THE UNEXPECTED GUEST

Standing at the entrance half in shadow, half in the golden light was someone she had thought was long lost and forgotten from the world, she had assumed he was buried in her past. With the loud music playing in the ballroom, enough to drown every other sound, her voice suddenly echoed

"What are you doing here"

Pairs of eyes suddenly turned towards her direction, all surprised by her raised voice that was sharp enough to cut through the clinking glasses, but she didn't care less about them, because standing there was Tyler Blake, majestically stepping into the reception hall where her cousin's wedding was taking place. He was exuding an aura of dominance as if he belonged there.

This was the man she had loved wholeheartedly since from their high school days, the same person who had assured her that they will travel the world together, but without due notice, he disappeared like smoke and suddenly reappeared again after a decade.

Stephanie stared intensely at his restless and dangerous eyes as he walks towards her wearing a perfectly fitted black suit, with scars cutting across his cheek which was new to her.

"Hello, Stephanie" he said, shattering the calm she had built over a decade due to his absence.

Swallowing hard, Stephanie responded "This is not possible. You're supposed to be ..." She stopped herself mid sentence before the rest of the word came out. Tyler, understanding what she was about to say, answered

"Gone?"

Trying to steady her breath, Stephanie spoke again, "You disappeared on me, letting me wonder if you were buried somewhere. No calls or letter and now you're just standing here all of a sudden? At my cousin's wedding?

"It's complicated" said Tyler, as he smiled faintly looking at the crowd.

A brittle laugh escaped her, "complicated?", that's what you call ten years of silence.

Leaning closer to her, he lowered his voice and said "I had to go, so that I won't drag you into what I was running away from". But Stephanie's respond was swift as she pressed further, "What are you running away from exactly, Tyler", tell me.

For a second there, she noticed a flicker of fear in his eyes, as his jaw twitched and his mask cracked.

"Not here", he softly said, and "Not tonight", but I will tell you everything if you are willing to hear me out.

Confused and angry at the same time, she wanted to walk away, leaving him standing there, but also, a part of her wanted to know the truth on why he disappeared.

"Five minutes" she finally said. Come outside.

Stepping out into the garden which was filled with the scent of roses, as laughters drifted through the open windows, Tyler stood firmly with hands in his pocket.

"I was being hunted' he began, the earlier bravado gone from his voice. "Dangerous people whom I had crossed when I was younger, wanted me dead. I had to leave if not they would have used you against me."

Torn between disbelief and fury, "And you though disappearing would protect me instead of being honest with me?", she asked.

"Absolutely, that was what I thought was the right thing to do", he said desperately , but now I know I was wrong.

Looking at his haunted eyes, with scars all around his face, Stephanie felt her anger fade away as this version of Tyler looks very different.

"So what are you doing here now?" She asked, but this time with a more softer and steadier tone.

Hesitating, he said "I couldn't live with myself if I never saw you again. And I don't want to run anymore"

The garden fell silent, except for the wind rustling the roses. Tyler stepped closer, close enough that Stephanie could see the fracture in his composure and the faint trembling of his hands.

"I don't expect you to forgive me, but if there is even a chance that I can fix what I broke, am willing to take it"

Inhaling the night air, with her eyes closed to quiet the storm within her, she opened them again, but this time Tyler was still standing there, though scarred and older, but he was still the same boy she once fell in love with.

"You're still a fool, you know right?", she said

"Maybe, but am still your fool again" he responded with an uncertain smile.

As they walked back into the ballroom, she said "Don't push your luck". But deep down she knew ghost's don't come back without a reason, and maybe this one was back to stay.