Julie grimaced. “Dude why?”

She was over at my place for the first time in weeks. Both of us had come straight from school this Friday and collapsed on the couch the second the door opened. Phew. High school was exhausting.

I shrugged. “Because he’s my boyfriend,”

She sat up a little and glared at me. “He’s your fake boyfriend!”

I smirked. “Come on, let’s just go. We can stand in the corner and make fun of the teenage boys trying to dance. It’ll be great fun.”

Charlie was playing video games on the floor in front of us and he turned to grin at me at the mention of Theo...

“Can your boyfriend come over to play again, Ravina?” He asked.

I nodded. “Soon, tonight we’re going to a party.”

He frowned, “Can I come?”

Julie smiled. “I’m not even sure I want to go Charlie,” she shook her head.

He pouted and turned back around, blowing up another bad guy on his iPad.

I decided it was time to give Julie my please face…

She seemed to know it was coming and she put her hand up.

“Fine, we can go.”

“Thank you,” I grinned.

After recovering from Friday, Jules and I spent about an hour or so rummaging through my closet for something to wear to this thing. She decided to just put my old jean jacket over her clothes, and I tucked my white long-sleeve into a black skirt. We were set. Theo had wanted to come get us but I told him that we’d walk since James’ house was closer to mine anyway, as it turned out.

Julie gripped my hand as we approached it. You wouldn’t really be able to tell that there was a party going on inside, except for the slight thump of music as we got closer.

“Do we knock?” Julie giggled.

I smiled “Nah let’s break in.”

I went up the steps and was about to push the door open, when it opened by itself.

We both jumped away-

“Hey, Lee.” I blinked, recognizing Theo’s other best friend.

He looked different. I wasn’t sure if it was that he’d done something to his light blond hair, or the fact that he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

“Come in Dobs,” he grinned, opening the door wider.

He was holding a red solo cup and I almost rolled my eyes at the cliche. Oh boy, welcome to the tenth circle of Hell…

“Lee, where are your clothes?” I asked him as we stepped inside.

Julie heard me and smacked me discreetly.

“Rav!” She hissed.

Lee just shrugged, “To be honest I think they’re in the downstairs closet.”

I smirked…

The party was pretty packed. Music blared through some obnoxious combination of smart-speakers and iPod jacks. The lights were dimmed, but some idiot had turned on a strobe light that made me want to stab my eyeballs out with a fork. Jeez. Seizure warning.

Julie held tightly onto me and we kinda just fell back into the corner near the door.

“We’re so awkward!” She laughed nervously into my ear.

I smiled back. “Yes we are.”

The Middle by Zedd started playing and I heard a few people shout for it. It was then I finally saw Theo.

So pull me closer

Why don't you pull me close

Why don't you come on over

I can't just let you go

He spotted me.

My heart leapt into my throat as he immediately started walking towards us, and then I think I actually backed up into Julie when I noticed the black t-shirt and tight jeans he was wearing. Theo’s arms were usually hidden, but wow. I wouldn’t say he was crazy masculine, maybe the word I would choose is graceful. Graceful and tall-

Julie hit me away when I accidentally stepped on her toes…

Then he was in front of us.

Baby, why don't you just meet me in the middle

I'm losing my mind just a little

So why don't you just meet me in the middle

Theo grinned and I felt my heart race like a chain reaction.

“Ravina,” he said loudly over the music. “You look gorgeous.”

I smiled back.

This was our first time being… together in a socially public place, and there were several of our classmates at the party. In fact I’m pretty sure I just saw Cindy Mathias from global geography checking out Theo’s butt.

“You look… different.” I said to him, measuring my words carefully.

He frowned, but it was playful and enticing. Then suddenly he was stepping closer to take my hand.

I cursed myself for blushing-

“I hope you mean that in a good way.”

I couldn’t deny the effect he had on me. Yeah, it’s a good way Theo.

“Mmhmm…” I nodded.

Behind me Julie coughed. “Um Rav, I’m gonna go chat with Cindy.”

Cindy with the hard-on for my boyfriend Cindy? Fake boyfriend… I had to remind myself.

“Really? Okay, you sure? I thought we were being awkward together,”

Julie raised an eyebrow and gave Theo a strange look that I couldn’t quite place, then she smiled at me once more and walked away.

Theo sighed, then went to stand next to me so that he could put his arm around my shoulder as he often did.

I laughed. “You look happy. Oh hey, I have a question.”

Theo glanced down. He was really handsome in this kind of light.

“Why is your friend naked?” I asked.

Theo looked through the crowd for a second and then rolled his eyes.

“You mean Lee? I think I saw him go into a closet with Nicki earlier,” he shrugged.

“Science class Nicki? Wow, good for him.” I replied genuinely.

Nicki was super nice. She was freaking gorgeous too…

Theo grimaced. “Not really. She smelled like way too many kinds of flowers.”

I paused. “How’d you know?”

