"Xavier?" Baden's face darkened, as if it had dropped into a deep pit of despair.
That name was all too familiar to him—not just because Xavier was a former classmate, but because he'd once confessed to having special feelings for Elise.
Xavier had asked Elise out on multiple occasions, but Braden had always come up with excuses to turn him down. Xavier was known for being fickle—he'd gone through almost ten girlfriends in three years of high school. If they didn't get along, he'd move on without a second thought.
"I remember Xavier too. In college, he used to bring me snacks sometimes," Elise pointed at a photo on the phone, one of her and Xavier in front of their university.
"You and Xavier have a lot of history, huh? You guys must've been pretty close," Baden's lips curved into a smirk, though a fiery tension simmered beneath the surface.
"Not really. I only got to know him because I used to hang out with you a lot in high school," Elise flipped through a songbook, her eyes crinkling with a playful smile. "Honestly, out of all my guy friends, I'm closest to you."
That was the truth. Their parents had been close for years, which is why their names even sounded alike—Braden and Elise.
Just as Braden was about to respond, the source of their earlier tension, Xavier, walked into the room with Mayra leading the way.
The moment her eyes landed on Elise, Mayra's smile vanished. On the other hand, Xavier, who had been intrigued by Elise since high school but never had the chance, felt a familiar pang of regret rise like smoke. Yet, there was still a flicker of hope.
"Elise, long time no see!" Xavier ignored everyone else as if they didn't exist. To him, Elise was far more important than the birthday boy, Nathanael.
"Hi, it really has been a while." Elise returned the friendliness with a warm, sunny smile and waved at him. "You're here to wish Nathanael a happy birthday too?"
"Yeah, but hasn't it been ages since we last saw each other? I'm just so happy to see you." Without asking, Xavier spotted an empty seat next to her and plopped down.
"Hey, isn't today supposed to be about me? Why's everyone ignoring me?" Nathanael quickly tapped a few buttons on the screen, loading up over ten songs into the playlist.
Mayra ignored everyone else completely and casually hooked her arm around Baden's. "It's been a while since we saw each other, right? Did you change your number? I haven't been able to reach you."
Braden wasn't surprised. Mayra had always been like this. They'd been in the same class for three years in high school, and she treated him like a brother. She never saw herself as "one of the girls" and always said she could be his best friend. So, back then, he never gave it much thought.
But now, they were all working professionals and full-grown adults. Such close physical contact felt a bit off to him.
Braden gently pulled his arm away from her grip and politely asked, "How have you been?"
"Not bad, not great. It's just been a while since I've seen you, and it feels like you've changed a lot." Mayra popped open a beer can and shot a pointed glance at Elise. "But for some people, it seems like you've never changed at all."
"Mayra, you're the one who hasn't changed." Braden smoothly shifted the conversation, taking control again. "I think I've changed a lot. I don't like sticking to the same old routines anymore."
Nathanael grabbed the microphone, cleared his throat, and started singing the first song in the queue.
"How about a duet later? I picked a couple of songs that'd be perfect for both a guy and a girl." Xavier flipped through the songbook, throwing frequent glances in Elise's direction, clearly hoping she'd take the hint.
Sitting directly under the air vent, Elise's bangs danced in the cold breeze. She kept brushing her hair away from her face, but the strands would return to her cheeks after a moment.
Xavier gently caught the strands of her hair, his fingertips grazing her cheeks as he tucked them behind her ear. His hand lingered, tracing back to her face before finally withdrawing.
Xavier pulled a golden starfish hairpin from his pocket and clipped it into her hair. "I bought this at a handmade market a few days ago. It suits you perfectly."
"Thanks, Senior Maoan." Elise, still a bit oblivious, didn't catch the meaning behind Xavier's gesture.
Xavier felt like a fisherman casting a long line, baited and ready, waiting for her to bite.
"Maoan, I haven't even greeted you yet." Braden finally spoke up, offering his belated greeting. "You haven't forgotten about me, have you?"
"Forget you? No way. You're Braden, famous for being secretly flirty with everyone." Xavier cut a slice of cake and shoved it into his mouth, his tone carrying a hint of provocation as he added, "But like Mayra said, you haven't changed with some people. Always bold, but sometimes you overlook the details and end up making enemies."
At that moment, Elise interjected, sticking out her tongue sheepishly. "Where's the restroom here?"
"Once you're out the door, just turn right and head straight down." Xavier seized the opportunity to offer his help. "Want me to wait outside for you? It'll be safer that way."
Braden remained silent this time, his eyes glancing at Elise's clueless expression. She was just staring blankly, smiling like an idiot.
