Maybe

Chapter 26 Did I see that coming?

_Janice_

I was dancing with Ralph, enjoying the rhythm of the music, when I noticed Nina seated with Jake across the room, deeply engrossed in conversation. I didn't interrupt; their interaction seemed private.

After a while, I felt someone gently tugging at me, pulling me out of the lively crowd. At first, I resisted, trying to maintain my place until I realized it was Jake.

"Jake?" I exclaimed, surprised by his unexpected gesture.

He remained silent, but his demeanor conveyed a palpable sense of unease and sadness.In the dimly lit club, amidst the pulsating music and swirling lights, he leaned in towards me, his breath warm against my ear as he murmured, "Can't you for once stay away from other men?"

I turned to meet his gaze, the atmosphere charged with a mix of playful teasing and underlying tension. A smile tugged at my lips as I retorted, "Why? Are you jealous?"

His nod was barely perceptible in the rhythmic haze of the club. With a sudden surge of boldness, he pulled me closer, his hand gently guiding the small of my back, and then, in a moment that seemed to freeze time around us, he pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was electric, a silent confession of emotions that had simmered beneath the surface for far too long. but sadly the kiss didn't last long.

"What's your problem?" I demanded, irritation evident in my voice the moment I realized he was pulling me into a dimly lit alley. After a struggle, I managed to wrench my hand free, which only seemed to enrage him further. Without hesitation, he shoved me against the nearby wall. In the darkness, his eyes gleamed faintly under the glow of a distant store light. His anger was palpable, but so was his undeniable allure. Unable to meet his intense gaze, I looked down nervously.

He moved closer, his voice low and charged with emotion as he whispered, "Was it fun?"

"What do you mean? What kind of fun?" I retorted, confused and on edge.

"Is it enjoyable to stick with someone else while you have a boyfriend?" he accused bitterly.

How disappointing, I thought, feeling a mix of frustration and regret in the tense silence that followed.

"I wasn't just standing around; I was dancing," I explained with a hint of frustration in my voice.

 "Just dancing, you know? It's nice if you're okay with dancing with others—"

"Are you really overreacting about this?" I interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm always overreacting; you're the calm one," he replied with a sigh, a touch of remorse in his tone.

"You don't have to apologize," he reassured me gently. "You were just dancing with your childhood friends while some guys nearby were eyeing you. You have every right to enjoy your freedom, don't you?"

The tension in the air dissipated slightly.

"You'll never see how those men view girls. Probably, you shouldn't ever see," he muttered with intense frustration etched across his face. 

he angrily ran his hand through his hair, emphasizing his intense expression. Despite his anger, he looked strikingly attractive. Why is it that men appear so seductive even when they're furious? I couldn't help but bite my lower lip, trying to compose myself. His attention was focused on the people exiting the store in the opposite direction, ensuring that any men from the club who had been eyeing me or checking me out weren't nearby. I doubted he had noticed my gaze fixed on him yet.

Goddammit, Janice control.

I glared down at the ground, seething with frustration at my own actions. First, I had ignored him, trying to provoke a hint of jealousy. But had I gone too far? When I finally glanced up, I caught him staring at me, a mixture of confusion and amusement playing across his handsome face. His lips curled into a smirk that I found irresistibly attractive. Leaning closer, he rested his hand against the wall next to me.