The pre-launch event for EonEdge wrapped up smoothly.
The guests slowly began to leave, still talking excitedly about the product.
The media team captured their reactions, and the marketing department was already preparing tomorrow's headlines.
Drake stood silently at the corner of the hall, watching the clean-up crew move quickly.
He loosened his tie a little and rubbed his forehead — he was exhausted.
The weight of work, family pressure..
As he walked toward the parking lot with Kian following behind quietly, his phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen.
It was a message from Lucas:
Lucas:
"Don't forget tomorrow, dude. Waiting for you!"
Drake gave a small smile, his first real one that night.
He pocketed the phone and said to Kian,
Drake:
"Let's go home, Kian. I'm dead tired."
Without waiting for a reply, he got into the car and leaned his head back against the seat.
Once home, he didn't even bother changing properly — he just took a quick shower, pulled on a plain black t-shirt and joggers, and collapsed into bed.
Sleep took over almost immediately.
---
Next Morning:
The bright sunlight filtered through the curtains.
Drake groaned and turned off the alarm.
He sat up slowly, stretched his arms, and walked to the bathroom.
— brushed his teeth, washed his face, and took a refreshing shower.
Today was different.
Not a workday.
A reunion day.
After breakfast, while drinking a quick coffee, he told Kian, who was arranging some files:
Drake:
"Kian, I'm going out to meet an old friend today. You take care of things here."
Kian: (smiling)
"Don't worry, boss. Go and enjoy your day. If anything comes up, I'll call you immediately."
Drake nodded, grabbed his keys, and headed to his car.
He slipped on his sunglasses and started driving smoothly through the city streets, his heart oddly lighter than usual.
The drive to Silverline Hotel wasn't long.
After about 30 minutes, he pulled into the driveway, handed his car to the valet, and walked toward the hotel entrance, feeling a strange mix of excitement and nervousness.
Drake stepped into the cool, air-conditioned lobby of Silverline Hotel.
The marble floors gleamed under the soft lights, and the elegant scent of fresh lilies filled the space.
He adjusted his sunglasses on his shirt collar and made his way toward the reception desk.
A young woman behind the counter smiled politely as he approached.
Receptionist:
"Good morning, sir. Welcome to Silverline Hotel. How may I assist you?"
Drake leaned slightly onto the counter, his voice calm and direct.
Drake:
"I'm here to meet someone. Could you tell me the room number of Lucas Milaan?"
The receptionist quickly tapped on her computer, her fingers moving fast over the keyboard.
She glanced up at him once more.
Receptionist:
"Sir, Mr. Milaan is expecting you. He mentioned a guest would be arriving. He's in the Lounge Suite, 10th floor."
She handed him a guest pass with a warm smile.
"You can take the elevator to your right, sir. It'll take you directly there."
Drake: (nodding slightly)
"Thanks."
He tucked the guest pass into his pocket, gave a slight nod of gratitude, and walked toward the elevator.
The soft instrumental music playing in the background and the quiet luxury of the hotel made him feel strangely at ease.
He pressed the button, the elevator doors slid open smoothly, and he stepped in — heading up to the 10th floor to meet Lucas Milaan after all these years.
Drake stepped into the Lounge Suite.
The room was quiet except for the low hum of the air conditioner.
Across the room, sitting comfortably on a couch, Lucas was scrolling through his phone, completely unaware that Drake had arrived.
Drake smirked lightly and walked toward him, his footsteps soft on the carpeted floor..
Past/
The St. Claire's Academy high school
Inside the bright classroom, Hazel sat at her desk, flipping through her notebook absentmindedly.
Beside her, her classmate Liya was busy squealing over her phone.
Liya:
"Oh my god, look at Zayn! Look at this new photo he posted! He's soooo handsome!"
She shook Hazel's shoulder excitedly.
Hazel sighed loudly, clearly annoyed.
Hazel:
"Can you please shut up, girl? I'm trying to concentrate here!"
Liya rolled her eyes dramatically, clearly unimpressed.
Liya:
"Tch, you don't understand! He's not just handsome, he's a KING in this school!"
She shoved the phone in Hazel's face.
