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CHAPTER XXXI. A Party to Remember
Elina tugged at the hem of her green dress, feeling uncharacteristically uncomfortable as she maneuvered through the crowd, eyes darting over every face. The warmth of the room pressed in on her, and she clutched her drink a little too tightly, scanning for a familiar face amid the throngs of elegantly dressed people. These events were never her style-the forced smiles, the surface-level conversations-but tonight, she'd tried to let her guard down, even if it meant standing awkwardly on the fringes, wishing she was anywhere else.
Then, through the shifting sea of people, she spotted him: Xavier, alone at the bar, staring down into his drink. Relief washed over her, and she slipped through the crowd, her heels clicking softly on the polished floor as she approached. Setting her glass down beside his, she met his gaze with a small, genuine smile.
"I thought social events aren't really your thing," Xavier said, raising an eyebrow, his usual warmth subdued.
Elina smirked, shrugging as she glanced around. "They're not. I just tend to get dragged into things like this." Her smile lingered, but she could sense something different about him tonight. He seemed... strained, shadows resting beneath his eyes as he stared into his glass before quickly ordering another. She noticed the subtle signs-the tension in his shoulders, the slight furrow of his brow.
"Thanks for showing up," she said after a pause, a hint of vulnerability in her voice. "I don't really many..."
"Friends?" he filled in with a knowing smile, though his tone held a tinge of sadness.
Elina chuckled, the sound softer than usual. "Yeah, friends. Besides you and Celia. I'm not sure if I can count Natasha as one. And Blake... well, I haven't seen her in a while."
Xavier's expression softened, and he nodded. "Still in Connecticut?"
She nodded back. Her eyes drifted to his hands, rough and dirt-streaked, evidence of the long hours he'd been putting in. "How's the FBI treating you?"
Xavier let out a short, dry laugh, rubbing his forehead before taking a long sip. "It's... different."
"Different as in good, or...?"
He shook his head, biting his lip. "Just... different." He looked away, lost in a momentary daze, and she realized how distant he'd become. She wanted to reach out, to offer some kind of comfort, but she wasn't sure how.
"Still seeing Kayla?" she asked, hoping to shift the conversation to something lighter, but instead, his face darkened.
"This an interview or something?" he muttered, before sighing, the weight of whatever he was carrying pressing on him visibly. He softened as he looked at her again, guilt in his gaze. "Sorry. I'm just tired. Yeah, me and Kayla are still together. Actually... we're engaged now."
