𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭

forty one

Delphine

The music pulsed through the house, the kind of bass-heavy beat you could feel in your chest, and I wondered why I let Eliza drag me to these things. The air was thick with laughter, shouts, and the low murmur of people's conversations overlapping. Normally, I'd be the one leaning against the wall, sipping on water, keeping a careful watch on everything and everyone.

But tonight felt different.

Maybe it was the way the room seemed to glow under the neon lights, or how Eliza had pressed a drink into my hand before I'd even had a chance to protest. I'd watched the amber liquid swirl around the cup, trying to resist the impulse, the rules I usually kept for myself. But tonight... tonight I wanted to forget. Just for a moment.

So I took a sip. Then another. I didn't let myself think about the consequences or the number of calories. I just let the warmth spread through me, easing away the edges of my ever-present caution.

I was leaning against the kitchen counter, feeling a bit looser than usual, my cheeks warm, my mind a little hazy. Eliza had disappeared somewhere into the crowd with a laugh and a wink, leaving me to my own devices.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him. Kaiden.

He was across the room, talking to some guys, his hands tucked in his pockets. There was something about the way he stood, that casual confidence, the way his head tilted slightly as he listened. My stomach did a weird little flip, and I blamed the alcohol, brushing it off as nothing.

But he must have felt me watching because his eyes met mine. He held my gaze, a small, curious smile tugging at his lips. I looked away, trying to pretend like I hadn't just been caught staring, but it was too late. He'd noticed.

He walked over, and I felt my heart pick up speed, that same strange warmth blooming in my chest.

"You look like you're actually enjoying yourself," he said, leaning against the counter beside me. He eyed the drink in my hand, raising an eyebrow. "Breaking the rules tonight?"

I shrugged, giving him a smile that felt a bit too big, a bit too loose. "Just... living a little."

He chuckled, looking down, and for a second, I let myself really look at him. The sharp lines of his jaw, the way his dark hair fell just so. Everything about him seemed effortless. I couldn't remember the last time I'd let myself feel this relaxed around someone.

One song blurred into the next, and we ended up talking about nothing in particular—random jokes, mutual complaints about classes, stupid campus gossip. But I found myself laughing, really laughing, and it felt like I hadn't done that in forever.

Somehow, without even realizing it, the space between us started shrinking. He leaned in, his hand brushing against mine on the counter, and I didn't pull away. I just looked up at him, the alcohol softening the edges of my usual reserve, my usual distance.

His gaze dropped to my lips, and for a second, everything else faded away. The people, the music, the clinking of glasses—it all melted into the background. All I could focus on was him, the heat radiating from his body, the way his eyes held mine.

Before I even knew what I was doing, I closed the distance between us. His lips were warm, softer than I'd expected, and he tasted faintly of whatever he'd been drinking. He responded instantly, his hand moving to the small of my back, pulling me closer.

Time seemed to stretch and fold around us, everything narrowing to just this moment. It was like stepping off a ledge, letting myself freefall for the first time in years. His fingers curled around my waist, his touch grounding me, and I let myself lean into him, the last bits of my hesitation slipping away.

We broke apart, and he looked down at me, a mix of surprise and something else in his expression.

"Guess you're really living tonight," he murmured, his voice low and a little rough.

I laughed, feeling slightly breathless, slightly dizzy. "Yeah. I guess I am."

But even as we stood there, caught in the heat of the moment, a part of me wondered what I'd just started.