Queen Trisha & The Tour

Chapter Three

Nora stared at herself in the mirror and barely recognized the girl looking back.

Trisha had gone full stylist mode the moment Nora stepped out of the bathroom. Tight-fitting jeans that hugged every curve just right. A sleeveless black crop top that revealed a hint of skin around her waist. A touch of gloss on her lips that made them shine softly under the room’s warm light. And her curls—God, her curls looked like a hair commercial. Trisha had defined every strand until they fell in soft, bouncy waves down her shoulders.

For once, Nora didn’t look like the shy art student who blended into the background. She looked… bold. Alive. Like someone who belonged in a world she usually avoided.

“I look like trouble,” Nora muttered under her breath, tugging at the hem of her top.

“You look like fire,” Trisha corrected without missing a beat. “Now let’s go set that party on fire.”

Nora didn’t argue, but her stomach twisted. She wasn’t the partying type. Loud music, sweaty bodies, too many eyes, it wasn’t her scene. But Trisha had insisted with that dramatic flair only she could pull off.

“If you don’t live a little, you’ll forget what life tastes like,” she’d told her earlier.

And maybe… maybe Nora needed that. A reminder that she wasn’t trapped in her old story anymore. A reminder that she could be seen not for rumors, not for mistakes, but for who she actually was.

So she followed Trisha out the door.

The party was already in full swing when they arrived.

Lights flashed in neon blues and reds, bouncing off the walls and washing the room in shifting colors. Music thumped hard enough to vibrate through the floorboards. Bodies moved together like the beat controlled their limbs dancing, laughing, shouting over the rhythm. The air smelled like perfume, sweat, and spiked fruit punch.

Trisha disappeared within seconds, swallowed by a group of friends who screamed her name like she was royalty.

That left Nora standing near the drink table, a cup of soda in her hand, pretending she wasn’t scanning the room for a certain person.

But then she found him.

Jaden.

Leaning casually against a wall in a dark red tee and ripped jeans, his curls slightly damp around his forehead. A gold chain rested against his collarbone, catching the light each time he moved. He looked relaxed. Confident. Entirely unbothered by the chaos around him.

And then… his eyes found hers.

He didn’t look away.

He didn’t blink.

He smiled.

Nora’s heart lunged in her chest, and she instantly looked away, pretending to be extremely interested in the ice bucket beside her. Her pulse hammered at her ribs like it wanted to escape.

“You’re glowing, babe,” Trisha’s voice whispered beside her suddenly.

Nora jumped. “I am not.”

“You are,” Trisha insisted, sipping from her own cup. “And guess what? They’re about to start ‘Truth or Dare: Savage Edition.’ You have to play.”

Nora raised a brow. “Absolutely not.”

Trisha smirked like she had already won. “Oh, come on. You already got noticed. Might as well enjoy the attention.”

Before Nora could protest, someone shouted from across the room:

“New girl! Come on!”

The crowd parted, forming a circle in the center of the room. The floor lights dimmed slightly, giving the space an intimate glow. Nora swallowed hard, looking around for an escape route.

Too late.

People were cheering, clapping, calling her in. And then she saw Jaden already seated in the circle, his long legs stretched out, one arm draped over his knee. He was watching her. Again.

Heat rushed up her neck.

She stepped forward.

A guy in a beanie spun the bottle in the middle of the circle. It whirled fast, the room watching with anticipation. Nora held her breath.

It slowed.

Slowed.

Stopped.

Pointing directly at her.

Cheers exploded around her.

“Truth or dare?” someone called loudly, grinning wickedly.

Nora felt her palms sweat. “Truth.”

A girl leaned forward with a smirk sharp enough to cut glass. “Are you a virgin?”

The air froze.

Nora’s body tensed. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. She could feel eyes on her—hundreds, it seemed—waiting.

She lifted her chin.

“Yes,” she said firmly.

A few people snickered. Others raised brows. Someone whispered, “Cute.” Someone else said, “Didn’t expect that.”

But before she could breathe again, another voice cut through the noise.

“Now she has to do a dare too. That’s the rule if you say yes.”

A red cup was shoved into her hand. The liquid inside sloshed.

“Drink it. One shot.”

She sniffed it. Her nose scrunched immediately. Alcohol. Strong.

“I don’t drink,” she said, stepping back.

“Then kiss someone here,” someone yelled. “It’s a game, babe!”

The crowd began chanting, stomping the floor in rhythm.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

Her vision wavered from the pressure. She looked for Trisha but couldn’t find her in the mess of bodies and pounding music.

And then…

Jaden stood.

The crowd’s cheers dimmed into a low buzz. Everything seemed to stretch, slow down.

He walked toward her steady, confident, eyes locked on hers like nothing else in the room mattered.

He stopped inches from her, his height forcing her to tilt her head slightly.

“If you want,” he said softly, voice deep enough to vibrate through her chest, “I’ll do it.”

Her breath caught.

This wasn’t part of the game anymore.

Not for her.

His hand lifted slowly, giving her every chance to move away. She didn’t.

He leaned in.

And when their lips met…

It was nothing like she expected.

Soft.

Warm.

Unrushed.

The room fell away. The music muted. The lights blurred. All she felt was the gentle pressure of his mouth against hers, the warmth of his fingers brushing her waist. The kiss deepened for the briefest second, and her whole body lit up with a strange, terrifying, beautiful electricity.

When he finally pulled back, the room erupted in screams and cheers.

But Nora didn’t hear any of it.

All she could feel was the lingering heat of his lips and the way he was looking at her afterward…

Like she was a puzzle he suddenly wanted, needed to solve.