| 9.1 | the silver jubilee

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❝I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We act like we had never met.❞

Chapter Nine:
The Silver Jubilee

The bar was buzzing unlike ever before as I stepped in through the glass doors. I was able to tell that this was one of the busier nights, considering the number of times I had frequented this place with the others. It was the unofficial socializing joint for all of Innovus, and as I sifted my way through the crowd, I found myself saying polite hellos to a lot more people than normal. Busy night indeed.

"Tris!" I turned in the direction of my name being called and found Rina and Tracie on the other end of the bar, waving me over. They were seated in a large cushioned area with the rest of our colleagues, several glasses of alcohol cocktails lining the teakwood table in front of them.

"I see y'all started the party without me," I mused, smiling down at Rina who leaned sideways against James. She was already tipsy, by the looks of it.

"The alcohol never waits, darling Tris," she hiccuped, before taking another sip out of her glass. I snorted and slid down on the couch next to James who shot me an awkward hello, having to bare the weight of a nearly unconscious Rina on him. I made a mental note to train the girl how to hold her liquor as I shared niceties with everyone else around the rectangular table. My voice nearly caught in my throat when I stopped on the brown curly mane and soft caramel skin belonging to the one and only Jasper Smith. I was least expecting him to be part of the drinking gang.

"Jasper?" I closed my gawking mouth and laughed, a little in nervousness. "What are you doing here?"

"What, I can't join you all for a drink?" he teased, cocking his head at me in slight curiosity.

"N-no, it's not that." I flushed, looking away from Jasper as I searched the crowd of the bar. If Jasper was here, that had to mean he would be here too...

Eagerness mixed in with hope overtook my initial anxiety at the thought of seeing Hans. It had been three months since he had effectively put an end to us. Three months since Hans and I had spoken. Three months since he had touched me.

He had made himself rare after that night, even around the office. At first, I thought it was out of consideration to let me do my job without the thought of what had happened between us affecting my work. But then I realized, it wasn't out of his generosity of spirit or kindness. He was tactfully avoiding me. Well, not tonight.

I turned to Jasper who was observing me all the while with a quiet smile on his lips. "Is Hans with you..." The question died away on my lips as my eyes fixed on the sexual magnet weaving his way through the dance floor with a drink in his hand. A flicker of irritation sprung up when I realized the number of women mentally stripping him, or the way one blonde, in particular, tried wrapping herself around him to convince him to dance. The fact that Hans coldly rejected her, and didn't pay heed to anyone else, brought a smile to my lips, one that quickly died when our eyes met.

I felt the world mute itself around us. The thrumming of the music, the clinking of glasses and people's laughter as shots were taken died out to the stillness of the air between Hans and I. He froze in his step, eyes spreading in shock ever so slightly before taking up the stoic mask he always had on. I noticed the way his lips pressed into a thin line of anger as he continued forward, breaking the moment all too quick as he made it a point to look away from me as he slid into the opposite seat from mine, next to Jasper.

"Here's your Caribou Lou. Knock yourself out Jazz," he muttered lowly to his friend, who seemed to be smiling a little too widely for his own good, his golden pools gleaming in mischief.

"Why don't you be a dear and go get Tris a drink as well? She's just joined us."

I brought my hands up to my side, shaking my head furiously. "No, no I'm fine. I don't plan on drinking tonight."

Hans looked at me, his steely gaze cutting into mine. It made me squirm in discomfort. On second thought, the drink didn't seem like such a bad idea.
"Excuse me," I muttered, standing up and walking away to the other side of the bar. My leaving went missed by most of the gang who were already hammered, and the only two people that were even vaguely sober enough to notice were the very two I didn't want to deal with right now. Two peas in a fucking pod, I tell you.

I was a hundred percent sure that Jasper knew every dirty detail of what happened between me and Hans, considering the two were practically best buddies. The only reason Hans stopped by the office now was to visit his friend, and those rare glimpses of him were as much as I got. I still didn't understand why he'd cut our...relationship short, if I could even call it that. He wouldn't reply to my texts, my emails, my demands for an explanation. And the times we crossed each other in the office, or in public, he would give me the cold shoulder.

