GREETINGS FROM W

Twelve

The main hall of the Gems Entertainment building was entirely decorated with flowers and pictures of Wolfe, as well as his favourite instruments and his vinyl discs. 

My friends and I opted for white shirts and linen trousers to honour Wolfe. Honestly, it was difficult for me to look at his pictures as I walked around the hall. Seeing his smile, and his gorgeous blue eyes made me miss him more, and I felt guilty and sad not to have seen him before his death. 

Aleyn was standing in front of a large frame of Wolfe. It was a portrait from his last photoshoot and unlike the rest of his pictures, he wasn't smiling in this one. There was an emptiness in his eyes that I couldn't describe nor decrypt. The photo was taken a week before the incident, and it looked like Wolfe knew what was coming for him. 

I approached Aleyn and copied his position— hands behind my back, chin down and joined feet. I looked at Wolfe, and I noticed the blueness of his eyes faded. 

“I can't believe myself,” Aleyn speaks with a shaky voice, “I saw these pictures right when the magazine released them, and yet, the thought of his suffering didn't even cross my mind.” he shook his head, “How could I not notice that he was going through a hard time?”

I sighed and put my arm around his back and rested my head on his shoulder. “No one could have known, Aleyn,” I whispered, “Not even his brother,” I added, watching Shadow, who was busy welcoming the guests and chatting with Jay. 

Aleyn rested his head on mine, and we stayed silent for a long moment, listening to our endless sighs and the gentle piano melodies playing in the background.

“Good evening, Shadow,” Emma Haden smiles at him with her perfect teeth. She's wearing a black suit from Chanel and Louboutin shoes. Clearly, she's making good money in the company. 

“You look dashing in white!” she exclaimed as she eyed him from head to toe.

“Ugh, seriously,” Aleyn sighed from frustration and looked at her with a raised eyebrow, “Does she think it's a good time for flirting?” 

“I know, right?” I frowned as I watched her bombard Shadow with useless compliments. He didn't look like he cared about what her sweet words as his mind could only think about one person— Wolfe. 

More guests joined us in the main hall, and most of them brought white tulips and daisies as they knew they were his favourites. 

Thomas entered the building, followed by his team, and they were also wearing white, which made me smile because even if it was only an outfit, the effort to think deeply about someone meant a big deal.

“Good evening,” Thomas greeted me and Aleyn, “Is he not here, yet?” he whispered, looking around. I guessed he was talking about Kye Wright, and I shook my head. “No one from Glass is here, yet,” I replied. 

“Good,” he smiled, “We can have a peaceful moment before the thunder hits,” he said, and I chuckled.

Thomas walked to Shadow and Jay and hugged them. I was a little relieved that he decided to help us despite his busy schedule. He wasn't Luke, of course, but at least we had a more adult— and mature figure by our side, someone to guide us and give us pieces of advice. 

“Where is Kaela?” Aleyn asked, “She should have been here an hour ago,”

“I think she's busy at work,” I replied as I recalled our late-night conversation. She texted me when I was about to sleep, saying that she might not make it. “Her team is working more hours lately as the fashion week is approaching,” 

“That job is pure s*****y,” Aleyn rolled his eyes, “Sometimes, she disappears on us for like a month or more when the brand is preparing a new collection. She spends most of her time at the atelier.”

“Well, as long as she likes what she's doing, we can't complain,” I shrugged. “Kaela loved fashion since middle school. We can't change the facts.” I smiled, and Aleyn nodded. 

“Oh my god,” Aleyn mumbled as he looked at the entrance door. I followed his gaze, and my eyes rested on six beauties who walked inside like top models. “I can't believe I'm seeing them for real,” my friend shook his head in disbelief.

I grinned as I watched the Sixth Sense members walking in the main hall, each holding a bouquet. They greeted Shadow and offered their condolences before they put the flowers around Wolfe's portraits. 

Aaron spotted me standing behind, and he smiled as he approached me with quick steps.

“Hey, Skylar,”

“Hey, Aaron,” I shook his hand, “Thanks for coming,”

“I wouldn't miss it for anything,” he said, then he looked at my friend, “You must be Aleyn, right? Wolfe told me you were living with him and Shadow.”

“Yeah, it's me,” Aleyn shook his hand, politely, “It's good to see you. I'm a fan,”

Aaron showed his left hand, uncovering a pink rose he was hiding behind his back, “For you,” he said as he offered me the flower, surprising me as I wasn't expecting to receive a gift from someone today. I took the rose wrapped with violet craft paper and smelled it. I had no idea why I had that reflex, but I feel like we humans all think the same as soon as we hold a flower in our hand. 

“I'd like to thank you for inviting us,” Aaron said with a gentle voice, “We were afraid to lose any contact with Wolfe as we're not part of Gems. So, we were happy that day when you brought the invitations.”

I smiled as I shook my head slowly, “It's nothing to thank me for. I'm sure Wolfe would be happy to know you're here today,” I said as I shared a look with Aleyn, who read my mind and knew I felt guilty for using Sixth Sense. 

