27. Laura's Favorite Drink

"I want to know everything about you, no matter how small the things related to you. For me, everything about you is something important for me to always remember."

- Angkasa Ardiansyah

***

Laura raised an eyebrow in surprise. She noticed that there was no sign of Susan beside Vikram. "Then where is Susan?"

"I purposely didn't invite Susan to this club because I didn't want to spoil the innocence of other people's children! She's a good kid. So, she shouldn't hang out with bad kids like us." Vikram drinks wine with a lazy face. He had been waiting a long time at Vivi's Club' according to the appointment time. However, Laura and Angkasa actually arrived after almost an hour had passed, later than the promised time.

Laura just mumbled in response. She remembered the figure of Susan, who did not seem to have hung out with juvenile delinquents like they did. Susan tends to be a studious and introverted student, so it's no wonder she's an easy target for bullies from naughty students — not including Laura.

"She didn't really fit in with us from the start. But there's nothing wrong with making her join us." Laura commented. She took a glass of wine in her hand and drank it slowly.

Laura's tongue felt numb as she tasted the wine. A frown formed on Laura's forehead, trying to get her tongue used to the taste of the wine. Laura was always unfamiliar with the initial taste of wine that entered her mouth, although after a few sips, Laura would find pleasure in the alcoholic beverage.

"Laura, is it bitter?" Angkasa, who had been paying attention to every slight change in Laura's face, realized that Laura seemed to be disturbed by the taste of the drink. Angkasa became curious to try the taste of the drink that could make wrinkles on her lover's forehead.

Laura glanced at Angkasa. A gleam shone in her eyes, adding a special charm to Angkasa's figure under the dim club lights. A strange glint instantly filled Laura's eyes for only a split second before returning to her usual cold look.

"A little bitter. But, it doesn't matter because I like this drink." Laura answered in an indifferent tone. She brought her glass, which only left half of the wine to Angkasa's mouth. "You want to try?"

Angkasa's pupils dilated, revealing how enthusiastic he was about Laura's offer. Angkasa nodded his head, the expression on his face becoming a little uncontrollable.

"I want to! I want to try a drink you like, Laura!"

"Okay, you can try this drink." Without thinking, Laura put the glass filled with wine that she had previously been drinking.

Vikram chokes. Quick as lightning, he grabbed Laura's glass, whose contents almost fell into Angkasa's mouth. "Laura! Don't act so reckless! How can you give Angkasa just any drink?! No one knows what his alcohol tolerance is. Don't let him cause trouble on his first day at the club."

Laura snorted. "Tch, your reflexes are fast too."

Vikram snorted coldly. He had guessed the crazy thoughts that now filled Laura's head. From Laura's actions that seemed to have no consideration when giving a glass of wine to Angkasa, that's when Vikram realized that there was a hidden intention in Laura's eyes.

In the years that Vikram and Laura had formed a 'friendship' relationship that was forcibly tied, Vikram knew more or less the figure of Laura. Laura would not act without consideration. The girl, whose actions looked reckless in the eyes of others, had actually arranged everything well about what she needed and shouldn't do.

Laura would do an act with an ulterior motive, no matter if it harmed others or even herself, she would still do it for her own pleasure. Truly, in his entire life, Vikram has only met one person who has such complicated thoughts that he can't predict her way of thinking.

"I know your head must be filled with strange thoughts. At least, don't do crazy things in a vulnerable place like this. You'll definitely regret it if Angkasa is tarnished." Vikram sneered in a sarcastic tone. He cast a look of anticipation at Laura and Angkasa who had disappointed expressions.

"In fact, this celebration will be more excited if the problem is created, even if only a little." Laura muttered with complicated feelings. It's a shame that her ulterior motives have been caught by Vikram. Therefore, she couldn't continue under the watchful eye of Vikram who was always anticipating her every move.

"Can't I drink that?" Angkasa straightened his gaze at Vikram, making sure there was a little gap from Vikram to let Angkasa drink the wine Laura gave him.

Unfortunately, Vikram wasn't someone who would be easily melted down just because the other party was looking at him with such pitiful eyes. He's the type of person who has a warm face on the outside, but actually, his heart is frozen and doesn't easily accept the presence of new people in his life. The reason is simple, it has to do with his ability to see the future through dreams.

Sounding like a bullshit ability, even Vikram didn't believe in his own ability at first. As time went on, the more Vikram ignored all the dreams that came his way, the more convinced he was of the reality that it was exactly what he saw in the dream, even if it deviated a little from time to time.

"Angkasa, I know you're a very enthusiastic person when it comes to anything related to Laura. But, for now, I don't want to take care of the mess you or Laura can make in this place." Vikram took a deep breath. He pointed at the drink on the table with his chin. "I ordered strawberry juice for you. Drink it."

Angkasa's shoulders drooped, his eyelids drooping with disappointment showing on his expression. He glanced at Laura, who was closing her eyes. There is no prohibition against Vikram's words, which means Laura agrees with Vikram's words. This made Angkasa's eyes darken without the two people noticing.

Angkasa's gaze focused on the drinks served on the table. There were several glasses of untouched wine. It appeared to be the drink Vikram had ordered prior to his and Laura's arrival at Vivi's Club'.

The music on the dance floor was still deafening. The disco lights are lit and reflect various colorful lights, making the lighting around dim so that the disco lights emit a light that is pleasing to the eye.

Under the dim lighting, Angkasa could not distinguish which strawberry juice was among the many glasses of wine on the table. The wine-red color and the red color of the strawberry juice were indistinguishable under the dim lighting, which made the two drinks appear to be of the same color. He just randomly picked up a nearby glass and drank it without bothering to smell it.

The bitter taste, that numbed his senses, made Angkasa frowned. He quickly finished the wine in one gulp before putting the empty glass back on the table.

( "Hm… This tastes different from the strawberry juice I remember." )

Obviously, it wasn't strawberry juice because Angkasa remembered drinking strawberry juice at Vikram's house.