A Heart's Disguise

Chapter 3

As the game went on, Olivia became acutely aware of how close John B was sitting. His arm was barely an inch away from hers, and every time he shifted, his hand brushed against hers. Each touch sent tiny shocks up her arm, and she struggled to focus on anything but the warmth radiating between them.

Deep down, a part of her wished she had kissed him during the dare, just to feel the connection they had from the night before. That kiss still lingered in her mind, a secret moment that had changed something between them, whether they admitted it or not.

Olivia's breath hitched as John B's fingers lightly grazed her hand again, this time lingering for a moment longer than before. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she glanced over at him, unable to stop herself. She wondered what was he thinking after everything that they are going through.

John B was already looking at her, his eyes filled with something that made her pulse quicken—a longing, a yearning that mirrored her own buried desires. His gaze was intense, and it felt like he was silently pleading with her to acknowledge what was between them. His lips parted slightly as if he wanted to say something, but the words never came.

Olivia's cheeks flushed crimson under the weight of his stare. Her mind raced with thoughts of that kiss, of how easily she could lean over and bridge the gap between them. But the room was full of their friends, and Sarah, her sister, was only a few feet away, laughing and oblivious to the silent tension building between them.

She quickly looked away, not wanting John B—or anyone else—to see the conflict written across her face. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus on the game as JJ cracked another joke and the group erupted into laughter again. But Olivia's mind wasn't in the game anymore. Her thoughts swirled around John B, around the electricity in the air that seemed to pulse every time they were near each other.

John B didn't move away. In fact, he shifted ever so slightly closer, as though testing how much distance he could close without anyone noticing. His hand brushed hers again, this time more deliberately, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

Without thinking, Olivia's fingers curled slightly, almost instinctively reaching out to him. But at the last moment, she pulled her hand back into her lap, her heart thudding so loudly she was sure he could hear it. She couldn't do this. Not here, not now. It was wrong, wasn't it?But then again, why did it feel so right?

She dared a quick glance in his direction again, and this time, his gaze was still fixed on her. There was no denying the look in his eyes—he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. The realization sent a thrill through her, but it also terrified her. How could they feel this way, with Sarah sitting so close, with everyone laughing as though nothing had changed?

Olivia bit her lip, struggling to keep her expression neutral as her mind raced. She had to get out of there before she did something she would regret. But she also couldn't deny that something about John B had changed since that kiss, and whatever it was, it wasn't going to be easy to ignore.

As the night wore on, Olivia tried her best to act normal, to avoid looking at John B or acknowledging the unspoken connection that buzzed between them. But no matter how much she tried to focus on the movie, on the jokes, on anything else, her thoughts kept drifting back to him, to the way his eyes had looked at her, filled with yearning.

She felt trapped between two worlds—the one where she was just Olivia, Sarah's twin sister, the girl who never stood out, and the one where she was the girl John B wanted, the girl who had shared something with him that neither of them could forget.

When the night finally began to wind down, Olivia stood up quickly, eager to escape the tension that had been building all evening. "I think I'll head to bed," she said, forcing a smile as she gathered the empty snack bowls. "It's getting late."

Sarah waved her off, too engrossed in a conversation with Pope to pay much attention. "Night, Liv!" she called out, not looking up.

John B watched her, his eyes lingering on her as she started toward the kitchen. She could feel his gaze on her back, and it took everything in her not to turn around, not to meet his eyes one last time before she left.

But just as she reached the doorway, she heard his voice, low and quiet. "Olivia."

She paused, her heart racing as she slowly turned to look at him. His expression was serious, his eyes searching hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The room seemed to fade away, and it was just the two of them standing on the edge of something neither of them knew how to navigate.

"I..." John B started, but then trailed off, his jaw tightening as if he couldn't find the right words.Olivia's breath caught in her throat. She could see it in his eyes—the same confusion, the same longing she felt. But she couldn't stay here, not tonight. If she did, she didn't trust herself to walk away again.

Without another word, she offered him a small, sad smile and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving John B behind with all the things they couldn't say.