Extra's Ascent

"What do we have here? If it isn't the grand tale of the princess and the pauper," Selina remarked, her words sharp and veiled in humor. The lilt in her voice carried an elegance that failed to mask the sting of her mockery. She laughed softly, an aristocratic chuckle honed through years of social decorum.

Her barbs were aimed squarely at Fiona and Aldrich, the two standing across from her with the sun casting long shadows between them.

"Se-Selina?" Fiona stammered, clearly taken aback by the encounter. She hadn't expected to run into her childhood friend here of all places.

Aldrich, however, was far less surprised. Nor was he the type to let insults pass unanswered.

"Well, if it isn't the fabled tale of the frog princess and her noble consort," Aldrich retorted without hesitation, his voice laced with deliberate disdain.

His words were directed more toward Selina than the sharply dressed man beside her? Edward Handerson, her ever-loyal fiancé.

"You insolent—!

"Oh, come now, frog princess," Aldrich interrupted with feigned innocence, a smug grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Surely, you're not so delicate as to crumble under a harmless jest from a lowborn simpleton?"

"Ow!" he flinched, catching Fiona's elbow as it dug firmly into his ribs, a subtle but stern message urging him to rein it in.

Fiona's eyes flicked toward him, filled with gentle reprimand. "You're only provoking her further."

"She started it," Aldrich replied in a low grumble, casting an accusatory glance her way as though seeking justification.

"And like a child, you couldn't help but jump in headfirst," Fiona scolded, arms crossed and brows raised in disapproval.

Across from them, Edward's expression shifted slightly, his jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed. The casual banter between Fiona and Aldrich stirred something darker beneath his composed exterior. Whether it was envy or indignation, he wouldn't say aloud. Still, he masked it well behind the polished façade of noble poise. He couldn't afford to betray his emotions, not in front of Selina Von Degure.

"Alright, fine. I'll stop," Aldrich muttered, surrendering with a half-hearted shrug.

He turned back toward Selina, raising a hand in mock apology. "Pardon my words, Miss Selina."

Yet the smirk he wore and the exaggerated nature of his gesture left no doubt about his sincerity or lack thereof.

"But tell me, what brings someone of your... exquisite pedigree to a place like this?" he added, scanning the colorful amusement park around them.

The question lingered in the air, weighted with subtext.

An amusement park? That was hardly the sort of venue associated with high society figures like Selina and Edward. Their circles moved in worlds of lavish galas, art exhibits, and private islands, not spinning teacups and cotton candy stalls.

The mere idea of them here seemed incongruous.

Unless, of course, this wasn't happenstance at all.

"You're not suggesting we followed you here, are you?" Selina shot back, raising an eyebrow.

Aldrich lifted both palms in mock surrender. "I didn't say a word. But wouldn't you agree… the timing of this meeting is oddly convenient?"

Her lips pressed into a tight line.

"Think what you like. Unlike you, my time is precious. I don't squander it on useless conjecture or pointless accusations," she snapped, her tone colder now, stripped of any feigned charm.

"Then surely, someone of such importance wouldn't waste another moment lingering in the company of commoners like us," Aldrich replied smoothly. "Unless, of course, you secretly enjoy our presence more than you let on, Miss I'm-too-special-for-this-world."

Selina's glare could have frozen fire.

But Aldrich never broke stride, capitalizing on every pause, every reaction. Each jab was calculated, his own version of a sword dance, slicing through her arrogance one word at a time.

To an outsider, he might've looked like the instigator, taunting a noblewoman in public without remorse. But beneath the surface, Aldrich had his reasons. This wasn't about pride or ego.

He was doing this for Fiona.

"Let's go," Selina said coldly, turning on her heel. Her grip tightened around Edward's arm as she led them away, every step sharp and deliberate.

They walked off in the opposite direction, heels clacking against concrete, leaving tension in their wake.

"You didn't need to escalate things," Fiona murmured beside him, her eyes still watching the couple disappear into the crowd.

"I'll make you a deal," Aldrich said, turning to face her. "Look me in the eyes and say what I did was completely uncalled for. Do that and I'll march right back to her and grovel at her feet."

Fiona opened her mouth, but no words came.

Because she couldn't.

She knew what Selina's presence would do to her today. This outing was meant to be a reprieve, a rare moment to escape from the suffocating expectations, from the of complicated relationships, and the politics of Eldora coming exam. Having Selina near meant dragging all of that emotional baggage right into the middle of her one chance at peace.

And Aldrich? He saw that. He recognized it. So he acted.

"Even so... you didn't need to go that far," Fiona murmured, voice gentler now.

If there was one trait that defined Fiona, it was her unwavering devotion to salvaging the tattered remnants of her friendship with Selina.

Aldrich didn't understand it.

Or maybe, deep down, he did.

Selina and Fiona had once been inseparable childhood companions bound by memories of simpler times, before Edward's manipulations slithered their way between them. Before his obsession turned a bond into something strained and bitter.

But the reality now was undeniable.

Selina had chosen her path. She had sided with Edward, even when it meant stepping over Fiona to do so. Any claim of friendship was a ghost of what used to be.

So why couldn't Fiona see that?

Why did she cling to the belief that reconciliation was still possible?

Fiona remained blind to the truths laid bare before her. Perhaps because accepting them meant letting go of a part of herself. Aldrich understood that too, but it didn't make it any less frustrating to watch her endure the same cycle over and over again.

He sighed, hands in his pockets as they resumed walking.

"This rich-kid drama is enough to drive me insane," he muttered under his breath. 'If Edward could just accept the fact that Fiona doesn't feel the same, we'd all be a lot better off.'. This time, he mused inwardly.

Because despite the engagement ring on Selina's finger, the way Edward looked at Fiona wasn't subtle. There was longing in his eyes, a forbidden infatuation masked as disdain, dressed up in propriety.

Who in their right mind carried a torch for their fiancée's best friend?

Seriously, who does that?

Aldrich had no time for these theatrics.

Today was supposed to be about joy, not emotional whiplash. About laughter, not brooding over aristocratic love triangles and misplaced affections.

Enough.

He shook the thoughts from his head and turned to Fiona with renewed determination.

"No more distractions. Let's just enjoy ourselves, alright?"

She smiled, somewhat reassured.

But then—

"Oh, did I mention who our other two team members are?" Fiona asked with a teasing lilt in her voice.

Aldrich arched a brow. "Other two?"

She grinned mischievously. "Selina… and your roommate, Aydin Astravon."

"What?!" Aldrich nearly choked on air. "You've got to be kidding me!"