28

Another Friday night alone. Alice sighed, slumping back against the couch. The house was too quiet. Ed was out with Carla—now officially his girlfriend—and Joseph was stuck at work, juggling orders at the bar. Ed had invited her to tag along, but the idea of being a third wheel wasn’t particularly appealing. She could already picture herself trailing awkwardly behind the happy couple, pretending to be engrossed in her phone while they whispered sweet nothings to each other.

Pestering Joseph at work was equally pointless. Friday nights were always a madhouse. She’d be left nursing a soda in a corner booth, glancing around at the regulars until some overly drunk, overly confident guy tried his luck. And Alice had dealt with enough of those to last a lifetime.

She sighed again, staring up at the ceiling. It wouldn’t kill me to get a social life, would it?

Her mind wandered to Adam. What was he doing tonight? She pictured him lounging somewhere with his usual indifferent expression, maybe surrounded by his friends, the ones she’d never been properly introduced to. Did he have plans? Or was he as bored as she was?

As if on cue, her phone vibrated. She grabbed it eagerly, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Adam’s name.

“What you doing?”

She blinked at the screen, rereading the message. It wasn’t his usual style. No blunt commands, no clipped tones. Just a casual question.

“Nothing. I’m bored,” she typed back, her thumbs moving faster than her brain.

His reply came almost immediately.

“Come park if you like. I’m on my own… just waiting for some smackhead. It’s not an order btw. You don’t HAVE to come.”

Alice smiled despite herself. It was rare for Adam to be this laid-back in his messages. She could tell he was trying not to seem too eager.

“I have nothing better to do,” she replied. “See you soon.”

Alice shot up from the couch, her earlier lethargy vanishing. She barely stopped to explain herself to her mum as she grabbed her phone and a handful of coins from the counter. Within minutes, she was out the door, walking so briskly it was almost a jog. The thought of Adam waiting for her made her chest tighten. She didn’t want to keep him waiting long, just in case he changed his mind and left.

The park loomed into view just as the last traces of daylight faded. The wooden pavilion where Adam and his group usually gathered was dimly lit by a flickering streetlamp. Tonight, though, he was alone. He sat slouched on one of the benches, his hood pulled low, the pale glow of his phone illuminating his face.

“A’ight,” he greeted, barely glancing up. “One sec.”

Alice stood awkwardly as he pressed his phone to his ear, his expression darkening. “If you don’t get here soon, I’m leaving, and don’t even think about showing up at my door,” he growled into the receiver. “No, I don’t care if someone died. Get here now or forget it.”

He shoved his phone back into his pocket and let out a frustrated sigh. “Fucking junkies, man,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Alice gave a sympathetic smile. “I know, right?”

Adam let out a short laugh, his mood lifting slightly. “You don’t know.”

Before she could respond, he reached for her hand, pulling her closer until she stood between his knees. His touch was firm but unhurried, his fingers warm against hers.

“You’re always running to me,” he teased, his voice softening. “You that bored, or am I just that irresistible?”

Alice rolled her eyes, though her cheeks flushed. “You’re alright, I guess.”

He smirked, leaning in to kiss her. This time, there was no rush, no urgency. His lips moved against hers slowly, deliberately, as if savoring the moment. She tasted the faint tang of cigarettes, mingled with the sharper, minty bite of gum.

Did he get gum for me? she wondered briefly, the thought making her stomach flutter.

Adam’s hands slid to her waist, his fingers hooking into the belt loops of her jeans to pull her closer. The warmth of his body, the firmness of his grip, made her pulse quicken. The rest of the world seemed to melt away, leaving only the two of them in their little bubble beneath the pavilion.

The intimacy of the moment was intoxicating, but it also left Alice feeling a bit adrift. She wasn’t sure how far he wanted to go—or how far she was willing to let things progress. The location alone made her nerves buzz. She glanced around the park, half-expecting someone to appear out of the shadows.

Adam seemed to sense her hesitation. He pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against hers. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” he murmured.

“I know,” Alice replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn’t sure what she wanted, but the fact that he cared enough to reassure her meant more than she could say.

The night wore on in fits and starts of conversation, laughter, and stolen kisses. Adam’s usual rough edges seemed to smooth out in her presence, his smiles coming more easily than they usually did. They talked about nothing and everything—his frustration with his friends, her annoyance at Ed’s new relationship, and their shared disdain for the nosy small-town gossip mill.

When Adam finally stood, stretching his arms above his head, he looked at her with a rare softness. “Wanna come to mine?” he asked, his tone casual, but his eyes searching.

Alice hesitated, her heart hammering. “Yeah,” she said after a moment, her voice steadier than she expected. “Sure.”

Adam reached back, grabbing her hand as they began walking together. The warmth of his grip, the easy rhythm of their steps, filled her with a sense of quiet anticipation. Whatever the night held, she knew she didn’t want it to end just yet.