Chapter 122 - Madeline’s Bet

Madeline furrowed her brows, "Why would he do it in the middle of the night?"

Indiana answered, "I'll bake whatever you want for breakfast if he does what you say."

"And if he only came to check up on her?" Madeline asked, wondering what she had to do if Indiana won the bet. 

"Then, you get to do one thing I tell you to," Indiana said to her.

Madeline extended her hand, "Deal."

"Quiet down you two," Briar said, overhearing their conversation. 

She opened the door, revealing Adrian in all his glory. 

'So, what are you doing here?' Briar asked Adrian, communicating with their mind link so neither Madeline nor Indiana could overhear. 

By the look on Briar's face, Adrian could tell she wasn't exactly pleased he was here. And that made him hesitate for a moment. 

Adrian stuttered, 'Err, no particular reason.'

'If it was for no particular reason, you could've just visited me tomorrow,' Briar reasoned, asking him, 'So, what are you here for? No excuses, just spit it out. Come on, no need to hesitate.'

With those words, Adrian managed to gather up enough courage to tell her the truth. 

'Well, I came here to—'

He paused. 

Would it be weird if he told her?

He looked behind Briar to see Madeline who was staring right at him.

Madeline kept giving him weird looks, when the truth was, she wanted him not to fail her. 

When she saw Adrian hesitating, however… 

She subtly gestured for Adrian to do whatever he was about to do, and to stop being so nervous. Like she knew what he was going to do. 

'…greet you goodnight. I came here to greet you goodnight,' Adrian said to her, his face turning a completely different shade.

Remaining silent, Briar took a couple of seconds to process what he just said.

'You… What?' 

Briar scrunched her nose in confusion. 

She never knew Adrian had enough gall to pull a prank on her. 

'Funny joke, you can leave now,' Briar said, just about to close the door on Adrian before he prevented her from doing so, placing his foot in the crack between the door and the threshold. 

'It's not a joke,' he insisted. 

'You really came all the way here to greet me goodnight?'

'It takes seconds to get here,' Adrian reasoned. 

'Seconds are valuable,' Briar reasoned in return, not knowing how to react. 

'I'm not some stingy person, I can spare a couple of seconds to greet my friend goodnight,' Adrian said, narrowing his eyes. 

'Goodnight,' he grumbled. 

'I'm going now.'

'You—'

'I said goodnight, I'm going now,' Adrian said.

Briar frowned, telling him before she slammed the door the minute he was out of sight, 'Goodnight to you too.'

Crossing her arms, she blew a strand of hair out of her face. What was up with him? 

"Seeing how you literally slammed the door on him, that conversation did not go well," Madeline said, tilting her head and pointing out the obvious. 

Briar huffed. 

"Well, you're right."

"He just interrupted our girl's night just to tell me goodnight. That's all. Nothing else."

Indiana gasped. 

Madeline pumped her fist in the air. 

"Yes!" She exclaimed in celebration. 

Madeline corrected herself, "I mean, no, how cruel of him."

Indiana looked devastated, whilst Madeline beamed from ear to ear. 

She whispered to Indiana, "Looks like I get to choose breakfast tomorrow."

Indiana frowned. 

Briar gazed back and forth between the both of them. 

"Did you really place a bet on what he came here to do, seriously?"

She looked at Madeline, mouthing, 'What did you win?'

Noticing Briar asking Madeline that question, Indiana answered, "I have to make whatever she wants for breakfast tomorrow."

It was Briar's turn to gasp. 

"Score! Lucky you," she said to Madeline, her tone filled with envy. 

"Moving on," Briar said, waving her hand dismissively. 

"Why do you think he greeted me goodnight?"

Madeline opened her mouth. 

"No, Madeline, he is not interested in me. And no, that Adriar ship you came up with is not canon and is not sailing," Briar said, predicting exactly what Madeline wanted to tell her. 

Madeline pouted, "You could've just let me say it out loud." 

Indiana laughed, throwing her head back in amusement. 

"Adriar's a cute ship name," she admitted. 

Briar looked offended. 

"See!" Madeline exclaimed.

She smiled, "Indiana agrees with me. And besides, I've never seen you get so upset when someone tried to greet you goodnight."

Indiana realized something. 

"And Briar, didn't you say you have plans with him tomorrow?"

Briar narrowed her eyes, Indiana was up to something. 

"I did," she said, watching Indiana's every move.

"Have you picked out the right outfit to wear? Matching shoes? Jewellery, even?"

Madeline agreed with Indiana, "She's right."

Briar had to admit, it would be nice having Indiana and Madeline assisting her in picking out an outfit. 

"Oh alright. You can help pick out an outfit," she said, lowering her head.

"But nothing too out there," she added. 

"Alright, alright," Madeline said, nodding before she got out of bed. 

"Let's get to picking," she said, a determined look plastered across her face. 

Indiana slowly got out of bed, yawning. She felt tired. Like she didn't want to do anything other than stay in bed. 

Rubbing her eye, Indiana mumbled under her breath, 'I want to sleep.'

Then, she reminded herself she had something to do, which was help pick out an outfit for Briar. 

Unfortunately, friends came before sleep. 

'Although that might change after we pick out an outfit,' she said sleepily, trying not to fall back in bed and doze off right then and there.

"This, or this?" Briar then asked her, showing her two shirts. 

Indiana gravitated to the one on the left. It suited Briar more than the other one.

"Alright then," Briar said.

"That's the last of it."

Briar paused. 

"Wait, never mind. We're missing the shoes."

She looked at her collection of shoes, realizing none matched her outfit. 

Madeline suggested, "Why don't I head over to my quarters and grab a pair of shoes that would match your outfit? I promise, it'd look great with what you're going to wear tomorrow."