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😂

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We all expect. We all have expectations. Some of us have great expectations and some of us expect low but all of us do expect. When the actual problem starts is the time when things start to go so great that they exceed your expectations. It is a warning. A warning of a disaster. Because it hurts more when you're broken again after you've been mend.

Have you ever felt like something terribly wrong was going to happen? Like everything that had been happening, was leading to a huge disaster? A disaster that was so bad that it wouldn't leave anything for repair?

Like all of the things happening were too unreal and too peaceful that you couldn't believe If they were actually happening or they were just the calm before a wrecking storm. Have you ever felt like you don't deserve that happiness and it was just so that you get hurt excessively when it's over?

Have you felt like your life was like a dream at some point of time? A dream too good to be true. A dream to peaceful to be believable. A dream too calm to be understandable.

Same was the case with me when I realized all of the people I cared were at my door step. The guy I loved with everything in me, the guy without whom I was incomplete. My boyfriend– Carter. Next to him was a guy who was my sweet addiction. My cake. My innocent, little, brother– Josh.

After him was Lia. My only girl friend, best friend.

Before I could figure out who else was standing behind them, Josh tackled me in a hug. Due to my heals, I stumbled a little but Mel supported me. "I'm here permanently! Sophia! I'm here! Can you believe it? Oh my God, I'm so happy!" I started to laugh with happiness as I kissed his forehead gently.

"I'm so happy you're here Josh! I'm so so so happy!"

I heard someone clearing their throat when I moved away from Josh and took a look at my door again. "Carter? How? Where are my parents? How did they let you in? I mean, oh my God, like... what?!" I shouted wrapping my arms around him.

Chuckling, he patted my back, hugging me back. "Actually, Sparkle, look behind me..."

Carter entered inside my room, making me take in the view of those standing behind him. "Oh my freaking lord, Sophia Anderson! Why do you never invite me in this damn house?!" Maddie appeared from nowhere screaming in her high-pitched voice.

"Maddie?"

"Yes, me, Maddie. Now tell me do you have a jacuzzi? Wait, would you look at that?! Guys, this is so fucking awesome!" Maddie made her way inside my room and straight into the washroom making me turn towards Carter.

I might've looked like a fish out of water with the amount of shock I was subjected to. Carter just shrugged his shoulders glancing behind him. Lia waved at me, making me realize that she was still there. "Lia, what the hell?" She started to laugh, winking at me.

"If you snap out of it, there are some of us here too," hearing Jack's voice my ears perked up as I looked up to see him. But what shocked me more was a presence beside him.

"Alex?" I asked, unable to keep the smile from my face. He nodded a blush creeping up his features. "Welcome, all of you. But would someone explain it to me?"

"Wow! You have Gucci's shoes? Oh my God!" Maddie shouted from behind me which everyone ignored.

"Your boyfriend will," Carter said, as he came towards me and wrapped his arm around me. What caught my attention was the royal blue suit that he was wearing. He looked so hot, I was unable to keep myself from kissing him.

"Please, Carter!"

"Let's get out first. You guys can't pile up in Sophia's room, specially you blonde girl," Mel said, pointing her eyes at Maddie who was using my perfumes.

In a second all of us were making our way downwards when I stopped, looking at Carter for explanation. "Okay, so, your mother called Lia, inviting her to this party and asked her to contact all of your friends. I have no idea why Maddie and Jack are here, but, yeah. Don't tell me you don't know about the grand party going on downstairs."

"Are you serious?" Carter nodded with a grin plastered on his face.

"And will you believe me if I tell you that your father personally called me here today?" Carter told me, making my eyes go wide.

"Is it my birthday today?" I found myself asking even though I knew it wasn't.

"No," Carter chuckled. "What I think is that your parents have something grand planned for you." His words got me thinking if my parents really had something planned for me. I nodded in understanding as I tried to keep a creepy smile from forming on my face.

"Oh and would you come to that side?" Carter asked, dragging me towards the darker corner of the floor.