We invited them mainly because we wanted to extract more pieces of information from them, but after I met them that day, I thought they were kind people, unlike what I guessed before. I always tended to believe those famous singers were arrogant and didn't like to speak to anyone— aside from Wolfe, of course. But the Sixth Sense members proved me wrong. They were humble and down to earth. 

I was speaking to Aaron when my heart threatened to burst inside my chest as I watched Kye Wright enter the building, followed by his bodyguards. It wasn't him who startled me, but the woman who was walking by his side. 

Aaron noticed my surprise and looked around, and then his face turned pale when he saw her. He gulped and looked at me with a face that said I'm sorry before he walked to his members. 

“What the hell is she doing here?” Aleyn muttered, clenching his fists. 

“That's insane,” I shook my head in disbelief, “She's the last person we need here!” 

I-Luna, a long-legged and short-haired girl in her twenties, walked with Kye, with her hand around his arm. Unlike the guests who were all wearing suits and dresses in neutral colours, she was wearing a light blue mini skirt and a sleeveless pink top, matching the colour of her hair. 

Shadow furrowed a brow as soon as he saw her, then he looked at our direction as if he was expecting me to give him an explanation. I shrugged and shook my head, then I mouthed, “I don't know,”

“That's disrespectful!” Aleyn whispered-shouted, “How could she be here when she was the cause of Luke's arrest?!”

“I don't get it,” I gulped as I watched her put her flowers under the portraits— she made sure to place them far from the rest of the bouquets.

Shadow was trying his best to keep a smile as he thanked Kye Wright for coming, but he didn't spare a glance to I-Luna. 

I remembered watching a video she posted on her social media, where she was crying as she explained what happened between her and Luke. I was furious, and I threw my phone on the ground because I couldn't bear listening to her fake sobs and her lies.

Aleyn and I approached them, and I greeted Kye, “Thank you for coming, Mr Wright,” 

Kye nodded with a smile, and then he looked at I-Luna, who was taking a selfie. He cleared his throat and tapped her arm. “My apologies,” he said, “She insisted on accompanying me as she was sad after Wolfe died. She didn't stop crying,”

Shadow clenched his fist behind my back, and I put my arm around his waist and patted him gently to calm him down. 

“Friends of Wolfe are also our friends,” I faked a smile and asked our guests if they would like a drink. 

Later, after the memorial service ended, my friends and I were left alone in the company. We decided to clean everything by ourselves to let everyone rest during the weekend. The catering service took away all the plates and glasses, as well as the tables. Aleyn and I vacuumed the floor. Taylor and Jay pushed Wolfe's portraits to a corner, and Shadow left the bouquets by the entrance.

After the catering service left, Kaela entered, running. “I'm so sorry guys!” she cried as she hugged Shadow. “I couldn't leave earlier. We had a lot of work,”

“It's okay,” Shadow kissed her cheek, “You didn't miss much.”

“Well, she did,” Aleyn said, “Guess who came?”

Kaela raised an eyebrow, “Kye Wright? I knew about it, you know?”

“No, no,” Aleyn shook his head, “Kye didn't look like a threat in front of her,”

“Her?” Kaela frowned and looked at us, and then she widened her eyes when she understood, “No way,” she mumbled, confused, “That b***h?”

We all nodded.

“Are you serious?” she put her hands on her hips, “How dare she come here?”

“My question, exactly,” Jay muttered, “I stopped myself from drinking only not to slap her in front of everyone.”

“But you know the worst?” I scoffed, “She didn't stop taking selfies with Wolfe's portraits and posting them on her social media,”

“You've got to be kidding me,” Kaela gasped and walked to the flower bouquets, “Which one is hers?” she asked, and both Taylor and Jay pointed at a bouquet of camellias. 

“Good,” Kaela took the flowers and headed outside. She came back empty-handed, and she rubbed her palms. “No more flowers from that b***h,” 

We all looked at her with surprise, then we shared a look and started laughing. 

“That's my girl!” I exclaimed before I hugged her and kissed her cheek, “You're a savage!”

After we finished the cleaning, it was already 11 pm— time for us to go back home. I looked around to make sure everything was intact, and then I stopped in front of the portraits. My friends were talking by the entrance while I looked at Wolfe's picture from the last photo shoot. It was inert, and yet it could speak to me, it was pleading for my help. 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, then I looked at my friends and called, “Guys,” 

They turned around, waiting for me to say something. 

I cleared my throat, “Can we meet tomorrow in Shadow's place? After you finish work, of course,”

Shadow was the first to nod, and the others followed.

“Why? What's wrong?” Taylor asked, “I might be a little late because I have a football training in the evening,”

“You can take your time,” I smiled, “But the only thing I need is for you to bring the letters,”

“The letters?” Kaela raised an eyebrow.

“The ones from Wolfe,” I pressed my lips nervously as I watched their confused faces.

“What do you need them for?” Shadow asked calmly, “Is there something wrong?”

I shook my head, “I can't tell you anything until we read them all. I'm not sure if what I'm thinking is right, and I think it's better to stay silent until I confirm my guessing.”

“So, the letters do mean something,” Shadow mumbled to himself, but it was loud enough for us to hear him. I looked at him and gave him a sad smile as I knew that just like me— just like us — he was looking for anything to prove that Wolfe didn't commit suicide.