Hazel leaned closer to glance at the photo.
When she saw Zayn's face, something clicked immediately in her mind.
Hazel (thinking):
"Wait a second...I've seen him before... Where...?"
Then it hit her —
"Oh right! Yesterday! That group of boys...the guy I bumped into... He was with them!"
She remembered the whole awkward shoulder-collision scene clearly.
Meanwhile, Liya kept rambling excitedly.
Liya:
"You know, their whole gang is super famous. Zayn, Drake, Caleb, Levi, Lucas... They literally rule this campus! No one dares to mess with them."
Hazel froze for a second, panic washing over her.
Hazel (thinking, internally screaming):
"Oh, fuck. What did you do, Hazel?! Great! Just great!"
She slumped into her chair, covering her face with her hands, completely regretting her bold attitude from yesterday.
Hazel sat stiffly at her desk, feeling like her patience was running dangerously thin.
She already had enough of Liya's endless drama — honestly, Hazel couldn't stand her.
She thought to herself with a deadpan expression,
"Why is she always acting like she's living in a movie?"
Hazel rolled her eyes slightly and decided to bury her face in her book, pretending to be busy and avoid any more useless conversations.
At least that way, she could escape from the noise around her.
Just then, the classroom door creaked open and the teacher walked in, holding a bunch of papers.
Teacher:
"Good morning, class."
The students, including Hazel, replied lazily,
"Good morning, ma'am."
The teacher didn't wait long; she immediately started the lesson, writing notes on the board and explaining today's topic.
Hazel sat there perfectly straight, her posture so proper like she was the model student —
except for the fact that she had exactly zero interest in whatever the teacher was saying.
Her face was blank, her mind wandering somewhere far away, and the only thing moving was her hand, mindlessly scribbling random patterns on the corner of her notebook.
From the outside, she looked so calm and focused.
But inside?
She was screaming for the class to end already.
When the bell finally rang, Hazel didn't waste a second.
She picked up her bag lazily and walked straight toward the cafeteria, craving some peace — and, more importantly, some caffeine.
After waiting in a short line, she bought herself a cold coffee, wrapped her hands around the chilled cup, and found an empty table in the corner.
She sat down quietly, sipping her drink, scrolling through her phone, pretending she was invisible to the world.
But, of course, her peace wasn't going to last long.
Because just then, Zayn and Levi entered the cafeteria, laughing and talking loudly like they owned the whole building.
Zayn's sharp eyes immediately caught sight of Hazel sitting alone.
A mischievous smirk formed on his lips.
Zayn: (whispering to Levi with a grin)
"Watch this."
Without warning, Zayn walked straight up behind Hazel and suddenly slammed both his palms loudly on the table, making her jump slightly in shock, almost spilling her coffee.
Hazel looked up at him, annoyed but trying not to show it.
Zayn: (mockingly)
"Whoa, didn't know we had a new ghost in the cafeteria!"
He chuckled and nudged Levi.
Levi laughed too, shaking his head like he was used to Zayn's antics.
Hazel just stared at him, unimpressed, raising one eyebrow like, "Really?"
Hazel: (calmly, sipping her coffee)
"If you're done embarrassing yourself, you can move now. You're blocking my sunlight."
Zayn grinned wider, clearly entertained by her boldness, but before he could say anything else, Levi pulled him back playfully, and they both laughed as they walked away.
Hazel just shook her head and muttered under her breath,
"Idiots."
and continued drinking her cold coffee like nothing happened.
After annoying Hazel, Zayn and Levi left the cafeteria, laughing to themselves.
They made their way toward the basketball court, sun was shining lazily over the ground.
And there, like he had no worries in the world,
Drake was lying down on one of the benches, arms folded behind his head, sleeping peacefully.
His black hoodie slightly pulled over his eyes, looking way too comfortable for someone on school grounds.
Zayn smirked at Levi.
Zayn: (whispering)
"Bro, he's actually sleeping? In the middle of the day?"
Levi: (grinning)
"Looks like it."
Not wasting any time, Zayn bent down and suddenly clapped his hands loudly right next to Drake's ear.