"Why?" With creased eyebrows, I asked him, refusing to move.

"Because I want to give you something." He stated, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Something, what?"

"A hickey," I hiccuped at his declaration running towards the stairs where all of our friends were. "Hey! It's not my fault you look so beautiful today. Please? Please, Sparkle? I don't know anything, I'm giving you a hic-"

I started to laugh. "Carter, you're such an idiot. Here I was thinking you bought some gift for me." I pouted.

"Don't change the subject, Spark-"

"Hey, listen to me, you're here tonight, right? Watch over me and forget about giving me anything. Please?" I offered but he looked unconvinced.

"Please?" Still I couldn't get a response from Carter. I leaned closer to him and kissed him softly on the lips. "Please?"

A smile crossed over his features as he kissed me again. "Okay, your wish my command, Sparkle."

"I don't know if we can talk in front of my parents. I'm not supposed to talk to you, you know?" Carter nodded.

"Then don't. Look, they called me here, right? It's a step close to liking me. Maybe in sometime they'll start loving me." Carter wiggled his eyebrows as he mentioned.

"I'm eagerly waiting for that day."

"It's not only you, Sparkle. By the way you did not say how I looked.." Carter pulled his shirt downwards and fixed his collar. He looked at me with his eyebrows raised and a lopsided grin.

"You look. . . Fartistic!" I winked, making a clicking sound with my tongue.

"Seriously?" Carter sighed, a frown on his face but his lips disagreed with his eyebrows. It looked like he wanted to laugh out loud but he couldn't because it would hurt his ego later.

I started to chuckle and his lips turned into a smile but he covered it up quickly. He bit his lower lip to control himself from laughing. "Seriously Sparkle, have I ever farted in front of you?!"

"Not really. . ." I started to run through my memory to remember a time when Carter farted in front of me but I couldn't come up with one.

"Then why?!" Carter drawled, stomping his foot on the ground multiple times. Cute!

I leaned forward to pinch his cheeks. "You don't look fartistic. You look sizzling!"

"Really?! Thank you!" Carter exclaimed, faking a shy expression as he hid his face between his hands and smiled sheepishly. I laughed at him and punched his arm playfully.

"So it's time to part ways now," I proclaimed, my eyes lingering on his face for a long time before I was interrupted by him, "you know, take a picture, it will-"

"When you're right in front of me, why take a picture?" I smiled at him swinging our intertwined hands before his eyes. "I'll be so jealous tonight. You know, when other girls will be hitting on my man!"

"I never knew you had this side to you, Sparkle. I love it." He declared, amusement dancing in his eyes. With that Carter and I moved away from each other as he left my hand depriving it of the warmth it needed.

Downstairs was a total different world. I had never seen my house the way it was before that day. For a moment I forgot it was still my house. Either I was so stupid that I had no idea how this grand party was planned without my knowledge or everyone was really quiet while the arrangements were being made.

Mom and Dad were waiting for me. When Dad's eyes met Carter's his face twisted into a frown and he clenched his fists. Carter came and greeted them with a smile. I had been expecting a good response from Dad, knowing that he was the one who invited him here in the first place. But all Dad did was nod. I watched Carter disappearing into the crowd after that.

"You look good," my eyes snapped up to meet the eyes of my mother. After making sure, it was not my mind running games on me, I smiled at her, muttering a small 'thank you'.

"It's a great night for all of us, so all we ask you to do is behave. Got it? And please don't act like we're complete strangers. Don't either act like you haven't seen Josh in years, understood?" Mom informed, with her eyes piercing through me.

"Yeah, got it." I gulped and nodded my head.

"Oh, look Angela is here," Mom turned around to greet them her strict demeanour switching to a sickeningly sweet one. Angela greeted Mom then looked at me and smiled. I went forward and hugged her.

"Sophie, you look so pretty. I love your hairstyle!" A little blush spread on my cheeks as I searched her attire to give her a truthful compliment.

