Chapter 18: Apology and curiosity
1025 Words
The school had never looked this alive.
Strings of warm lights hung across the courtyard, tables were arranged neatly around a central open space, and music drifted through the air—soft enough to talk over, loud enough to feel.
It was supposed to be a celebration.
Something about “unity between departments” or “student excellence.”
But everyone knew the truth.
It was a distraction.
From everything happening outside.
From the headlines.
From the names that kept echoing across every screen.
Max Shelton.
The Carlton alliance.
The shifting world order.
And in the middle of all that noise—
People still showed up to dance.
Camilla leaned against one of the decorated pillars, sipping a drink she definitely didn’t care about. “So this is what chaos looks like when it’s dressed up nicely.”
Aston stood beside her, hands in his pockets. “It’s still chaos.”
Camilla smirked. “Yeah, but with snacks.”
Before Aston could respond, a familiar presence approached.
Elena.
But not the Elena from before.
No sharp edges.
No defensive posture.
Just… quieter.
She stopped in front of them.
Camilla raised an eyebrow. “Well. This is new.”
Elena exhaled slowly. “I wanted to say something.”
Aston straightened slightly, watching her carefully.
Elena’s gaze flicked between them.
“I handled things badly,” she admitted. “Earlier. With James. With… everything.”
Camilla didn’t interrupt.
That alone seemed to help Elena continue.
“I was trying to control something that wasn’t mine to control,” she said, voice steady but honest. “And I’m sorry.”
Silence followed.
Not uncomfortable.
Just real.
Aston nodded once. “That’s… decent of you.”
Camilla nodded too. “Yeah. It is.”
Elena let out a small breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
“…Thanks,” she said quietly.
Then, after a pause, she added—almost reluctantly—
“I’m not going to interfere anymore.”
Camilla studied her for a moment.
Then shrugged lightly. “Good. Because honestly? That whole situation was giving me stress I didn’t sign up for.”
That earned a faint, genuine smile from Elena.
Small.
But real.
Camilla tilted her head. “You good, though?”
Elena hesitated.
Then nodded.
“…I think so.”
“Cool,” Camilla said. “Then you can come hang out with us instead of brooding in corners.”
That surprised her.
Elena blinked. “You’re inviting me?”
Camilla pointed at herself. “I’m emotionally stable, I adopt strays occasionally.”
Aston sighed. “That’s not what—”
“It is tonight,” Camilla cut in.
And somehow—
Elena laughed.
Actually laughed.
It felt strange in her chest. Lighter. Less sharp.
“…Alright,” she said, stepping closer to them.
For the first time in a while—
She wasn’t performing.
She wasn’t competing.
She was just there.
⸻
Across the courtyard, the energy shifted slightly.
A new presence had entered.
Not loud.
Not announced.
But noticeable.
A boy stood near the edge of the gathering, dressed neatly but differently from the rest—more polished, more intentional. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes were sharp, observant.
He wasn’t local.
That much was obvious.
Camilla noticed him first.
“…Who’s that?” she muttered.
Aston followed her gaze.
The boy’s attention drifted across the crowd—
Then landed.
Directly on Aston.
And stayed there.
Aston frowned slightly. “Why is he looking at me like that?”
Camilla smirked faintly. “Either you owe him money or he’s in love with you. No in-between.”
Aston shot her a look. “Neither is helpful.”
Elena, now standing with them, tilted her head slightly.
“I’ve seen him before,” she said slowly. “He’s from Hong Kong. Ethan Hallow.”
Camilla blinked. “That sounds like a villain name.”
“It’s a top-tier family,” Elena continued. “Shipping, biotech, international holdings. They rarely send their heirs out.”
Aston’s expression tightened slightly. “So why is he here?”
As if hearing his name—
Ethan moved.
He walked through the crowd with ease, ignoring most of the noise, until he stopped just a few steps away from them.
His gaze didn’t wander.
It stayed on Aston.
“I was wondering when I’d get a chance to meet you,” Ethan said calmly.
Aston blinked. “Me?”
Ethan smiled slightly.
“Yes.”
Camilla immediately leaned in a little, whispering under her breath. “Oh this is about to be interesting.”
Elena watched quietly now, curiosity replacing tension.
Ethan extended a hand.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said.
Aston hesitated—but shook it.
“Good things or bad things?” he asked.
Ethan’s smile widened slightly.
“Depends who you ask.”
That wasn’t reassuring.
But it was honest.
Camilla tilted her head. “And why exactly are you here?”
Ethan finally glanced at her.
Then back to Aston.
“I’m exploring partnerships,” he said simply. “And… interests.”
Aston stiffened slightly at the word.
Elena noticed immediately.
Camilla noticed too.
“Oh,” Camilla said slowly. “So it’s like that.”
Ethan didn’t deny it.
Instead, he took a small step back, still focused on Aston.
“I’ll be seeing you again,” he said.
Not a question.
A statement.
Then, just as easily as he arrived—
He turned and walked away.
Leaving a quiet tension behind him.
Camilla exhaled. “Okay. That was… weirdly intense for a school event.”
Aston still hadn’t moved.
Elena glanced at him. “You alright?”
Aston blinked slowly.
“…I think I just got targeted.”
Camilla patted his shoulder. “Congrats. Welcome to the club.”
Elena looked in the direction Ethan left.
“…That wasn’t random,” she said quietly.
Camilla nodded. “Nothing in this world is.”
A brief silence settled between them.
Then Camilla clapped her hands once.
“Alright,” she said. “Enough mysterious international flirting energy. We’re here for snacks and pretending life isn’t complicated.”
- Writer
