Chapter 121 - Girl's Night

Briar turned to Madeline, having no idea what was happening.

"Go on, tell us," she encouraged Madeline, cheering her on whilst they walked all the way to Briar's room. 

"Err—"

Racking her brain, she desperately searched for a way to tell them both what happened without seeming like she was hiding something, and like she had done something else. 

"I just made him take a nap since he was exerting himself."

Indiana blinked, "In your quarters?"

"If it were somewhere else, he wouldn't have actually taken a nap in the first place," Madeline reasoned, adding, "Why ask? Something happened?"

Briar stared at Madeline. 

Something clicked.

"Actually, something did. Strangely, Xavier's been in a…" 

'How do I put it?' Briar questioned. 

"…Really, really good mood this morning," Briar finished. She whispered to the both of them, "I heard he even invited Adrian for breakfast, he practically never does that."

"And where did you hear that?" Madeline asked. 

"The important thing isn't where I heard that, it's why that happened," Briar clarified. 

"You're not going to ask Adrian about this, are you?" Madeline questioned, burying her face in her hands. 

Briar would twist it into her own version of her story, and then insinuate she was interested in Xavier. 

Madeline promised, "It's not what it seems like. He was tired, so he visited me, and—"

"He visited you? You didn't invite him?" Indiana inquired, staring at Madeline with wide eyes. 

"Remind me why we're talking about me and Xavier again? For crying out loud, we're having a girl's night, we shouldn't be talking about what I did last night." 

Pausing, Madeline realized what she had just said. 

"Hmm, you make a good point," Briar said, nodding. 

'This explains Madeline being in a good mood today, Xavier's the reason behind it, no wonder,' she thought to herself, trying not to snicker. 

Indiana couldn't believe it, she had cried for nothing. They hadn't even— 

Out of nowhere, she broke into laughter, startling both Briar and Madeline. 

'What a strange reaction,' Madeline thought to herself, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Indiana get herself together.

Apologizing, Indiana said to the two girls right as they were reaching Briar's room, "Sorry, it's nothing. I just… I did not expect that."

She couldn't process how she spent ages crying on her bathroom floor, all to find out they didn't even do anything. 

Xavier just took a nap in Madeline's room! 

'Are you kidding me?!' Indiana thought, sighing. 

Briar announced, "We're here."

They had arrived at Briar's room. 

Of course, Briar and Indiana could've reached there in a matter of seconds, but Madeline couldn't. So, they walked there instead. And it felt like it took forever to reach Briar's room when it could have taken way way less if Madeline had the same if not more powers than the other two. 

Briar ushered the two ladies in her room, welcoming them. 

"What should we do first?" Madeline asked excitedly as she walked out Briar's bathroom, now changed into her pajamas. 

Briar and Indiana had also changed into their sleepwear. 

She asked Indiana, "How do I look?"

Indiana gave her a thumbs up, "Gorgeous."

Then, Indiana - who had decided to put whatever she felt aside till girl's night was over - grabbed one of Briar's pillows. 

'Do you mind?' She asked Briar with a look.

The moment Briar shook her head, Indiana took the pillow and hit Madeline with it - lightly, of course. 

"Ow!" Madeline exclaimed, a look of anger and frustration on her face. 

'How did she get the first hit?' She asked, not the tiniest bit angry at Indiana, but more on herself. 

She quickly took a pillow and hit Indiana, resulting in Briar doing the same. 

What was supposed to be a calm, elegant and collected game night with champagne, gossip, and teasing turned awry. 

Alright, awry was an oversimplification. It had started with a pillow fight instead. 

"Hyah!" Briar exclaimed, hitting Indiana with her pillows, not taking notice of the feathers flying everywhere, more so on her opponents. She refused to lose. That was just how she was.

After 10 long minutes of fighting passed by, Indiana dropped onto a couple of pillows placed on the floor in a dramatic manner, admitting her defeat. 

"I lost," she admitted, taking deep breaths in and out. 

Looking at both Briar and Madeline, she told them, "Good game."

"I concur," Madeline agreed. 

Briar nodded, "Mhm."

Madeline and Briar fist bumped. 

