TOUCH .

let the game begin

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Maya's POV ✨

The car ride was quiet, except for the bass-heavy music blasting from Gabby’s speakers. Kate and Gabby were laughing about something up front, passing the champagne bottle back and forth like it was just another Friday night. Meanwhile, Alice and I sat stiffly in the back, staring at anything but each other.

I could feel her presence beside me—way too close in this cramped space. The scent of her perfume, soft and familiar, made my stomach twist. She hadn't changed it. That only made it worse.

I kept my gaze locked on the flashing city lights outside the window, pretending I wasn’t hyper-aware of how close her knee was to mine.

"So," Kate suddenly turned in her seat, her eyes sharp despite her slight buzz, "what’s the deal with you two?"

Gabby hummed in agreement, adjusting the mirror to glance at us. "Yeah, the tension is thick back there. Y'all fuck before or something?"

Alice let out a sharp breath, and I clenched my jaw.

"We met at a concert," I muttered, emphasizing the word.

Alice shifted uncomfortably, her fingers tapping against her thigh. "Yeah. That’s it."

Kate and Gabby exchanged glances. They weren’t buying it.

"Uh-huh," Kate smirked. "We’ll circle back to that later."

Gabby pulled up to a massive house, music already booming from inside. The place was packed—cars lined up down the street, groups of people spilling onto the lawn, drunk and laughing. It was the party of the weekend.

Kate hopped out first, grabbing my hand as if she sensed I needed the distraction. "Come on, babe, let’s get you a drink before you start overthinking."

I let her drag me inside, weaving through the crowd. Gabby and Alice followed close behind, but I didn’t look back.

Inside, the party was insane. Neon lights flashed in every direction, people danced like they were in a music video, and the air smelled like alcohol, sweat, and expensive perfume.

Kate led me straight to the bar. "Two shots of tequila," she told the bartender, then turned to me with a knowing look. "Drink. Now."

I rolled my eyes but knocked back the shot. The burn was immediate, but it was better than thinking.

"That’s my girl," Kate grinned, handing me another.

I was halfway through my third when I felt her again. Alice. Watching me.

I turned my head slightly, catching her staring from across the room. She was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed, lips pressed together like she was debating whether to come over.

Kate followed my gaze and groaned. "Girl, if you don’t settle whatever the hell that is, I swear I’m gonna start asking questions you don’t wanna answer."

I huffed. "There’s nothing to settle."

"Then why does she look like she either wants to kiss you or kill you?"

I downed another shot. "Guess we’ll find out."

And with that, I grabbed my drink and walked straight toward Alice.

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t move as I stopped in front of her.

"You wanna talk, or are we just gonna keep making it awkward?" I asked, my voice steady despite the alcohol buzzing in my veins.