At the sa ti, Slater humd a quiet tune as he walked out of his bedroom. Dragging his feet, he kept adjusting the facial mask on his face.
I wonder what my sis thinks...
"Atlas, want to drink with ?"
Slater’s steps froze as he entered the living area. His eyes shifted to where Lola sat, leaning on the corner of the couch, her face close to where Atlas was seated.
Atlas stared at her grin, then glanced toward Slater. His expression remained unreadable, but he tilted his head slightly, as if silently telling Slater to crawl back into the rock he ca from.
"Hmm?" Noticing Atlas looking elsewhere, Lola instinctively turned her head to follow his gaze. But there was nothing there.
"Sure," Atlas said, making her look back at him. "What do you want? I’ll get it."
"Hehe." Lola grinned, shaking her head at him. Her reaction made him arch a brow, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
anwhile, Slater practically fused with the wall behind him, hiding to avoid being seen. His heart pounded as if he had just narrowly escaped death.
That was scary, he thought. I could’ve been shot dead.
His face twisted into a grin as he peeked into the living area where Atlas and Lola were quietly plotting tonight’s plans. He chuckled to himself before tiptoeing back to his room.
"I should tell everyone about this."
*
*
*
When Lola invited Atlas to "drink," she didn’t an expensive wine or champagne in the penthouse. She ant a casual walk outside, enjoying a can of beer in the park, breathing in the cold night air.
It wasn’t hard to find a place to walk—the building she lived in had a jogging path and a park for residents.
"Hah..." Lola exhaled, hissing in satisfaction as she chugged a mouthful of beer. She stretched her legs and drew a deep breath.
The soft breeze brushed past her flushed cheeks. She pulled down the hood of her hoodie to block the wind. Atlas sat beside her on the bench, snacks and drinks between them, watching her carefully. Despite the hood, he caught the hint of her grin.
"Are you that happy?" he asked, curiosity in his tone. "The kids told about the audition."
Lola perked up and faced him, nodding.
"Of course!" She chuckled, leaning back against the bench and inhaling deeply. "I’m so happy I can’t sleep."
She was glad to have him as company tonight. She might’ve celebrated the victory with everyone else, but this was different. Besides, it was Cedrick’s mont to shine, and she didn’t want to overwhelm him.
"Is that so?"
Lola raised her brows as he opened a can of beer. She didn’t mind his flat response—she expected it when she invited him.
"Cedrick is talented, you know?" she said, taking another sip. "But even with that natural talent, he worked ten tis harder than anyone else. He kept improving himself, and even with fa... he’s always the good guy."
A shallow laugh escaped her, and she gave him a knowing look. "A good but unlucky guy."
"I see." Atlas’s reply was short, but she laughed it off. It was part of the charm of inviting him—talking to a wall where at least soone was listening.
But just when she thought he would remain silent, he spoke.
"What else?" he asked. "Keep talking. I want to hear it."
She pouted, puffing her cheeks before shrugging. "Others might call it trying to be a hero, but honestly... I just want to help soone who helped in the past."
"And seeing that I’m making progress... it’s nice," she giggled, raising her can. "It really feels good to have so good news once in a while. The entertainnt industry may look glamorous, but even without seeing the rot behind it, you can still sll it."
There were still things Lola wanted to say, but she knew so thoughts were hers alone. Atlas wouldn’t understand, and he might even think she was crazy. Like this wasn’t her first life, and that she was changing not just her life, but also soone dear to her for the better.
"That’s all," she murmured, staring at the night sky. "I’m just... really glad. It makes think no one’s truly late for anything."
She tilted her head toward him. "Just a little delay, but there’s still ti to turn life around."
"I an, a few years ago, I thought my life was... going nowhere except into the sewage. It’s hard to believe good things can happen when you’re in a dark place," she continued, pausing to find the right words. She smiled at the sky.
"But I was wrong. Life isn’t over, and there are still things I can do to make it better," she chuckled, chugging another mouthful. "Monts like this make happy I didn’t give up, despite all the failures."
Lola then realized her can was empty. She reached for another, only to notice one was already open. Her brows rose, checking Atlas’s hand.
He hadn’t been drinking, even though he opened a can earlier. She took the open one with a smile.
"Thanks. Aren’t you going to drink?" she asked.
"I don’t like the taste," he replied. "But my little brother does."
"Hugo?" she guessed, and he nodded. "Heh. Guessed it."
Atlas tilted his head, watching her relax. "So, you’re happy because you helped... not because your artist got the role?"
"I know you’re not listening, Atlas, but how can you think I’m not happy with both?" she said imdiately. "Cedrick’s a good friend, and I want to help him. But... maybe I’m even happier that I didn’t fail."
"I’m happy for you."
The lines on her forehead softened as she stared at him, then nodded and smiled widely.
"Thanks," she chuckled. "Want to try this drink?"
"No."
"It’s really good—more like a juice."
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Lola narrowed her eyes, but Atlas simply observed her.
"Even if you speak fast, I won’t confuse my answer," he said, making her almost choke. "If that’s what you were planning, then forget about it."
Lola pursed her lips. "That’s not what I was planning. Not at all!"
Atlas shook his head. "Surely they got it from sowhere."
She blinked innocently, barely catching what he had said. Seeing her innocently mischievous expression, Atlas shook his head again.
"What are you thinking?" he still asked, knowing it was much better to know what was going through that mind of hers.
Lola grinned until her eyes were squinting. "I’m just thinking... you’re not as scary as I thought you were. You’re a nice guy... sotis."
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