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Yet it seemed life had diffrent ideas for what an afterparty is supposed to be like. Here I was, ebbing in and out of focus, fighting hard and with valor to control my gag reflex amidst a world that refused to stop spinning.

“No more parties,” I groaned, solidifying my vow with a burp of a thousand regrets. “Christmas needs to be over before I keel over...”

“A few more days,” Irene said, teasing more than she was encouraging. “Just hold out until then, you’ll survive.”

“Amanda’s got me meeting her parents later tonight, I’m supposed to be spending the entire Christmas day with Adalia, then Ash and I... I suppose we got a thing going or something... an event later in the future, I think?” I went off, and that was when I finally understood why some people just simply spill away all of their worries after a few swigs. It feels nice to talk, nice to have someone listen, even when no one really was. “All this, while I’m starring in a movie, and constantly looking over my shoulder for Jay and his antics, and damn I just remembered... I work the morning shift today too, God...”

“There, there,” Irene comforted with all the sincerity of stone as she poured herself another glass. “I’m sure you’ll get by somehow. I mean, you always do, don’t you? It’s just having a social life, is all,” She leaned back in her seat, taking a sip. “Not like it’ll kill you.”

Yeah, judging by the sledgehammer doing rounds around my skull, I’m starting to doubt that.

.....

“Last but not least,” I slid my hand down my aching forehead, letting it fall on a table with a dull thud. “There’s New Year’s, there’s Ria... and then there’s you.”

“Mmm, yes, me,” She lowered her glass, unlatching the rims from her slight smile. “Decided to save the best for last, did you? Or perhaps I’m merely just a tiny little footnote that somehow managed to squeeze her way into your busy schedule. Which could it be, I wonder?”

I was not in the right state of mind to play along with her teasing, so I kept my words on the straight and narrow, “Ria’s self-declared day of birth, right? Y’know, you still haven’t really told me what to expect.”

Irene snorted into her drink. “What’s there to expect? It’s her birthday, we’ll commemorate it. It’s always been just the two of us, her around my neck, me with a drink in hand... fifty long years again and again. But now you’re here, and I figured, why not make it into a party of three? I’m sure she would have liked that.”

That certainly answered my question, but at the same time, not exactly.

Maybe it was just not the answer I was expecting... I dunno, I suppose I was just hoping for something more, something beyond just fireworks and toasts to her health. Actually, perhaps I just wanted her back.

That, maybe if I go, I’ll somehow be granted another chance, a final attempt... to try again.

But by that sound of it, seems it wasn’t anything like that at all. At any rate, I decided not to press further on about it. It’s still for her, it’s still spending time together, and more than anything Irene was certainly right about one thing.

Ria would have certainly liked that.

“Oh yeah, come to think of it,” I said, squinting forward at her. “Didn’t you say you have a gift for me or something?”

Complete and total silence quickly permeated the air over at her side. Not a clatter of her, nor a squeak of her chair to be heard. I wouldn’t have thought she was still alive and breathing if not for her unblinking gaze unnerving staring right at me for some reason.

“Your gift, right,” She muttered, finally stirring back to life after a long while. “Yes, about that...”

“Forgot about it?”

“Of course not, I’m just...” with a clink, she sat her drink aside on the table and promptly assumed that defensive cross-armed stance of hers. “Well, I just find it a little bit embarrassing now that the topic is at hand.”

“Embarrassing?” For the first time, I managed to crack a smile of my own. “Okay, I was kinda curious before-very curious now. At the edge of my seat, right now.”

“Do you always have to pounce on every chance to tease me?” She asked, sighing. “It’s getting quite predictable.”

“Predictable, maybe. Old? Far from it. You want me to stop, then you stop being so adorable,” I said. “Word of advice though-that’s completely impossible.”

It was damn lucky for her it was the dead of night. I could only wonder what kind of face she was making behind all that inky blackness between us. Was she blushing again? Know what, I’m just gonna pretend she’s indeed blushing for my own amusement.

“C’mon, Irene, I’m still waiting,” I goaded her as she continued to just simply sit in place, moving not even a single inch. “Okay, fine, you’re embarrassed, Let me help. What will it take? What do you want me to do? Turn around-I can do that. Close my eyes, I could just...”

“Yes, do that,” Irene sprang up from her chair. “You can close your eyes.”

Instead of closing them, I just blinked. “What, really? I was just joking when I said...”

“No, that’ll actually work fine,” She interjected, rounding the corner of the table until she was closely looming over me. “Just close your eyes, and swear you won’t open them until I say so.”

Alright, I recognize that look of ultimatum in her eyes... not exactly one for compromises when she has that kind of stare. Still, what on earth does she have in store that she has to pull these kinds of stunts?

Guess I’ll find out soon enough.

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll play along with your...”

“Swear you won’t open them!”

