Chapter XXVII:  Crossroads of Choice

The final strains of music faded into the background as the clock struck midnight, signaling the end of another long shift at the Blue Apple. I breathed a sigh of relief as I wiped down the bar, the exhaustion of the night weighing heavily on my shoulders.

As I turned to bid farewell to my coworkers, Leo's voice cut through the air, his tone laced with a hint of amusement. "Hey, guess who's still here?" he quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye as he nodded towards the far corner of the room.

I followed his gaze, my heart skipping a beat as I caught sight of Damon slumped over the table, his head resting on his arms in a drunken stupor. A pang of surprise shot through me at the sight, my mind reeling with disbelief that he would still be here after all this time.

But as quickly as the shock came, it was replaced by a sense of indifference. Damon and I were hardly close enough for me to be concerned about his well-being, and if he chose to spend the night in a drunken slumber at the B