TWO FACED

11 - THE HANGOUT

      the living room hummed with the easy chatter of friends as grayson, victoria, veronica, seraphina, xaver, rhemian, and alexander lounged around. the sun had just dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden light through the windows. snacks and drinks were scattered on the coffee table, and a playlist of upbeat songs set a relaxed, festive mood.

      gray leaned forward, looking at his brothers and friends. "alright, where are we going tonight? we need to make the most of this weekend."

      victoria twirled a strand of hair around her finger, glancing at her phone. "there's that new rooftop bar downtown. i heard it has a nice view and great music."

      seraphina, sitting cross-legged on the floor, nodded enthusiastically. "yes, let's go there! i've been dying to check it out."

      alex, ever the planner, pulled out his phone to check the bar's details. "it looks like a solid choice. we should aim to get there around eight to beat the crowd."

      rhemi stretched his legs out, looking around at his friends. "sounds good to me. what do you think, xaver?"

      xaver, who had been staring out the window, lost in thought, turned back to the group. "yeah, sure. the rooftop bar sounds great."

      veronica clapped her hands together. "perfect! but you know what? we should invite one more person to even out the numbers. it'll make things more balanced."

      victoria raised an eyebrow. "who do you have in mind?"

      veronica's eyes sparkled with mischief. "you'll see. trust me, it'll be a good surprise."

      with that, veronica stepped outside to make a quick phone call. the rest of the group continued chatting and making plans for the night. after a few minutes, veronica returned with a triumphant smile.

      "all set! she'll meet us at the bar," veronica announced.

      half an hour later, the group gathered outside the rooftop bar, excitement buzzing in the air. they made their way inside, the city skyline opening up before them as they stepped onto the expansive rooftop. twinkling lights and the distant hum of city life created an enchanting atmosphere.

      as they found a large table near the edge, veronica spotted their final guest approaching. she waved enthusiastically. "hey, over here!"

      julliette stepped out of the elevator, her eyes widening in surprise as she took in the group. her heart skipped a beat when she saw xaver among them. she had agreed to come out to escape the tension at home, but she hadn't expected to run into him again so soon.

       the atmosphere shifted palpably as julliette got closer, catching the wongs off guard, especially xaver. his reaction was immediate; he hastily excused himself, his departure marked by a subtle tension in his movements.

      "julliette, glad you could make it!" veronica greeted her with a warm hug, oblivious to the sudden tension between julliette and xaver.

      "yeah, thanks for inviting me," julliette replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. she glanced at xaver who was walking away, his expression unreadable.

      the other wongs, including grayson, alexander, and rhemian also seemed taken aback by julliette's sudden appearance, though they maintained their composure better than xaver. their surprise lingered in the air, a silent undercurrent beneath the surface interactions.

      as she settled in, there was a shift in the dynamics of the group, an unspoken acknowledgment of xaver's departure.

      veronica's concern was evident as she glanced around the bar, noticing xaver's abrupt departure. "where did xaver go?" she inquired, her voice tinged with worry.

      rhemi, ever the reliable one, responded quickly. "i'll go find him," he offered, already moving to leave the group and search for his missing brother.

      before rhemi could make his exit, however, julliette intervened. "actually," she interjected calmly, her keen gaze sweeping the room. "i'll find him. i have something to tell him, you see."

      her confident assertion caught the attention of the group, momentarily silencing them. there was an air of determination about julliette, a subtle hint of authority that made her offer difficult to refuse.

      with a nod from veronica and a glance of acknowledgment from rhemi, julliette set off in search of xaver, leaving the rest of the group to speculate on the mysteries that seemed to surround them.

      julliette found xaver on the bar's balcony, his silhouette framed against the backdrop of the night sky. his posture spoke volumes, a mixture of contemplation and solitude. despite a slight hesitation, julliette approached him, her footsteps soft against the balcony's floor.

      "xaver," she began tentatively, her voice cutting through the quiet of the night. "i hope i'm not intruding."

      xaver turned at the sound of her voice, his expression guarded yet curious. "julliette," he responded, a hint of surprise in his tone. "not really."

      julliette paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "i wanted to apologize on behalf of matthew," she said earnestly, her gaze meeting xaver's. "he can be... impulsive at times, and i'm sorry if his actions caused any discomfort."

      xaver's demeanor softened slightly at her words, a flicker of gratitude crossing his features. "thanks," he replied, his voice quieter now. "it's appreciated."

      there was a moment of silence between them, the only sound the gentle rustle of the night breeze. despite the initial hesitation, julliette felt a sense of connection with xaver, a shared understanding that transcended their differences.

      as they stood together on the balcony, beneath the vast expanse of the night sky, julliette couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope amidst the shadows that surrounded them.

      just as julliette was about to speak, veronica's voice interrupted them, breaking the momentary silence on the balcony.

      "hey, guys!" veronica called out, her tone cheerful yet insistent as she approached the balcony. "what are you two doing out here? we're all waiting for you at the table."

      julliette exchanged a brief glance with xaver, a hint of disappointment flickering in her eyes before she composed herself. "of course," she replied with a nod, masking any lingering emotions. "we'll be right there."

      with a final glance at xaver, julliette followed veronica back to the table, leaving the quiet solitude of the balcony behind. as they rejoined the group, laughter and conversation filled the air once more, but a part of julliette couldn't help but wonder about the moment that had been interrupted, the words left unspoken between her and xaver.