Intoxicating

Kiss Me, Try To Fix It

The bass from the speakers thumped through the walls of the basement, making the room feel alive with a pulse of its own. The low lighting mixed with the scent of cheap beer and cigarettes gave the space a hazy, almost surreal quality.

Troy and Blake were laughing about something, their voices carrying over the music. Colby sat across from me, a half-empty beer bottle in his hand. He looked relaxed, leaning back on the couch, but I wasn't buying it.

I kept my eyes on him the whole night, watching every subtle movement, every glance he threw my way. He'd laugh at something Blake said, but I saw the flicker of tension in his jaw when he thought no one was looking. He felt it too-this unspoken tension between us.

I leaned back in my chair, swirling the beer bottle in my hand, my gaze steady on him.

"Crazy game earlier," Troy said, "Timmy was on fire."

Blake grinned. "State champs, baby. Feels good, huh?"

I smirked and raised my bottle. "Yeah, it does."

Colby lifted his bottle too, giving me a small nod. "Hell of a shot you made in the last quarter," he said, his tone almost too casual.

I tilted my head, studying him. "Appreciate it."

The room fell into a lull for a moment, the music filling the silence. Troy broke it with a laugh. "Man, remember us hanging out sophomore year? Those were some wild times."

I caught the brief shift in Colby's expression, the way his eyes darted to me before quickly looking away. He knew where this was headed, even if Troy didn't mean anything by it.

"Wild times," I echoed, my voice calm, measured. I took a sip of my beer, never breaking eye contact with him. "Crazy how things change."

Colby tensed, just barely, but enough for me to notice.

"Yeah, well," he said, forcing a shrug. "People grow up, move on."

"Some people don't," I said, my tone sharper now. The room went quiet, the air thick with something unspoken.

Blake shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, I'm gonna grab another drink." He stood, dragging Troy with him. "Come on, dude."

Troy looked between me and Colby, then nodded and followed Blake upstairs, leaving us alone.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, my gaze locked on him.

"You think you know me, huh?" I asked, my voice low but cutting through the music.

Colby didn't flinch, but I saw the flicker of unease in his eyes. "I know enough."

I let out a humorless laugh, shaking my head. "You don't know shit, Colby."

His jaw tightened, and he set his beer down on the table. "I know you've been playing Leia for years. I know what kind of guy you really are."

That hit a nerve, but I didn't let it show. Instead, I leaned back, smirking. "And what kind of guy is that, huh?"

He stood, his voice rising. "The kind of guy who pretends to care, but really just wants to control her. You don't love her. You just want to win."

I stood too, my temper flaring. "You think you're some saint, Colby? You treated her like shit, and now you want to act like the hero? Spare me."

He took a step closer, his fists clenched at his sides. "At least I didn't ruin her life."

That was it. The calm facade I'd been holding onto shattered. I stepped forward, my voice dropping to a dangerous level. "You don't know what you're talking about."