The music thrummed from inside Sami's mansion like a pulse, low and hot through the evening air. The marble driveway glowed under strings of fairy lights, and expensive cars lined the road like polished beetles. Jake stepped out of Max's car in style. His shirt, navy and neat, glinted slightly under the lights, a sharp contrast to the playful chaos of the party behind the gate. His special edition sneakers, crisp and luminous, whispered of wealth— a quiet statement to anyone who noticed.
Jake took a deep breath. I hope this evening and night will be fun. And that no shit of any sort happens. I want to cool off, be chill....
Eticho, soft-eyed and serene, clapped him on the shoulder. "You good?"
Jake hesitated. Then sighed. "She'll be here."
Nev, silent as ever, just gave a small nod of understanding and popped his hood up. Protective.
Max leaned forward, crossing his arms. "You don't have to talk to her."
Jake gave him a dry smile. "You ever known Darcy not to make a scene?"
The group - Jake's most intimate circle; his main gang - walked forwards. Wolfgang made some cheeky comments to soften the mood. It worked a bit; Jake's posture became a little looser and his mind relaxed.
Inside, the mansion shimmered with heat and laughter. Bodies swayed in dance, drinks glittered in hands, and the golden glow from chandeliers softened every harsh line. For a moment, the still young evening felt benign with a blissful atmosphere of chill enjoying.
Then, like the slow bend of a stormcloud over the horizon, the queen of thorns appeared; a dress as black as the emptiness of the endless space, a plunging neckline showing provocatively the contours of her breasts, stilettos with heels almost as sharp as a blade (with the right intentions and with enough passion you could seriously kill someone with them!), an overstated chain of gold and bombastic, over the top faux fur draping from the elbows; no useful utilisation whatsoever, just plain theatre. And these were just her clothes....
She didn't just walk in. She arrived. Her entourage of girls flanked her like handmaids from a court drama, their eyes sharp, lips glossy, bodies swathed in calculated fashion.
Darcy was smiling. She seemed to have fun. Like, real fun, it did not look like she was playing it, Jake could not detect any fakery. Her mask is as smooth as always when she is at social gatherings. It truly is near impossible to see her true state of mind. Jake thought distrustful.
Very naturally - as if it wasn't intentional - Darcy and her minions walked, no, better said; flowed fluently towards him.
Jake felt his spine straighten. Max instinctively stepped closer, the wall of the group. Eticho's fingers twitched near his chest. Wolfgang, sensing the dramatic air, whispered, "Incoming bombshell in 3...2..."
She approached, and now they were just two meters apart.
"Jake," Darcy said, voice warm like honey, eyes like knives.
Jake stood tall. "Darcy."
She gave him a quick once-over. "Looking.... Refined."
"Thanks. So do you."
Silence settled between them for a beat, long enough to sting.
Darcy turned to the group. "Hi, Max. Eticho. Nev. Wolfgang," she said, naming each with a gracious smile that reeked of performance.
Max gave her a wary nod. Eticho murmured a gentle, "Hi Darcy." Nev looked away. Wolfgang flashed his most dazzling smile. "Still the queen of thorns, I see," he said while looking sideways down her leg at her multi-function footwear.
Darcy laughed lightly. "A queen bee has stings," she said airy with a dark undertone. Then she turned back to Jake. "Can we talk? Just for a minute?"
Jake looked at Max, then the others. Finally, he nodded. "Sure."
They stepped a few feet away, near the indoor pool. The ambient light painted ripples across Darcy's face, softening her edges.
"I'm not here to fight," she said. "I know things ended badly. I know I messed up. I just.... I wanted to see you."
Jake stared at her. She looked calm. Too calm. Like a snake under silk.
"Why?" he asked.
She looked up at him. "Because I still care. And because I didn't want tonight to be.... Awkward."
"It already is," Jake replied bluntly.
Her smile faltered just enough to crack the illusion. But then she leaned in, barely, and whispered: "I never stopped loving you."
Jake froze.
She stepped back, eyes sparkling with a bittersweet expression. "I just thought you should know."
Then she walked away, her entourage falling in behind her like shadows returning to their queen.
Jake didn't move for a while. He stared at the water, at the little reflections dancing on the tiles. His fists were clenched.
Max appeared beside him, silent.
"That was a play," Jake muttered. Like fuck I'm going to believe that she is honest. If she were honest, she wouldn't come to me so deliberate and magnanimous.
Max nodded. "Yup." He set his burning eyes full suspicion on Darcy's back. The loyal grizzly snorted grimfallen: "She's setting something up."
Eticho joined them quietly. "You okay?" He asked gently with a tender voice.
Jake exhaled. "No. But I'm not falling for it."
Wolfgang strolled over with two drinks. He handed one to Jake, raised his own.
"To the games we don't play," he said.
Jake clinked glasses with him. The drink was cold. The night suddenly wasn't.
They returned to the party, but the air had shifted. Something was coming. And Jake knew: Darcy wasn't done yet. The main weakness of that ill-tempered vixen is her incapability of concealing her arrogance and pride. He thought agitated. That slippery tongue of her that runs out language as smooth as water-worn pebbles is a straight give-away. The queen of thorns with her wounded pride is sharpening her dagger-thorns for battle.
''Jake!'' An enthusiastic voice called out to him. Misa!
''Misa!'' Jake called happily, as he walked towards her and hugged her. She is the antidote to Darcy's poison!
Well, now that he was surrounded by good friends and faithful allies - Misa and Max most devout and loyal - he could come to rest a bit; cool down. Forget about Darcy, let's make this evening and night a blast to never forget!