Ody exhaled, a faint rush of relief running through him. “Mano’s just a private guy. He’s not into big crowds.”
Antony frowned, trying to connect the dots. “So that’s why he didn’t come?”
“Yeah,” Ody said quickly, grateful to steer the conversation away.
Steve snorted under his breath. “Private guy, huh. More like he decides when he wants to talk to people and when he doesn’t.”
Ody shot him a warning look. “Steve, seriously. Did you forget who stood with you and Chris when they dragged me to that school?”
Steve blinked, the bitterness draining from his face. He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck like he regretted saying anything.
Ody held his breath for a second. Even thinking about Kash felt like swallowing glass. He could practically see that night again, the boys who had come for him, Mano standing there with them. The guilt twisted hard in his stomach.
He looked back at Antony, trying to steady his voice. “He just doesn’t open up easily. Don’t take it personally.”
Antony nodded and let the subject drop.
When the girls texted that they were done with makeup, the guys headed back to their rooms to change.
Antony spun Christina around with a grin. “Wow, look at my gorgeous girl.”
“Thanks, babe.”
A few steps down the hall, Steve stepped into his room and froze for a second. “You look really pretty,” he told Danae, softer than usual.
“Thank you,” she smiled shyly.
Across from them, Anna emerged from the bathroom in her dress. “Babe, what are you wearing tonight?”
“I don’t know yet. Come here, let me see you…” Ody pulled her gently into his arms and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. “You look stunning.”
Anna smiled, not noticing the way his breath caught for a second before he let her go.
Meanwhile, Mano adjusted the sleeves of his shirt while Ranya waited beside him.
“You didn’t say anything…”
“About what?” he asked without looking up.
“You didn’t even look at me,” she said, clearly frustrated.
“Look at what?” Mano asked, fixing his black hair in the mirror.
“Oh come on, Mano. Look at me!”
He finally turned.
“What do you think?” she asked, striking a pose with a playful grin.
“You look nice,” he said, already turning back to the mirror.
“That’s it?”
“What else am I supposed to say? You looked the same when we met at the café.”
“What? I didnotlook the same. I didn’t even do a full face that day!”
“Huh?”
