Volume 1: The Story Of Their Life

Chapter 6: The Night Of The Year...

Silence enveloped the room as her finger tapping ceased, hanging in mid-air.

I leaned back into my chair, concealing my face behind my palms. "I'm so lost," I muttered, my eyes beseeching my mom for clarity, for an explanation that could connect all the dots. Her voice lowered, adding to that charged atmosphere as she continued to unfold the secrets of the past, bridging me to a part of her world that I never knew existed.

"Our lives have always been far from ordinary. The spotlight was not something we wanted, yet somehow, we found ourselves constantly hounded by flashing cameras wherever we went. Scandals, defamation, and lies, and hate infiltrated into our lives and everything came crashing down... It was tough. We felt an overwhelming burden on our young shoulders as if we were trapped in some crazy reality show. Privacy and peace became non-existent, and our mental health took a serious hit. I guess that's what fame brings you... Fear... Pressure... Anxiety... Restrictions.

Honestly, our parents weren't bothered about how we were truly holding up, too busy fixing their tarnished image that somehow we were accountable for. They... weren't exactly the loving and supportive parents we yearned for. Over time, we got used to it... But deep down, it tore us apart. We were forced to don masks, pretending to be someone we weren't, plastering fake smiles, and acting like everything was fine when it wasn't. The weight of deceitful lies was... suffocating. We hated how people manipulated the narrative. Yet, what ate at us even more was the bitter truth that we allowed them to triumph over us. Every. Single. Time.

All we wanted was to shatter that distorted perception the world had on us. Time dragged on, burdening us with more depression and self-loathing. No matter how we tried, we couldn't break free from the shackles of our own insecurities.

And... that's when he came in. While we tried to hide under the shadows, he made us look right at the sun... Alex pulled us through our toughest times, or rather... went through them with us, opening our eyes to the fact that if we don't stand up for ourselves, no one else will. CypherX wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for him... We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."

The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of her words hanging heavy. After a pause, she resumed,

"November 11th, 2037. The vibe in Sanbrix City Square was electric, lit up by dazzling digital screens and lighting that seemed to transport you to another realm. It was bustling more than ever, more so due to "The Night of the Year," the annual party for folks with deep pockets. Despite being glammed up and looking my best for the occasion, I found myself standing on a balcony alone, letting my face recover from the strain of plastering smiles. As someone with social anxiety, I gotta admit, it wasn't very easy.

I took a moment to catch my breath, savoring the cool breeze that provided a warm respite, and stealing glimpses of the chaotic scene on the red carpet below, where paparazzi were going wild.

Frantically tapping away at my watch, I desperately tried to call the guys who went MIA, abandoning me to fend for myself. "Traitors," I whispered under my breath, lowering my hand. It wasn't exactly a shocker. Not for me, at least. Those jerks always looked for the right moment to make a stealthy exit and the concerning part about it was that it never spelled anything good. Ever.

"Wow, aren't you miserable?" a voice resonated from my rear side, footsteps pacing in sync with the words.

"I know, Cal. You don't have to rub it in." I retorted as he strolled up to me, nonchalantly propping himself against the railing beside.

"I thought the guys were here... Where are they?"

"If only I knew... Idiots."

He cracked a faint smile in return. "Four hours..." he remarked, checking the time with a sidelong glance. "Four more hours and we'll survive."

"Can you even call this a party?" I sighed deeply, shifting to look at him directly. "Parties are meant to be fun."

"Well, not the ones that cost you your peace," he replied, fixing his shirt. "The event starts in 20 minutes. Let's get you something to eat before then. C'mon, don't stay out in the cold for too long."

"Well, it's colder inside."  I countered. He met my gaze, catching the gist of my implication.

"Alright, I'll stick around with you until they're back," He offered, triggering a thankful smile on my face. "Now come in."

Giving the view one last glance, we pivoted to make our way indoors. But just then, we felt the sound of the crowd below escalating chaotically, an urgency seeping into the atmosphere. With a shared sense of unease, we retraced our steps, returning to the open space outside. Our jaws collectively slackened as Calvin took a tentative step ahead. There, emblazoned on the colossal digital display before us, was the symbol that rendered us momentarily speechless, for different reasons though...

"CypherX strikes again..."

"What the..."  I muttered, my mind scrambling to make sense of it. Dang. Imprinting on a city... our city... without me? It stung like hell. Sneaking out of an event without me is one thing but this... this was something else. Inside, a storm of emotions brewed—a potent blend of disappointment and shock. They wouldn't make a move without me, or so I thought. It kinda caught me off guard, leaving a sinking feeling in my gut.

As countless thoughts raced through my head, the screens all shifted in perfect sync, morphing into a date, 11.11.2056... That day's date.

In that instant, all I could sense was the impending countdown of something big. While I was grappling with my mind, my watch buzzed insistently on my wrist. And there it was, a lifeline amid the chaos. A call, the caller ID flashing with a name I knew all too well.

"Wanna grab some hot wings?"

I shot Calvin a wary glance and got back to the call, "Where are you, Al?"