“She was dancing with me earlier.”

My mind spun with that information.

Danced? He dances. With her? Why with her-

Theo could dance? And that girl was so close to him that he could smell her perfume while they were dancing?

Then I remembered that Theo wasn’t actually mine, so of course he was going to dance with a pretty girl. He probably even enjoyed it too, except how she smelled apparently…

Theo squeezed my shoulder. “Hey, where’d your mind go?”

I shook my head quickly to dispel images of him with Nicki. Nope. Not a big deal and heckin’ not my problem.

Theo narrowed his eyes suddenly. “Are you jealous, Ravina?”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I started jabbering-

“What? No! I’m not, of course I’m not jealous! Are you crazy? Why would I be jealous, you can do whatever you want with whoever you want I’m not jealous.”

Theo stared at me. I sighed. Shit. Jealousy is not attractive, and neither is spewing sentences like I’m proving I’ve read the dictionary…

The song changed and I almost groaned because Ed Sheeran is way overplayed these days, okay? I’m sorry, fight me!

Girl, you know I want your love

Your love was handmade for somebody like me

Come on now, follow my lead

I may be crazy, don't mind me

Theo was still staring at me.

“Please always be jealous Ravina,” he mumbled. “It’s fucking hot.”

My heart skipped like 20 beats. I’m pretty sure I’m dead now. Yep I’ve died, death has occurred.

“Um-” I tried to reply, but suddenly all the people here and the music and the seizure lights didn’t matter at all, because Theo’s eyes were doing that thing again. Deep, dark. Want.

“Theo,” I blinked as his arm went from my shoulder to my waist.

He wasn’t listening, he just started pulling me through the crowd and into an empty hallway that the party hadn’t touched.

It was dark except for an ugly lamp on a coffee-table. It was flickering, making shadows appear and disappear just like my remaining common sense.

“What are you-” I began again, but then Theo placed his hands on my shoulders.

He had to lean down in order to whisper directly in my ear and my heart began hammering as if he’d suddenly restarted it.

“Just give me five minutes.” He said softly.

The music was further away, but I could still hear it…

Say, boy, let's not talk too much

Grab on my waist and put that body on me

Come on now, follow my lead

Come, come on now, follow my lead

I had no idea what Theo meant when he said he didn’t like song lyrics. What the hell was wrong with him-

He was tucking my hair behind my ear and I couldn’t stop the shiver that passed through me when he touched me, because his fingers were cold on my skin.

“Just…” I bit my lip, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to stop or keep going.

The Game was making me calculate all the advantages and all the possible dangers of going through with this. Damn!

“Five minutes,” he repeated, voice laced with something that made me blush.

Oh, for crying out loud. I might as well just award him 1,000 points right now. He’s winning. Because I want him.

Screw using this as an advantage in our game, I was taking a different kind of advantage altogether.

I swallowed. “Only five?”

Theo’s dark expression turned bright in a flash and he grinned. God he’s cute-

“If you don’t want this, tell me to stop,” he said softly.

I said nothing.

Theo slowly pressed me against the wall and stared down at me with eyes that resembled the depths of the night sky. Black and endless and beautiful.

“Don’t you dare stop.” I managed to whisper.

My face warmed as I realised that’s what he was waiting for. Theo would never touch me without asking first, and that turned me on just as much as his gaze did.

He kissed my forehead ever-so-softly and I closed my eyes. I didn’t think it was possible, but he stepped even closer and I wanted to grab onto him. By some miracle my hands stayed by my sides.

Calm down, I warned myself. But it was impossible.

Theo lowered his lips to mine, and then the memory of kissing him suffocated me until I was almost positive I’d never been kissed so passionately before.

His hot breath on my face, hands on the back of my neck. I couldn’t hold on to rational thought. There was no way to protect a portion of my soul, keep a part of me away from him and safe.

No, when he was like this with me, I was entirely his. And I liked it more than I would ever admit. Obviously…

I'm in love with the shape of you

We push and pull like a magnet do

Although my heart is falling too

I'm in love with your body

Frick. I reached up and slid a hand behind his neck, then into his hair. When he pulled at my lips, my fingers pulled too. Was it just me or were fireworks going off?

Theo exhaled my name…

I put my other hand tentatively on his shoulder, smiling again when I felt him smile.

“I want to say that I like you, but I don’t know if I should.” He whispered quickly against my lips.

Crap, was he talking about The Game? Because that wasn’t allowed…

I wanted to say something about it, but no, I should let this one go. He deserved a free pass, this time for how good he just made me feel.

“Theo,” I blinked.

My mind felt absolutely numb. My body, electric. As if I’d been struck by lightning-

“Has it been five minutes already?” Theo grinned, nudging my nose with his playfully.

My heart somersaulted in my chest and I blushed.

“Don’t do that,” I scolded him.

I finally peeled my eyes open to see him staring down at me.

“Do what?”