"Thank you Angela, your shoes are lovely!" I stated when my eyes caught her shoes sparkling. Personally neither was her makeup nor was her dress compliment worthy. But yeah, her shoes were.

"You look so pretty Sophia, this colour really suits you," Amber chirped in from behind Angela making me notice her. She was wearing a purple dress just some shades darker than mine. I admit that she looked pretty, like always.

"You look beautiful Amber."

"Aww thank you Sophia." I looked around to find a certain someone who was missing but I couldn't locate him.

"Amber, where's Lucas? I don't see him," I asked, without thinking. Amber chuckled lightly at my question and looked at her Mom with something in her eyes that I couldn't catch.

"My brother will be late. You know, work calls,"

"Oh yeah. But he'll be here, that's what matters."

"Sophia, Sophia, I love your house! You'll call me here often, right?" I turned towards the voice of Maddie who was walking towards me along with Lia and Jack. Lia came and stood beside me a scowl permanently etched on her face as she gritted her teeth.

"What's up with her, Lia?" I whispered in her ear, eyeing Maddie who looked like a complete Kim Kardashian Barbie because of how revealing her clothes were. Seriously, it felt like she had shortage of cloth because of how the dress was stitched.

"She is just extra-excited after seeing your house. I just want to kick the life out of her. Have you seen how she's giving eyes to every other guy walking around? When she couldn't convince Carter, she's going for Jack, that slut!" Lia's fists were clenched and she appeared like she was about to burst.

"Who invited her?"

"She invited herself, Sophie." Lia stated, scoffing at Maddie who was now touching Jack's chest. "Sophia, please hold me tight or I'll murder this bitch!" Her eyes were now totally wide and she started to breath hard due to anger.

"Why do you sound so jealous, Lia?" I asked her when my eyes found Carter in the farther corner of the hall, smiling widely at me. I smiled back at him wondering how handsome he looked. He was sitting alone at a table with a glass of drink in his hand.

I knew Carter and drinks were not a great combination and I wanted to stop him but I could see my Mom and Dad roaming around looking at me every now and then.

"Jealous? Obviously I'm jealous! I like Jack! How can I not be-" Lia stopped abruptly just when a smirk had started to form on my lips.

"Shit! I'm so sorry Sophia. I know you might not be really happy with my confession but I really like Jack. If you're not okay with it I'll never ever mention him to you. It's just that I feel really bad for liking him."

"Why do you feel bad, Lia?"

"You guys don't have the best past, you know. And I don't want to date someone who was such a bitch to my bestie. But I can't help but like him. It's not like he's serious with me. Just look at him."

I turned around for a brief moment, looking at Jack who appeared to be extremely fed up with Maddie. I brought my gaze to Lia and squeezed her hand, "Lia, listen to me. I have no issues if you like Jack. Seriously. Do you remember Carter was my bully too? And I myself date him now. Go for Jack. I can feel that he likes you too. I'm fine with it, really. Don't let him go, okay?"

"Are you sure, Sophia?"

"One hundred and twenty two percent," I replied, chuckling. Kia hugged me tightly before walking towards Jack and Maddie. I smiled at them and shifted my gaze to Carter. My smile dropped off my face when I saw him laughing at something Amber had said.

I was not jealous because Amber was talking to him. I was jealous because they were close. Very close. It wouldn't have mattered if Amber was just some girl. It mattered because Amber was unexceptionally beautiful. I was jealous because I couldn't do anything but stare at them longingly.

Remembering, Carter was drinking earlier I took out my phone to message him.

I tried to not sound like I was jealous because I knew it Carter's fault. He couldn't sit alone all night and keep smiling at me whenever I looked at him. I waited for him to reply but he didn't. I waited more but it seemed like he was really enjoying Amber's company.

They kept laughing. Carter had forgotten completely about me. I tried calling him but he didn't answer it. I figured he might not have his phone with him so I stopped after several attempts. I walked around with a coke in my hands, being greeted and commented by innumerable people.

