The Party 2.0

Fabian puffs out a breath as he finishes doing the buttons of his shirt. He needs to start studying as soon as possible. The exams are always his least

favorite part of the deal.

"Yo, what are you doing?" his younger sister, Marlene chimes in with her ever so cheerful voice.

"Getting ready."

"For what? You're looking better than usual, I'll give you that." she sits on his chair crossing her feet at the ankles while scrutinizing her robot of a brother with hawk eyes.

"Something important."

"I wonder sometimes, you know...if mum and dad found you in a rundown vintage computer store as they were getting rid of their old robots and machinery." her voice flat with a matter-of-fact tone.

Fabian smirks without turning to her.

"Did you...bro! Did you just smirk? When did you learn it?" "Quit goofing around Marl, or I'll tell mum about your detention

yesterday."

She rolls her eyes, "Yeah, sure! Their robotic son never got a detention doesn't mean the human daughter can't get it. We are just humans, Fabian." she singsongs relaxing on the chair.

"What do you want, now?"

"Nothing, just enjoying the view where my brother is trying to act like one of us." she winks.

Fabian opens his mouth for a comeback when his phone dings with a text.

"Hey, u coming? Waiting under the Willow...I'm kinda dying in these heels that Bright made me wear. Let's get this over with."

A smile gradually find its way to his lips.

Marlene narrows her eyes, "Bro? Whose text made you smile like the brother with proper human attributes that I've been wishing to have my whole life?"

Fabian chooses to ignore her while thumbing a quick reply to Oriana.

"Bro? Fabian? Yooo!!" Marlene deliberately makes her voice shrill to catch his attention.

"What?" he looks up.

"Are you...shit! You're..." her face looks like she just witnessed a murder.

"What?" now Fabian sounds a bit concerned. "You're bl-... You're..."

"I'm what?"

"You're blushing! My God! I never thought I'd witness this rare

occurrence in my life. I'm so proud of you!" She fakes a crying gesture.

Fabian rolls his eyes in frustration, "Seriously?"

"O yeah! Who's the super girl? Or guy? Or whatever?" "Nobody! Now, I've somewhere to go."

"Come on! Fabian! You know I'm your only sister...you gotta tell me." "Nothing important. And if it was, I wouldn't tell."

"I'll figure that out and you know it." she scoffs. "We'll see."

Oriana sharply exhales as she sees Fabian coming towards the park.

Yeah, someone can look that cute in a plain black shirt and black jeans. She never knew that.

"Hey! Woah!" he smiles, "Loook at you!"

"Yeah, right! My biggest fault ever was to ask Bright out of everyone to help me get ready."

"Not really! You'll make some...well, all the heads turn today. No doubt about that." he clears his throat as his eyes are settled on her. An intense look that he never knew he was capable of giving. Oriana blushes crimson and there's no way to hide that.

"Alright, so shall we go?"

"Yeah, we shall." he hesitates for a moment before reaching for her hand.

Her heart thumps a bit more aggressively as they interlace their fingers. Wow! She thought...just wow! Never did she think Fabian the younger than her cyborg, (lets not forget, who is extremely cute) would make her heart do crazy somersaults or skip beats altogether. The world is indeed a strange

place to live in.

"You wanna stick together or go solo in search of the Casanova?" Fabian unlaced his fingers from Oriana's as they step in the bustling party.

"I was thinking about going home." she looks nervous, "This big, lavish parties were never my thing."

He smiles reassuringly and takes her hand in his, "Okay, we're sticking together."

"Is it Ilona?"

"Um...I can't tell." he squints.

"I think it is her. I mean, how come a person be present in every party that calls for lavish extravaganza!"

"If that person loves unnecessary extravaganza!" He shrugs.

"Right! Here..." she tugs on his hand, "That's Axel if I'm not wrong." "Alexina is all over him...nice!"

"Huh! Somebody is jealous!" Oriana singsongs. "Not me!"