I swallowed. “Don’t be…”

I wanted to say; don’t be like this, don’t be yourself, because I’m not sure my heart can take it. And don’t talk about The Game.

Instead I whispered, “Don’t be silly. You don’t like me.”

Theo’s eyes darkened again. He looked like he was about to protest, so I shut him up by kissing him again. When I finally pulled away we were both breathing hard and I was laughing slightly at how nuts we were.

“We should-” he started, smiling shyly and pointing back at the party.

I blushed, “Yeah we should.”

We meshed back into the main room as we heard everyone start screaming the lyrics to Back to You.

“I wanna hold you when I'm not supposed to, when I'm lying close to someone else! You’re stuck in my head and I can't get you out of it! If I could do it all again, I know I'd go back to you!”

Theo looked down at me and his eyes softened as he smiled.

“Those are called lyrics!” I shouted over the music.

He glared at me, but it was teasing and adorable.

I laughed and grabbed his arm, leaning into him. He hugged me and I closed my eyes for a second, enjoying how nice it was to be here with somebody like this.

“Yo! It’s Ravina Dobs,” I heard a familiar voice say.

James stumbled toward us from the crowd and punched Theo in the shoulder before turning to me.

“Yo.” I said back, nodding.

Theo stifled a grin.

James looked from me to Theo, and then back again…

“Marriage suits you Tae.” James said.

“Huh?” I blinked.

Theo just blushed. “He means you.”

“I know he means me,” I shook my head. “You didn’t tell me what your real name was.”

“Taeyin, just so you know.” James smirked at his friend even though he was talking to me.

Theo glared at him.

“It’s cute.” I reassured him.

“Rav!” I heard Julie exclaim.

She ran up to us and reached out to me, but then saw me wrapped up in Theo’s arms. Her eyes went sharp again-

“Julie hey, this is-” I started to introduce everyone.

She smiled curtly.

“I need to talk to you Rav,” she said.

“Okay,” I turned to James. “One second.”

I glanced up at Theo, expecting a quick see you later. Suddenly, he leaned down and kissed me on the lips in front of everyone.

It didn’t piss me off as much as I thought it would, being put on show like that. I actually decided I liked it. It would certainly deter any Cindys from hitting on him while I was gone for a minute.

I pulled away and winked at him, “I’ll be right back.”

Julie grabbed me and we shuffled off to the back corner near a table of snacks. Nice. A room full of hungry teenagers and no one was eating. Did someone say body anxiety?

“What’s up Jules?”

She stared at me.

“What the hell are you thinking?!” She cried, hitting me.

“Ow!”

“You kissed him in front of everybody!”

“He’s my boyfriend.”

Julie glared angrily. Oh yeah…

“It’s just a game,” I smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I think I’m winning.”

She scoffed. “No, I’m pretty sure he is.”

“What?”

She paused and crossed her arms…

“Did you sleep with him?”

I gagged. “Ugh! Dude no!”

Julie didn’t blink. “What if he wants to? What if it’s just a game?”

“I’m worried about you Ravina,” she said. “This isn’t like you. And from what I can tell, you aren’t getting him to love you. You’re just a cold shower to him.”

I wanted to tell her how wrong she was. But was she? Theo wasn’t… was he? No way, I mean-

“Just be careful Rav,” Julie sighed, holding onto me tightly. “I couldn’t live with myself if he does something to you and I could have stopped it.”

I shook my head. “Theo’s a bit intense, but it’s all part of The Game. He’d never hurt me.”

Julie nodded, “Alright.”

I smiled. “Can I introduce you to James now?”

Julie blushed bright red. “I know James…” she whispered.

I laughed. “You do?”

“Well I know of him.”

“Do you like him?”

“Have you seen him?”

“I only have eyes for one man,” I teased her.

Julie rolled her eyes. “Whatever,”

We laughed and she let me take her back to the guys. They were laughing about something too, and when they saw us Theo grinned at me.

“What are you giggling about?”

He blushed.

“Well guys, this is Julie.” I said.

“Nice to meet you again, sorry I bumped into you that day.” Theo said to her.

But Julie was staring at Theo’s friend…

“I’m James,” he said to her.

She nodded, her eyes wide.

Please don’t say “I know” please just say your name…

“Julie.” She smiled at him.

I sighed internally. Crisis averted.

Theo reached for me but I caught him first, folding myself under his arm again. He pulled me close and I caught Julie giving both of us that look.

I knew she was just worried about me, but she didn’t need to be. I could take care of myself. Besides, Theo was a good person.

“What’s her deal?” He whispered in my ear.

I smiled. “She’s worried you’ll hurt me or something.”

“You don’t think I will?” Theo kissed me on the cheek.

No, I don’t.

I shook my head, staring up at him. “I trust you, Theodore.”

I watched him blush. “Good,” he said.

And I believed him.

Score, Ravina: 1 Theo: 1

(I’m evening the scores. We both won that round)