I was searching for Alex because it was the first time he came to my house and I wanted to make him feel welcomed. More importantly, I wanted to pull my mind away from Amber and Carter. I wanted to keep myself busy in something so I don't think of stupid things.

I walked as I kept scanning when I hit a strong chest. Stumbling backwards I tried to support myself in the floor and not make a fool of myself by falling down but I couldn't. I waited for my body to crash on the floor but it never did.

I realized a hand wrapped on my waist was the reason I was saved from this huge embarrassment. When I opened my eyes, they were staring into wonderfully green ones and instinctively, I pulled myself out of Lucas' hold.

Fixing my hair, I glanced up at Lucas to find him smiling at me. "You look breathtaking, Sophia Anderson," he complimented making me look down in embarrassment.

"You don't have to be sarcastic, Lucas."

"I'm actually praising you Sophia. You look very beautiful," he said with a smile, dimples forming on his cheeks.

"Thank you," I replied, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"I was looking for you," I looked at him, raising my head a little to meet his height. Ugh, short girl problems.

"I'm sorry I was late. I just had to put somethings on places." He apologized for his late arrival and I shook my head smiling at him. A soft song started to play in the background as we walked towards the hall. I looked at the place where Carter was sitting with Amber earlier but none of them was there anymore.

Many stupid, idiotic things started to run through my mind when Lucas interrupted my unnecessary thoughts, "may I have this dance?"

I looked around the hall again to search for Carter one last time but when I couldn't find him, I agreed to dance with Lucas. As we started to dance I couldn't help but check on my mobile continuously for any message from Carter.

"What's wrong?" Lucas brought me back to the present and I blinked my eyes at him before registering what he said earlier.

"Nothing." I gave him a weak smile as I answered.

"You keep looking at your phone though," he pointed out.

"Oh, it's just that I messaged Carter earlier but he's not replying..." just as the words were out of my mouth my mobile's light flickered making my lips turn into a real smile. I opened it to see a message from Carter.

The smile was wiped off my face just when I read his reply. Again different nonsensical thought began running through my mind. "Hey, it's okay, Sophia. I'll be along with you the whole time," Lucas consoled me not having any idea what actually the case was.

Even though Lucas had no idea what's happening but he was always so good with his words like he always knew what to say and how to make others comfortable. "I know. You know, Lucas, I never had friends till this year of my life. And you're such a good friend to me. It's so easy talking to you. I feel protected with you. You're like a big brother I never had."

Lucas looked taken aback by my statement which caused me to rethink what I had said earlier. "I didn't mean to weird you out. I just meant that you're really kind and sweet which makes you a very good friend of mine."

Snapping out of it, Lucas smiled and nodded at me. It wasn't a full smile. It felt as if something was lacking in his smile. Great, now he's weirded out by me.

"Oh God, you guys are at this corner of the house when I was looking for you all around the house!" Just when Lucas opened his mouth to say something we were interrupted by Amber. With that amber conveyed an eye message to Lucas and dragged me along with her.

At that moment one thing was assured that Carter was not with Amber. But still there was this unsettling feeling inside my heart that made me want to throw up. I stared at Amber's head as she kept pulling me after her.

"Hello everyone! You're welcomed here on this fine evening." Hearing Dad's voice from the speaker my heart started to race faster. Finally Amber stopped bringing me just before my parents who were addressing to the people around. Mom eyed me to come closer to them and I followed her orders after making sure I looked fine.

"This is my daughter, Sophia, who has grown into such a beautiful woman, I want all of you to meet her," Dad announced, inviting a grin to my face. Not only had Dad accepted me as his daughter but was telling the whole damn world about me. It was a moment when I wanted to scream out of happiness. I wanted to dance around because of how completed I felt. I looked around to locate my friends but only Jack and Lia were standing at the far corner of the room.

"As you all know, our friendship with the Woods has reached to twenty five years this day which is half the reason why this party was held today." The crowd cheered