The party was a charity event. A delightful little gala dedicated primarily to a most benevolent gesture indeed. There’ll be some fundraising, some networking, some drinking, and a little bit of partying, of course.

Do I really believe that? Frankly, I’m not too sure myself. Knowing the host and his peculiar peculiarities in life, I’m more inclined to think that something much more insidious and malicious could be hiding behind all the glitz and glamour. But that’s the way Hayley framed it in the half-hearted overview she gave about it.

Half-hearted not cause there’s like some super dangerous info she can’t make anyone privy to lest their very lives become forfeit, it’s more to do with the fact that most of the time... she’d much rather sing than elaborate.

Her car’s bluetooth was linked to a playlist she had prepped and playing on her phone and so through the boom and timbre of premium SUV speakers, she had essentially turned her car into a mobile karaoke machine.

Junction after junction and block after block, it was just song after song. Not that anyone particularly minded. Truth to be told, Hayley was actually a pretty good singer. With a voice like silk and enough breath in her for five pairs of lungs, every whisper and belt was sung in absolutely perfect pitch.

I think what amazed me the most was the seemingly lack of effort on her part, always a perfect ten no matter the genre her shuffle threw at her, the joy she derived from it all resonated quite clearly in every note.

Also pretty clear now it probably wasn’t the driving that was keeping her from returning my calls.

"Feel free to jump in anyone, if you want," Hayley said between songs, glancing around at her audience in tow with a nudging look. "It’s an open mic around here. So go ahead and add in your favourites."

Out of the three of us, there was only one particular individual that was quite receptive to the offer. Swaying her head to every song, humming clumsily along to every new melody... pretty sure Hayley wasn’t asking just anyone to jump in.

"How about it, Ash?" Their eyes met in the rearview mirror. Hayley ready with a finger hovering over her phone screen. "Want to take this next one?"

There’s surely a probable instance out there in a probable timeline that very sadly wasn’t this one where Ash jumped at the proposal without once skipping a beat. Maybe one where I wasn’t here in the car, having her pressed, hesitant and a bright burning red just by the act of simply being within proximity.

If only I was in that other timeline. But I guess if I was, I’d make that timeline this timeline. In that sense, there’s not even a cake for me to have or to eat. The multiverse just loves being cruel like that, I suppose.

"I... I’m afraid I must respectfully decline, Hayley," Ash replied. "As delightful as it would be to partake, I dare not strain my voice any more than I already have, you see."

"Ah... right..." Hayley nodded. They shared looks, shared silence, and I had an inkling those weren’t the only things they were sharing there. "How about you, Sarah? Actually—don’t think I’ve ever heard your voice before, I’m just realizing. Perfect chance here."

Sera responded back, turning down the offer firmly but politely, stating that she was perfectly content the way she was but was grateful nevertheless for the opportunity.

Okay, no she didn’t but it’d be nice if she did. Silent staring contests can only get you so far in life.

"She’s shy," I said.

"Shy people usually have a really good voice."

"She’s very shy," I restated.

"Alright, but you clearly aren’t," Hayley next set her sights on me. "Sing. Then I’ll record and show it to Amanda. Give her something to fall asleep to every night. What do you say?"

"I think I’d be more of an alarm than a lullaby," I said simply. "You can keep going, though. Y’know, normally people have to pay big bucks for amazing live performances like yours."

Hayley smiled wide at the compliment. "Well, lucky you, then. There’ll be plenty more of me later. No charge too."

"The party’s that far away?"

"No, I mean I’ll be performing at the party. Later on. They have a band on standby, I’m the vocalist."

I could visibly see the wave of astonishment ripple forward from me to Ash before crashing to a halt immediately upon reaching Sera, whose vested interest continued only to be the rolling view from out her window.

Guess now I know how she got invited to this whole celebratory affair in the first place.

"That must have been quite the honor to be chosen for such a distinguished role," Ash remarked.

"It’s just a favor for a friend," Hayley said all modest-like, yet grinning shamelessly from ear to ear all the same. "Leon’s Dad needed someone, and since Leon knows I sing—why wouldn’t I, right?"

Then her gaze wandered over towards mine again, except she didn’t seem as pleased with my amazement as she was with Ash.

"What?" I asked.

"We’ve known each other for how long now, and somehow this information is news to you. It’s a little sad to think about. Am I just strictly your boss to you or something?"

"You never told me, how was I supposed to know?"

"I’m online! Just as much as Amanda is! Have you never seen any of my covers? Have you even been on the internet before? Like ever? How do you think I even got to be friends with someone as renowned as your girlfriend?"

"I... I just sorta assumed you popped into existence as her friend, honestly."

My confession garnered no amusement from her in the slightest. "She shouted out one of the covers I made for Chronicles of Asteria. Had it on repeat on one of her live drawing sessions. I was in the chat, wanted to say thanks, and things sort of picked up from there."

"Asteria?" Ash chimed in. I knew she would the moment that word left Hayley’s lips. Honed right in on it with a keenness that Sera seemingly didn’t share in spite of the common ground.

"Yeah. Oh, and of course, you’d know it right?" Hayley chuckled. "It’s Eshwlyn’s theme song, after all."

I glanced at Ash again and this time it was harder to tell what expression she was wearing on her face. A mix of this and that. Maybe some good, some bad. But what had more than the other wasn’t something I could just guess.

"Rin’tur Aimur," Ash uttered softly.

Hayley beamed. "That’s the one! "A Requiem to Love" Beautiful song. You know the lyrics? What am I even saying—’course you do! Look at you!"

"Yes... of course," Ash smiled back. It wasn’t exactly her best smile though. "Though it has been quite some time since the last time I’ve... yes, it’s certainly been a while."

Then it was like a lightbulb lit up at the top of Hayley’s head, and being around Amanda enough, I could practically see the inceptions of a scheme like gears turning away inside her mind.

"Well, just saying, if you change your mind, I actually got the song here in my playlist too," She said, a twinkle in her eyes filling up the space of the rearview mirror. "Want to give it a go?"