"The thread of destiny weaves itself through time, binding those who are meant to meet."
~ Unknown
"Hello?"
"Michael, it's me, Asper."
"Asper? How are you? It's been a while."
Asper Samson was his high school friend. They didn't talk much, but they had a good friendship.
"I am fine. I called to let you know I've arranged a Christmas party. I've invited our old classmates. Rory will also be coming. You have to come, alright?"
"Yeah. I'll be there."
"Great! See you tomorrow then."
Rory Milan was his other friend. He only had two friends from high school, Asper and Rory. He talked even less to Rory than to Asper.
Rory was too lively and carefree. He dated a lot and changed girlfriends faster than his clothes. Meanwhile, Asper also had a few relationships, but she wasn't in it for fun.
Asper was studying to be a gynaecologist. Her father inspired her. Soon after high school, Asper lost her mother. Since then, she had grown up to be very responsible as she also had a younger brother and sister. As for Rory, his family was quite carefree towards him.
They did keep an eye on him so he didn't get anyone pregnant all of a sudden, but he was still on the loose like always. He was in engineering but he wasn't serious about his life.
They were both social and talkative but they still became his good friends. They lived far away, so they didn't meet often.
Asper's Christmas party was tomorrow. Michael celebrated Christmas with his family and informed them that he was going to his friend's party.
The streets of the city were filled with snowmen and Christmas trees. There was a crowd all around. Small kids played with snow, and their laughter was infectious. It was a festive atmosphere.
The evening came. Michael dressed in a maroon and white suit. It was snowing hard. He took his wallet and hailed a taxi. He also brought along some small gifts for his friends.
He reached his destination after an hour. He wasn't the type to dress up for parties, but for big events like Christmas or weddings, he still dressed up.
He arrived at Asper's home and walked inside. His white hair hung loose, falling just to his neck. The soft strands occasionally drifted across his grey eyes.
He went inside and, among the crowd, he saw familiar faces. He spotted Rory and went to him. Asper also came, and the three friends talked. He gave them their gifts.
He also met with other classmates. After greeting them, he went to get a drink. He didn't drink alcohol, so he got a fruit juice.
"Michael?"
Someone called him. He turned around and saw that it was Robert Bryan. His high school classmate. Robert had talked to him a few times in high school and even followed him on Instagram. They became good friends.
"Robert?"
"Happy Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas to you too. How are you?"
"I am fine. What about you?"
"I am good as usual. I thought you were in City A?"
"Yeah, but I came home for Christmas."
"I see."
"It's great to finally talk to you. I was quite tired of texting, to be honest."
Michael smiled politely. This was the first time they were talking face-to-face.
"So what have you been up to? How's your internship going?" Robert asked.
"It's great. I am learning more from working than from studying."
"Good for you. I was asking..."
They were interrupted by greetings coming from the entrance. They turned to look toward the source and saw a group of four walking inside.
"Oh, that's Selina and her friends. I didn't know she was coming," Robert exclaimed.
Michael's gaze followed Robert's. Selina Joseph stood at the entrance, brushing snow off her coat. Her long black hair cascaded past her waist, slightly damp from the snowfall. She laughed at something one of her friends said, and even from across the room, her presence seemed to shift the energy of the party.
She was the daughter of their high school's founder and chairman; everyone knew that. But back then, she had been untouchable in a different way. Now, she carried herself with a new quiet confidence. She was slightly taller than he remembered, her features sharper, more defined.
Beside her walked Sandy Rosalind, her closest friend since freshman year. Michael recalled that Sandy came from a wealthy family. The other two, Sophia Peyton and Avery Harper, hung back slightly, their laughter more subdued. Sophia's father was in the military, if he remembered correctly, and Avery had been one of the quieter students in their class.
Selina turned her head as if scanning the room, and for a brief moment, her eyes passed over him. He looked away, taking a slow sip of his juice.