When Gabby and David return with drinks, I forget all about Giselle and Mallory.
Before I can think too much, I just reach over, grab the nearest cup, and drink.
Instant mistake.
The burn hits like I swallowed a match. I cough hard, doubling over as the taste explodes across my tongue.
"Whoa—what's in this?" I gasp.
James's eyes go huge.
He reaches for the cup like he can somehow undo it. "Oh my god. You can't drink that. That's David's. There's alcohol in it. Like… a lot."
"I'm sorry," I say quickly, wiping my mouth, still coughing.
James shakes his head but doesn't argue. "Just… go slow, alright?"
David smiles. "First night out?"
"Yeah," I admit, looking around. The music, the lights, the people—it all feels so intense.
The song changes, and Gabby gets up and grabs my hand. "Come on! Let's dance."
"No. No. No," I protest.
"Come on," she insists.
James smirks. "Be careful. Gabby's a… unique dancer."
"Shut up. You're not helping," Gabby shoots back.
I refuse to get up, until I notice Peter a few yards away, laughing with Mallory. Something in me snaps.
I want to dance. I want to feel alive.
I take a deep breath, march over to Gabby, and grab her hand. She pulls me onto the dance floor.
And wow. I haven't had this much fun in forever. Gabby isn't terrible—she just moves in her own wild, chaotic way.
James joins us, surprisingly steady, keeping up with us as if he's done this a hundred times.
He twirls and spins us with an ease that makes me laugh, and suddenly, I'm light, unbothered, like the world and all its problems have melted away.
Then, out of nowhere, someone bumps into me, and I stumble.
"Are you okay?" Gabby asks, steadying me.
"I'm fine," I say, though my heart is racing.
I glance up. Giselle is standing there, pretending it was an accident, with Mallory close behind and Peter holding her hand.
I lose it. I push Giselle hard. "You—"
Before I can finish, James steps in front of me.
Richard moves toward him, shirt in hand, but David places a firm hand on his arm.
Tall, broad, serious—David doesn't even flinch.
Peter tries to intervene. "Richard, let him go," he says, but his gaze flicks from David to me, silently warning him.
Richard backs off, glaring at David but keeping his distance. An older guy steps forward, hands raised.
"Is everything okay here?" he asks.
Gabby nods. "Yes."
"Good," the man says firmly. "One more incident like that, and you're out."
James leans toward me. "We should leave."
"No," I say, shaking my head. "We are not leaving. I am not letting them ruin our night."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. And now that we're here… let's keep dancing."
David steps aside, red-faced, retreating to the table. But James, Gabby, and I take the floor.
I won't let Peter see me weak again. I'm not a victim—not tonight.
With James and Gabby around me, I feel unstoppable.
I laugh, they laugh, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I belong.
I feel alive. I feel like I could do this forever.
***
JAE
I was supposed to give her back her coin purse.
Somehow, that turned into following her home. Then my sister, Jessica, needed me, so I had to bail.
When I got back, she was leaving with her friends. And now—yeah—I followed her to a bar.
Officially a stalker.
Fuck it.
I lean against the counter, scanning the room. She's a few tables away, sitting with a guy I know.
David. Well-behaved, good grades, decent-looking.
I met him back in private school. Is she… dating him? I don't know, but for some reason, it pisses me off.
She looks different tonight. Tighter clothes, hair done up. She looks… good.
Too good for the douchebags around her. I can't look away.
Then she notices me. Her eyes widen for a second. She quickly turns her head, pretending she didn't see me. Again.
I should just go over, hand her purse, and stop looking like a creep.
I'm about to stand up, but Giselle appears beside me.
Of course.
"Hey, Jae. Fancy seeing you here. Want to join us?" She gestures toward her table of friends.
"No thanks," I say, eyes snapping back to Laura. The skinny friend of hers—Jake, I think—and some other girl join her.
David is talking, and they all glance my way.
Shit. I need to go over. Now.
Giselle is still yammering, but I ignore her and march straight to Laura's table.
