Friends Reunited

David and Emily were friends throughout school, not that close, it was their families being close that sustained the friendship, and at one point they did date although nothing more than a few nights out and playing at being boyfriend and girlfriend. Once they had both headed of to pursue their lives they lost contact. Today they would be reunited in Crowtons bar…


David: A successful lawyer currently in one of a string of unsuccessful relationships.
Age: 32
Looks: Delicate facial features overpowered by large deep brown eyes framed by small brown eyebrows. Clean shaven with short, styled brown hair, an element of grey betraying the stressful nature of his job. A slight scar to the left corner of his mouth, one of the many injuries picked up through sport.
Physique: A strong physical body, built up from years of playing rugby. He is less toned then he was when in his 20’s but retains the bulk of his muscle.

David loosened his tie as he stepped out of the revolving doors, the heat of the July sun buffeting his face as water droplets on his skin threatened to break out into a sweat. He could feel his already tanned skin consume the light rays and he slid his sunglasses onto his face, the world around him darkening a few shades. As he set off towards his flat a vibration alerted him to the presence of his phone, and he quickly slid it from his pinstriped trouser pocket. Sally flashed on the front of his phone, without a moments hesitation he sent it to voicemail and returned it to is place. He knew this relationship was coming to an end, he had been here many times before.

The hustle a bustle of the commuters was slower today, the heat sapping the energy from the workers. He was in no rush, it was Friday and the flat was his for the weekend, endless possibilities. He rounded the corner and started along Castle street, his flat at the far end, nestled amongst the tree lined street. He loved the closeness to his work, the idea that he could get home earlier, it of course meant he worked later. Lost in his own thoughts he arrived at the steps to his block, quicker than anticipated. The sun rebounded of the letterbox and even through his sunglass caught his eye. It was far too nice to be indoors.

He turned to cross the road, barely checking for traffic, this part of town was never busy. He waited as an old couple slowly meandered their way past him, and instead of going through the doors of Crowtons he darted to the side and straight into the beer garden taking a seat at one of the few remaining tables. Obviously everyone else had had the same idea. He caught Stuart’s eye and knew his regular drink would soon be on its way. He smoothed the paper on the table in front him, some of the ink remaining on his fingers, as the sun beamed down on the text. This was turning out to be a pleasant evening.

Engrossed in his paper he was startled when his drink arrived, he thanked Stuart before taking a quick sip, his thirst steadily becoming quenched. He pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head, leaned back basking in the sun, sighing to let the weeks stress out. He teased the back of his neck, the gym having taken its toll over the years, he stretched his legs out under the table, enjoying this moment of tranquility.The lady on the table next to him put her drink down a bit too roughly and the noise made David aware of her presence for the first time. She smiled a weak apologetic smile as David glanced over, he tried to muster up some sort of response quickly flashing his teeth. As he turned back to his paper a nagging thought appeared in his mind, he was sure he recognised the woman…

Emily Da~Veaga. Owner/designer of her own clothing line managing her flagship shop back in her hometown.

A raven haired 32year old who still looks 25. She had kept in shape with dance for years always her love since school. She was now dealing with a nasty divorce. She was getting everything... the fairytale marriage getting proven a lie on his part when he did something stupid like backhanding her in front of two off duty cop spouses of some of his business partners and his shady business deals the judge ws giving her everything but Gavin was not going to make it easy. Harassing phone calls and stalking her.

She set her drink down fairly hard hearing her phone ring she jumped he had been calling a lot today and this was just getting her a little jumpy. She realized she had startled the man at the other table... glancing over she smiled apologetically looking away quickly when she realized who it was sitting there. No anyone but him... anyone but someone who knew her family. Her mother and father were siding with Gavin that she was being unreasonable and cruel to him he could have never hit her he hung the moon as far as her parents were concerned.

He was sure she had recognised him as well, it was impossible to concentrate on a single word in the paper spread out in front of him. He was sure it wasn’t anyone from work, a wife from the rugby club perhaps? He stole another quick glance darting his eyes towards her. Definitely not someone from work, he could only think it must be an acquaintance from down the rugby club. It suddenly hit him in a eureka style moment, darting from one of the far recesses of his brain. Oh my god, it was Emily. Sure she looked slightly different although not as different as he must look compared to his 20yr old version. It was unmistakably her, he remembered that she had loved dancing and he was certainly convinced she had kept it up, her petit toned frame perched with perfect posture behind the table. Her clothes clung to her figure perfectly, fitted with immaculate eye to detail, they looked expensive and he wondered what she was doing now.

