The Retribution Chronicles

A d e | t w e n t y - o n e

Daniel's birthday was a rather predictable event, veering from arrival, to all out rager, before dwindling down in the early hours of the morning and stretching into the horizon, waiting for its moment in the sun. That isn't to say that Ade didn't enjoy it, he did, but Miriam was a welcome addition to the usual fanfare. That and she kept Abi occupied, giving Ade some much needed time with his best friend.

They were both holed up in Daniel's room, him squatting in front of his suitcase, Ade laying on his unmade bed. Daniel began rummaging through the case for a pair of jeans. He found two and held them up. "Black or blue?" he asked.

"Does it matter?" Ade scoffed.

"No, but Abi really wants to get lots of pics tonight and she asked me to look nice on pain of dea—"

"Bro."

"What?"

"You sound crazy."

Daniel rolled his eyes and chucked the blue pair back into the suitcase. "You'd do it if Miriam asked."

Ade opened his mouth, negation sitting comfortably on the tip of his tongue until it was pushed aside by a truth. No, the truth, which was that he would. Embarrassing, yes, but suddenly everything Daniel had ever said about Abi, or rather how he felt about Abi, made sense. Not in relation to Abi herself, she would never make sense, but Ade understood what it felt like to be completely and utterly enamoured. How could he not? Miriam was beautiful and smart; she liked her space and respected boundaries, shoving them up with the best of them. With her, there was no need to play games, to push and pull, tugging on feelings until they snapped. If she needed him to embarrass himself, he would, and in return he got her. All of her.

"How's it going by the way?" Daniel asked.

"Good."

"Are you glad Abi suggested inviting her?"

"Are we really going to have this conversation?"

Daniel laughed. "Abi wanted me to ask."

"Could've guessed that."

"So?" Daniel pulled on the jeans and buttoned them up.

"Yeah, I'm still not telling you," Ade said. "If Abi wants to know, she's going to have to ask me herself." And, if she did, Ade had a million and one ways to frustrate her further.

"Whatever." Daniel grabbed his phone from the bedside table and stuffed it into his pocket. "I'm not getting involved."

"Great." Ade bounced off the bed. "Should we go downstairs?"

"How do I look first?"

It wasn't like Daniel to care, so Ade took him in with a considered stare before declaring, "Fantastic." However ridiculous, it was the least Ade could do. It was Daniel's birthday after all. And yet, Daniel still narrowed his eyes. "I'm serious," Ade said, "you look good. Now, let's go down. There's a bottle of whiskey with your name on it." And by extension his.

Unfortunately, by the time they reached the aforementioned whiskey, its contents were half-finished. The bottle was also decidedly not where Ade left it, but clutched in Brandon, Daniel's elder brother's, hands instead. Hands which raised the bottle in the air upon Ade and Daniel's arrival almost as if it was gifted to Brandon himself. He cheered nosily and Ryan joined in; Wes rolled his eyes. For once, Ade felt a sort of affinity towards him, however it was quickly wiped away when he noticed the dribble of whiskey sitting at the bottom of his glass. They'd all partook in squandering Daniel's present. Then again, Brandon was very persuasive, so Ade wasn't sure how much blame he could shift onto the others.