Behave, Jae. Behave.
***
LAURA
As soon as we get back to the table, my lungs forget how to work.
David notices immediately. His gaze flicks between me and the group across the room—Giselle's pack.
"Who are they?" he asks, gentle but already sensing something's wrong.
"Just some idiots from our school," James says, brushing it off.
Maybe it's the shots talking, but suddenly I'm done pretending.
I turn to David. "See those two girls? They hate me. Like… sport-level hate. And whenever they get the chance to show it, they go for gold."
I point discreetly. "That guy in the blue polo is Peter. I've had a crush on him since I was twelve."
I don't take my eyes off their table.
"The blonde wrapped around him like she's auditioning for a perfume ad—that's his girlfriend.
The other two are her loyal flying monkeys.
They'd probably iron her socks if she told them to. Honestly, they're just waiting for Giselle to bless one of them with a kiss."
Gaby and David both stare at me, unsure what to say.
"I'm sorry, Laura," Gaby murmurs.
"It's fine," I say. "I'm used to it. But tonight? I'm kind of done being bullied out of my own life. I'm not running— not even from Peter."
"I seriously underestimated that crazy girl," James mutters.
The mood dips. So I jump in. "I'm thirsty. Aren't you guys thirsty?"
"I'll go," James says, standing. Gaby follows him.
I'm left with David.
I glance back at Peter's table, and relief finally starts loosening my shoulders—until I catch someone else watching me.
Jae.
Sitting alone at the bar. Eyes locked on me like he's been waiting.
I whip around so fast I nearly knock over my chair.
Crap. He's here.
Crap. Why does this keep happening?
"Jae?" David says.
I jolt, thinking I said his name out loud—but no. David's looking past me.
"You know him?" I demand.
"Yeah. Haven't seen him in forever," he says casually.
"How do you know him?" I can't hide the way my voice betrays me.
"We went to the same private school."
My eyebrows shoot up.
"Seriously?"
"Yep. Until he got expelled last year."
I blink. Hard.
James and Gaby return in time to hear me ask, "Expelled? Why?"
"Who got expelled?" James asks.
"Jae," I say. "David knows him."
"How?" James asks.
"Private school," David repeats, clearly wishing the floor would swallow him.
"And he got kicked out for what?" James presses.
David hesitates. "He was caught with weed."
My chest tightens.
James whistles under his breath.
"And that's not even the worst part," David adds quietly.
"A month ago, one of his friends was found unconscious down by the pier. Huge deal. Some girl said Jae was the last person with him."
James and I speak at the same time.
"Wait—what?"
"You're saying he… hurt him?" I ask.
David shrugs helplessly. "No one actually saw anything. He wasn't charged. But the guy's still in a coma."
My stomach twists.
Violence? Drugs?
Is that why he beat those guys yesterday so easily?
I look back at the bar.
Giselle is already draping herself over him like she's claiming territory.
But Jae isn't even looking at her.
He's looking at us.
At me.
He stands, brushes past Giselle without even noticing her, and walks toward our table.
Oh no.
James sees him approaching and gives me a look: What did you do?
Jae stops right in front of us.
"I know you," he says. His voice is calm. "David, right?"
David nods, startled. "Yeah. Hey. How've you been, man?"
"All good," Jae says. "Mind if I join you?"
David looks at me, clearly hoping I'll say no.
"Why not?" I hear myself say like an idiot.
James shoots me a seriously? face.
I grab David's glass and chug it, hoping it'll do something—anything—to make my hands stop shaking.
My throat burns, the music pounds like it's trying to punch my ears, and I'm almost certain everyone's staring, like I just set my dignity on fire.
Not that I care… okay, maybe a little.
And yeah, everyone is staring. Including Jae.
"You've gotta stop doing that," James mutters.
Gabby jumps in first. "Hi! I'm Gabby."
James follows, introducing himself.
Then Jae's eyes land on me.
"Laura," he says. "I know."
My heart drops straight into my stomach and I can't tell if I want to run… or figure him out.
Oh boy.