Now what to do, he couldn’t ignore her, they were both a long way from home and that would be rude. Anyway it had been a long time, he was fascinated as to what she was doing now. It was only last week his mother had been talking to him about her, a nasty divorce was mentioned but David often failed to pay attention. His mother had a habit of going on about people he didn’t even see anymore, but she was still good friends with the family. Anyway with the problems he was having here it would be nice to catch up with someone from home.

He took a sip of his drink and turned his body towards her purposefully, obvious he was about to engage her in conversation.

“Er, Emily? Emily Da-Veaga?”

She was looking at him with confusion spread across her face, he was suddenly unsure of what to do.

“Its me David Long from high school” He starting pointing to himself and searched for the moment of recognition across her face.

D... David... yeah. Wow its been a long time...

She smiled but was really dreading having run across someone from home especially any of her mothers "Oldest and Dearest family friends" like the Longs or the Roasaros or the Jacobs... at least is wasn't one of the Jacobs... she felt sure that any of them would have called her mother right away. There was no gettingo ut of this now as she found herself motioning him over to join her.

A sigh as her phone rang again and looked at it shutting it down and stuffing it down in her purse. a slightly shaking hand lifting her coffee back to her lips to take a sip. setting the cup down this time a little more gently as she began to speak again.

So how have you been? For that matter how long has it been?

The smile never leaving her lips no matter how worried about this meeting she was. How much did he know about everything and how poisoned was his family by her mother about her part in this nasty divorce. Mrs Long never viewed her as being as problematic as her mother made her out to be which was always a comfort but she had been gone so long and who knows what her mother had said or done.

He was relived as she responded with recognition, she unsurprisingly seemed surprised to see him but her reaction was much cooler than he had been expecting, he perhaps had been too obvious with the anticipation to meet a friendly face from home. He observed as she ignored a call from her phone, snapping it shut in a manner that suggested this was not the first time. He was going through a phase of doing it himself so he presumed it had something to do with the divorce.

He thought intently about her questions

“Yeh, not bad thanks. Difficult to sum up such a period of time, but yeh overall pretty well”

He suddenly tried to remember exactly how long it had been.

“Has it been 12 years?” That sounded about right to his estimation

“Wow that long. So how have you been? My mum fills me in on details now and then, but I have to confess to not really paying much attention. What is it you’re doing nowadays?”

He was not sure whether he should have mentioned his noisy mum, he was sure she had told him many things he was not supposed to know. However it was far from his life so he had retained very little of the information.

Yeah at least 12 or so.

She bit her lip as he said so how have you been. Brushing stray hair back behind her ear she smiled to him trying to play it off.

Well I have my own clothing line and a few stores even one back home I was surprised you called my last name apparently you have paid some attention since I had my last name legally changed after my divorce to that of my "stage name/ business name" of Da~Veaga. I am sure she has told you about the divorce? I am sure my mother has devoured the ear of one of her "oldest and Dearest" friends your mom with all of her making me out to be the villain in all of this.

She sipped her coffee worried about what all he might have caught but not really realized it.

He was fixed on her lips as she bit them, oozing a subtly sexuality that David had always admired. As she brushed her hair behind her ear he admired her delicate features her dazzling white smile calming any nerves he had

David was embarrassed though and took and awkward sip of his drink, the coolness soothing his throat. He cleared it slightly before beginning to speak again.

“Ahh yes my darling mother. Im afraid she has kept me up to date, she does love to gossip. Although in all honesty I tend not to pay too much attention when she goes off on one of her monologues. I just remember she told me you had changed your name. Rather embarrassingly I hadn't put two and two together though, im guessing you own Da-Veaga clothing then?”

He felt rather stupid, but instantly rather jealous. It was immediately clear to him that here was one successful lady. O well he had to remind himself that life wasn’t a competition but he couldnt hide his sudden sense of inadequacy. He suddenly attempted to search his brain, what else had his mum told him. He was sure not much, just that she was going through a very messy divorce.

She smiled a little sipping her drink. Glad that he didn't already know everything yet.

Yeah... that's me. So What have you been up to all this time?

Her phone rang again as she just stared at it the name was one he might recognize Gavin Davidson... He had graduated 2 years before them at least if not three and now she was doing all she could to get him out of her life. She just chewed on her lip till it stopped ringing.

So as we were discussing what have you been up to all this time?