Zayn: (shouting)
"WAKE UP, SLEEPING BEAUTY!"
Drake groaned, irritated, and turned his face to the side like he wanted to ignore them.
Levi added to the chaos by tossing a small pebble at Drake's leg.
Drake: (sleepily growling)
"What the hell is wrong with you two?"
Zayn: (laughing)
"No sleeping on duty, boss! Anyway—"
He paused dramatically, then leaned closer with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Zayn:
"Guess what? That annoying girl from yesterday, the one you bumped into... she's sitting alone in the cafeteria right now. Looking all moody and lonely."
(he winked)
"Wanna take a little... revenge?"
Drake, still half asleep, opened one eye lazily, looking at Zayn with zero energy.
Drake: (flatly)
"Revenge? For what? She barely scratched me."
Zayn: (grinning like a devil)
"Come on, man. Where's your spirit? Let's make school life a little more fun."
Levi chuckled behind him, nodding in agreement.
Drake finally sat up slowly, cracking his neck, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Drake: (low voice)
"Fine. Let's see what you're planning, genius."
________________________________________
After the break, Hazel walked through the crowded hallway, casually scrolling through her phone.
She stopped at her locker, turned the code, and opened it, grabbing a few books with a lazy, bored expression.
Just as she closed the locker and turned to walk toward her class—
SPLASH.
A cold spray of water hit her face.
Hazel froze.
Her phone almost slipped from her hands.
She blinked rapidly, water dripping from her forehead to her cheeks, her books slightly soaked too.
Standing a few feet away, Levi was holding an empty water bottle, laughing shamelessly.
Other students nearby turned their heads, trying to stifle their giggles.
Hazel's face twisted in pure rage.
Her jaw clenched, her fists tightened — she looked like she could murder someone right there.
And just when she was about to scream at Levi—
Drake casually walked toward her, hands tucked inside his pockets, a cold smirk playing on his lips.
He stopped right in front of her, leaned slightly closer, and said in a low, teasing voice:
Drake:
"That's for yesterday, sweetheart. Hope you enjoyed the refreshment."
Hazel glared at him, her eyes practically shooting daggers.
But Drake just gave her a slow wink and turned away, joining Levi and Zayn, who were laughing like idiots.
Hazel stood there, soaking wet, absolutely fuming.
Hazel: (muttering under her breath)
"Oh, you fucking bastard".
Still fuming, Hazel stormed into the restroom.
She grabbed some tissues, wiped the water off her face, and sighed.
She untied her hair, letting it fall freely around her shoulders, and quickly ran her fingers through it to set it perfectly.
Her reflection stared back at her — a little messy, but still cool and confident.
Without any sign of anger on her face, she straightened her posture, grabbed her books, and calmly walked toward her class like nothing ever happened.
She pushed the door open and entered quietly, moving to her seat and sitting down casually, as if she hadn't just been humiliated a few minutes ago.
The class buzzed with low whispers — some students had heard what happened — but Hazel?
She didn't even blink. She leaned back comfortably, flipping open her book.
The teacher entered shortly after.
Sir:
"Good morning, class. Let's get started."
He began teaching, moving back and forth near the board, explaining some boring theory.
Meanwhile, Hazel...
Her eyelids grew heavier...
Heavier...
Within minutes, she was fast asleep, her head tilted slightly, breathing slow and peaceful, totally ignoring the lecture.
Suddenly, the teacher noticed.
Sir: (raising his voice)
"Hazel Knight! Wake up and get out of my class!"
Hazel lazily opened one eye, yawned a little, and then — instead of panicking — she smiled sweetly and said:
Hazel:
"Huh, thank you, sir!"
She gave a little nod, looking proud, as if being kicked out was an achievement.
The entire class burst into laughter, students hiding their faces and giggling loudly.
Hazel, acting like a queen, casually picked up her books and strutted out of the class without a single care in the world.
And like that, the day finally ended.
The last bell rang loudly, and Hazel didn't even wait — she ran out of the school gates like she had just escaped from prison.
Her bag was bouncing on her shoulder, her hair flying, and a small victorious smile was stuck on her face.
She rushed to the bus stop, panting slightly.