After weeks of obsessing over it, I decided not to give a damn anymore. It's not like we were exclusive to begin with...but that didn't stop me from reacting harshly every time I heard a rumor about Hans and his supposed 'women'. Had my speech on him being my second and liberating me scared him away? That must have been it. But why? He was the one who had wanted to know. He was the one who flashed that rare, genuine perfect smile of his when I told him.

Pissed off all over again, I asked the bartender for two raw vodka shots and downed them both in one go, ignoring the chilling spike of numbness that shot through my brain. Good, that should sustain me for any bull crap that was going to be thrown my way now. When I made my way back to the group, I slid silently into my seat. Whether or not Hans noticed was the least of my concern. Whatever excitement I had had at the idea of seeing him had given away to dread. It didn't help that Jasper was in the spotlight when I joined them, yapping on about...wait, was I hearing right?

"I did not kiss you," Hans hissed, his tone seething.

"Yes, yes you did. I distinctly remember us making out, and you enjoying it."

"I was piss-ass drunk and you made a move on me! I call that sexual assault!"

"I call that friendship," Jasper retorted, chuckling to himself and ignoring Hans' thundering which had earned a few looks from the surrounding tables.

"I stuck my tongue down your throat, sure, but you enjoyed it and wanted more. If I hadn't tucked you into bed with your willy literally between your legs, you would have made some major lifestyle changes my friend."

Jasper clapped his friend on the back, laughing loudly. Everyone else at the table joined in, enjoying the theatrics of the two (slightly gay for each other) best buds. I, on the other hand, couldn't do much more than crack a weak smile and focus on Hans who sighed and sunk lower into his seat. I would have found the sight adorable, if not for the fact that I was in the midst of deciphering what the hell his problem was.

"Never expected you to be that kind of guy, Jazz," James snorted, taking a swig out of his beer. He was at least coherent enough to make sense of what was going on whereas all the other girls just giggled at the mental image of Jasper and Hans getting it on.

"You mean, gay?" Jasper winked, leaning in closer across the table to James who turned pink.

"N-no. I meant you being a daredevil," James stuttered, jerking back hard and nearly knocking me off my seat. Hans' eyes flew to me to make sure I was okay. I noticed the dashes of concern on his face but when he saw that I was looking, he immediately turned away with a scowl.

The next five minutes proved just how much things had changed between us. He wouldn't look my way, even when I made it a point of staring at him with undivided attention to get him to at least snap at me to cut it out. When I attempted starting up a conversation with both him and Jasper, he ignored me, even with Jasper's pointed looks. The worst part was when I made the mistake of accidentally jostling my leg against his under the table while trying to straighten my skirt, he jumped back like the very idea of the slightest bit of contact with me was vile.

It was unbearable.

Jasper caught the hurt that crossed my face and nudged Hans with his elbow. I didn't miss their telepathic exchange this time either, but I wasn't going to stick around to witness the aftermath. Collecting my things, I got up and left without a word, all the while trying to stifle the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. No amount of vodka would cure the gaping pain that spread through my chest. I needed to go home.

Taking a deep breath, I took out my phone and speed dialed 2, squeezing my way past people as I hurried toward the exit.

He picked up after one ring.

"Tris, what's up?"

"Can you come pick me up?"

I could hear Tim shuffle to his feet hurriedly at the sound of my voice breaking over the line.

I heard a laptop being shut and files being rearranged in the background as he asked, worriedly, "Where are you?" The buzz of music and life behind me answered his question as Tim recognized the place without me having to say it out loud.

"I'll be right there."

_____

The Suits fan among my readers just might recognize the song for this chapter. *wink*
Song: Sunset by The XX (Mick Benjamin's Edit)

Vote goal: 50

I was wondering if I should start a one-shot series that is mostly based off reader requests (like Reader x Crush type). It would be a fun side project and definitely keep my creativity flowing.

The added bonus is that I could write out situations/scenes you guys would like to read. Fluff, dashes of smut or just the good old school crush. Anything, really. The more diverse, the better practice for me. ;)

What are your thoughts? Should I do this? Any requests you already have? :)

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