"Echoes of Unseen Fate"

Chapter 12

Alexander Pov

It was almost 11:30 PM, and we had been at the bar for several hours. I hate to admit it, but despite my initial reluctance, I was actually having a great time—it was chaotic, but in the best way possible. Aaron was brimming with his usual energy, and Amelia matched him step for step.

As much as I hate to admit it, Grayson has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. While others saw him as arrogant, maybe even a bit egotistical and a jerk, I knew him as one of the most composed and mature people around. So I was shocked to see him and Amelia trading childish insults, practically at each other's throats. It was clear they didn't like each other, but there was also something more beneath their animosity that I couldn't quite pinpoint.

I brushed the thought aside, my mind drifting back to Amaya. By this point, both Amaya and Amelia were pretty drunk, so we decided to call it a night. I covered the tab for all the drinks and food.

As we made our way outside, the cool evening air hit us, a welcome contrast to the warmth of the bar. Amaya stumbled slightly, laughter spilling from her lips as she leaned against Amelia for support.

As we left the bar, Amaya and Amelia spotted a small group of street performers nearby, their laughter bubbling over with excitement. "Let's go see what they're doing!" Amaya exclaimed, grabbing Amelia's hand and pulling her toward the crowd.

Grayson, Aaron, and I exchanged amused glances but followed them. The performers were juggling and doing acrobatics, but Amaya seemed more interested in joining them than just watching. "I bet I can juggle!" she declared, her confidence buoyed by the drinks.

"Are you sure about that?" I called out, raising an eyebrow as the performers glanced over, clearly intrigued by Amaya's boldness.

"Of course!" Amaya insisted, stepping up to one of the jugglers, who handed her a couple of balls. "How hard can it be?"

Amelia cheered her on, her voice slightly slurred. "Go for it, Amaya! You got this!"

Amaya took a deep breath, focused hard, and threw one ball into the air. It went soaring, but instead of coming down in her hands, it plummeted right onto the head of a man walking by. He stopped and turned, looking utterly bewildered.

"Uh, sorry!" Amaya called out, her cheeks turning bright red as she stifled a laugh. The man, clearly more amused than angry, shrugged it off and continued walking.

Undeterred, Amaya threw the next ball into the air, and this time, she lost track of it, watching in horror as it hit the ground and bounced away. "Okay, not my best moment," she admitted, glancing sheepishly at the juggler.

"Maybe stick to watching, Amaya!" Aaron shouted, laughing.

"Yeah, you're more of a spectator!" Grayson added, shaking his head with a grin.

But Amelia, clearly not ready to let the moment die, stepped forward and declared, "If Amaya can try juggling, so can I!" She marched up to the juggler, her bravado shining through the tipsiness.

"Are you sure about that?" Grayson asked, a smirk on his face as he watched her.

"Absolutely!" Amelia beamed, taking the balls handed to her. She looked at the crowd, her expression serious. "I'm going to be the next juggling sensation!"

She tossed the first ball into the air—and it immediately went sideways, landing with a thud at Grayson's feet. "Well, that was supposed to happen!" she said, attempting to sound confident.

Grayson couldn't help but chuckle, looking at her with a mix of amusement and adoration. "You've got the right spirit, that's for sure," he said, grinning at her.