“Alright, alright, eyes shut, they’ll stay shut, I swear!” Immediately, I let my eyelids fall, clamping them shut and engulfing my vision in an even darker black. “I’m all yours.”

From somewhere over to my right, I heard a sharp intake of breath, “Okay...” then faintly, slow and brief shuffling in the floorboards began to fill the blinding quiet.

My imagination ran rampant with every slight sound I managed to pick up. Every squeak, every thud, wondering which was a red herring and which was on the mark, and if that wasn’t enough to drive me mad, that sweet alluring aroma of hers was like a persistent stalker to my poor nostrils everywhere I turned.

“Stop moving your head,” Irene commanded, her voice ringing out so loudly and suddenly I nearly jumped. “This is already hard enough for me as it is.”

“As if I can help it,” I said, gasping for air. “You’re so close.”

“I’ve been closer,” She sniped back. “Deal with it.”

I felt goosebumps pricking up at my nape, and then to add more to that tingling sensation, something light and sorta... stringy, I think... began to wrap itself around my neck.

“Another necklace?” I asked.

Irene made a ruffled sort of noise. “Just be quiet.”

After a short while, with that sensation getting tighter every moment, I finally heard another noise, another faint shuffle, ending as it began, with another sharp intake of breath.

“Okay, open them now.”

The very second my eyelids fluttered open, I plummeted my gaze straight down and found myself swinging and carrying a little translucent cylinder pressing against my chest... but really it’s what was inside the narrow cylinder that caught my eye... something smoky, wispy, a drifting stream of red fog contained within, and like a heartbeat, I could feel it moving, pulsing... as if it was truly alive.

As the seconds went by, I had totally lost myself. I just couldn’t stop staring... in a way, it was hypnotic, as if I was watching the dance of a firefly at night... how it looked, how it felt... more than anything, it felt warm...

It felt nice.

“Um, the string is fabricated from Yil, a magical element,” Irene spoke and only then I realized she had returned to her seat, huddled upright and sounding noticeably stiff. “Its properties are similar to that of silk, only except it’s unbreakable. So, um, hopefully... hopefully, it won’t come off.”

As gently as I could, I lifted the cylinder between my fingers, raising it to eye-level to better see, better admire... and a little further forward, I saw Irene stiffen even more.

“How about this, then?” I asked, my voice empty of any trace of mockery. “Is this... is this what I think it is?”

“Mmm,” She looked away to the side. “What do you think it is?”

“You’ve given me something like this before, to help with Harry, I remember... your scent, concentrated, right?”

“I wouldn’t give you something as trivial as that for a gift...” Irene said quietly. In fact, she sounded a little disgruntled by it. “It’s... to keep things as simple as can be... just think of that piece there... as a small little part of me.”

That got me to break my gaze, veering it all the way over towards her. “A part of you?”

“Just, um... just think of it almost like fragmenting a soul, alright?” She said, visibly struggling to even find her words. “Only instead of my soul, I just fractured an ounce of magic, completely harmless, condensed it, contained it in a vial, and... and gave it to you to hold on to.”

“Ah...” I understood almost immediately, her reasoning, the significance, this tiny swirling red between my fingers, I knew what it meant. “I see.”

But that didn’t stop her from wanting to explain it regardless.

“We never really get to see much of each other, do we?” She wondered aloud, glancing down at her hands that were tightly clasped together. “I’m busy, you’re busy... brief moments are all we have, and when we aren’t together... then it’s you that’s always on my mind...”

Her voice was wavering, embarrassed. Again, a golden opportunity to pounce on, but I didn’t. Right then, all I could do was hang on to her every word.

“And I suppose I’d just like something to show you for you to know that I am... every moment, every second... even when we’re apart, that I’m always thinking of you...” She continued, the ends of her lips curling to a small tender smile. “And, um... maybe perhaps... get you to think of me too...”

I felt obligated to say something to her, do something... anything but just stare at her, but no words would come out. I was speechless, completely blindsided by her affection.

Irene glanced up at me again, her eyes narrowing directly towards my chest, and her lips narrowed.

“Then again, I don’t suppose it’s wise for you to wear it all the time...” She said, “The others might see it, it might... it might be distracting for them. I know it would me. Um, you can take it off, but... maybe just put it in a bag, stash it in your pocket or something when you’re with them... you don’t actually have to-”

“I’m keeping it on,” I firmly stated without hesitation. “It’s never going to leave my neck. Not if I can help it.”

“Oh,” She blinked at me. “I see...”

A cool casual response she tried to pass off, but that look, that gaze she gave? I don’t need the dazzling sun to see the joy coursing in her eyes.

“Irene,” I spoke, finally finding the simple two words I should have said long ago. “Thank you.”

And with a mad dash to take a sip of her drink, she went ahead and responded with two words of her own. “You’re welcome.”

Such simple words, simple actions... yet meaning so much.