Chapter 104: Seven minutes in heaven

Theo's POV

The bass from the speakers was so loud it made my chest vibrate. The Crestwood house party was packed to the door. Red plastic cups were everywhere, and the smell of cheap beer and sweat filled the hot air. The team was drinking, laughing, and screaming about the win. I stood by the wall, holding a drink I didn't want, just watching the front door.

Then, they walked in, Asher and Kieran arrived at the party together.

The room went totally wild the second they stepped through the door. Everyone crowded around them, clapping Asher on the back and cheering. They were all so happy. They kept saying how amazing it was that his heart had healed enough for him to play. Kieran's return was massive after the injury he had everyone couldn't wait to have him on the ice again his so called friends exaggerated the matter just to get everyone's attention.

I stood in the corner, my jaw clenched so tight it ached. I was so pissed. How much can he pretend? How could everyone look at this fake miracle and not see the truth? I looked at Kieran standing right beside him, looking like the proud captain, and my hand squeezed my cup until the plastic cracked.

I needed to get Asher alone. I needed to talk to him, but with the entire team surrounding him like a human shield, it was impossible. That was the only moment and privilege I could get at this point. I had to create a chance.

An hour later, the party got even rowdier. Someone climbed onto the sticky coffee table in the centre of the living room and yelled that we were playing Seven Minutes in Heaven.

The crowd cheered and whistled. They cleared out the cluttered hallway, pushing everyone back to create space in front of the old storage closet door.

The rules were simple and dumb. A large, empty glass bottle was placed on the floor. Landon Brooks went first. He sat on his knees, gave the bottle a hard spin, and watched it slide across the hardwood. It slowed down and pointed directly at a girl from the cheer team.

The crowd erupted into loud chants, counting down from five as the two of them were shoved into the closet, and the heavy door was slammed shut. Milo Hayes stood outside with his phone, setting a timer for exactly seven minutes. Every time the timer buzzed, the door would fly open, a couple would walk out blushing, and the next person would step up to spin.

Eventually, everyone started getting their turn. The hallway grew hotter, packed with drunk hockey players throwing arms around each other. Then, Landon grabbed the bottle again and pointed it straight at Asher. "Your turn, miracle boy!" he yelled. The crowd swarmed, forcing "Asher" into the centre of the circle. He tried to laugh it off, waving his hands and trying to step back into the living room, but the guys wouldn't let him. They blocked his path, chanting his name over and over until he was trapped right against the closet frame.

This was my shot. I had to manipulate the game. The bottle was on the floor, waiting for a spin, but I didn't wait for luck. While everyone was distracted by Milo spilling his drink and shouting at the music, I stepped right into the circle. Before Asher could even reach down to touch the glass, I grabbed him firmly by the upper arm.

"I've got this one," I called out over the noise, making it look like a joke to the drunk crowd.

Landon laughed and shoved us both forward. I didn't give Asher a second to protest. I dragged him backwards into the closet with me before anyone else could move. I pulled the heavy wooden door shut with a loud bang, turning the metal lock from the inside before his fingers could even find the handle.

The noise of the party died down instantly, turning into a muffled, thumping vibration through the thick wood. It was pitch black, cramped, and smelled like old winter coats and dust. I could hear Asher’s quick, shallow breathing right in front of me. He was completely tense, his back pressed against the far wall of the closet.

I knew I had to play this perfectly. I couldn't just attack him. I needed to play the victim first. If I wanted him to trust me again, I had to swallow my pride and lie right to his face.

"Asher," I said, keeping my voice soft and full of fake regret. "Listen to me. I'm sorry for acting like a total jerk lately."

He didn't say anything. I could feel him shifting in the dark, trying to put space between us, but the closet was too small for him to escape me.

"I mean it," I continued, pushing the fake emotion into my words. I needed to do whatever it took to get him back by my side and make him hate Kieran. "I've been a terrible friend. The jealousy got the best of me, and I hated seeing you get so close to the captain while I was left on the sidelines. But I deeply miss our bond. I want us to be close friends again. I promise you, that toxic jealousy is completely gone."

I paused, waiting for him to take the bait. I needed him to think I was completely defeated so he would lower his guard.

"It's fine, Theo," Asher muttered, his voice sounding careful and tight. "We don't have to talk about this right now. Let's just go back to the party. Open the door."

"No, we do need to talk about it," I said. The fake warmth in my voice instantly vanished. The tone shifted completely, turning sharp and cold. I stepped closer, my chest almost brushing against his shirt in the dark. "Where did you run off to the second the championship match ended, Asher?"

He stiffened completely. "I went to change".

I told you, "Don't lie to me," I hissed in the dark. I thought about the video on my phone. I thought about Kieran pinning that person against the wall. I didn't know if Asher was the one in the video, but I knew he was hiding something for the captain. "You're covering for him. I'm warning you right now, Asher. Stay the fuck away from Kieran Hampton."

"Theo, back off," he whispered, his voice rising in anger as he tried to push my shoulder away.

"I'm trying to save you!" I snapped back, leaning down so my mouth was right by his ear. "Kieran is not who he actually pretends to be, Asher. He plays the perfect straight golden boy for the school and the scouts, but it is all a disgusting lie. He is hiding a dark, predatory side. He uses his power to get whatever he wants from people on this team. If you keep sticking around him, he is going to drag you down and destroy you."

I grabbed his shoulder, squeezing it hard enough to make a point. "He is a fraud, Asher. And if you stay close to him, you're going to get caught in the crossfire when I take him down."