𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐩𝐬 ✓

16

After my success at the volleyball tryout, I feel tired but I agree to go out. Faye and I drive back to the apartment to get ready for the party. I shower the sand off of my body happily and ignore the red scratches and raw skin from diving in the sand. Picking out clothes, I decide to go with something more casual after prancing around in my volleyball outfit; I put on a cropped baby blue crew neck and a pair of ripped jeans paired with my favorite sneakers.

Faye, of course, goes for the new flashy red dress that she bought the other day. She pairs it with heels so tall she's almost my height. We look like quite the pair, but I don't want to draw attention like we did last time, being so overdressed.

I drive us over to the soccer house and it's easy to see that the party is already in full swing. People are everywhere holding red cups and dancing around the yard. We walk to the kitchen to get ourselves some drinks and Faye is already receiving some appreciative stares. I pass on a drink, not wanting to make it a habit and Faye grabs herself a cooler.

Leaning against the counter to scan the party, I spot Maddox and a short blonde grinding on the "dance floor" and send him a smile when he makes eye contact. A hand taps my shoulder and I spin around to see blue eyes paired with curly brown hair instead of the green eyes and blond hair that I was looking forward to seeing.

"Callum! Hi!" I smile at him, wiping the disappointment off of my face.

"Lexi, I'm glad I ran into you here. I don't know anyone."

"I basically live here at this point." I laugh. "What about you?"

"My dad has a shop in town. I'm planning on coming to school here next year" I look over at him and focus on the part of his sentence where he tells me that he doesn't go to school here yet. I realize now, that he does in fact look a bit younger.

"Well I'll be here next year too, so you'll know someone," I say with a big smile, continuing to chat with Callum until blond hair in my peripheral catches my eye.

"Lexi? You good?" Callum questions and I snap back to him realizing that I wasn't paying attention.

"Yes, sorry about that. I'll be right back." I rush out, stumbling a bit. I look down at my hand and notice that while we've been chatting in the kitchen I must have picked up a drink to keep my fidgeting hands busy.

Glancing around the packed floor, I don't see who I'm looking for so I decide to look for Faye instead. She's easy to spot in her red dress and I walk over to where she's talking to some girls. Sitting on Faye's lap, she introduces me to them but I don't remember their names because I'm so distracted. "These are some of the other girls from the squad." She tells me and a few of them glare at me unabashedly.

Maybe they saw me with Chase's jersey at the game. I nod my head, pretending to listen when I spot Callum talking to Maddox, the two of them in the kitchen. Chase is playing beer pong against Reece while Luke watches. Waving goodbye, I stand up and strut past Chase. My hips sway while I walk and I dont spare him a glance and walk up to Maddox and Callum.

"Next game, partners?" I put my hand on Maddox's arm and look up at him through my eyelashes. Maddox, knowing exactly what I'm doing, looks over at Chase, back at me, and smirks.

"Sounds like a plan," He says. I drag the two of them over to the tables with no resistance and we wait for the game to be over. I stand right in Chase's line of sight. He ends up winning, and since we're now playing with partners, Luke goes over to play on his team and Maddox and I stand opposite them.

They dap-up and smile at us.

"Game on," Chase says and just as he is about to take the first shot, I fan my face a bit for flair and lift my crewneck over my head. Underneath, I'm wearing a tiny, cropped, black tank top with the thinnest straps known to man. The fabric is thick enough that I didn't need to wear a bra underneath. I'm all skin.

Chase's green eyes widen as he takes the shot, but to my dismay he still manages to make it in the cup. Maddox looks over at me and shrugs like he was expecting it. His eyes drag over my body too but it doesn't make me feel uncomfortable.

When I was here earlier, Maddox confronted me about my teasing of Chase. He was being protective and told me that I should stop, and I know that he was only acting in everyone's best interests. Maddox and I get along really well because we're not into each other and I'm not afraid of him. His appearance is extremely intimidating but I know he's a good guy by the way he looks out for his friends. The only problem is that I can't seem to leave Chase alone. No matter how much I try to resist the pull between us, he comes back into the equation either by my doing or his own. I can't stop calling his bluff and he can't stop calling mine.

There's nobody like your first. Or so they say. I wouldn't know, but I'd be willing to bet that it's true.

I smirk and pick up the ball from the cup of water, before taking a sip of my own drink, all the while making eye contact with Chase. I know my little game is working because of how dark his eyes get while watching me.

Lining up the ball, I let it go and it lands in the cup easily. Chase drinks his beer and I watch as his throat moves with each gulp and his jaw clenches deliciously. The game continues on until Chase and Luke eventually win, leaving Maddox and me to be the tipsy losers of the game. Well, just me. Apparently Maddox can hold his alcohol really well. It probably has something to do with the fifty pounds that he has on me.

Before I have the chance to wander off, I hear a silky smooth voice with that sexy as fuck accent. "Good game." I turn around and smile at Chase, ignoring him and walking back over to Maddox. Grabbing his hand, I lead him to the dance floor, laughing and swaying my hips, watching Maddox dance surprisingly well. He's smooth and confident. We do this for a while until I feel a burning gaze on my back.

Turning my head to the side, I lock onto Chase's eyes from where he is leaning against the far wall watching me. A girl walks up to him and engages him in conversation as Maddox grabs my hips and starts moving me. Chase's attention is gone and I can't help but feel disappointed. Trying to enjoy the moment, I laugh and cheer Maddox on as he dances skillfully. He tries to get me to dance and I fail until he lets me stand on his shoes.

Chase leads the girl over to the dance floor, grabs her hips, and I watch as they press against each other tightly. His movements are so fluid and practiced, and I can't help but remember how it felt to have him doing that to me.

He continues dancing even when he meets my gaze, and I realize what this is. What Chase is doing. He's challenging me.