CLAUDE
“Hey! It’s Chaos’s birthday. Are we going to drown in alcohol?” Caelan asked, laughing.
“It’s okay if alcohol floods, as long as it’s not spilt on. Daphne might kick me out if I get drunk,” Jenson replied.
“I’ll pass on Chaos’s Ecstasy too. I’ll be the one to intervene if any of you get too drunk,” Zion added.
“You guys are making me feel bad. It’s my birthday, yet you’re thinking negatively about me. I’ve changed, bros. I won’t deceive you anymore.” I said.
I had just arrived at Midnight Manor, but all my friends were already here. Unfortunately, they were teasing me.
“Let’s get started so we can drink a lot. No one’s going home sober,” Arlo interjected.
“Oh! How are we going to go home if we’re all drunk?” Monte asked.
“Is that a problem? Have your spouses or girlfriends pick you up. Ingrid will pick me up anyway,” Arlo replied.
“I’m at a disadvantage there,” Zion complained. “Yvette is out of town. I’ll just refrain from drinking too much so I can still go home.”
“That’s not a problem if no one will pick you up. Just stay at a hotel. Starlight Hotel is just nearby,” Jenson suggested.
“Don’t worry, Pyro. I’ll accompany you. I don’t want Ember to pick me up if I get drunk. She might just scold me. She’s like an Amazon warrior, you know,” Caelan said.
They all laughed at Caelan’s words.
“You’re scared, bro,” Arlo teased.
“Oh, no, no. I’m not scared of Ember. I just really love her, so I don’t want us to fight. If she gets mad, she can ignore me for a month. But I can’t. It’s okay if she always picks fights with me. I just don’t want her not to talk to me. Imagine if Ingrid doesn’t talk to you for a month. Can you handle that?”
Everyone fell silent at Caelan’s question. Even I pondered. Sia used to be quiet. If she doesn’t talk to me anymore, can I handle it?
Nahhh, that idea was crazy! Why did I think of her? Sia is my wife, but I don’t even like her. So what if she doesn’t talk to me? It wouldn’t affect me, right?
“You talk too much. Just drink. If you can’t handle it anymore, just say pass, and I won’t force you,” I instructed.
We had already consumed several bottles of alcohol when someone approached me.
“Hello! Good evening!”
I turned to the speaker. My eyebrows furrowed when I saw Haven. “What are you doing here?”
“My friends and I were bar hopping when I passed this area and saw you here with the others,” Haven replied with a smile.
“Claude’s girlfriend is here. Don’t leave yet so he has someone to go home with,” Arlo teased.
I shot Arlo a warning look.
“Yeah, sure. No problem. I’ll just stay with my friends for now. Just call me.”
I let out a sigh.
“Happy birthday, Claude!” Haven greeted.
I was about to respond when Haven suddenly kissed me, surprising me. It only lasted for a second, but I glanced at my friends afterward. When she left, I wiped the lipstick marks off my lips.
Caelan and Arlo laughed. Zion and Jenson raised their eyebrows. But Monte nudged me.
“Is she your wife?” Monte whispered.
I shook my head firmly. “Nah! She’s just a friend. She’s not Sia,” I replied.
“What are you whispering about there, Chaos? Why aren’t you including us in the conversation?” Caelan chided.
“You talk too much! Just drink,” I teased.
We had only finished one bottle of alcohol before my friends started saying their goodbyes. Caelan was the first to leave because Ember came to take him home. It was our first time seeing her. I couldn’t believe that my friend was afraid of the small and beautiful girl who came to pick him up. She looked like an angel more than a warrior from the Amazon. Why would my friend be scared of her?
When Ingrid arrived, Arlo and Zion left together. Monte was about to leave too when I stopped him.
“You stay here for a while,” I ordered.
“Excuse me.”
We all turned to the voice of a woman. I smiled when I saw Doc Daphne.
“I’ll just take Sawyer with me,” Doc Daphne said with a smile. Referring to her husband, Jenson.
Jenson immediately stood up and accompanied his wife.
“When will I go home?” Monte asked. “Nova might not come. I’ll just go home. I can handle myself.”
“Accompany me here until Nova arrives. I’ll go with you. I don’t want to be left with Haven,” I said.
Monte shook his head.
“If you don’t like her, have Sia pick you up instead.”
I sighed.
“She’s asleep. She has to wake up early tomorrow.”
“Huh? Your wife is just sleeping on you?”
I didn’t respond. What could I say to my friend?
Nova arrived shortly after. Monte immediately stood up and accompanied his wife.
“Wait for me, okay?” I opened my wallet and took out all its contents, placing them on the table.
I was about to leave with the couple when Haven approached.
“Are you leaving now? I’ll take care of you, Claude,” she said.
“She’ll take care of you now, bro,” Monte teased, patting me on the shoulder.
Before I could protest, Haven hugged me and I lost focus on the couple.
“Haven, let go of me,” I tried to push away her arms wrapped around me.
But she hugged me tighter. When I looked up, Monte and Nova were gone. I gritted my teeth in annoyance.
“Get your hands off me, Haven!” I said firmly. I was trying to avoid her, yet she kept getting closer. Monte didn’t even help me avoid her.
“Okay, okay. I’ll let go. Birthday boy seems annoyed. I was just being affectionate,” Haven said as she released me.
I raised an eyebrow. “I gotta go.” I quickly walked toward the exit.
“Hey! Wait for me, Claude. I have a gift for you.” Haven chased after me and grabbed my hand.
“Let me go. Where is it?” If I didn’t take it, Haven might bother me even more.
“It’s in my car. Let’s go get it.”
I was forced to go with her.
“Here.” Haven handed me a bottle of alcohol.
“Dom Perignon Vintage,” I read on the label. Haven really knew my favorite drink. “Thanks.”
I was about to leave when Haven stopped me again.
“Hey, wait! Are you leaving already? Won’t you even treat me because it’s your birthday?”
I heaved a sigh, glancing at his watch. It was already eleven in the evening.
“Alright, let’s just drink this. Let’s go to my condo.” I wasn’t drunk yet because I knew no one would pick me up.
“Yes!” Haven clapped her hands. “Give me a ride so we can go together.”
I shook my head.
“Nah! Let’s just convoy. You can’t leave your car here.”
Haven frowned. “Okay, fine. Just wait for me, okay?”
“Yeah, sure. Let’s go.”