WOULD YOU RESCUE ME?

65.Cracks Beneath the Surface

The lively hum of the bar washed over them as Astra, Vanessa, and Maya returned to the table. The group's laughter was infectious, a warm, buzzing energy emanating from the corner they occupied. Luke and Simon were in the middle of an exaggerated retelling of some embarrassing mishap involving their professor and an unfortunate typo on a PowerPoint slide.

Vanessa's honey-brown eyes lit up at the sound of their laughter. "What's so funny?" she asked, her voice loud enough to cut through the chatter, her usual charisma shining even as her body screamed in protest with every step.

Simon turned to her, his grin widening. "Oh, just Luke explaining how he corrected Dr. Campbell's 'pubic health' typo during class." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, his tone dripping with mock smugness.

Vanessa let out a loud laugh, her voice carrying across the table as she moved to sit down. But as she did, she stumbled slightly, her body failing to cooperate. She caught the edge of the chair awkwardly before sinking into it, her movements stiff and tense.

Astra and Maya exchanged a quick glance, their soft smiles from Simon's joke fading into concern. They both noticed the way Vanessa's hand briefly gripped the table for support and the fleeting wince she masked with another burst of laughter.

Luke, oblivious to the undercurrent of worry, leaned in. "You okay there, champ? Need help sitting down now?" he teased, his tone lighthearted but cheeky.

Vanessa waved a dismissive hand, forcing another chuckle. "I'm fine, Luke," she said, her voice steady. "But thanks for your concern, grandpa. You need me to hold your walker next time we're running drills?"

The group erupted into laughter again, and Vanessa joined in, her honey-brown eyes sparkling with amusement even as pain lingered in the depths. Astra, seated beside her, rested a hand lightly on Vanessa's knee under the table. It was a quiet gesture, a silent reminder that she was there, even if Vanessa refused to acknowledge how much she was struggling.

As the jokes continued, Luke turned to Vanessa with a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know, Van, you should really join the hurling team," he said, smirking. "Not the girls' team, though. The boys' team. You've got a knack for winning those play fights. Pretty sure you'd out-muscle half of us."

Vanessa, Amy, and Cassie burst out laughing, and Vanessa leaned forward, a playful gleam in her eyes. "Oh, please, Luke," she shot back, her voice dripping with mock arrogance. "I'd crush you even harder than I already do."

Luke raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Big talk," he said, rolling up a napkin. He stood, his chair screeching slightly against the floor as he pointed the napkin at Vanessa like a weapon. "Prove it. Let's go. Right now."

Vanessa raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair with a smirk. "You really want me to embarrass you in front of all these lovely ladies?" she teased, gesturing to Amy, Cassie, and Maya. "This isn't the place for a fight, Luke. I wouldn't want them to witness your downfall."

The table roared with laughter again, and Vanessa playfully threw the napkin back at Luke, who caught it with exaggerated flair.

"Coward!" Luke declared dramatically, earning another round of giggles from the group.

As Vanessa moved to sit back down, the corner of her eye caught a familiar figure entering the bar. Her body stiffened, her expression shifting so quickly that it was almost imperceptible. Almost.

Astra, ever attuned to Vanessa's moods, noticed immediately. Her emerald-green eyes followed Vanessa's line of sight until they landed on Ben and Jack entering with three girls trailing behind them. The sight of Ben's smug expression and Jack's casual arrogance sent a wave of tension rippling through Astra. Her hand tightened slightly on Vanessa's knee under the table, and her gaze flicked back to her girlfriend's face.