“ALRIGHT…” Miles threw her hands in the air upon reaching the backstage.

They were done with their gig for that night. It was a bit exhausting because they had two gigs in a row.

“We can now go home.” Ella yawned as she saunters to the exit.

The others followed, but Aera remained on her spot. She didn’t want to go home yet.

Camille turned to her direction with brows furrowed; she must have noticed that she wasn’t following.

“Hey, let’s go!” She beckoned her to follow them.

“Can we stay a little longer? I want to drink,” she said. “Let’s have a drink, mmm?”

Her friends nodded understandingly.

They headed to the bar counter afterward.

“Four Bloody Mary, please,” Miles told the bartender.

The bartender clacked his tongue. “Four Bloody Mary, coming up!”

“Girls…” she said, getting their attention.

“What?” Miles asked.

Aera grabbed the first glass of Bloody Mary that landed on the bar counter. She took a sip and heaved a deep sigh. It was not her hobby to hide something with her friends. They ought to know that she had made a decision, especially that it will also affect their band.

“I know you’ll gonna hate me for this… this is my last gig with you, girls.” They all stared at her with a sad expression. “I am marrying Drace Arcenas,” she announced.

No one of her friends dared to speak. It only means that they respect her decision.

Aera continued.

“W-we can still be friends, right?” she said somberly. “Camille, I hope you can muster your courage to sing in front of many people.” Aera patted her friend’s shoulder and then turned to Ella on her left. “Good luck on your first day at work, Ella. Treat these two handsomely on your first payday. And Miles, please have patience with these two.”

“You’re not even dying, Aera. Why bother to bid us farewell?” Camille nudged her arm.

“Marrying that jerk is not the end for you. You can make him fall for you, and when that happens, wrap him around your finger,” Miles said while grinning.

Miles made her laugh.

“Silly,” she said.

“You may have quit this band, but you’re still our precious friend, Aera,” said Ella. “Virgin or not, we can still be friends.”

They all laughed at that.

Aera and her friends did a group hug. It consoled her someone, making her heavy chest feel lighter. She was thankful to have friends like them. They never fail to make her feel better, even in the darkest time.

They were in the middle of a joyous conversation when her eyes caught a familiar face. Aera’s eyes instantly widened when she recognized who he was. She sucked her breath as she watches him saunter towards them. She left the stool.

“What are you doing here?” she asked when he finally reached her.

Arie wouldn’t betray her; she was sure of that. How come he found her there?

“I am here to fetch you,” he said nonchalantly. His baritone voice sent shivers to her spine.

“Bro, could you please let her stay with us tonight?” She turned her gaze to Miles. “`Coz, we’re having a farewell party here.”

“Right, this is her last night with us,” Ella added.

“You can have fun with her some other time,” Drace said coldly and grabbed her by the arm. “Let’s go, Aera.”

“Let me go!” Aera protested. She tried to pull her arm away from Drace, but he only tightened his grip. She breathed exasperatedly. His rudeness was getting into her nerves. “You’re hurting me, Drace!”

He halted, it made her stop, too.

“We have a dinner date, right?” he said through gritted teeth. “I don’t know if you forget about it or you’re doing this intentionally to piss me off. But I can’t stand it that you made me wait for hours like a fool! I just wasted my time while you were here drinking with your buddies like a slut!”

Aera didn’t like what she just heard. It made her blood boil. How could he judge her so quickly when he doesn’t even know her well? She wanted to punch him on the face, but she tried her best to cool down.

“Who do you think you are?” she snarled at him.

She didn’t get a response from him. He just raised a brow and dragged her out afterward.

“Next time I don’t want to see you in this kind of place—” She stepped on his foot. “Fuck!”

“You don’t have the right to control me. We’re not even married yet!”

Aera was expecting Drace to be furious, but to her amazement, he just smirked.

‘What an arrogant piece of jerk!’ she told herself.

“I was not informed that you’re like this, Aera…” Drace pulled her closer to his body. His knuckle gently caressed her cheek. “But I kinda like it. It thrills me, baby.”

Aera swallowed hard. She was melting in his arms.

‘But why? Why am I feeling this way towards this jerk?’ she asked herself.

She met his gaze, only to regret it because his eyes seemed to drown her. Her eyes wandered on the contours of his face, down to his lips. But she was immediately pulled out from her fantasy world when Drace suddenly freed her. She almost fell down, good thing her hand reached the hood of his car for support. She silently cursed at him.

“Hop in,” he said.

She would not end that night without a fight, and so she scowled at him.

“I said, hop in,” Drace said authoritatively. His lips pressed together.

“What if I don’t?” She cocked her head.

He gripped her arm, and she flinched. There was something in his touch that she could not explain.

“Then I have to force you,” he said. Drace’s voice was cold and low.

She shoved his hand away.

“You don’t have to force me. I can manage.”

Aera hopped inside his car and slammed its door.

“Damn it! Do you plan to break my windshield? Do you know how much it cost? Can you even afford it?”

Her jaw dropped open. So, that is how Drace will treat her?

Aera felt her tears starting to well up. She just closed her eyes tightly and rested her head on his precious windshield.

Drace positioned himself in front of the wheel. She could feel his stare, but she pretended to be asleep.