𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑶𝑵𝑺 & 𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑼𝑷𝑺

𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑹𝑻𝒀 𝑬𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻; 𝑰 𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼, 𝑰𝑴 𝑺𝑶𝑹𝑹𝒀

Sloane stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom, adjusting the straps of her red bikini top. Her jean shorts hung low on her hips, unzipped the casual yet vibrant outfit looked great on her, It was their last full day in Miami, and all she could think about was Paige. Every second seemed to bring her back to the same thoughts—what were they doing? What was Paige thinking? Ever since Sloane rejected the girl's number yesterday, she was for sure: she was ready to be back with Paige.

Julia, the girl she had been invited to the party by, had been exchanged Instagram DM's  back and forth, finalizing details for today's pool party. It would've been easy to let things progress, but Sloane's mind had been stuck on Paige, and the thought of anyone else didn't sit right with her.
She had been hoping that maybe this trip to Miami would be the perfect time for her and Paige to get back together. After all, Paige had expressed so many times that she still wanted her. But she hadn't made any real, direct moves yet, and Sloane wasn't about to push—she just needed Paige to be the one to ask so she could be sure. Maybe today, their last day in Miami, would finally be the day.

Sloane's phone buzzed with a message. It was Nika asking if she and the others were ready. Yesterday, on the way back from the basketball court, Sloane, Nika, Caroline, and Ines had invited Paige, KK, and Aubrey to the pool party. They had agreed without hesitation, and now, all of them were getting ready.

She slipped on her shoes and grabbed her sunglasses, hoping tonight would be a party where she could have fun, a distraction, but underneath the carefree facade, she knew she was waiting—waiting for Paige to finally take the next step. She pushed the thought aside as she headed out to join the others.

The Uber ride to the party was filled with laughter and excitement. Two cars, splitting the group as they all intended to drink. Sloane looked out the window, the Miami skyline shimmering as the sun began to dip into the horizon. Her thoughts kept drifting to Paige, sitting in the other car. The idea that Paige might finally ask her to get back together tonight wouldn't leave her mind. She tried to calm herself down, but it was hard to ignore the knot of anticipation in her chest.

When they finally arrived, the house was massive, even bigger than Sloane had imagined. A sprawling mansion with a huge pool that glittered under the neon lights strung above it. Despite the draw of the water, there were still dozens of people packed inside the house. Music pulsed through the air, and the energy of the party hit them immediately. After a few rounds of mingling with the crowd, the group began to split up.

Naturally, Sloane found herself with Haven. The two of them drifted from one conversation to another, taking shots in between dancing and chatting with random people. Sloane felt herself loosen up as the alcohol began to kick in. Haven was having too much fun , slightly more drunk than Sloane, which was saying something. The girl could never hold her liquor well, but she was always the life of the party when tipsy.

"I need to pee," Haven slurred with a giggle, waving her hand dismissively when Sloane offered to go with her. "I'm good! I'll be right back, promise."

Sloane hesitated but eventually nodded, setting a mental reminder to check on Haven in five minutes. It had only been three before her gut told her to go find her friend. She didn't want Haven getting into trouble, especially not in a place this crowded where she didn't know anyone. After weaving her way through the crowd, she made her way upstairs, guessing that Haven had gone there in search of a bathroom.

She wandered down the long hallway, opening and closing random doors. Her ears perked up when she heard a voice behind one door, low and slurred. Haven had a habit of talking out loud to herself  when she was drunk—Sloane had long given up trying to figure out why.