Micah shifted slightly in his seat, glancing around the table as the noise of the banquet continued to swell and fade in waves around him. Laughter echoed from nearby tables, glasses clinked in constant rhythm, and the scent of rich food and alcohol lingered heavily in the air. For a brief moment, he found himself feeling oddly out of place sitting there alone, even though he knew perfectly well that Clyde was only away fulfilling his responsibilities.
Still, appearances mattered. And if there was one thing Micah understood well, it was how quickly people would start talking the moment something looked even slightly off.
He reached out and patted the empty seat beside him, looking toward Patric and the others with a half-serious, half-playful expression.
"Come on, just sit here with me," Micah said, gesturing again as if urging them forward. "I can't be sitting here by myself like some abandoned decoration. People are definitely going to start gossiping if they see that."
