"Here you go," Leroy said, handing me a cup of juice. His mischievous grin made me smile despite the knot of nerves forming in my stomach. The party was in full swing, and my eyes kept darting around, searching for someone I wasn't even sure would show up.

"Thanks," I murmured, my gaze skimming the crowd below us as we leaned over the balcony. The music thumped, the energy of the night buzzing through the air. People were dancing, laughing—everyone seemed to be in their own little world. But I wasn't. I was trying to spot him.

"You think he's here?" Leroy asked, noticing my wandering eyes.

I gave a noncommittal shrug, trying to play it cool. "I dunno."

But deep down, I was hoping. Hoping for a glimpse of someone I couldn't quite get out of my head. I took a bigger gulp of my drink, as if the juice could somehow calm my racing heart.

Just then, a squeal erupted from the pool area, cutting through the music. Leroy shot me a knowing look, one eyebrow arched with a teasing smirk. "Maybe that's him."

We both moved forward to peer over the railing, curiosity pulling us to the edge. Down by the pool, Nick—my charming older brother—was surrounded by a gaggle of girls, showing off his ridiculous party tricks as always. I rolled my eyes, scratching my head with mock disappointment.

"Guess I was expecting something a bit more... exciting," I muttered, trying to hide my grin.

Leroy chuckled, leaning closer beside me. "Oh, trust me, your brother's an interesting species, but you know—" he paused for dramatic effect, "—he's not really my type." He winked, his voice laced with playful sarcasm.

I laughed, the sound catching me off guard. It felt good to relax, even just for a moment. Then, without thinking, I started to hum softly under my breath:

"Baby, I don't feel so good

Six words you never understood..."

Leroy's brow shot up, a bemused smile spreading across his face. "You sing that like you're living it, girl."

I shrugged, swaying slightly to the rhythm of the song now playing in my head. Before I knew it, Leroy's hands found their way to my hips, and we were slow-dancing, the party fading into the background. It wasn't serious—just one of those silly moments we shared—but it was effortless.

"I laugh alone like nothing's wrong

Four days have never felt so long..."

I looked up at him, grinning despite myself. It was rare to feel this light, this carefree. Leroy had a way of making everything feel like a joke, like nothing really mattered.

Our moment was interrupted when Joshua swaggered onto the balcony, grinning like the devil himself, a bottle of wine in one hand.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"What's this?" he teased, his voice sing-song. "A little romantic getaway?"

Leroy twirled me once before letting go, and soon enough, Joshua was between us, making the three of us a makeshift dancing trio. Joshua swayed his hips dramatically, Leroy started belting out lyrics, and I—well, I couldn't stop laughing.

"I just wanna make you feel okay

But all you do is look the other way..."

We danced like nobody was watching, like nothing outside this balcony existed. I felt Joshua's arm drape over my shoulder, and Leroy's arm wrapped around my waist. The music, the laughter—it all blended into this perfect moment of bliss.

I untangled myself for a second to grab the wine bottle Joshua had left on the table. Popping the cap, I took a long drink, feeling a little wilder, a little freer. Joshua grabbed it next, taking a swig, while Leroy dramatically crooned the next line of the song.

"Nine times you never made it there

I ate alone at 7, you were six minutes away..."

As the night swirled around us, I glanced at my two best friends, a soft warmth filling my chest. I wished, in that moment, that time could freeze, that we could stay like this—happy, together, untouched by the complications of life.

But reality has a funny way of creeping in when you least expect it.

"Where's the bathroom in this forsaken house?" I muttered to myself, slipping away from the chaos of the party. I weaved through the crowd, trying to ignore the blaring music and half-drunk classmates bumping into each other. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I ducked under the stairs to answer.

"Where are you?" Nick's voice came through, sounding impatient.

"I'm just around—"

"It's already two. Let's go home." His voice was sharp, no room for negotiation.

"Okay, I just need to find the bathroom and say bye to Josh and Leroy."

"Meet me by the bar," he grumbled, hanging up before I could respond.

I sighed and wandered back toward the living room, my eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of the elusive bathroom. Near the kitchen, I spotted a door and, without thinking, opened it.

"Oh!" I gasped, slamming it shut just as fast. Inside were two people—very much wrapped up in each other—and I was pretty sure they didn't even notice my intrusion.

"Okay, upstairs it is," I muttered, heat rising to my cheeks as I quickly headed for the stairs.

On my way up, I spotted Nick leaning against the bar, deep in conversation with a pretty girl I didn't recognize. She had long blonde hair and a killer smile. I raised an eyebrow—he wasn't usually one for casual flirting. Shaking my head, I moved on, more interested in my search for the bathroom than whatever he was up to.

Upstairs, there were four doors. My gut told me to pick the one in the corner. I turned the knob, and the door creaked open. But what I found wasn't a bathroom—it was a bedroom. A messy one. Light blue walls, pillows strewn about, and clothes scattered everywhere.

And then I saw it.

In the middle of the bed, a girl was straddling someone, her back to me. At first, I thought about bolting, pretending like I didn't see a thing. But then, I heard her voice—murmuring a name.

Jaimes.

I froze.

Could it be?

The guy beneath her started pushing her away, clearly trying to escape. When he finally broke free, I saw his face, and my stomach dropped.

It was Jaimes Sullivan.

His eyes locked on mine, wide with surprise—and something else I couldn't quite place. My heart pounded in my chest, and for a second, the world tilted.

"Well, this just got interesting," I whispered to myself, watching as Jaimes sat up, his expression a mix of shock and something dangerously close to panic.