Rose blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. “Wait… you’re dating?” She sounded more surprised than she intended. “Wow, I never knew.”
The man stood up, extending his hand with a polite smile. “Hello, Rose. Sorry to interrupt your reunion.”
Rose nodded slightly but didn’t take his hand, her expression tightening. Tony? she thought, recognizing him immediately”Ah, good,” she said tersely, her tone making it clear she wasn’t thrilled.
Tony, sensing the tension, withdrew his hand, his smile never wavering “Uhh, sorry,” he said, trying to ease the moment.
Rose’s eyes flicked to Luna “I didn’t know you two were… comparable.”Her tone was measured, but the implication was clear. She knew Tony too well; they had all studied together back in college.
Luna chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. “Well, opposites attract, right?”
Before Rose could respond, Luna grabbed her arm and led her to the couch, sitting her down beside her.
“Hey… well…”Rose began, awkwardly shifting in her seat, shooting Luna a glance that clearly said, This isn’t what we planned.
Luna ignored the silent plea. “So, do you have a boyfriend now, Rose?”she asked suddenly, her tone casual.
Rose blinked. “Um? No. Why?”The question caught her off guard, adding to the discomfort.
Tony, now seated across from them, smiled faintly”I’m sure Rose can have anyone she wants. Maybe she just hasn’t found someone worthy enough yet.”
Rose’s frown deepened, irritation flashing in her eyes. “Miss Kane,” she corrected, her voice clipped.
“Ah, sorry,” Tony said, his polite smile never faltering. “I thought…well, we were classmates, after all.”
“It’s not a big deal,” Luna chimed in, trying to smooth things over.”Relax.”
But Rose couldn’t relax. The awkwardness weighed on her, each passing moment making it harder to breathe. She finally spoke up, her voice strained.”Didn’t you say we’d be alone? This doesn’t seem… appropriate.”
Luna waved her hand again, brushing off the concern. “Oh, don’t worry too much. It’s just my boyfriend. He won’t bother us.”
But Rose felt every fiber of her being resisting the situation. They can’t see I’m not comfortable? She glanced at Luna, the realization sinking in. People really do change.
Rose sighed, placing her purse on the table, her phone still clutched in her hand”Well,” she began, trying to sound casual, “how about we meet another day? You can catch up with your boyfriend… What do you say, Luna?”
Luna’s eyes widened slightly, and she quickly wrapped her arms around Rose, her expression softening into puppy eyes”No, no, no, I really want to talk about our past moments. Just stay here a bit longer,” she pleaded, her voice light and coaxing.
Rose sighed again, feeling the awkwardness intensify. “Yeah… but…”She trailed off, unable to articulate just how out of place she felt.
Despite her discomfort, Rose forced a small smile, settling back into the conversation. She and Luna began talking, their voices mingling over the low hum of the club. Tony sat across from them, silent but present, his eyes occasionally flicking toward Rose. She pretended not to notice, focusing entirely on Luna, though the tension in her shoulders was hard to ignore.
Whenever Tony tried to chime in with a comment Rose subtly steered the conversation away, making it clear without words that his presence wasn’t welcome.
Tony exchanged a quick glance with Luna, one that Rose didn’t catch. Luna, however, caught it and gave a faint nod in return.
“We’ve got so much to talk about,” Luna said, her voice cheerful as she suddenly stood”Ah, I need water.”She made her way to the small wine bar in the corner of the room, a casual air about her movements.
Rose, distracted by her phone, barely looked up. “Yeah, one glass for me too,”she murmured, still tapping away at her screen.
“Sure thing,”Luna replied, a glint flashing in her eyes. She reached for two glasses, filling them with water. With her back to Rose, she slipped a small pouch from her pocket and discreetly emptied its contents into one of the glasses. Her movements were swift, practiced, and unnoticed.
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Turning back, she handed the glass to Rose with an easy smile”Here you go.”
“Thanks,”Rose said absentmindedly, taking the glass without a second thought. She drank deeply, unaware of Luna’s subtle observation.
Luna took a sip from her own glass, her expression calm as if nothing had happened. The conversation resumed, light and casual, but after a few minutes, Rose’s face flushed, and a hint of dizziness crept over her.
“So, do you remember that girl who had a boyfriend back then?”Luna asked, keeping the conversation going as she watched Rose closely. “She had a breakup too, right?”
Rose nodded, but her mind was starting to cloud. She felt a strange warmth spreading through her body, her thoughts growing fuzzy. “Ah, yeah…but…I think I need to leave. Let’s meet another day, Luna,” she said, standing abruptly, her legs slightly unsteady”I’m feeling a bit off.”
“Eh? No, no, stay a little longer!”Luna’s voice was sweet but insistent.”We were just getting to the good part.”
“No, I really think I’m sick,” Rose murmured, pressing a hand to her forehead. Her skin felt hot to the touch, her body betraying her as the heat intensified.
She moved toward the door, her intent clear she needed to leave.Her suspicion, though hazy, began to take shape. Something wasn’t right, and she wasn’t willing to take any risks. Her fingers fumbled for her phone, ready to call her driver to bring the car to the front.
But before she could reach the door, Luna darted in front of her, blocking the way. Her smile was still in place, but there was a tension in her posture.”Stay here, Rose,” she said softly, the door handle just behind her.
“Luna… what are you doing?” Rose asked, her voice weak, her body burning with unnatural heat. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
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