Small-fry or Happy?

The lady smiled, still looking at her son, "I was taking care of some things," she said. Frank looked at her sternly, but before he could say anything, several waiters approached the table serving the guests. Leonardo noticed that there was a waiter for each guest. He looked at the food on his plate, and it was so little that he feared going to bed hungry. Then he remembered the cutlery. Frank observed him quietly as Leonardo looked at the guests to his right and noticed that they took the cutlery farthest from their plates. He did the same, imitated the others and started eating.

Frank realized that Leonardo didn't quite know how to behave here, but he was pleased with how well he learned from the others. It showed how clever he was.

"Son, I brought you a present. It's in my room. I'll give it to you after the party," the elegant lady said. Leonardo felt bad. He didn't know about the birthday and didn't have a present for Frank, but he shouldn't have had one anyway. He was broke and didn't like Frank. He was there against his will. Frank didn't deserve anything from him.

The plates were taken away and replaced with others, always containing small amounts. Everyone ate and chatted excitedly.

After dinner, all of them stood up and returned to enjoy the dull music playing, amidst boring conversations that exhausted Leonardo even more every second.

After a few drinks, Leonardo seemed to be in high spirits. He saw a man operating the sound system in a corner of the hall and left Frank who followed him with his gaze. He said something to that man who looked surprised and then said something back to him. But Leonardo pointed at Frank, making that man look at him in panic, and Leonardo gave Frank a thumbs up while smiling. Frank didn't quite understand what was happening and simply nodded. The man then stopped the music, and an upbeat song filled the large hall. Leonardo smiled and returned to Frank.

"This party was so boring," he said. After saying that, Leonardo started dancing. People around him looked at him curiously, all wearing their masks again, which Leonardo didn't understand since they had already seen each other during dinner.

"What do you think you're doing, Leonardo?" Frank said irritably, trying in vain to grab Leonardo's arm. Leonardo ignored him and went to the center of the hall where he danced happily with a beautiful smile on his face.

He didn't care about the people looking at him, and before long, they started following his example. And when he noticed, almost everyone was dancing, moving their bodies to the lively music filling their ears.

Abigail, Mrs. Gold, witnessed the whole scene and looked at Frank who remained standing with a drink in his hand. He looked at Leonardo as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. She noticed the way her son looked at Leo and smiled. She had never seen that tenderness in her son's eyes before. It was a look of love and admiration.

At the end of the party, Leonardo had eaten enough, danced until he didn't want to, and was already feeling drowsy. Frank made a point of saying goodbye to each guest one by one, with Leonardo on his right side and his mother on his left side. He was tired of waving and extending his hand to each of them. As soon as the last guest left through the door, he sat on the stair step, grateful for the end of the party.

Leo felt a burning sensation in his chest and put his hand to the injured spot, noticing his shirt wet. He looked at his hand, saw the blood on it, and tried to hide it when he saw Frank turning towards him.

Abigail approached Frank smiling and kissed affectionately his cheek. "I'm going to retire. I'll give you my present tomorrow. Take care of him. He seems to be injured."

She knew nothing about Leonardo, let alone that he had taken a bullet for her son. Gracefully, she ascended the stairs, holding her long dress. Frank looked at Leonardo, who was still sitting on the step. Remembering his mother's words, he approached Leonardo, and took his hand, noticing that it was dirty, and anger grew inside him.

"If you had behaved at the party, you wouldn't be bleeding. You brat, thoughtless and reckless."

He grabbed Leonardo's arm, put him over his broad shoulder and carried him up the stairs.

"Damn Golden Boy, let me go. I can walk, you know? Put me down now."

Frank ignored his protest and carried him to his room, then put Leonardo on his bed and locked the door. He took the key out of the doorknob and put it in his pants pocket.

"Why did you bring me here? I want to go to my room."Leonardo stood up. Frank approached and pushed him back onto the bed.

"Shut up, Leonardo. You've done enough for one day. Take off your clothes."Leonardo looked in shock at Frank, standing still.

"I'm not taking anything off."

Frank ignored him and went into the bathroom, then returned with a first aid kit in his hands. He placed it on the bed and opened it.

"Just take off the damn clothes, or I'll strip you off."

Noticing his intentions, Leonardo stood up and took off his tuxedo. The blood stain was revealed on the white shirt which had been cunningly hidden by the tuxedo. Frank watched quietly and felt his heart racing. Leonardo then removed his bowtie and shirt, threw them onto the bed and sat down, still staring at Frank who looked back silently with a piece of cotton in his hand. Leo felt uncomfortable under Frank's intense gaze, as if he were being swallowed altogether.