From Frost to Flame

Part 23-Chaos

Pete's heart was still racing as he made his escape from the conference room. The meeting had felt like a marathon through a field of emotional landmines, and he was pretty sure he'd stepped on every single one. He couldn't get out of that room fast enough.

As he stepped into the hallway, he accidentally bumped into the corner of the doorframe, sending a small jolt of pain through his shoulder. Perfect. Just what he needed—another way to look like a total mess.

Shaking his head, Pete muttered to himself, "I'm never going to survive this."

He heard footsteps behind him and quickly turned, half-expecting Vegas or Day to be trailing him like an uncomfortable shadow. But it was just Sky, looking at him with a mix of confusion and concern.

"Hey, Pete, you alright? You look like you're about to pass out," Sky said, raising an eyebrow.

Pete forced a grin, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "Yeah, just...had a rough time with the whole...meeting thing."

Sky chuckled. "Yeah, I saw you practically melting under the spotlight. I thought you were going to combust right there."

"Shut up," Pete said, trying to keep a straight face, but he couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. "I swear, this internship is slowly turning into a reality show, and I'm just waiting for the dramatic music to start playing."

Sky snorted. "Honestly, after that awkward water bottle incident, I'm surprised it hasn't already started."

Pete rolled his eyes, feeling a little more at ease. Maybe he wasn't the only one who thought he was on the verge of a breakdown.

"Well, it's over now, right?" Pete said with a half-sigh, half-laugh. "I just need to make it to the end of the day without any more embarrassing accidents. At this rate, I'll need a nap by lunchtime."

Sky chuckled again. "Good luck with that. With your luck, you'll trip over your own feet next."

Pete shook his head and smiled. "Don't give the universe any ideas."

Sky leaned against the wall, crossing his arms with a mischievous grin. "You know, Pete, you're like a magnet for chaos. It's honestly impressive."

Pete gave him a look that was somewhere between exasperation and amusement. "Thanks, Sky. I'll add 'chaos magnet' to my resume. Right under 'professional disaster handler.'"

Sky laughed, the sound echoing lightly in the hallway. "Hey, it's a skill! Anyway, what was with that meeting? Everyone looked so tense, and I swear the suited guy was staring daggers at you."

Pete's face flushed slightly as he remembered the earlier tension. "It's nothing. Just...you know, some people have a talent for making everything feel like a high-stakes drama."

Sky raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced but willing to drop it. "Alright, if you say so. Just...don't let it get to you. We've all had our share of awkward moments here. Remember when I accidentally emailed my vacation photos to the entire team last week?"

Pete chuckled at the memory, grateful for the lighter tone. "Yeah, that was pretty legendary. Maybe I should take lessons from you on how to own my disasters."

"Lesson one," Sky said with a grin, "pretend you meant to do it. Confidence is key, even if you're dying inside."

Pete laughed again, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

"Impossible, but helpful," Sky countered. "Anyway, we should get back to work before someone catches us slacking off. I don't think your internship reality show needs any bonus footage of you getting scolded."

Pete sighed but nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go."

As they walked back to their respective desks, Pete felt a little more grounded. Sky's teasing had taken the edge off his nerves, even if the memory of that meeting still lingered in the back of his mind.

Vegas's Office

Vegas sat in his chair, fingers drumming restlessly against the armrest as his mind spiraled into unfamiliar territory. He had been trying to shake off the lingering frustration from the meeting, but it clung to him like a second skin.

It wasn't just the meeting itself—it was everything that had happened before and during it.

The moment Pete had stumbled, and Day had been there to catch him, holding him firmly by the waist, replayed in his mind with annoying clarity. Pete looked flustered, embarrassed even, as he quickly stepped away, mumbling something under his breath. But Day had smirked, that insufferable smirk as if it meant something more than just helping an intern from falling flat on his face.

And then there was the meeting room. Vegas's jaw tightened at the memory of Day's gaze lingering on Pete the entire time as if no one else in the room existed. That unrelenting focus had been enough to send a ripple of unease through Vegas's chest." though he didn't know why.

The sound of the office door opening jolted Vegas from his thoughts. Kinn walked in, his casual stride and smug expression a clear warning that he was here to stir up trouble.

Vegas groaned inwardly. "Don't you knock?"

Kinn ignored the question, pulling out a chair and dropping into it uninvited. "And ruin the surprise? Where's the fun in that?"

"What do you want?" Vegas asked, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed.

"Oh, I just came to check on you," Kinn said, his tone light but laced with mischief. "You seemed...distracted during the meeting."

Vegas's gaze darkened. "I was paying attention, unlike some people."

Kinn smirked. "Really? Because it looked more like you were paying attention to Pete. Or, more specifically, the way Day couldn't stop staring at him."

Vegas tensed, his grip on the armrest tightening. "Don't start, Kinn."

"Start what?" Kinn asked innocently, though the glint in his eye betrayed him. "I'm just saying, the way you were glaring at Day was...interesting. Almost like you didn't like what you saw."

Vegas scoffed, turning his chair slightly away. "I don't care about Pete. Or Day. Whatever they're doing is none of my business."

Kinn tilted his head, his grin widening. "Oh, come on, Vegas. Don't play dumb. I saw the way you looked when Day caught Pete earlier. And the way you couldn't stop glancing at him in the meeting."

Vegas's jaw clenched, his voice colder now. "Whatever you think you saw, you're wrong. Pete's an intern. That's all. And Day..." He trailed off, his expression hardening. "Day can do whatever the hell he wants."

Kinn raised an eyebrow, his teasing smile softening just slightly. "You're really bad at this, you know? You can't stand Day, and seeing him act so...friendly with Pete is getting under your skin."

Vegas stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor as he glared at Kinn. "I said, drop it."

Kinn held his hands up in mock surrender, though his grin remained intact. "Alright, alright. I'll drop it. But don't blame me when this blows up in your face."

He headed for the door, pausing just before stepping out. "Just remember, Vegas—denial only works if you're convincing. And right now? You're anything but."

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Vegas alone with his thoughts once more.

He sank back into his chair, letting out a frustrated sigh.

He didn't care about Pete. Not like that. He only cared about Nawee.

So why couldn't he get those moments out of his head? Why did Day's attention on Pete bother him so damn much?