever so polite, as usual" she mumbles under her breathe.

"What's that?" he asks raising an eyebrow and she lowers her gaze in time to watch his hand snake around the woman standing next to him, with dark hair and elegantly dressed, the action draws her closer to him so abruptly that she has to place her hand on his stomach to steady herself, the sight making her want to roll her eyes.

"I said i am here with a friend" she mutters looking around her hoping Rachel would just show up suddenly and spare her this encounter.

"Friend?" she hears him repeat and it annoys her that he is still here. She has met him twice before and he was never shy of showing her he disliked her, even though in her view she has never given him any reason to.

"Yes, but go on, let me not keep you" she says, turning to look at him again.

His 'date' starts to turn in the direction of the door, obviously eager to get away from this unnecessary hold up, but he frowns and stays put, unmoving.

"Where is your.... friend?" he asks, pausing to enauciate the term 'friend'

"Inside, i was just about to go in" she lies, looking at the security guy desperately, hoping he does not oppose her.

"After you" he stretches his hand indicating for her to walk ahead of him and she looks at the security guy again, who this time offers her a wide grin before stepping aside.

'Asshole' she wants to say to him but she quickly walks inside before things go south.

Walking into the house she is surprised to see so many people. How will i even find Rachel in here, she wonders.

"Well?" Angelo asks.

"Well what?"

"Where is your friend" he asks again, in his deep distracting voice, seemingly annoyed at her for some reason.

She can't help but wonder what his voice would sound like if he was whispering, and immediately, mentally slaps herself for having such a thought, this is so unlike her.

"Angelo!" an older man shouts, and starts walking towards them cutting off any reply Mary was going to offer.

Deciding to use this opportunity to walk away and see if she can find Rachel, she turns to leave in the opposite direction of the approaching man, but before she can take another step, a hand wraps around her upper arm in a firm grip, startled, she looks up to find Angelo eying her suspiciousy.

"Am not done with you yet" he murmurs before turning to face the man.

" Good to see you, right on time...." the middle aged man murmurs.

"Thanks for having me Lorrenzo" Angelo responds in his deep voice.

"And who is this?" the man she now knows to be Lorrenzo asks, looking at her. 'Ohh no, he probably thinks am with him because of his hand on my arm' she gathers.

Angelo, follows his line of sight and lets her arm go.

"Nobody... THIS is Evageline Montez" he motions to the woman whom upto this moment Mary forgot was still there.

His reference to her feels like a slap to Mary's face. Even though she doesn't know Angelo well, she doesn't deserve to be referred to as a 'nobody'.

she turns around and takes another glance at the crowd around her and it suddenly dawns on her just how underdressed she is.

Mary is brought out of her thoughts by Angelo's voice coupled with the touch of his hand lightly on her lower back, motioning for her to step forward.

She looks up to find all three of them looking at her expectantly.

"I beg your pardon" she asks, shifting from one foot to the other awkwardly.

"You are obviously an invited guest but please remind me how we know each other?" Lorrenzo asks politely causing her face to turn red in shame. Angelo is straight faced.

"I came here with a friend, and i.... uhhmm and i just seem to have lost them in the crowd. Am not staying really, just needed to give them their cars keys" she mumbles hopelessly, not knowing what else to say, especially that she doesn't even know Rachel's cousin's name.

"I see" he responds seemly amused at her rumbling.

"I will just go now, excuse me"

"No, you are here already, and an acquaintance of Angelo's it turns out. So stay. Lorrenzo Rancic, at your service, i am the host" he extends his hand.

"Thank you, Marriane Wright, but you can call me Mary" she responds, feeling Angelo's stare boring into the side of her face but choosing to ignore him.

"In that case call me Lorrenzo" his smile widens even more and she can't help but like this stranger.

"Shall we" Angelo breaks the conversation wanting to move onto other things and they start to walk away.

"Oh my God, Mary, am so sorry, i don't evening know what to say, I got carried away and....." Rachel comes running towards her with another woman in tow, possibly her cousin.

Deciding, she doesn't want to be here anymore, she stuffs the keys in her hand.

" Here, i was just leaving" she says, feeling super annoyed and dissapointed in her but mostly in herself for even coming here or trusting her in the first place.

"This is the friend?" Angelo asks before she has a chance to walk away, looking somewhat....relieved.

" Mr Morreli, good evening" Rachel's cousin murmurs.

"Gabby" he utters in return without even looking at her as he keeps his eyes on Mary.

Feeling even more out of place, Mary heads for the door.

"Leaving already?" Angelo asks from behind but she refuses to acknowledge him this time.

She continues walking and welcomes the evening breeze as it hits her face. Not knowing exactly how she will get home, she decides she best get started anyway.

Watching her dissapear through the door, Angelo feels annoyed at being ignored. That annoying feeling of dread he felt the moment he had said she was 'Nobody' and her ridiculously beautiful blue eyes had flashed with pain tags at him again.

Untangling his arm from around Eva's waist, he follows Mary outside. Looking around briefly, he is unable to locate her.

"Shit!" he mumbles under his breathe, feeling like his mood has been ruined for the rest of the evening.

A/N. Thanks for reading guys......i hope you will enjoy this story.

Don't forget to comment and vote. I will appreciate your feedback.