FRESSIA

When Rage Meets Care

One Week Later

September 9th, 2022

“Did you have a good night yesterday?” Edward asked.

Adam shook his head. “I left early.”

“What? That’s not like you. Is something bothering you?”

Adam leaned back in his chair, exhaling. “Edward… there’s a girl I want to talk to.”

“Then talk to her. What’s the problem?”

He sighed. “She’s… different from the other girls we know.”

Edward sat up straight, narrowing his eyes in curiosity.

“Don’t tell me this is what’s been messing with your head… Who is she? Maybe I can help.”

“You’ll freak out when you hear who it is.”

Edward frowned in confusion.

“Why would I freak out?”

Adam sighed again, rubbing his face.

Then, Edward’s eyes widened as a thought struck him.

“She has something to do with Lily… Oh God, Adam, just forget it” he said, clearly worried.

He definitely didn’t want Adam getting involved with Lily’s circle—especially if it meant risking her friendship.

“I can’t” Adam confessed. “I’ve attracted to her since the first time I saw her… but I haven’t spoken to her in a week, and I don’t even know how to start a conversation.”

“Did you tell Kevin about her?”

“Yeah.”

“So, who is she?”

“She’s Freesia. Lily’s friend.”

Edward paused, thinking about the name, then his eyes widened.

He jumped out of his chair, startling Adam.

“No, no. This is insane, Adam. Do you want to lose Lily’s friendship?”

“You do realize Freesia isn’t just any friend to Lily, right?”

Everyone knew how much Freesia meant to Lily.

Edward clearly remembered once joking about wanting to date one of Lily’s close friends, and she had warned him sternly that she only had one truly close friend—and made it absolutely clear he was never to go near her.

Lily knew exactly how both Adam and Edward were with girls, and her husband used to be just like them—until he met her and changed everything.

“I know” Adam said quietly. “You don’t need to tell me.”

“Adam, she’s just like any other girl. Get her out of your head. And I’ll be waiting for you tonight, okay? No leaving early this time—we’re staying out until morning.”

Edward left his friend’s office as their break came to an end, knowing Adam would eventually go back to work.

🌺

“Why do you have to go to that place? Just tell her you can’t” Lily urged.

“I already tried, Lily. But she insisted. She’ll be really upset if I don’t show up to her birthday” Freesia replied with a sigh over the phone.

Freesia felt deeply uneasy about the place she was about to go to. She had accepted an invitation from a friend to attend her birthday party, unaware it would be held at a nightclub.

When she found out and tried to back out, her friend wouldn’t hear of it. And Freesia, being who she was, didn’t want to hurt her feelings—especially on her special day.

“I should be there with you right now, Freesia. I’m seriously worried about that place” Lily said.

“Don’t worry, Lily. I’ll be fine. And I won’t be alone—lots of our friends will be there.”

“As if I trust any of them” Lily scoffed.

“I’ll call you when I leave, okay?”

“Please be careful, Freesia.”

Freesia smiled at her best friend’s concern.

“I will. You take care of yourself and Kevin. Enjoy your honeymoon. Bye.”

She ended the call and looked at her wardrobe with hesitation. Okay, something simple. I’m definitely not wearing what they expect me to, she thought.

After a moment of thought, she pulled out a sleeveless black dress not too short but still make her body glow and a thick black jacket to keep warm outside.

She applied a light touch of makeup and let her long black hair down.

Looking into the mirror, she smiled, satisfied.

Taking a deep breath, she whispered, “Let’s just pray this night ends peacefully.”

🌺

10:00 PM

“Don’t zone out on me, man. Just enjoy the night” Edward said to Adam who is sitting beside him, a drink in his hand.

“You know, you could meet someone new tonight.”

Adam glanced at him with a faint smile.

“I don't see anyone attractive her. I’m thinking of heading somewhere else.”

Edward laughed. “Now that’s the Adam I know! But seriously, tonight might be different. I heard there’s a birthday party happening here. Look over there—don’t you see the decorations and the crowd?”

Adam followed his gaze. One eyebrow arched—the usual sign that something had caught his interest.

“Alright, let’s have some fun tonight.”

“There he is! Adam is back!” Edward cheered, patting his friend’s shoulder.

But Adam’s eyes drifted away again, his attention returning to the glass in his hand.

🌺

In another part of the nightclub,

The music was loud, and the dance floor was packed.

Freesia sat at a table with a few friends, feeling like every eye in the room was on her.

Some looks were curious, others more intense.

Her heart pounded. She felt a desperate urge to leave this chaotic, noisy place.

“Freesia, why are you just sitting there? Come dance with us!”

“I don’t dance. You go enjoy yourself, Jor” she replied to the birthday girl.

“Then at least take that jacket off—you must be boiling.”

