As the mood shifted back to something more relaxed, the groups settled into easy conversation. The lounge's lighting softened, music playing low in the background, blending with occasional laughter and the clinking of glasses.
Adam, never one to hesitate when something—or someone—intrigued him, leaned a little closer to Mary, resting an elbow casually on the back of the couch.
"So," he began, tone smooth, eyes locking with hers. "If tonight's about fresh starts… what's your next move?"
Mary didn't miss the way his voice dropped, or the glint of interest in his gaze. She tilted her head, lips curving just slightly—not a full smile, but a sign she was listening.
"Next move?" she echoed.
Adam nodded, sipping his drink. "You strike me as someone who always has a plan. I'm curious what's next for someone like you."
Mary leaned back, crossing her legs, one brow arched. "You sure you're curious about the plan? Or are you just trying to get into it?"
Adam froze for a heartbeat, caught completely off guard.
The room went still. Then—
"Daaamn." Elijah barked a laugh, nearly spilling his drink.
Benjamin smirked behind his glass. Michael coughed to cover his grin. William chuckled under his breath while Alex just muttered, "She got you good, man."
Even Jason cracked a laugh, and Malik fist-bumped Mary from the side.
Adam blinked, then let out a low, amused laugh, genuinely impressed. "Touché." He raised his glass to her. "I deserved that."
"You did," Mary replied coolly, but the sparkle in her eyes hinted she wasn't completely shutting him out.
Zi leaned over to Mar and whispered, not-so-quietly, "Oh boy. He likes her more now."
Mar giggled. "She's got him spiraling."
Adam recovered quickly, that signature confidence sliding back into place, though now it was tinged with fascination. "Okay. I'll admit defeat for now. But don't expect me to give up that easily."
"Wouldn't be interesting if you did," Mary replied, casually stealing a sip of her drink, her eyes never leaving his.
The older men all looked at each other, expressions ranging from "he's gone" to "this is gonna be fun."
And as the night rolled on, the boundaries between the two groups blurred more and more—laughter growing louder, teasing becoming familiar, and one thing becoming very clear to all of them:
Whatever this was between Adam and Mary, it had only just begun.
Michael, picking up the cue, subtly shifted the topic to help their friend. "So Mary, what do you do exactly?"
The room instantly fell silent.
Mary and her friends froze for a split second.
Jason visibly winced. Zi stared at the ceiling. Malik looked away like he suddenly found the wall art fascinating. Mar tried to keep her mouth from twitching. But it was Gia who finally gave in, bursting into a short laugh before she composed herself and answered.
"We're in high school," she said, with a guilty grin. "Last year."
The collective reaction from the men could only be described as stunned horror.
Elijah blinked. "I—sorry, what?"
"High school?!" Benjamin nearly choked on his drink.
"No way," Alex blinked, eyebrows raised. "I thought you guys were in college. No underage allowed in this club..."
"You mean to tell me we've been talking to underage kids this whole time?" Elijah said, looking around with wide eyes. "That's—Jason!"
All heads whipped toward Jason, who held up his hands like he was being arrested. "Hey! Don't look at me like that! My dad owns the club, okay? He knows!"
"That… doesn't make it better," William muttered.
"Besides," Jason added, trying to salvage the situation, "it's not the first time!"
"Oh, my god," Benjamin deadpanned. "That made it worse."
Elijah chuckled. "Perks of knowing the boss, huh?"
Jason grinned. "Damn right."
Gia sighed dramatically. "We swing by every once in a while. It's not like we're throwing wild parties in here. Just some harmless fun."
Elijah shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe this. I gave y'all alcohol."
William crossed his arms, mock-stern. "Honestly, we should take the drinks away now. If we knew you were underage, we wouldn't have handed anything over knowing you're technically not legal. ."
Adam, who had been sipping his drink quietly, suddenly frowned and muttered to himself, "Damn it… how could I forget that? I invited her for drinks."
He scolded himself mentally. Great job, Adam. Real smooth. Offer a high schooler a drink. That'll go over well.
The younger group burst out laughing at the older men's reaction.
"Relax," Malik said between chuckles. "We're not that delicate. Besides we're soon to be 18."
"I'm seriously questioning my ability to read people," Alex mumbled.
"They just kept up with us like it was nothing," Benjamin said. "No wonder we didn't realize. Y'all got strong energy."
Zi raised a brow at Michael and smirked. "We're not that young."
Michael chuckled. "You're literally in high school. That's young by definition."
Zi leaned back, arms crossed, clearly ready. "And how old are you, grandpa?"
Michael blinked, startled. "We're in our thirties."
Zi's eyes widened dramatically. "Thirties? THIRTIES?!"
Michael squinted at her. "Don't say it."
Zi raised a hand like she was about to speak truth from the heavens. "So, compared to us... y'all are practically dinosaurs."
A beat of silence. And then chaos.
William clutched his chest. "She did not just say that."
"DINOSAURS?!" Elijah yelped. "I'm 30!"
"I work out!" Benjamin defended.
"Thirties is young, okay?!" Michael argued. "It's the prime of adulthood!"
Zi cackled. "Prime what? Dinosaur years?"
Mar was practically on the floor laughing while Jason clapped his hands together like a seal. Mary bit her lip, trying so hard not to giggle.
"Should we call you uncles now?" Malik teased.
Michael crossed his arms, clearly sulking. "I liked you better when I thought you were in college."
Zi shrugged, grinning. "I'm just saying. Don't creak your backs when standing up too fast."
Adam, who had been watching the exchange with a mix of amusement and low-key horror, finally spoke, "Let's not forget you're the one who called us old after drinking the drinks we paid for."
Zi raised her glass in mock toast. "To the elderly. Providing for the youth since forever."
"Okay, now I feel old," Elijah muttered.
Despite the teasing, the room was filled with laughter, and for a moment, the age gap became the running joke. The groups melted together in a strange harmony—two different worlds crashing, but somehow vibing.
And as the laughter echoed and drinks were raised (non-alcoholic for the minors—now strictly enforced), Adam couldn't help but glance at Mary again.
She was laughing too, eyes crinkling, her guard lowered just slightly. And in that brief moment, surrounded by banter and teasing, she looked like the girl she never got the chance to be—young, unburdened, untouched by shadows.
He found himself smiling.
And just like that, he knew—
He was already tangled in her story, whether she let him in or not.