"don't overthink" he replied coolly before pulling the vibrating phone from his pocket --answering the incoming call. Unconsciously, Seraphina got the glimpse of the caller ID named Jace.
The man hung up without uttering a word but sent a message instead. After a few taps of his fingers, the man turned his attention back to Seraphina.
"My name is Alex, you are?"
"...."
Without getting any response from the girl, his brows twitch.
'Is she ignoring me now?' He chuckled at the girl's action. Through his years in the entertainment industry, Alex knew if a person is genuine in his action thus, he knew this girl isn't interested in him. He shakes his head with a smile on his face then he did not bother Seraphina anymore as he minds his own business.
Soon after, Jace arrived with his boy next door demeanor, he aggressively wraps his arm in Alex's neck making his drink spill a little.
"Ohh Ohh! there you are!" he spoke in a lively tune.
Seeing some of his drink spilled on his hands, Alex's menacing gaze landed on Jace, making him cough lightly before slowly retrieving his arms from his neck.
"Chill, man. What are you doing here anyway?"
Alex did not answer but glanced at the girl sitting next to him whose busy drowning herself in alcohol. Following his gaze, Jace squinted his eyes seeing the girl. She was somewhat familiar to him but could not tell where and when he saw her. In the middle of examining the girl, his attention was disrupted seeing a wasted person-- few feet from them.
Although her hair covered most of her face, he felt a sense of familiarity with her.
Jace slowly strode towards the wasted girl.
"Nadine? Is that you?" Jace cautiously asked.
"hmm…" the girl he called Nadine answered with a grunt.
"holy sh*t! It's really you!" Jace exclaimed- shocked.
'Why would she be here, alone and wasted? Isn't she afraid of making a huge scandal?' he thought
Looking around the surrounding, Jace gave Alex an indecisive looked before speaking, "let's take her home, first."
"you take her home." Alex nonchalantly answered.
"Ohh Ohh. Don't shamelessly blackmail me in the future saying I left you alone here!" Jace said before turning his head to Nadine's direction and poked her trying to wake her up. He sighed receiving just rough grunts from her.
Little did he know, Seraphina was eavesdropping at them. Although she looked like busying herself with her own drinks, hearing the girl's name, her ears double its size--being extra attentive to what they're saying.
'Who would have known that going here today is hitting two birds with 1 stone?' she thought.
Seraphina turned her head to Jace who was now about to carry Nadine, she spoke.
"what do you think you're doing?"
Jace abruptly stopped and turned his head to look at the source of the voice. Alex brows knitted hearing her speak again.
"huh?" Jace was puzzled at the stranger's remarks.
"what are you doing?" Seraphina continued to instigate.
"Obviously, I'm taking her home."
"does she know you?"
"of course! Why would I take her home if I don't know her?"
"I think you misunderstood… does SHE know you?"
"of course, were friends!"
"Hey, do you know him?" Seraphina asked the wasted Nadine whom obviously won't answer.
"....."
"..."
Jace and Alex were rendered speechless by the girl's words. Obviously, Nadine was too drunk to know what was going on, thus, asking her was like talking to a wall. At first, they were puzzled by her action but later understood her intention.
"I can also say I know her but does she know me? How would you know that we were truly friends in her current state?" she continued.
"what are you insinuating? Do I look like a maniac?! And why do you care by the way?" feeling a bit annoyed at girl's innuendos, Jace slightly exclaimed.
"I don't judge by looks. I'm just a good, abiding, concern citizen," she answered in a matter of factly tone. Alex chuckled hearing her 'overly praised' answer. Who would have thought that she was not just silly but quite witty as well.
"Call the authority and I'll shut up." she continued.
"what?! No!"
"well… "
"what do you want?" Jace asked in submission. He was exasperated by her and understood that it was pointless to reason out with her.
Why would he call the authorities? That will only lead to a huge scandal for Nadine if he does that but this girl seemed quite obsessed with him that he was an opportunist.
"Hmm. I'll go with you." Seraphina pondered for a few seconds before she answered.
"WHAT?!"
"..." Alex on the side
Seraphina shrugged her shoulders as if telling them it was the only choice they got. After few minutes of contemplation, Jace agreed.
'What can this girl do anyway? There are a lot of ways to deal with her in the future if she would cause trouble for his good friend.' Jace thought
"but I'm warning you, don't do anything funny. You don't know what I can do to you."
"no worries, I'm just concerned with her since I'm also female."
Jace was the only one who was supporting Nadine while the two leisurely followed them.
Reaching the parking ground, the four of them waited for the for valet driver.
"why did you tag along? And you, I thought you're a concerned citizen, can't you help?" he asked irritably at Alex and Seraphina.
"So that I can't blackmail you in the future?" Alex answered in a trivial tone.
"young man, you need to exercise more if you're having a hard time supporting a delicate lady." Seraphina said as if she was an old lady giving out notes.
Their answer almost made Jace puke blood. They sound as if they're doing him a favor.
'Shameless! Too shameless!' he cursed internally. It's not that he was having a hard time supporting Nadine alone, but the thought of this two-- not lending him a hand and doing all the work himself made him exasperated.
When Jace car arrived, he glanced at Alex and said, "Ohh Ohh, don't tell me, I'm also driving?"
"I'll do it." Alex said sounding magnanimous before he got the key from the valet driver. Hearing his tone of voice, the corner of Jace's lips twitch, regardless, he could not be bothered by their shamelessness and went straight to the back passenger seat while Seraphina silently went to the front seat as if it was her own car.
Alex glance at her with an unreadable smile on his lips. Sensing the unusual stare, Seraphina turned her head on the driver's seat-- looking puzzled.
"buckle up, woman." he sounded thrilled making Jace at the back gulp a mouthful of saliva as he senses a bad premonition coming.