7. Compelling (Lexi POV)

The knot of conflicting emotions I'd been nursing since my date with Luke tightened as I slipped into my party outfit. Moro, my ever-loyal confidante, caught my gaze in the mirror.

"Spill it, Lexi. You've been brooding since you returned from your date with Luke. Was it that bad?"

I grimaced. "No, that's the thing. It wasn't bad, it was actually...nice. But something's bugging me, gnawing at me from the inside. I can't shake the feeling that I should keep my distance, but simultaneously, there's this magnetic pull."

Moro shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "Girl, you're a mess of contradictions. But you know, sometimes our instincts pick up on things our conscious minds can't. Maybe you should listen to your gut."

"You're probably right," I sighed, "but for now, let's just focus on tonight."

The party was in full swing when we arrived—cups overflowing, music pounding, bodies moving in a chaotic dance of youthful recklessness. It was a place to forget, and forgetting was what I