chapter 24

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When we arrived at the mall, the crowd instantly overwhelmed me. It was a sea of people, noise, and activity—something I wasn't used to at all. I had never been to a mall before or anywhere with so many people in one place. I instinctively followed closely behind Adonis, clutching his hand like a lifeline as he led me to a group sitting near the food court.

Adonis gave my hand a gentle tug, pulling me forward. "Everyone, this is my best friend, Sapphire," he said with a wide grin. I glanced at the four people sitting down, feeling a bit out of place, and gave them a small wave.

He pointed at each person as he introduced them. "This is Layla, Scarlett, Kaylee, Mason, and Lucas." They smiled warmly and gestured for me to sit down, which I did, squeezing in beside Adonis. My hands instinctively found each other, and I started playing with my fingers nervously. I wasn't used to this—meeting new people, making friends. I was always more comfortable in my own company.

"How many months?" Layla asked, her eyes bright with curiosity. She had striking blue eyes and long black hair, wearing a pretty sundress that suited her well.

"Five and a half," I told her softly, trying to get comfortable.

Her eyes widened with excitement. "Really?" she asked, her voice full of awe. I nodded.

"Yeah, and I'm having twins," I added with a small smile. Layla's face lit up even more.

"Wow, that's amazing! I'm six months along, having a boy," she said proudly, leaning in to share in the excitement.

"That's cool! I wanted to know the gender of my babies, but Adonis is making me wait for a gender reveal party," I said with a pout, glancing at him with mock annoyance. Layla giggled, understanding my frustration.

Adonis smiled and leaned over. "Sapphire, this is my girlfriend, Scarlett," he introduced. I looked over at Scarlett, who had hazel eyes, blonde hair, and a fair complexion. She reached out and gently took my hand.

"Adonis has told me so much about you," Scarlett said warmly.

I raised an eyebrow and shot Adonis a look. "Really? He didn't tell me about you," I said playfully, elbowing him in the ribs. He groaned dramatically, rubbing his side.

"I told you I was going to introduce you to someone today!" he protested, laughing. I rolled my eyes at him, but couldn't help smiling.

"That's Adonis for you," Kaylee chimed in, wrapping her arms around Lucas. She had striking green eyes, black curly hair, and wore glasses. She smiled sweetly at me, making me feel a little more at ease.

"So, what do you guys want to eat?" Mason asked. He had a mischievous smile as he glanced around the group. Layla shrugged, and so did I when Mason's eyes landed on me.

Adonis grinned. "Okay, Sapphire, I want you to try something you've never had before. I'm pretty sure you're going to like it."

I raised an eyebrow, unsure. "Alright, I guess," I whispered.

"Great! Let's go get the girls something to eat, boys," Adonis said, standing up. He gave Scarlett a quick kiss before heading off with Mason and Lucas, leaving me with the girls.

As they left, I realized I was the only one without someone here. It made me feel a little sad, like I didn't quite belong in this world of happy couples.

The rest of the afternoon was fun, though. We all talked, ate, and laughed, and for a while, I forgot how out of place I felt. But as the day went on, my energy began to drain. I tried to push through, but eventually, the exhaustion won.

"Adonis, I want to go home. I'm tired," I whined, slumping in my seat.

"Sapphire, it's not even that late. It's just 5:42 p.m.," he said, glancing at his watch.

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