Briar trailed off, "To celebrate our win…"

Rushing to her cupboard, she carefully took something out. She said to Indiana and Madeline bashfully, "It's not champagne, or anything too fancy, but…" 

Madeline spoke for both Indiana and her when she told Briar, "It's no big deal, so long as we get to toast."

Briar smiled gratefully at them. She had wanted to be an accommodating host, hence why she brought drinks. However, she was struck with her tendency to overthink everything. 

'What if they don't like it? What if it tastes horrible?' She wondered. 

'What if they think my room's too small?'

'Curse my overthinking, I can't keep overthinking everything.' 

And then, she also had plans with Adrian the following day. She had yet to pick her outfit, or her shoes, or what jewellery she'd wear. 

And why was she making a big deal out of it when she was simply having a meal with her friend? 

It made no sense whatsoever to her. 

However, that was not her biggest concern as of that moment. Her biggest concern was making sure Madeline and Indiana had fun as she was the host of this girl's night. She thought it was fitting.

Taking three glasses, she poured Indiana and Madeline a glass. 

"A toast," Briar began, grinning. 

"To a wonderful girl's night!" She exclaimed, holding her glass up.

Madeline, Briar and Indiana clinked their glasses, taking a sip from their glass. 

After partaking in games, gossiping, and even more fun, the girls laid on Briar's bed, heaving and panting. 

"And this is why we're having yet another girl's night," Madeline said, looking up at the ceiling. 

Indiana giggled, "Yes."

Something remained in Madeline's mind, and she kept wondering if Indiana knew she knew. 

Knew what? One would ask.

Well, it was never a secret in the first place.

And that was Indiana's feelings for Xavier. 

It was something Madeline had noticed from the very beginning. When Indiana had done what she did, it wasn't out of spite. It was her way of protecting Xavier. 

So, she made sure she had cleared things up when Indiana had asked her about what she had heard. 

Indiana looked like she had been crying, and Madeline presumed it was because of well… Her. 

And Madeline was right. Except, Indiana didn't just have feelings for him. Indiana loved Xavier. Even if she didn't know him much. 

Madeline knew Indiana being friends with her would only hurt Indiana. But, she had no one else. 

That was why she had hesitated at first, until she realized… Knowing Indiana, she didn't want to be in love with Xavier. 

'I hope she's doing alright,' Madeline thought to herself. 

First, she wanted to get Briar to talk to her about it. Talking to Indiana about it herself wasn't really the right thing to do, since she was his mate. 

Just imagine… Xavier's mate talking to the woman in love with Xavier. Not to mention, they were close friends.

Then, Madeline remembered something. 

She had told Xavier she thought Indiana liked him. 

Madeline bit her lip, muttering under her breath, 'Crap.'

"You alright there?" Indiana asked. 

Lying to Indiana, Madeline told her, "Yep, I think I'm lying down on something though."

Madeline pretended to get up and desperately search for something, only to find nothing. 

"There's nothing here," Madeline said. 

"You sure you're alright?" Briar asked, beginning to get suspicious of Madeline. 

"Of course I'm alright," Madeline responded to Briar, nodding.

"Really, it's nothing."

Indiana sat up instantly, Briar followed. 

"Someone's coming," Indiana said, her eyes wide.

Who would be visiting them at this time of night?

The footsteps drew closer to Briar's room.

Madeline whispered to Briar, "Are you expecting anyone?"

Briar shook her head, "No, I'm not."

A knock came from the door.

Briar asked instantly, "Who is it?"

After a couple seconds of silence, the three girls heard someone exclaim, "It's me, Adrian!" 

"What are you doing here?" Briar questioned, raising her head and looking straight at the door. 

"Why don't you open the door and find out?" Adrian said. 

Madeline nudged Indiana gently in the rib. 

"What do you think he came here for?" Madeline asked.

She whispered as quietly as she could in Indiana's ear, "You know, I bet he wanted to greet her tonight."

Indiana shook her head, "What if he just wanted to check up and see how she was doing?"

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Author's Note: I am so sorry for not updating, something came up. Sorry for the inconvenience, I'll make it up to you, I promise.. Love, mari.