"I didn't say it was you!"

"I can tell if something is implied!" "You can? Really?"

"Yeah! Like when you were gawking at me in front of the park, I could tell you were thinking how handsome I looked." he smirked, savouring the moment.

Oriana goes crimson, again! Damn it!

"Sure! I'm not the one who gives overwhelmingly strange glances like serial killers."

He laughs at her reply, "How many serial killers have you met to connect this attribute to them?"

"How many times did YOU notice me gawking at other guys? Trust me, there are fair shares of them."

He simply laughs in reply without saying a word.

She looks at Axel directly as he's standing only 2 feet from them now. "What the actual heck? Well, he's incredibly good-looking. I'll give him

that."

"You think?" the edge of Fabian's voice makes her smile. "Not my type but really good-looking!"

"Yeah, it's a plus for his Casanova personality to take over."

"No doubt. Yeah, that's Ilona. I told you that's her annnnd now she's coming this way."

"O my God! Oriana? I almost didn't recognize you with those layers of makeup." Ilona's lilty voice sends a ripple of anger across Fabian's skin.

Oriana smiles in reply, "I know right? I always wondered how you flawlessly handle that much makeup. Turns out, it's not that hard after all."

Ilona's face cannot hide the offense that Oriana's words perfectly threw at her. Fabian smiles inwardly.

"So? Mr. Cyborg! What are YOU doing here?" "Trying to imitate humans maybe!" He says casually.

Ilona's brows shoot up. She was not ready for the comeback... "Anyway! Alexina is a friend, I suppose?" Oriana looks for any

connection Ilona must have with Raya.

"No, I came here with Ax...with one of my friends that you don't know of course." she nervously chuckles, "It's like, I've loads of friends here.... and obviously, I don't know Alexina that much I mean, how would I, right? She's like, way younger than me and besides, she's like Raya's best friend who I have no idea about." Ilona keeps mumbling.

Oriana quirks her brow, "I just asked you a question, Ilona. Relax!"

"Yeah, and I just answered...I need a drink." she hurriedly ducks out of the way.

"I came here with Axel!" they say in unison.

"Time to find a way to talk to Mr. Valentine." Oriana huffs.

Fabian smirks, "You wanna go say hi? Trust me, he wouldn't resist to talk."

"Planning to use me as a bait, Mister?" she gives him a sideways glance. "No! Just wanted an easy way in. I can assure you, I'll fail to catch his

attention in any way."

"Unless he's a bi maybe!"

"Even if that's the case, I doubt I'd be his type."

"You'd definitely be!" smiling smugly, Oriana walks past him. He flusters a bit at her words.

"Time to say hi to a potential murderer and a total pervert!" "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, easy peasy!" inside, she feels a huge pressure and endless nerves that started working hard to form a bottomless pit in her stomach.

"I can do this!" she murmurs as Axel comes into her line of sight.

"Hey!" Oriana tries to smile but damn it, she's never been flirty and she has zero idea how to be one.

Fabian keeps an eye on her while nervously tapping his feet.

"Yo! You came?" Alvis motions his drink to him as a form of toast. "Yeah!"

"Where's your girl?"

"My girl? Come on! You know we're just friends." Alvis grins, "Yeah, sure."

"Speaking of girls, what about Raya? Heard anything about her?" Fabian stuffs his hands in his pockets.

"Nope!" Alvis's face falls, "No fricking idea how did she just vanish into thin air."

"What actually happened that night? I mean, between you two." Fabian steadies his gaze on Alvis.

"What do you mean?"

"Like, when did you see her last? And who was with her?"

Alvis looks a bit startled at the question, "I don't know. We drank for sure, flirted a little. And that's that, I had to go back home to help my dad."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah, with stuff." he shrugs.

Fabian nods, entirely unconvinced by what he just heard. Everyone is keeping a secret... Alvis must know more than he's letting out. But what the hell is that!