Luckily, the bus came just a few minutes later.
Hazel quickly got in, dodging a group of noisy students, and —
Wow, lucky day!
She found an empty window seat!
She almost jumped into it, throwing herself down and immediately pulling out her phone.
She started scrolling lazily, her head resting against the window, feeling totally drained but free.
After a while, her stop came.
Hazel slung her bag over her shoulder and got down, walking slowly through the streets toward her home.
When she reached her house, she opened the door, kicking her shoes off lazily.
Inside, she heard clattering from the kitchen.
Her aunty — in full angry mode — was cooking food and already grumbling loudly at her for no reason at all.
Aunty:
"Hazel! Where have you been? You're always so late! Ugh, you kids nowadays!"
Hazel, totally used to this daily drama, just rolled her eyes, didn't even argue, and walked past the kitchen like a ghost.
Without saying a word, she dragged herself upstairs, opened her room door, threw her bag onto the floor,
and then — BAM!
She fell face-first into her bed, completely exhausted, her arms and legs sprawled like a starfish.
After a few hours of rest, Hazel finally stirred from her deep sleep.
She rubbed her eyes, stretched lazily, and slowly got up from her bed. She was still tired, but there was no time to waste.
She walked to the bathroom and took a quick, refreshing bath.
As soon as she stepped out, feeling a little more alive, her phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at it — it was her mom calling.
Hazel just rolled her eyes, not in the mood for any of her mom's usual drama, and ignored the call.
But then, her phone buzzed again, almost urgently.
She sighed, picked up the phone, but instead of answering, she put it on speaker, placing it down on the table.
Hazel's Mom: (from the other side, a bit annoyed)
"Hazel, why are you ignoring me? Why don't you ever pick up my calls?"
Hazel: (nonchalantly)
"I'm not in the mood for a lecture, Mom."
Hazel's Mom: (sounding frustrated)
"Oh, don't start with me. You're always so stubborn. I just want to know how you're doing. Are you eating properly? Are you going to class? What about your grades?"
Hazel: (flopping back onto her bed)
"I'm fine, Mom. I'm passing everything. Can you stop worrying?"
Hazel's Mom:
"Stop worrying? You're a teenager, and I'm your mother! I have every right to worry. You're not a little kid anymore, Hazel. You're growing up, but that doesn't mean you can ignore me."
Hazel: (rolling her eyes, bored)
"Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. I'm not a kid. You're right. I'm fine."
Hazel's Mom: (sighing)
"I know you're fine, but sometimes I feel like you're shutting me out. I just want you to talk to me, that's all."
Hazel:
"I'm talking now, aren't I?"
Hazel's Mom: (quiet for a moment)
"Alright, alright. I won't bug you anymore. But remember, I'm always here if you need me, okay?"
Hazel: (pauses, then softly)
"Okay, Mom."
With that, Hazel hung up the call, grabbed her phone, and tossed it aside. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, a bit lost in thought. But, of course, she didn't let it bother her for long.
After Hazel hung up the phone, she stared at the ceiling, her mind swirling.
Suddenly, something inside her shifted.
Her eyes felt heavy, and she could feel a lump forming in her throat.
She blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.
She murmured softly to herself, her voice barely audible.
"Why doesn't Mom and Dad understand?" she whispered, her chest tightening with the weight of it.
"They're always so busy… with their work... and I'm just here. I'm not even important enough for them to stay home and be with me."
Her eyes welled up with tears, but they didn't come, not yet.
She was holding it in, trying to act like it didn't bother her. But deep down, it hurt.
"Why do they care so much about work... and not about me?" she murmured again, her voice shaking.
Her parents were always so consumed by their work. Her mom always called, but the conversation felt more like an obligation than a connection. And her dad, well, he hardly ever called. It felt like they didn't even realize she was growing up, going through things, needing them.
The tears never fell, but the pain was real. Hazel closed her eyes, trying to push the feelings away.
"I don't need them," she whispered to herself, but the words didn't feel convincing.
She rolled over on her bed, pulling the blanket tightly around her, trying to shut it all out. But the thoughts stayed, quietly gnawing at her heart..