Chapter 58: Confessions

Milie's POV

Alan still couldn't believe he was celebrating his birthday.

As soon as everyone yelled "Yes," Alan let out an embarrassed laugh.

He was feeling shy. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.

I couldn't help but stare at him, noticing his every little expression. It made my heart strangely warm.

"How could someone be this selfless?" I wondered.

"He spent the entire evening comforting me, driving me around, listening to my endless drama, and feeding me."

"He even offered his place to stay, and we entered the house at almost 12, yet not once did he mention it’s his birthday."

I remembered Nana telling me that when he was a child, there would be a cake, but never a room full of friends. Never a celebration like this.

And somehow, knowing that made tonight feel even more special.

"The work Professor gave was part of the setup too?" Alan asked, and I smiled at his innocence.

His colleague Zion burst out laughing. "Yeah. The work was real. The urgency wasn't."

Alan stared. "So Professor was involved too?"

"Absolutely." The room erupted with laughter.

"You people are impossible."

"No." Sammy pointed at him.

"You're just incredibly easy to fool." Everyone laughed again.

His Mom and Nana immediately surrounded him, and both kissed his cheeks.

"Happy birthday, my son." Nana said affectionately. Alan hugged both women tightly.

When he looked up, his eyes met mine.

For a second, the noise around us disappeared, and something warm passed between us.

Something that made my pulse stumble.

"This boy is gold." Dad shook his head.

I nodded. "He is clueless, isn't it.?"

Dad chuckled. "Yeah."

"And you," Dad looked at me, "have just passed your exams. I need good marks next time."

"Dad." I groaned. "Not now."

While Dad looked at me with narrowed eyes, Emma carried the cake to the dining table. "Cake cutting time."

Alan looked like he wanted to disappear, which only made everyone tease him more.

A few minutes later, the birthday song echoed through the room, and Alan cut the cake, laughing awkwardly.

He fed Nana the cake, then his mother, my parents, and walked directly to me.

"Only you could create such a ridiculous plan." His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"You planned all this, didn't you?"

I grinned. "Maybe."

"I knew it." He held a piece of cake toward me.

I pushed it back toward him. "My sugar quota is finished."

"You literally ate half an ice cream shop tonight."

"Hehehe… Exactly." He laughed and ate the cake himself.

Then he moved toward Daxton.

"Happy birthday, man." Daxton offered his hand.

"Thanks, Daxton." The exchange was polite. Nothing more. Nothing less, and I hated noticing that.

After our last encounter about Alan, things were actually a little awkward between us.

Then I came up with Alan's surprise plan. He didn't say anything, but I knew he was not okay with me staying out with him.

He might be like, "Why just me?" It could be Emma or Sammy.

But it was my plan. I wanted to execute it myself, and Alan responded exactly like I thought.

"Kids, we will call it a night. You guys continue," Dad said, and our parents started to leave.

Alan blinked. "What? Where?" He asked, pointing at his Nana.

"Don't worry, everything is sorted. The house is yours tonight." The front door closed, and Alan looked at me.

"They will be staying at my place." I smiled warmly. He smiled back, and something soft again passed between us.

Suddenly, the music got louder. Pizza boxes, wafers, and drinks were opened, and the party officially began.

Soon, Sammy and Tessa were dancing. Ryan joined, Zion joined, and even Emma joined after grabbing Alan's wrist.

She dragged him to the center, and my smile faded instantly.

The last time I saw Emma dance with Alan in the discotheque, he was uncomfortable.

His eyes had constantly searched for me, but tonight was different.

He looked relaxed, comfortable, natural, and for some reason, I hated it.

Emma laughed and spun beneath his arm. To my surprise, Alan chuckled.

The sight twisted something so sharp inside my chest that I escaped to the kitchen.

I grabbed a glass, my heart turning heavy.

"Hey." Daxton appeared beside me. "You okay?"

"Huh… Yeah."

"You don't look okay."

"Water… I need water." I shrugged.

He silently poured water for me, and I drank it too quickly.

My eyes drifted back toward the living room, toward Alan, then at Emma, and back at Alan.

"I don't like her for him." The thought arrived immediately. "Yeah, that's the reason, right?"

"Come," Daxton placed his hand lightly on my back and led me out.

A few minutes later, Emma suddenly turned off the music.

"Guys, let's play a game."

Sammy groaned dramatically. "Oh no. Every time we play games, somebody's life gets ruined."

