EXTRA CHAPTERS FROM 'THE OPULENCE SERIES'
The Opulence Series;
♛ Opulent Glory (1) ✔
♡ Gilded Butterflies (2) ✔
♜ The King of Metropolis (3) ✔
♢ Best Fiends (4) ✔
An extra in honour of Opulent Glory hitting 100K READS!!!
>timeline- after Ellie's funeral
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Spencer didn't know how to feel.
The entire party felt bittersweet to him. After Ellie's funeral, Madeline, Nora, Oliver and Spencer had decided to throw a party in honour of Ellie. With Madeline's incredible planning skills, Nora's famous friends and Oliver's connections to the hottest clubs, they had put together a memorial for his late sister in less than an hour. It was the only thing that felt right at the time.
Ellie was always fun to be around so an elite party seemed fitting for his memory of her. Still though, something felt wrong. Dancing with strangers did very little to relieve him of his sorrow.
His eyes landed on a door near the back that looked like it led outside. That was what he needed. Some fresh air. He put down his drink and trekked through the masses, practically collapsing through the door.
He could still hear the music, the familiar 'unce unce' that Ellie would have abhorred. She would have made some funny comment about certain racial differences before forcing the DJ to play some old school hip hop. She would have said something funny like 'what's a girl got to do to get some Beyoncé up in here' and everyone would have laughed because that was the kind of person she was.
And Spencer would never get another opportunity to talk to her ever again. She was gone.
The door swung open as Madeline pushed through. Oliver and Nora followed behind her.
"What are you guys doing here?"
Madeline smiled sadly with a knowing look in her eye. "I saw you leave..."
Nora rushed up to him and engulfed him the a tight hug. "Oh, Spence..."
Oliver sighed, raising his drink up and staring at the moon through the murky whiskey. "It doesn't feel right for you either, does it?"
Spencer shook his head. He wanted to say something but staying quiet was the only thing stopping him from bursting into tears in front of his friends.
Madeline leaned on the wall, before sliding down until her legs were sprawled out on the ground. Her white skirt would definitely get stained from the ground but she didn't care. Copying her, Nora and Oliver did the same. Nora's hand reached up to Spencer as she gently tugged him down. Oliver dug into his pocket and took out a box of cigarettes. He passed it along the group and each of them took a cigarette wordlessly as he lit them up for them.
Taking a long drag from his, Spencer blew a puff of smoke up into the night sky, dimming the angry bright stars.
"Spence, I know I don't need to say this but we love you so much," Nora sighed.
Madeline nodded, her arm reached across to hold his.
"I...I know. I love you too."
Oliver suddenly chuckled to himself.
"What?" Madeline asked amusedly.
"Oh, nothing."
"Why are you laughing!" She insisted, her lips already curling up in anticipation.
Oliver exhaled. "I just remembered when Ellie caught us all smoking on the roof in Spencer's house."
Nora gasped. "Oh my god! And then she said-"
"Someone give me a blunt and a lighter before I snitch..." Spencer chuckled, finishing off the story.
Madeline laughed, giving off a rare snort.
"Oh my god, what was that?" Oliver asked, suddenly very serious.
"What was what?" Madeline replied.
"Did...did Madeline Lockhart just snort?!"
Madeline rolled her eyes and flicked cigarette ash in his direction. "Haha, very funny."
"I wish I got that on tape. I could have used it as blackmail footage. I'd leak it if you ever crossed me," Nora giggled.
"Do you think there's a God?" Spencer suddenly blurted as he stared up into the blinding night sky.
They all went quiet. Nice going, Spencer. What a way to ruin the fun!
Nora was the first to speak. "Yes. I do. I don't think everything came about by coincidence. I...I see grand design."
Oliver shrugged. "I was raised Jewish. But no. I don't believe in a god."
"My great-grandmother on my mom's side was Muslim but I think she was the only person to practice a religion in my mom's family. My dad is a really devout Christian. I'm... I don't know. I believe in a god. I just... I don't know which one," Madeline sighed.
"I...I can't even answer my own question... I both believe and don't believe."
"Schrödinger's cat got nothing on you," Nora joked.
"I can't explain it! But I do hope someday I can see Ellie again..."
Madeline rested her head on Spencer's shoulder. He instinctively wrapped his arm around her, resting his hand in hers.
"Should we go back in?" Oliver asked.
They all looked at each other before wordlessly coming to an unspoken agreement.
"I guess we'll stay here then..."
"You guys are my family..." Spencer pondered out loud after a few minutes of calming silence. "I don't know what I would do with you."
"We will always be there for you just like you will always be there for us," Oliver said.
Nora smiled. "I'm so lucky to know you guys."
Madeline planted a kiss on the back of Spencer's cold hand. "I love you, Spencer. Forever."
