Fake It Till We Make It

The Party Gambit

The Party Gambit

The music thumped through the walls of the packed house, vibrating under Alyssa's feet as she clutched her cup and glanced around the room. It had been Tyler's idea to come to this party, insisting it would be fun and that they needed a break from all the stress. Alyssa agreed, but she couldn't shake the unease creeping up her spine. Natalie was somewhere in the crowd, and that fact alone put her on edge.

Tyler, sensing her tension, squeezed her hand. "Relax, Aly. We're here to have a good time. Don't let Natalie ruin it."

Alyssa forced a smile, nodding as she leaned into him. "I know. I'm trying."

As they made their way deeper into the house, they spotted Jack and Emma by the makeshift bar in the kitchen. Jack waved them over, and Alyssa felt a bit of relief seeing their friends. If anything, at least she wasn't alone in this chaotic sea of people.

"Finally! The lovebirds have arrived," Jack teased, nudging Tyler with a grin.

Emma rolled her eyes, but her smile was warm. "You guys took your time. We were starting to think you weren't coming."

Alyssa shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Just fashionably late, I guess."

Before the conversation could continue, Natalie appeared, slipping into the kitchen as if she owned the place. Her presence was like a gust of cold wind, chilling Alyssa to the bone. Natalie's eyes swept over the group, lingering on Tyler before settling on Alyssa.

"Hey, guys!" Natalie greeted with a bright smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Glad you could make it."

Alyssa returned the smile, though hers was strained. Tyler, on the other hand, kept his expression neutral, acknowledging Natalie with a polite nod.

Natalie's gaze flickered to the red Solo cup in Alyssa's hand. "What are you drinking, Alyssa? Something strong, I hope."

Alyssa glanced down at her cup, filled with nothing more than soda. "Just Coke."

Natalie's eyebrow arched. "You're not drinking? It's a party, after all."

Before Alyssa could respond, Natalie clapped her hands, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. "Hey, I have an idea! How about a game? You know, to liven things up."

A few people murmured in agreement, and Natalie's smile widened. "Great! How about a classic—truth or dare?"

Alyssa's stomach dropped. She knew this wasn't going to end well.

Emma shot Alyssa a concerned look, but Natalie was already gathering people around, and it was too late to back out. They all found a spot in the living room, sitting in a loose circle. Alyssa ended up beside Tyler, with Natalie directly across from them.

The game started innocently enough—silly truths, harmless dares. But as it went on, the dares became more provocative, the truths more revealing. Alyssa's anxiety grew with each round, especially as Natalie seemed to be steering the game in a particular direction.

Finally, it was Natalie's turn to dare someone. Her eyes glinted with mischief as she looked at Tyler. "Tyler, I dare you to reenact the kiss scene from The Notebook."

Laughter rippled through the circle, and Alyssa felt her heart race. She knew Natalie was up to something.

Tyler chuckled awkwardly, shaking his head. "Come on, Natalie. That's a bit much, don't you think?"

Natalie leaned forward, her voice dripping with sweetness. "What's wrong, Tyler? Afraid to show a little romance?"

The group egged him on, and Alyssa felt trapped. Tyler was clearly uncomfortable, but the pressure was mounting. She could see the conflict in his eyes—he didn't want to upset Alyssa, but he also didn't want to seem like a bad sport.

Just as Tyler opened his mouth to respond, Alyssa stood up abruptly. "This is ridiculous. I'm out."

The room fell silent, the playful atmosphere evaporating in an instant. Alyssa's outburst hung in the air as she stormed out of the living room, her emotions boiling over. Tyler quickly scrambled to his feet, chasing after her.

"Alyssa, wait!" Tyler called, following her out of the house and onto the front lawn. The cool night air hit them, a stark contrast to the heated tension inside.

Alyssa spun around to face him, her eyes blazing. "Why didn't you just say no, Tyler? She's clearly trying to mess with us, and you're letting her!"

Tyler reached out, but Alyssa stepped back, her anger palpable. "Alyssa, I wasn't going to do it. I was trying to find a way out without making a scene."

"Well, too late for that," Alyssa snapped, her voice trembling with emotion. "You didn't have to humor her at all. You should have shut it down the moment she suggested it."

Tyler sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm sorry, Alyssa. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just didn't want to make things worse."

Alyssa shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's not just about the game, Tyler. It's about Natalie. She's been pushing our buttons for weeks, and you keep giving her the benefit of the doubt. Why?"

Tyler opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, Natalie appeared in the doorway, her expression unreadable. "Is everything okay out here?"

Alyssa shot her a glare, her voice cold. "This doesn't concern you, Natalie."

Natalie's lips curled into a smirk. "Well, it kind of does, doesn't it? I mean, Tyler's my friend too."

Alyssa's temper flared. "Friend? You've been nothing but a thorn in our side since day one. Just stay out of our relationship, Natalie."

Natalie's eyes narrowed, but before she could respond, Tyler finally spoke up. "Natalie, I think you should go back inside."

Natalie looked between them, her expression hardening. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you, Tyler. Sometimes, the truth hurts."

With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared back into the party. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving Alyssa and Tyler standing in tense silence.

Alyssa's shoulders slumped, the fight draining out of her. "I just can't take this anymore, Tyler. I don't know how much longer I can deal with her games."

Tyler stepped closer, gently cupping her face in his hands. "I'm sorry, Alyssa. I should have handled it better. I promise, I'm done letting her get to us. She's not going to come between us, okay?"

Alyssa searched his eyes, wanting to believe him. Slowly, she nodded, leaning into his touch. "Okay."

Tyler pulled her into a tight embrace, and for a moment, the world faded away. But even as she held onto him, Alyssa couldn't shake the feeling that things were far from over.

Inside the house, Jack and Emma watched from the window, concern etched on their faces. Jack sighed, shaking his head. "This is getting out of hand."

Emma nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "I know. I just hope they can get through this. I hate seeing them like this."

Jack glanced at her, his expression softening. "We'll help them through it. We're a team, remember?"

Emma managed a small smile. "Yeah, we are."

As they turned away from the window, the tension inside the house remained, a silent reminder that the night's events were far from resolved.