"No need, there are so many people here. It's perfectly safe." Elise grabbed her makeup bag, pressed her hand to the door handle, and pulled it open, leaving the room.
Left in the room were Nathanael, belting out several songs, and the standoff between Braden and Xavier, with Mayra's dissatisfied expression lingering in the background.
Braden and Xavier remained locked in a tense stalemate. Since the moment Elise had left the room, they hadn't exchanged a word. Mayra, bored by it all, opened the door in search of something more interesting outside.
At the sink, the large round mirror on the wall reflected Elise's face. If Xavier hadn't touched her earlier, she might not have noticed that her gums were swelling in pain.
Her irregular sleeping schedule, caused by all-nighters for work, had finally caught up with her. Now, even the slightest touch to her cheek made her gums ache terribly.
"Looks like I need to see a doctor…" Elise muttered, moving her head from side to side. Her right cheek was definitely a little swollen.
The sound of high heels clicked on the steps leading into the bathroom. Elise turned and immediately caught sight of Mayra entering.
"I didn't get the chance to say hi earlier." Mayra turned on the faucet, letting the cold water run as she washed her hands.
"Sorry, Mayra, that was my oversight." Elise replied respectfully, offering her a smile.
"We're not exactly close, but back in our senior year, I always saw you, a new freshman, hanging around outside our classroom." Mayra turned off the faucet and grabbed a paper towel to dry her hands. "I almost thought you were one of my classmates."
From this conversation, Elise pieced together some information. It seemed that Mayra's feelings for Braden went beyond just friendship.
"Haha, too bad I'm two years younger. Nothing I can do about that." Elise laughed at herself, trying her best to minimize the awkwardness.
After drinking, people tend to get bolder. With liquid courage taking over, the last bit of Mayra's rationality was drowned out by her intoxication.
"Sometimes I wonder, why is it you who gets to stay by Baden's side?" Mayra stepped closer, her gaze darkening like a demon awakened, sly and calculating. "Why is it always him doing so much for you? Don't you think you rely on him too much?"
"We're just really good friends… If he were in trouble and I could help, I'd do it without hesitation too." Elise retreated step by step, silently praying she could make it out of the bathroom unscathed.
"Is that really all it is?" Mayra's cold eyes bore into Elise. Even as she left the bathroom, her gaze remained filled with resentment and bitterness.
Elise stood frozen in place, debating whether she should just grab her bag and leave when she got back to the private room. She didn't want anyone to mistake her for a third wheel.
Love really could make people lose their reason and judgment. She and Braden had always been just close friends. They'd both dated other people and had partners. She couldn't understand why Mayra saw her as some sort of imagined enemy.
Not to mention, Braden had never even seen her as a woman. If Mayra were going to be jealous, she should be jealous of someone like Mylee—smart, sharp, and beautiful, like a goddess standing amidst snowy peaks.
After returning to the private room, Elise's thoughts of leaving faded by half. Nathanael mentioned that Mayra had left early due to other commitments, and Xavier had also been called home by a family emergency. This left only the original group in the room.
"It's already 2 a.m. I think I'll head home now," Braden said, checking his watch before pulling out his phone. He powered it on, revealing dozens of missed calls as the screen lit up.
"Yeah, it's about time, but you haven't wished me happy birthday yet!" Nathanael teased, sneaking a glance at Baden's phone screen. "Oh, is that a call from Mylee? Something going on there?"
"Can you stop being so childish?" Braden closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. After a moment, he slowly opened his tired and sore eyes. "By the way, Missy, isn't it time for you to head home too?" Braden asked again, "You should head home, right?"
Elise seemed lost in thought and didn't respond right away.
Braden asked again, "You should head home, right?"
"Oh... I drove, and I didn't drink earlier. How about I give you guys a ride home?" Elise snapped out of it, pulling out her car keys and swinging them in front of them.
Nathanael declined her offer. "I'm good. I'm heading to a friend's place to play cards, so I'll just grab a ride."
"Alright, then we'll head out," Elise grabbed Baden's hand as she always did, but something felt off, like this simple act was a huge mistake.
In the next second, she pulled her hand back as if she'd been shocked.
"You should just head home yourself. It's late; no need to give me a ride," Braden swiped away the missed calls on his phone before turning it off again.
"It's no big deal. Just let me take you home," Elise made up a casual excuse. "I want to see Matcha Pudding."
Braden thought there was something odd about her, but since she and Ruth often came by to visit the dog, the excuse didn't seem too far-fetched.
"Alright then," Braden gave in, taking a step back.
