I immediately bolted upright from my bed like I'd been launched by a spring. Still half-dazed and groggy, I stumbled out of the room, only to be greeted by a scene that made me pause mid-step.
"Sir, your breakfast," said my chef and maid in perfect unison, both standing proudly beside a neatly arranged table filled with food.
I froze. I mean, come on—food. I might've missed a date, but skipping breakfast? That's where I draw the line.
I sat down and dug in like a starving man on a deserted island. Eggs—perfectly scrambled and fluffy. Crispy strips of bacon with just the right amount of crunch. Toast slathered in creamy butter, and a glass of fresh orange juice so cold it practically slapped me awake with every sip. Even a slice of ham with that slight honey glaze. It was heaven.
Mid-bite, I looked up and asked, mouth still half full, "Hey… why didn't anyone wake me up last night?"
My chef glanced at the maid. The maid looked back at him. Then they both shrugged.
"We didn't know you had plans, sir," the maid replied honestly.
"Yeah," the chef added. "No one told us anything."
I blinked. "Ah, right... only a few people knew."
I lifted my fingers and started counting.
"One… two… wait—only three?!"
I dropped my fork.
"Shit."
After finishing my breakfast, I wasted no time. I quickly showered, threw on some fresh clothes, and stepped out of my room, heading straight toward the building where Taylor and her friends were staying. I was still trying to come up with a decent excuse for oversleeping—something that didn't make me sound completely pathetic—when I heard familiar voices up ahead.
It was Jessy, Ray, and Troy, standing in the hallway, talking amongst themselves. At first, they didn't notice me approaching. But their voices? Oh, I heard everything.
"Hahahaha! Would you look at that? He just slept through his date like it was nothing!" Jessy laughed.
"Yeah," Ray chimed in mockingly. "Guess those walkers messed him up real bad. Must've been a hell of a dream, though—dude was probably fighting zombie unicorns or something!"
"YeaYeaYEA," Troy added in that obnoxious tone he always used. "He's so cool when he's fighting and being all serious—but when it comes to actual dating? Bleh. Total flop!"
They all burst into another round of loud, exaggerated laughter.
I stopped in my tracks, eyebrows twitching. My eye twitched too. My dignity? In critical condition.
I clenched my fists, took a deep breath, and walked straight toward them.
"Hey!" I barked, catching their attention. "What exactly are you three talking about, huh?"
They froze.
Their smiles faltered.
And suddenly, it was very quiet in that hallway.
Troy was the first to react, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.
"Ah! S-Sir! Good morning!" he stammered, straightening up like I was his commanding officer. "Right, sir—there's, uh… training! Yes! Urgent training session! If you'll excuse me!"
And just like that, he bolted down the hallway like his shoes were on fire.
Jessy, not missing a beat, added quickly, "Ah—r-right! I almost forgot! Me and Troy actually… yeah, we talked about that training thing last night. Super important. No time to waste. See ya!"
He spun around and sprinted after Troy, shouting, "Wait up, man!"
That left only Ray standing there, frozen in place, his eyes shifting around like he was searching for an escape route—or an invisibility cloak. His so-called friends had betrayed him without hesitation.
"So…" I took a slow step toward him, arms crossed. "What were you talking about, exactly?"
Ray let out a nervous chuckle, sweat forming on his forehead. "Ahh… r-right… um… did you hear us?"
I narrowed my eyes into a sharp glare.
He immediately straightened his back, face twitching in panic, then exhaled in defeat. "Okay, okay… it's about last night. Ehem. We may have… kind of… overheard someone mention you had a date, and when you didn't show up, well…" He gave a sheepish shrug. "We might've… joked about it. Just a little."
I kept staring.
Ray swallowed hard. "Okay, a lot. We joked a lot. Sorry, man."
Who did you guys hear it from?" I asked, my tone low but firm.
Ray scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well… it was from Taylor. We overheard her talking with Shenna and Alexia last night. She sounded kind of disappointed. Said you didn't show up. Then someone—probably Shenna—joked that maybe you got cold feet."
I let out a sharp breath. "Damn it…"
Ray held up his hands like a man begging for mercy. "Hey, you're lucky that's all they said. Could've been worse. Anyway—good luck, man!" And just like that, he turned and bolted down the hallway, his footsteps fading as he made his great escape.
I stood there for a second, my jaw clenched and mind spinning.
Cold feet? Me?
Not a chance.
"All right," I muttered, determination flaring in my chest. "Let's do this."
I marched down the hallway with purpose, heading straight for Taylor's room. Not this time. I wasn't going to mess it up again. No naps, no distractions. I'm getting that date today—no matter what.
I arrived at Taylor's door, my nerves buzzing but my resolve firm. I knocked confidently, then called out, "Taylor?"
The door creaked open a few seconds later—revealing Shenna, arms crossed, eyes narrowed like twin daggers. She looked me up and down, her expression anything but friendly.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
I stood my ground, ignoring the jab. "Is Taylor inside?"
Shenna didn't answer right away. Instead, she stared at me a second longer, then sighed and stepped aside. "She is. Go on in."
I gave her a short nod and stepped past her. Inside, the room was cozy—warm light spilling in from the windows, with soft cushions on the couch where Taylor and Alexia sat talking. Taylor was mid-sentence when she noticed me.
Her smile faded slightly as her eyes met mine. Alexia turned too, her eyebrow raised in curiosity.
I took a deep breath and walked forward. "Hey… Taylor."
The room fell quiet. Both of them looked at me, waiting for whatever excuse—or explanation—I was about to give.
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