"Exactly," Emma said with a wicked smile. "That's why it's fun."

Tessa immediately sat up straighter. "What game?"

"Truth and Drink."

The room erupted. "Nope."

"Absolutely not." Zion said.

"Yeah, terrible idea." Alan, too, chirped in.

Emma ignored all of us. "The rules are simple. You ask a question and choose who answers it."

"And if they lie?" Ryan asked.

Emma smirked. "They drink."

"And if we think they're lying, they drink too."

"Basically," Sammy summarized, "we're all doomed."

Laughter spread around the room. Soon, everyone settled down into a circle.

Emma sat right across from Alan and placed a bottle in the center.

"Ready?" No one answered, and she spun the bottle.

The bottle rotated twice before slowing, slowing, slowing, and finally stopping, right at Daxton.

The room cheered.

"What?" Dax protested. "I wasn't prepared."

"Ask anything that you want to know from that person," Emma said, wickedly.

He looked around the circle. For one terrifying second, his eyes landed on me, and I felt nervous.

"Please, Dax, don't ask about us. Please don't—"

"If you were stranded on a deserted island with one person from this room, who would you choose?"

"Who's answering— Oh…" Emma asked, but paused as she saw Daxton's eyes glued on me.

"Milie." The room exploded.

"Oh, that's easy." Ryan said, winking at Tessa.

Heat climbed into my face. A dozen answers flashed through my head.

Daxton, Sammy, Mom, Dad, and—

Somewhere deep inside, another name whispered too. The name I refused to acknowledge.

So I looked at Daxton and answered the safest truth. "You."

"Again ditched me." Sammy grabbed his heart dramatically and chuckled.

Daxton's smile appeared instantly. The room cheered while I grabbed my drink.

"Next." Ryan rubbed his hands together. "My turn, and my question is to Daxton."

Everyone immediately cheered, but Daxton was shocked.

"What? To me?"

"Yup, are you and Milie dating?"

The room went silent. I nearly choked on my drink and looked at Daxton.

A faint blush crossed his face. For a second, I wondered if he would dodge it, but he didn't.

Instead, he smiled, and then— "Yeah."

The room exploded. "NO WAY!" Tessa's eyes widened.

"Told you," Ryan said. "Something is going on between these two, but you didn't believe it."

"You knew it!" Tessa slapped Sammy's shoulder.

Sammy proudly pointed at himself. "Of course… best friend privileges."

"Traitor," Tessa accused.

I looked down, my heart beating fast. "It's now official."

"Daxton announced it to everyone. Now there should be no confusion."

Laughter echoed around the room. In the middle of it, my gaze drifted toward Alan.

He was smiling, but not the real one, and that view tightened painfully inside my chest.

"Now, my turn!" Tessa announced immediately. "For Emma."

Emma straightened confidently. "Bring on."

The room laughed. Tessa grinned. "Are you in love with someone in this room?"

Emma froze. For a second, her eyes flickered toward Alan. I noticed.

And judging by the sudden tension in Alan's shoulders, he did too.

A blush spread across Emma's cheeks. "Yes."

"Woah it seems like a confession day today," Sammy said.

"Now, it's my turn… Who is it?" Emma covered her face with both hands.

Alan immediately reached for his glass. "I think I need another drink."

I saw him in the same situation as him.

"Come on, Emma, spill it."

"Sammy..." Emma groaned.

"Spill it, spill it." Everyone roared.

"We all know who it is anyway," Tessa teased.

Emma's face turned crimson. Alan looked genuinely uncomfortable now.

Not angry, not happy, just clueless.

"I'll get the drinks." Alan immediately got up, his eyes avoiding looking at anyone.

But before he could move, Emma grabbed his wrist.

The room fell silent, and my heart sank.

"Alan..." Emma's voice trembled. "I didn't want to tell you like this."

Alan slowly looked down at her, and their eyes met. Everyone watched in awe.

"It's you."

My heartbeat almost stopped, and my body went numb.

"I like you." Emma continued, her voice cracking. "I like you so much."

For a moment, everyone was still, waiting for Alan to speak.

Alan looked completely caught off guard. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Emma..." His voice came out softer than before. "Can we... talk about this later?"

The room remained silent. Emma blinked, confused.

"Is it a rejection?" She asked straight away.

Alan shook his head. "Please…let's talk later."

Emma smiled awkwardly, her eyes still having hope, though.

He hadn't accepted her, but he hadn't rejected her either.

And somehow that hurt me more than I thought it should.