Star-Crossed ✔️

13

- 13 -

I was drunk.

Don't ask me how it happened. One second, I saw a couple girls hitting on Noah, and the next, I was downing shots at the bar.

Maybe I was jealous. It was stupid of me, I know, for many reasons. For one, getting jealous over something I'd never have for myself was pointless. I was well aware of that. For two, Noah was gay. But the way his cheeks turned red and he almost appeared to flirt back—I had to second guess. And for three, getting drunk as a form of revenge was incredibly stupid and selfish when accompanied by a newly sober friend.

"Russo," I blurted over the music. He turned to me and raised his eyebrows. We were both sweating from the sheer amount of bodies that surrounded us at all times. It dampened the hair that fell over his forehead and made a few curls stick to his skin. "I may have . . . drank a lot."

"That's really great, Theo," he laughed. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Are you good?"

"Oh, I'm good," I said. "I'm really, really good."

He snorted and didn't move to shrug off my arm. I wondered if he liked it. If he liked me. "Do you want me to get you some water?" he asked, his face so close to mine. I could feel his breath on my cheek with every word.

"Nooo," I said and jumped to my feet. "Maybe we should dance."

Noah shook his head. "You go ahead!"

I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest. The sofa we were sitting on was occupied by girls on either end. If anything, I didn't want to leave him alone with them. Club girls were like vultures, sinking their claws into the easiest looking meat in the room. I'd know—I volunteered to be the meat on more than one occasion.

"Come on," I demanded.

"Do I look like someone who dances?" he yelled, gesturing towards his body. I'd sure like to find out.

"Yes. Yes, you do," I slurred matter-of-factly. "Come on. Let's go. Now. Move, move, move, move—"

"Okay, Jesus, fine," he laughed. Noah stood up and joined me by my side. We joined the bodies on the dance floor and started moving to the music. I had no idea if anybody here knew who we were, but I didn't give a shit. Noah leaned towards me and yelled, "It's so hot!"

I nodded wildly and grinned, reaching towards his chest. He was wearing a collared V-neck, so I unbuttoned a few off the top so his chest could feel some air. Noah's lips parted in surprise and he stared at me, still moving with the music.

We maintained that eye contact. Even when some girls from the couch followed us to the dance floor and tried grinding on the both of us. Even when the song switched to an electronic rendition of one of the radio hits. Even when I yelled in his ear that I had to take a piss and he followed me for the sake of not losing me in the crowd.

In the bathroom, it was quieter but not really. I peed, breaking the seal, and stumbled to the sink to fix my hair.

Noah lingered nearby with his phone in his hand. I wondered if he was texting Jax. It was only eleven PM in California, so surely he'd be awake to take Noah's texts at this hour. I ran my fingers through my hair silently, trying not to think about that. And failed.

"I'm thinking about heading back to the hotel," I said, regaining Noah's attention. "But only if you want to, too."

"I'm ready whenever," he said, almost seeming too eager to get out of here. I glanced back down at his exposed chest, the dark hair peeking out past his unbuttoned shirt, and bit my lip. "Want me to call the car?"