Worth The Wait

𝟑𝟑|𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓

𝐋𝐔𝐂IE 𝐁𝐀𝐒I𝐋𝐋E

The music pulses through the air, the rhythm of the bass vibrating beneath my feet as I step onto the dance floor. I hadn't expected to find myself here tonight at some loud, crowded club with a bunch of teammates but here I am, and of all people, I'm standing next to River.

Kolton and Sophia are a few steps ahead, already lost in the music, but River and I stand just on the edge, awkwardly watching the crowd move. We both know why we're here. It's not because we want to be, it's because we have to. A team event. A chance to blow off steam before the final stretch of training before the Olympics. No big deal, right?

Except it feels like a bigger deal than it should.

River shifts beside me, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his eyes scanning the dancers. I can feel the tension in the air, thick and noticeable, like something heavy just waiting to tip over.

"You know, this wasn't exactly how I imagined spending the night," I say, trying to break the ice. He turns to face me, his expression unreadable, but the corner of his mouth twitches.

"I don't think anyone imagined it like this," he replies with a smirk, looking over at the sea of flashing lights and bodies swaying to the beat.

I laugh, the sound coming out lighter than I feel. "Yeah, well, I think we're the only ones who didn't get the memo that it was a party, not a workout session."

He chuckles, his gaze meeting mine for a brief second, and something shifts in me. There's this energy between us, something I can't quite pinpoint but that makes my heart skip a beat. We're no longer just competitors, not just teammates. Something more is starting to grow between us, something neither of us is brave enough to name yet.

Before I can even process it, River steps closer, his hand brushing mine by accident. He doesn't pull away, and neither do I. It's like some invisible line that neither of us dares cross, but suddenly, we're teetering on the edge of it.

"You wanna dance?" River asks, his voice a little rougher than usual, like he's suddenly unsure of how to act around me.

I hesitate, the pulse of the music matching the quick rhythm of my heart. "What, with you?" I tease, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugs, his usual cocky grin flickering for a moment. "Don't look like you have any better options."

For a second, I consider saying no, pretending I'm not tempted by the way he's looking at me. But I can't lie to myself. A part of me wants this. A part of me wants to close that distance between us, wants to feel the heat of his presence like I've never allowed myself to before. So I nod, my lips curving into a small smile.

"Fine, but don't expect me to go easy on you."

He holds out his hand, a challenge gleaming in his eyes. "Wouldn't dream of it."

We move to the dance floor, and something in the way our bodies align feels almost too natural. We fall into sync with the beat, the crowded space around us fading away as if it's just the two of us. His hand finds my waist, and I don't pull away. We're closer than we've ever been before, the space between us no longer full of rivalry or resentment, but something else—something deeper.

The world spins, but it's not the music making me dizzy. It's him.

We joke back and forth, a playful tension weaving between us. River spins me once, his grip firm but gentle, like he's holding onto something he doesn't want to let go of. I can't help but laugh, the sound echoing in his ear. It feels too easy, too comfortable. And maybe that's the problem.