Chapter 13 CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 13
YAEL
I swear, if I’d known half the university would be there, I would’ve stayed in bed.
But here I was—walking through the crowd with Maya, Jordan, and Liam—everyone’s eyes turning as if the music dimmed the second we stepped in.
The boys literally paved way for us. It was like the Red Sea parting.
Maya grinned. “Oh my God, this is what I live for.”
I rolled my eyes. “You live for attention, that’s what you mean.”
Jordan nudged me, smirking. “You say that like you’re not loving it too.”
“I’m not,” I muttered, but my heart was thumping from the bass and the way lights spilled over everyone’s faces.
Liam kept close to Jordan, eyes darting around protectively, and I caught that tiny smile she threw him. Damn. Something was brewing there.
Then I froze.
Because across the crowd—leaning lazily against the wall, drink in hand—was him.
Knox.
His gaze found me in seconds.
It was instant—like gravity snapping tight. His expression flickered from shock to disbelief, then something darker. His jaw flexed.
I huffed and looked away, pretending to fix my hair. “Can we find somewhere to sit?”
Maya followed my line of sight and grinned like a devil. “Girl, he’s staring holes through your dress.”
“Then he can keep staring,” I said, grabbing a cup from the table. “Because I’m not giving him the satisfaction.”
Jordan laughed. “He looks like he just saw a ghost that turned into a goddess.”
I shot her a look. “Jordan, please.”
We squeezed through the crowd until we found an empty couch in the corner. Music thumped. Lights flickered. People were screaming, dancing, kissing. Typical chaos.
Liam brought drinks. “Here. Don’t die.”
Maya took hers like a shot. “Too late.”
She slammed the cup down and yelled over the music, “I love this school!”
I rolled my eyes. “You said that yesterday when the cafeteria gave free fries.”
Jordan laughed, sipping hers slower. “That was a religious experience, though.”
We all burst out laughing.
Minutes turned into hours. One drink became three. Three became I-lost-count.
Maya was practically on the couch arm, screaming lyrics to a song she didn’t even know.
I wasn’t drunk, just... light. Unanchored. Like the world had blurred just enough to make things tolerable.
Jordan was beside me, cross-legged, phone light hitting her cheekbones just right. She looked effortlessly cool.
And then Maya leaned toward her.
“You know,” she slurred, eyes narrowed, “you’re really hot.”
Jordan blinked, amused. “Thank you, drunk woman.”
“I’m serious,” Maya said, finger poking her arm. “Like, unfairly hot. Like, you should come with a warning label.”
Liam choked on his drink. “Oh, here we go.”
Jordan tilted her head. “And what would the warning label say?”
“Danger. Might make straight girls question everything.”
I almost spat my drink. “Maya!”
Jordan laughed, full and rich. “Wow, that’s a new one.”
Maya leaned closer, eyes glinting. “I wanna kiss you.”
The table went silent. Even Liam blinked, stunned.
Jordan raised an eyebrow. “You want to?”
Maya nodded eagerly. “Like, just once. You know, science.”
Jordan smirked. “Science, huh?”
“Yeah. Hypothesis—your lips look soft.”
“Oh my God,” I muttered, covering my face. “Please, no.”
Jordan leaned forward, grin wicked. “Alright then.”
Before I could blink, Jordan reached for the shot glass beside her, took a sip, and leaned toward Maya.
Maya gasped—but Jordan kissed her. Quick. Smooth. Playful.
Then—of course—Maya pulled Jordan by the shirt and deepened it, drinking the shot straight from her mouth.
Everyone around us howled. Someone whistled.
I sat frozen. “Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my—”
Liam covered his mouth, laughing so hard he nearly fell. “They actually—holy crap!”
When they finally pulled apart, Maya’s lipstick was smudged and Jordan was grinning.
“That,” Jordan said, voice calm, “was for science.”
Maya blinked, dazed. “I need to major in that.”
We burst into laughter. I couldn’t breathe.
“Maya,” I said, between giggles, “you’re insane.”
“Maybe,” she said, flopping against me, “but now I can die happy.”
Jordan leaned back, unbothered. “I think I just became the most talked-about person on campus.”
Liam chuckled. “You already were. That just sealed it.”
I looked around, realizing people were still staring. Phones were probably out. Knox was still across the room, arms crossed, eyes on me.
I sighed. “Great. Now the entire university will think our friend group is some chaotic rom-com.”
Jordan smirked. “Wouldn’t be the worst label.”
“I beg to differ,” I said, downing my drink.
Maya suddenly grabbed my arm. “Yael, dance with me!”
“I don’t dance,” I said immediately.
She pouted. “You say that like I asked you to commit a crime.”
“Dancing is a crime when it involves me,” I muttered.
Jordan stood too. “Come on, princess. It’ll be fun.”
“Don’t call me that,” I said quickly.
Her brow arched. “Touchy?”
I looked away. “Just don’t.”
They dragged me anyway.
The crowd swallowed us up—lights flashing red and gold and blue, bass heavy enough to shake bones.
We danced. We screamed. We lived a little.
Maya spun around, hair flying, Jordan laughing. Liam joined in, and for a second—just one—I forgot everything else.
I forgot the jealousy clawing at my ribs earlier.
I forgot Knox’s glare.
I forgot the whispers, the trauma, the everything.
It was just us.
Until I looked up again.
And saw him.
Knox hadn’t moved. Still watching. Still unreadable.
And next to him—the same cheerleader from earlier, clinging to his arm, whispering something in his ear.
My chest burned.
God, I hated that it burned.
Jordan noticed. “Ignore him.”
“I’m not looking,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Sure,” she said, clearly not believing me.
Maya looped her arm around me, grin sloppy. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I forced a smile. “Perfectly fine.”
Lie. Big one.
Jordan studied me, eyes narrowing slightly. “He’s your headache, huh?”
“What?”
“Knox,” she said simply.
I froze. “I don’t—”
“It’s written all over your face, Yael.”
I scoffed. “It’s not—”
“Relax,” she said, lifting her hands in surrender. “Not judging. Just saying—he’s watching you like he wants to burn the world for breathing the same air as you.”
My stomach flipped. “I don’t care.”
“Of course you don’t,” she said, smirking. “That’s why your pulse is sprinting.”
I gave her my deadliest glare. “Jordan, please.”
She laughed softly. “Alright, princess. Your secret’s safe.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling.
By the end of the night, the music was dying, and the crowd was thinning.
Maya was asleep on the couch, half-hugging an empty popcorn bucket. Liam was outside calling a cab.
Jordan stood beside me, arms crossed. “You did good, Yael. You survived a party.”
“Barely.”
“You should be proud.”
“I’ll add it to my résumé,” I said dryly.
She smiled, and it was warm. “You’re funny when you’re not pretending you’re fine.”
That one hit a little too close.
I looked away, muttering, “You don’t know me yet.”
She shrugged. “Guess I’ll learn.”
I smiled faintly. “You’re not bad yourself, Jordan.”
Liam returned, stretching. “Cab’s here.”
Jordan helped Maya up. Maya mumbled something about wanting another drink.
As we walked out, the night air hit my skin—cool and sharp. I took a deep breath.
Then, of course, my eyes betrayed me.
Because I saw Knox outside, leaning against the railing, smoke curling from the cigarette between his fingers.
He didn’t say a word. Just watched.
And as much as I wanted to look away—
I didn’t.
For one long second, it felt like everything else blurred again.
The laughter, the music, the noise—gone.
Just me.
And him.
Then I turned away, pulled my jacket tighter, and kept walking.
Because whatever that was—I wasn’t ready to touch it.
Not yet.