The car ride home was a blur of red lights, loud music, and anger pressed tight behind my ribs.I shouldn't have been driving, I knew it. But logic had left me hours ago, somewhere between the velvet ropes and the look on Helen’s face when she saw me. That kiss. That moment. It was seared into my skull like a scar that had just been made. I couldn’t see straight, but my hands gripped the wheel hard enough to crack bones. I was breathing hard, jaw clenched, the engine roaring beneath me as I swerved through the city like I was trying to outrun what I saw.It didn’t work.Nothing could outrun that image.The roads blurred. I missed my exit twice. I cursed at the GPS like it was the enemy. Every red light felt like an attack. Every car in front of me was in my way. At some point, I screamed in the car—loud, guttural, raw—just to feel something other than this pressure in my chest.When I finally pulled into my driveway, I slammed the brakes so hard, the tires screeched. The gate had
I didn’t even turn on the lights. I just sat on the couch in the dark, knees pulled to my chest, staring into nothing. It was quiet. The kind of quiet that feels unnatural—like the walls themselves are holding their breath. The almost quiet hum of the fridge. The occasional creak of the building settling. The tick of the clock.Time moved.But I didn’t.My phone buzzed once.I turned it to see Jace’s name flashing across the screen.“Are you okay?” He texted. I locked the screen without responding. I wasn’t okay. Not in any way that mattered. And the only person I wanted to talk to was the one who had walked out of that club like I didn’t exist anymore.I knew what he saw.He saw me kissing another man. In public. In that dress. In that glow. In a place we never liked going to.God. I hadn’t even realized we were walking into the same club until I was already inside. The irony hit later—once the damage was done.I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.And suddenly I was back there
The moment his face flickered through the crowd, something inside me snapped—like a wine glass tipped off a table. Silent at first. Then shattering.It couldn’t be.But it was him. Ashton.He was standing there, just past the velvet ropes, past the glow and haze of the VVIP lounge. Half-shadowed by the dim lighting, half-exposed by the fury in his eyes. I wasn’t even sure when he got here. But he was. And I knew that look.I knew it better than anyone ever could.That was the look he wore when he lost his Dad. When we fought in the rain. When I told him I needed space and didn’t say how long. It was a look that meant something inside him had broken open.And he was watching me.Me.Laughing.And kissing Jace.God. That kiss.We hadn’t planned it. Jace leaned in at the exact moment I was turning toward him. It was more of a reflex than romance. And yes, maybe we’d been talking a little too close all night. But I wasn’t thinking about kisses or Ashton or anything at that moment.And t
Dan was still talking. Something about work, or his new place, or the girl he walked in with—I wasn't really paying attention anymore. My thoughts were somewhere else, drowning in the rhythm of the bass and the weight in my chest. The water helped, sure, but not enough. Not enough to numb the ache or erase the image of Helen in the crowd. Or someone who looked just like her. Or maybe it really was her.I didn’t know anymore.But then I heard it.A voice.Her voice.Clear as day. Smooth. Familiar. Effortless.Laughter. Just a little.Like wind chimes I hadn’t heard in years.I froze. My glass slipped slightly from my hand, and I straightened like someone had hit a nerve."Wait."Dan looked up. "What?"I blinked and turned toward the direction the sound had come from."I just heard her voice," I said. Louder than I meant to. "I swear to God I just heard Helen."Dan winced, clearly not ready to go down that road again. "Come on, man, we just talked about this. Could've been anyone. Mu
"I'm out of here," I muttered under my breath, slipping off the barstool like it had suddenly turned into hot coal. The ice in my glass had melted, the whiskey watered down, and so was my will to stay in this damn club.The music was still blasting, loud, thumping, chaotic. Bodies still moved like they were possessed by the beat. But all I could think about was her.Helen.God. I didn’t even know if it was really her I saw. Could’ve been someone who just looked like her. But something about the posture, the hair, the way she shifted closer to that guy — yeah, that did it. It dug into me like a hook, pulling something raw to the surface. I couldn’t breathe in here anymore. I couldn't think.So I headed toward the exit, the heavy bass pounding in my skull like a second heartbeat. My steps weren’t exactly steady — the whiskey I’d had earlier was starting to turn on me, mixing with the ache in my chest. I pushed through the crowd, ignoring the flashes of smiles, the perfume trails, the
"You okay?"Jace’s voice pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts once again. His hand was still gently wrapped around mine, warm and steady, like a tether keeping me grounded.I nodded quickly, too quickly, and added a small laugh that even I didn’t believe. "Yeah. I’m good. Just... got lost in my head for a second."His brows furrowed slightly as he studied my face, searching for the truth behind my shaky smile. "You sure? I’m picking up on something. If you’re not cool being here, we can leave. I won’t take it personally."I looked at him, hesitated for a second, then sighed like I was reluctantly letting a secret slip."It’s not you," I said, voice softer now. "It’s this place."He tilted his head. "What about it?"I hesitated, then leaned in slightly, like I didn’t want anyone else to hear the lie I was about to sell."Years ago, I came here with a few friends," I began. I lowered my eyes just enough to add some tension to my tone. "There was this guy—some random dude who bought me