Jor reached out to pull off the jacket, but Freesia held it tightly.

“No. Definitely not. Especially not in a place like this.”

Jor sighed. “Fine. Your loss. I’m going to dance.”

Freesia felt the tension in her shoulders. She just wanted to stand up and walk out.

The noise, the flashing lights—it was all too much.

She stood, grabbed her bag, and turned to leave, only to bump into a woman carrying a drink.

The liquid spilled all over Freesia’s white jacket.

“I’m so sorry” the woman said quickly, and kept walking.

Freesia looked down at her soaked jacket in disbelief.

You’ve got to be kidding me. She sighed and made her way to the restroom.

She peeled off the now wet, smelly jacket and tossed it to the side.

Looking in the mirror, a wave of frustration hit her.

Why did I put myself in this situation?

She thought of her conversation with Lily and wished she had taken her advice.

Meanwhile, Adam was chatting with a woman, seemingly enjoying the conversation and the touches.

When she was walking briskly, desperate to get out of this place.

But someone blocked her path, grabbing her hand.

She flinched instantly at the touch, yanking her hand back.

“Are you out of your mind?!” she shouted at the man before her, who was clearly drunk.

“Relax, I didn’t do anything. I just held your hand... What if I did something else?”

She turned to leave without replying, but he wasn’t finished. His hand landed on her shoulder.

She shoved him away, but he pulled her back toward him.

“I said get away from me!” she screamed, her voice catching the attention of someone who had been distracted with another woman.

The moment Adam realized who she was, he left the woman beside him, ignoring her calls after him.

The drunk man held Freesia tighter. “You’re the right choice, sweetheart.”

She struggled to break free, her eyes scanning the crowd, wondering why no one was helping her. Were they all this depraved?

All of this happened while Adam approached, rage boiling inside him.

Rage from seeing her in a place like this. Rage that someone had dared to touch her.

He grabbed the man’s wrist and shoved him back hard with his foot, sending him crashing to the ground.

Freesia looked at the man who fell, then raised her eyes to the one who had saved her. “Adam…”

Adam took her wrist, his eyes locking on her tear-filled face.

His gaze swept over her form, and without a word, he took off his black leather jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

She didn’t move, frozen in shock at what had nearly happened.

She had almost been assaulted… right there in front of everyone, and no one did anything.

Even her so-called friends were too drunk to care.

Her daze was broken by the laugh of the drunk man on the floor.

“His touch must be better, huh? You didn’t push him away.”

Adam closed his eyes, trying to contain his fury. He didn’t want to kill someone tonight.

He took her hand and started walking her away from the scene, ignoring the man until a hand landed on Freesia’s shoulder, knocking Adam’s jacket off her.

“Much better” the man slurred.

He had no idea what he’d just triggered.

Adam had been trying to stay calm.

Now he wasn’t.

“I swear you're a dead man” he growled loud enough for everyone to hear. And then he lunged.

Punch after punch landed on the man until he was on the floor, bloodied and gasping.

Adam grabbed him by the collar.

“Touch her again, and I’ll make sure you lose that hand.”

He let him go, retrieved his jacket, and turned to Freesia, who stood trembling under the stares of everyone around including her friends.

He took her hand again and led her away.

“Adam”

“Not now, Edward” he snapped, brushing past his friend with Freesia in tow.

🌺

She followed him silently, tears streaming down her face.

He stopped by his car, opened the door for her, and then got into the driver’s seat beside her.

Once the door was shut, he spoke, anger lacing his voice.

“What were you doing in a place like that?”

He tried to keep his voice calm, but the rage was still there.

Rage at seeing her in that place. Rage at what almost happened.

Freesia couldn’t answer. She was sobbing too hard. She covered her face with her hands and broke down.

Adam looked at her, her body trembling, her makeup smeared. He placed his jacket over her lap.

“Put this on” he said. It wasn’t a suggestion.

With trembling hands, she took it and wore it.

“How could you go to a place like that, Freesia?” he asked again, more softly now.

He didn’t even know why he was this upset. What did she mean to him?

Finally, she whispered, “I didn’t want to go. It was my friend’s birthday and she insisted. I really didn’t want to be there.”

He stared at her in silence.

She noticed his eyes on her body and with a broken voice she said, “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not like them.”

Her words hit him hard.

He hadn’t thought that at all, but hearing her say it hurt more than he expected.

His chest ached. He hadn’t expected this kind of pain.

He turned toward her and gently wrapped his arms around her.

“I know you’re not like them, Freesia. Don’t ever compare yourself to people like that.”

He rubbed her back, silently thanking God he was there tonight that he could protect her from that scum. Because no one else would have.

He pulled back, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“I’m here now. It’s over. So stop crying?”