Chapter 20 : The prove i needed to sink
STEPHEN’S POV
I didn’t want to go.
That was the lie I told myself while Marcus adjusted his collar in the mirror and asked me for the third time if the black shirt made him look “approachable but dangerous.”
“You’re going,” he said when I didn’t answer fast enough. “If you stay in the dorm sulking, you’ll look guilty.”
“Guilty of what?” I muttered.
“Of caring about any of these.”
That shut me up immediately.
The bass was already vibrating through the pavement when we pulled up to Halo. The neon sign flickered blue and pink above the entrance, casting everyone in artificial color. People from school were lined up outside, dressed like this was some kind of red-carpet event instead of a celebration party.
It was Lilian’s celebration party.
Marcus slid an arm around my shoulder as we stepped inside. “Rule one,” he murmured, “don’t start a fight. Rule two, don’t glare at Hayden like you’re plotting his murder.”
“I’m not plotting anyone’s murder,” I said flatly.
He gave me a look. “Sure.”
Inside, the place was packed. Music thundered overhead, lights sweeping across bodies already moving to the beat. Someone had rented out the VIP section in the back, of course they had. Lilian stood near the center of it all, glowing like she had swallowed the spotlight. Her hair was down tonight, falling over her shoulders instead of being pulled into a tight cheer ponytail.
And right beside her……I clenched my jaw was Hayden.
He had one hand resting lightly at the small of her back, leaning down so she could hear him over the music. She tilted her head up when he spoke, smiling as he’d just told her something meant only for her.
They looked effortlessly perfect like a picture people would caption with heart emojis and “power couple.”
Marcus nudged me. “Breathe.”
“I am breathing.”
“Nope, I can see you’re vibrating.” Before I could respond, Marcus spotted someone across the room. His entire face lit up. “Oh……perfect timing.” He dragged me through the crowd before I could argue and stopped in front of a tall guy leaning against the bar.
“This,” Marcus announced proudly, “is Troy.”
Troy.
He was older and probably went to another college maybe, with dark curls falling into his eyes and a smirk that looked permanent. His gaze shifted to me slowly, like he was taking his time on purpose.
“And you must be Stephen,” he said. His voice was low, smooth.
I gave him a tight nod. “Yeah.”
“Troy’s into design and PR,” Marcus added unnecessarily. “He helped with the promo stuff for the event and he goes to our school but he is a senior."
“Is that so?” I said. Troy didn’t look at Marcus when he answered. He was still watching me.
“Yeah,” he said. “I like being behind the scenes and observing shit go down.”
The way he said it made my skin prickle. His eyes weren’t subtle. They lingered for way too long like he was measuring something but Marcus didn’t seem to notice.
“Well,” Marcus said brightly, “I’m grabbing drinks. You two talk.”
And just like that, I was alone with him. Troy stepped a little closer, not touching, but close enough that I could smell his cologne. “You don’t look like you’re having fun.”
“I’m not.”
“Because of him?” he asked, glancing past me. I didn’t have to turn around to know who he meant.
“I don’t care what he does,” I said.
Troy’s lips curved. “Sure.”
I met his eyes then which were sharp and steady. There was something in them. They were bold, curious, and almost hungry. It annoyed me. I wasn’t in the mood to be someone’s experiment.
He tilted his head slightly. “You know,” he said casually, “jealousy looks good on you.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“Mm.”
His gaze dropped briefly to my mouth before flicking back up. That did it.
I stepped back. “Enjoy the party, Troy.”
His smile didn’t fade. “Oh, I plan to.”
I moved away before he could say anything else. I didn’t need another complication tonight.
Across the room, laughter rose over the music. I looked up just in time to see Lilian throw her arms around Hayden’s neck. He caught her easily, steadying her as she laughed into his shoulder.
The crowd around them cheered.
My chest tightened. It wasn’t even about wanting her. It was about him.
About the way he moved through everything untouched. He hurt people and somehow still landed on his feet. He let Ella fall apart in public, let her take every whisper and accusation and now he got to play the supportive, steady guy at Lilian’s victory party.
Like he hadn’t left damage behind him.
A memory flashed in my head before I could stop it. The stupid kiss and the tension that followed it. The way he had looked at me after like he didn’t know what to do.
He hated it. I knew he had and that was the point.
Tonight, he looked too comfortable, too happy. I watched him laugh at something one of the football guys said and watched his hand slide from Lilian’s back to her waist. I watched her lean into him as she fit there.
My jaw ached from clenching it.
A few minutes later, Hayden murmured something to Lilian and stepped away from the group, weaving through the crowd toward the hallway that led to the restrooms.
I didn’t think anything through……….I just followed.
The hallway was dimmer, the music muffled behind thick walls. He didn’t notice me at first. He pushed open the bathroom door and stepped inside. I slipped in behind him and locked it. The click echoed louder than it should have.
Hayden turned sharply. “What are you doing?”
“I just want to talk,” I said.
He exhaled like he had expected this. “Not tonight, Stephen.”
“Why not? Too busy playing the golden boy?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not doing this.”
“You don’t get to pretend none of it happened.”
His eyes flashed. “I’m not pretending.”
“Really?” I stepped closer. “Because it looks like you are.”
He didn’t back up until his shoulders hit the tiled wall. I moved in, bracing one hand beside his head, not touching him, just close enough that he couldn’t ignore me.
“I could kiss you again,” I said quietly. “Since you liked the first one so much.”
His entire body went rigid. “Don’t,” he warned.
“Why?” I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice.
“Afraid someone might see? Afraid you might not hate it this time?” His jaw tightened. I could see the pulse in his neck. “I know you,” I continued. “You hate being cornered and hate feeling out of control.”
His hands curled into fists. “You’re pathetic,” he said through his teeth.
“Am I?” I murmured. “Or are you just scared?”
For half a second, something flickered in his expression, like anger, yes, but something else too which was probably conflict but I didn’t get to analyze it. His hands shoved hard against my chest.
I stumbled back a step. “Don’t touch me,” he snapped.
Before I could respond, his fist came out of nowhere and connected with my jaw. Pain exploded across my face, sharp and immediate. My head snapped to the side, the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth.
He was breathing hard now. “Stay away from me,” he said, voice low and shaking with rage.
I straightened slowly, wiping at my lip with the back of my hand. Red smeared across my skin. There it was…….the proof I needed to sink his social life