Chapter 16 : The following day
Eiden bowed dramatically to the crowd, basking in the lingering applause still echoing across the hall. Man, this is overwhelming, he thought, his heart still thumping like a bass drum. Even though I was prepared for this... it still hits different. He swept his gaze across the audience, eyes scanning for familiar faces. Sure enough, he spotted Sasha and the boys Deuel, Harry, and John all with visibly stunned expressions, their mouths slightly agape as if someone had just told them Santa wasn’t real. A few people he considered close didn’t even clap. Instead, they just stared at him, clearly taken aback.
Yeah... I figured this would happen. He chuckled inwardly. This reaction wasn’t unexpected. He had, after all, never shown this side of himself before. His eyes wandered further and then he saw her.
Lyra. Her sharp, bookish gaze was locked onto him. There was a split second of direct eye contact, and without missing a beat, Eiden winked at her with exaggerated flirtiness. Lyra’s face flushed instantly. She grabbed her bangs and ducked her head down in a panic, using her hair like a curtain to shield her blush.
Oh? So that’s how she hides her embarrassment. Eiden smirked. Didn’t catch that last time since I had my back turned. The moment passed. Eiden stepped off the stage to a shower of praise from students, a few teachers, and some total strangers. Compliments flew from all directions "That was amazing!", "You’ve got real talent!", "How are you still single?" and he accepted them all with a modest nod and a grin.
Then he noticed Sasha approaching him rapidly, her brows furrowed and her eyes filled with questions. Here we go, he thought, bracing himself. But before she could reach him "Yo, Romeo!" Deuel’s voice called out as he and the boys swooped in like a tactical strike unit.
"Wha !?" Eiden barely reacted before Harry clamped down on his left shoulder and John locked onto his right. Deuel stepped up, eyes narrowed. "Explain."
"Explain what?" Eiden feigned confusion, his expression one of pure innocence. "Don’t play dumb, you son of a b*tch." Deuel threw his arm around Eiden’s neck and squeezed lightly like a mafia boss interrogating a traitor.
"Okay, okay! I get it," Eiden said, coughing slightly. "Can I get a drink first? My throat’s parched after all that singing." The boys exchanged a look and reluctantly let him go.
Eiden casually walked to the refreshment table, picked up a glass, poured himself some juice, took a slow sip then sprinted straight for the door. "What the ?!" "Did he just ?"