Forever Chasing

Chapter 6: Possesive much

The beat pulsed through the crowded house, vibrating the floor beneath Harper's feet as she made her way to the kitchen with Noah. She could still feel the burn of Connor's teasing gaze on her back, his smug victory smirk permanently etched in her mind. As Noah handed her a cup, she shook her head, trying to push thoughts of him away.

"That game was intense," Noah said, taking a swig from his drink. "You two nearly burned the place down with all that bickering."

Harper rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. "Connor has a way of getting under my skin. Always has."

Noah raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but that tension? It's something else. You sure it's all just rivalry, Harp?"

Harper froze for a split second, the question catching her off guard. "Of course," she said quickly, taking a sip of her drink to mask her unease. "What else would it be?"

Noah gave her a knowing look, but before he could press further, Ella appeared, pulling Harper away with a bright grin.

"Come on! We're going to dance!" Ella said, grabbing her hand and tugging her toward the makeshift dancefloor in the center of the room, where a crowd was already moving to the rhythm.

Harper glanced back at Noah, who gave her a playful salute. "Go tear it up. I'll watch from the sidelines."

With Ella pulling her along, Harper found herself swept into the middle of the crowd. The music was loud, the bass thrumming in her chest, and she could feel the energy of the room vibrate with excitement. Ella was already swaying to the beat, laughing as she tossed her hair and spun in a carefree circle.

Harper let the music take over, the tension from earlier fading as she danced with Ella and a few other girls from their friend group. She lost herself in the moment, laughing, swaying her hips to the beat, and spinning in time with her friends. They formed a little circle, cheering each other on as they moved with the music.

"You're killing it, Harp!" Ella shouted over the music, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

Harper grinned, letting herself go. The lights overhead flashed, the music growing louder, and for a few minutes, she forgot all about Connor, about their constant bickering, and about the strange tension that had simmered between them all night. Here, on the dance floor, she was just Harper—laughing, dancing, and letting loose.

Across the room, Connor stood with James, nursing a drink as his eyes tracked Harper on the dance floor. She looked different when she wasn't arguing with him—relaxed, carefree, and annoyingly captivating. Every time she spun or laughed with her friends, Connor found himself watching her, more intently than he'd like to admit.

"You're staring," James commented, smirking as he took a swig of his drink.

Connor tore his eyes away, scowling. "No, I'm not."

James chuckled. "Sure, man. Whatever you say."

Connor glanced back at the dance floor, watching Harper move. She was wearing that short black dress, the one that hugged her figure in all the right places, and he couldn't stop noticing how effortlessly she seemed to draw people in. He clenched his jaw, feeling an unfamiliar twinge of something he didn't want to name.

Maybe it was the way her eyes lit up when she laughed with Ella. Or maybe it was how the other guys at the party were starting to notice her too, their gazes lingering just a little too long for Connor's liking.

As if reading his mind, James nudged him. "You're gonna do something about it or just keep brooding?"

"I'm not brooding," Connor snapped, though even he could hear the irritation in his voice. "And there's nothing to do. It's Harper. We argue. That's it."