"What are you doing here?"
Adrian heard the voice and turned. Gabrielle stood a few feet away, a beer bottle clutched in her hand, the dim club lights glinting off the glass.
"Just getting some air," Adrian murmured, his gaze already drifting back to the sprawling city lights below. He felt Gabrielle settle beside him and heard the soft gulp as she took a swig from her bottle.
"Something happened?" Her voice was a low hum, barely cutting through the distant throb of the club's bass.
Adrian shook his head.
Gabrielle pursed her lips. Reaching out, she gently, but firmly, pinched his chin, tilting his face towards hers. "Come on, Adrian. Spill it. Something's clearly bothering you."
Adrian clicked his tongue, trying to pull away, but her grip was surprisingly steady. "There really isn't anything," he insisted, his voice flat, a stark contrast to the vibrant night.
"Is it about him again?"
Silence.
Adrian's rigid posture and averted gaze were answer enough. Gabrielle sighed, releasing his chin and leaning against the railing, her eyes lifting to the star-dusted sky.
"Seriously, Adrian, what's so special about him? There are literally hundreds of other guys out there. Why are you so obsessed with him?"
Adrian finally turned, mirroring her pose, his gaze now also fixed on the heavens.
"You don't understand, Gabe. He was the first person who treated me kindly when I first stepped into that school. He didn't care about my 'low background' or anything. Instead, he actually cheered me on, told me to do well. And whenever I was having a bad time, he was always there, like some kind of, I don't know, a rescue team just for me."
Gabrielle frowned, her eyebrow arching in skepticism. "And aren't I treating you well too? Haven't I been kind to you, always helping you out?"
Adrian rolled his eyes, showing a familiar exasperation in the gesture. "Of course, it's not the same. You're a woman, he's a man."
"So?" Gabrielle prompted, a hint of challenge in her tone.
"Tsk. I'm gay, alright?" Adrian blurted, the words tumbling out in a rush, a sudden surge of frustrated honesty. "Of course, I'd like him. He's tall, handsome, and he's good at sports! Plus, he's just genuinely kind to me!"
"Err, whatever," Gabrielle scoffed, dismissing his passionate outburst with a wave of her hand
"Isn't he kind to everyone? Helpful? Are you stupid? That's just his job, Adrian. He's a student council member, it's literally his responsibility."
"You!"
Gabrielle erupted into laughter, a harsh, mocking sound that grated on Adrian's ears. "Hahahaha! You are so delusional, Adrian! Of course he doesn't like you. And besides, he's not even gay!"
Adrian glared at her, his lips jutting out in a pout. "Are you even my friend?! You're just trying to rub salt in the wound! Do you have any idea how heartbroken I am right now?"
"I know," Gabrielle said, her grin widening mischievously. "Caleb is Chloe's fiancé, hahaha. You really didn't know?"
Adrian's mouth dropped open in shock. "You knew? And you didn't tell me?"
Gabrielle just spread her hands, her smile practically splitting her face. "Well, you didn't ask, hahaha!"
"Gabe!" Adrian practically shrieked, resentment lacing every syllable. He was about to launch into a full-blown curse when a loud bang cut him off. It was the unmistakable sound of a door slamming shut.
Both Adrian and Gabrielle spun around. Two figures had just emerged onto the rooftop, a short distance away. They couldn't make out the words over the lingering club bass, but the tension in their postures was undeniable. The two were clearly in the middle of a heated argument.
Adrian squinted, trying to get a better look. As soon as he recognized them, he pointed at the woman, surprise coloring his voice. "Hey, isn't that your cousin?!"
Gabrielle glanced over, taking another slow swig from her beer. "Uhh, yeah? Why?"
The woman was dressed sharply in a tailored black blazer likely slung over a dark, fitted top, paired with sleek, dark-wash jeans that hugged her figure and emphasized her long legs. Her feet were clad in designer loafers, and a minimalist silver ring gleamed on her ring finger.
Standing opposite her was a young waiter. His crisp white shirt and dark waistcoat were pristine, a stark contrast to the agitated scene. Sleek eyeglasses were perched on his nose, framing dark, intelligent eyes that usually held a reserved stillness. But now, even from this distance, Adrian could sense the subtle shift in his composed demeanor.
Realizing who it was, Adrian felt a fresh wave of shock wash over him.
""Nothing," Adrian muttered, before his eyes widened, catching sight of the argument again. "But hey, wait, isn't that Owen? Why is he here?"
Gabrielle set her now-empty beer bottle down with a clink. She shrugged, a smirk playing on her lips. "Maybe because he's working a part-time job here? Are you blind?"
Adrian ignored Gabrielle's sarcastic jab, his focus entirely on the escalating confrontation. It wasn't really an argument, he realized, it was only Owen talking nonstop, his face contorted with visible anger.
Adrian was taken aback. He remembered Owen as the quietest, most intelligent person in their class. Adrian had sometimes sought his help, and Owen, though reserved, was never stingy with his knowledge.
He was always alone, rarely smiled, yet he exuded a gentle kindness, always ready to help. His voice, whenever he spoke, was low and calm. But now, that calm facade was gone, replaced by raw fury.
Suddenly, Olivia pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it. The tip glowed red, and a plume of smoke curled into the night air. Adrian felt as if he could almost read her lips: 'Shut up,' she seemed to mouth, before blowing a stream of smoke directly into Owen's face. Owen reacted instantly, a furious, frustrated kick at a nearby trashcan that sent it clattering.
"Oh my God.. Aren't you going to stop them?!" Adrian gasped, alarm rising in his voice. "What if Owen suddenly hurts Olivia?!"
