One night, while our moms went out, we decided to invite all our friends over. The house quickly filled with laughter, the clinking of bottles, and the buzz of excitement. Jenna suggested we play spin the bottle, and soon we were all gathered in a circle.
The game went on, and everyone seemed to be having fun. But then, Jenna, who was clearly very drunk, leaned over to me and slurred, "You know, all night, Avery's been pretending to take shots with Eve, but she's really just been drinking juice."
My heart sank. I looked around, suddenly frantic. I couldn't see Avery or Eve anywhere. Panic rising, I searched the house, pushing through the crowd of people. Finally, I rushed up to my room and saw something that made my blood boil: Avery holding Eve down on the bed, kissing her neck.
"AVERY, WHAT THE FUCK? OUT OF ALL PEOPLE, I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD DO SOME SHIT LIKE THIS!" I screamed, running up to Avery and shoving her off of Eve. I didn't hesitate—I punched Avery in the face.
The memories of the night at the beach house flooded back, and I started bawling my eyes out. I had promised myself I would never let Eve out of my sight again, and yet here she was, hurt because of me.
As I chased Avery down the stairs, I yelled, "AVERY GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW."
Eve stumbled down the stairs behind me, grabbing my chin gently. "Hey, Izzy, look at me. I'm okay. Please don't cry."
I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "No, you're always getting hurt because of me. Come on, let's go." I carried her back up the stairs and set her down on my bed.
Eve started to caress my arm, sending shivers through my body. She sipped the tears from my face, as I locked eyes with her. "You know, you're so hot when you're mad," she said, her voice a seductive whisper, trying to cheer me up.
"Oh, really?" I replied, feeling a mix of emotions swirl inside me.
"Yeah," she said, her eyes locking onto mine. She leaned in, her lips brushing against mine, and we kissed. It was intense and filled with a desperate kind of need. She reached down to take off her shirt, but I stopped her.
"Eve, as much as I want to, we can't do this because you're drunk, and I'm not going to take advantage of you like that," I said firmly, though my heart ached with the desire to continue.
Eve, looking heartbroken, tried to get up, but I gently held her back. "No, you're not leaving me again. Something bad always happens. Hey, listen to me. I know I said we can't do anything, but that doesn't mean we can't cuddle, okay?" I said trying to distract her from leaving.
She looked at me with a mix of relief and longing. "Okay," she whispered.
We lay down together, and I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against mine. Eve nestled closer, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on my skin, sending sparks of electricity through me.
"You know, you're the only person who makes me feel safe," she murmured, her breath warm against my neck.
"And you're the only person who makes me feel alive," I replied, kissing her forehead.
As we lay there the tension of the night slowly melting away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of security like all of my problems disappeared. The room was quiet except for the sound of our breathing, and the dim light cast soft shadows on the walls. I held her close, never wanting to let go. Her touch was gentle, almost hesitant, as if she was afraid to break the fragile peace we had found. After a while, she shifted slightly, propping herself up on one elbow to look at me. Her eyes were filled with an intensity I had never seen before, a mixture of vulnerability and determination. "Izzy," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "there's something I need to tell you."
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for her to continue. She took a deep breath, her gaze never leaving mine. "I know this might not be the best time, especially after everything that's happened tonight, but I can't hold it in any longer. Izzy, I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for a while now. Every time we're together, I feel this incredible connection, this undeniable pull. You make me feel safe, understood, and so incredibly alive. I know we've already kissed and shared some amazing moments, but I need you to know that it's more than just attraction for me. It's love. And I know it's a lot to take in right now, especially after what just happened with Avery, but I can't keep hiding how I feel. I love you, Izzy, with everything I have."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with emotion. I could see the fear in her eyes, the fear of the timing being wrong, of overwhelming me in the midst of the chaos. But I also saw hope, a hope that maybe, just maybe, I felt the same way. My throat tightened, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I reached up, cupping her face in my hands, and whispered back, "Eve, I love you too. More than you can imagine. Your timing might be a little crazy, but it's perfect because it's real."
In that moment, everything else faded away, and all that mattered was us, together, in love, no longer hiding from the truth of our feelings.
