Honestly, Vespera’s pretty nice

Lysander dragged Alaric into the bar, where he was a regular. Everyone from the manager to the staff knew him. As soon as he walked in, someone called out his name across the crowd.

Alaric followed, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, with a gloomy, don’t-talk-to-me expression. Lysander greeted the manager on duty and said, "Get us a private room upstairs. I'm having a drink with Mr. Strider."

“Sure thing, Doc! Right this way!” The manager led them upstairs to the quietest room, stocked with the bar's finest. For a rich kid like Lysander, splashing cash was the norm, so the whole bar rolled out the red carpet for him, even bringing in a new girl to keep him company.

Lysander didn’t mind at all. No girlfriend, no one special—he was a free spirit, not envious of Heath at all! And definitely not Alaric, who was moping around like a lovesick fool. Lysander was ready to use his charm to lift his buddy’s spirits tonight.

“Hey, pour the gentleman a drink,” Lysander said, nodding to th