Gabrielle snorted, a derisive laugh, and looked at him as if he were an utter fool. She cupped his face in her hands, forcing his head to turn as she pointed in several directions.
"See those figures?" she asked, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Those are all Olivia's bodyguards. You really think my cousin is dumb enough to let herself be alone with a guy much taller than her in a dark place?"
Hearing her words, Adrian squinted into the gloom. He began to make out subtle shadows behind doors and along walls. A tall, imposing figure in a black leather jacket stood a little apart, his gaze constantly flicking toward Owen and Olivia. Definitely a bodyguard.
Adrian twisted his head, his gaze settling on Gabrielle, a complicated expression on his face. Caught off guard, Gabrielle quickly took a step back, their faces just an inch apart.
"Do you also have bodyguards secretly tailing you, too?" he heard himself ask.
"What?" Gabrielle shook her head, a confused frown creasing her brow. "Of course not. I'm not sick in the head, so why would I?"
Just as Adrian was about to ask her what she meant, a loud crashing sound echoed from a few feet away. His head snapped back, and he froze, stunned by the sight.
Olivia was kissing Owen!
What the fuck?
Olivia was fiercely kissing Owen, her hand wrapped around the back of his neck. She was clearly shorter than him, on tiptoe to reach his lips, but it was Owen who seemed at a disadvantage, caught entirely off guard.
Suddenly, Olivia's eyes snapped open, and Adrian's gaze met hers—dark and piercing.
"!!!"
Adrian instinctively stumbled back a few steps in fright, even stepping on Gabrielle's foot, earning him a sharp shove. Shit, she saw them! he thought, a cold sweat breaking out all over him.
Abruptly, Olivia groaned, her face twisting in pain. With a forceful push, she slapped Owen across the face. The sound cracked in the night air. She wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth and glared at Owen.
Just then, bodyguards swarmed them, two men grabbing Owen's arms.
"Get off me! Argh!" Owen yelled, struggling. One of the bodyguards punched him in the stomach, then quickly pulled a black cloth over his head, plunging him into darkness.
Olivia, meanwhile, lit another cigarette and blew out a plume of smoke. "Take him," she commanded, her voice chillingly calm, "but don't you dare hurt him."
She bypassed Owen, walking towards the back area of the club with her bodyguards following. "You owe me a finger, Robert," Olivia called out to the man who had punched Owen.
Gabrielle met Olivia's eyes as her cousin passed by, and Olivia's gaze briefly flicked to Adrian, who stood trembling.
"Heh." He saw Olivia smirked at him before disappearing from the corner.
"Get off me!" Owen's muffled yell was the last thing Adrian heard.
Adrian only realized he'd been staring in their direction for what felt like an eternity when Gabrielle threw another empty bottle into the trash can, the clatter jarring him back to reality.
"What are they going to do to him?" Adrian asked, his voice still edged with fright.
Gabrielle glanced at him, a flicker of confusion in her eyes before realization dawned. "Huh? Oh. Nothing. She only invited him for a talk."
"Inviting him?? It looked like she kidnapped him!" Adrian practically shouted, his eyes wide.
"Shh!! Lower your voice! Someone might hear you." Gabrielle looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "Tsk, and relax! Stop being paranoid. She won't do anything to him. She just took him because she's interested in him! She wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with the person she likes."
Adrian's jaw dropped in disbelief. "She did that because she likes him?!"
Gabrielle nodded as if the chaotic scene they'd just witnessed was the most normal thing in the world. She untied the jacket from her waist and slipped it on. "What else? Itold you she was sick." She tapped her temple twice with a grin.
"What the fuck?!" Adrian cursed again, still reeling.
"Are all Smiths crazy in the head? Are you also like her?"
The question slipped out of curiosity, a subconscious echo of the rumor he'd heard about Olivia's older brother being jailed for killing their father.
Gabrielle burst into laughter. "Of course not! I'm perfectly fine! Unless, you catch my attention, I fall for you, and you try to run away just like Owen. Well, I am a Smith, after all. So maybe yeah! Hahahahaha!"
Adrian felt a wave of goosebumps ripple across his skin at her chilling laugh and the words she'd just spoken. "Stop that! It's not funny!"
"Hahaha, I'm just kidding!"
Adrian rolled his eyes in irritation, instinctively stepping a little further away from his friend, a distinct unease settling over him.
"Oh, right." Gabrielle pulled his hand toward her and pressed a car key into his palm.
"What's this?" Adrian asked, looking down at the key.
"That? You're going to drive me home."
"Eh?!"
"Yup! Oh wait, I changed my mind. Drop me at your house. I'll just sleep there," Gabrielle chirped, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"What?! Why my house?"
"Well," Gabrielle pouted, laying her head on Adrian's shoulder and hugging his arm. "The gate at our mansion is probably closed already. If my brother finds out I came home late and drunk again, he won't let me in."
"Tsk, just go to a hotel. Why bother me? Our home is already small," Adrian grumbled, pushing the key back into her hand.
"No way! It's safer at your house than a hotel. And I don't wake up early even with an alarm, which is why I'm always late. You wake up early, so maybe you can wake me up too!" Gabrielle argued, pushing the key back into his palm with insistence.
Adrian sighed, defeated. "Fine, but don't do anything stupid in my house!"
Gabrielle's eyes lit up. "Yey! You're the best!" she yelled, jumping up and planting a loud kiss on his cheek.
"Ew, fuck off!" Adrian screamed, pushing her away with a disgusted grimace.
This night was going to be long.