16. Chapter 11
Gravity
Evin
J onas suddenly appeared right in front of Evin, pulling her out of her thoughts. He took the towel from his shoulder, gave his short hair one last rub, and stretched his arms wide to greet her. A wave of relief washed over her, and with a wide smile, she returned his hug.
Jonas gestured animatedly. “Drinks are over there. Your better half is back there,” he said, pointing toward Milka. Evin playfully smacked his shoulder, and Jonas laughed in response.
“Oh, and Ben is around too,” he added casually with a wink. Evin shot him a skeptical look.
Evin couldn’t understand why he would even bring that up.
It had been weeks since she’d kissed Ben on the school trip.
Since then, the rumors had spread faster than she could contain them.
Ben was nice, sure. But what had happened that night had caused more chaos than she ever intended, and since then, they’d kept things strictly platonic and maintained a healthy distan ce.
“Thanks, Jonas!” With a kiss on his cheek, she made her way toward Milka.
As she weaved through the crowd, the bass thumped in the background. All she wanted was to have fun and distract herself. She had promised herself he wouldn’t matter tonight—yet every step closer to the pool reminded her that he was somewhere nearby. That damn magnetic pull of his.
Finally, she spotted Milka standing in a corner near the pool, drink in hand, laughing freely. Evin felt her tension ease. Being with Milka always felt safe.
“Finally!” Milka called out, pulling Evin into a tight hug. “I thought you weren’t coming!”
Evin forced a smile, though her thoughts lingered on Bas. “Training ran long, as usual. You know how it is.”
Milka nodded knowingly, then gave Evin a skeptical once-over. “You’re not drinking, are you?”
Evin glanced at the beer bottles nearby, at the other girls already holding drinks. “No, definitely not. I’ve got the audition next week—I need to be at my best.” Her stomach growled faintly.
Milka smirked and took a sip. “Yeah, yeah, you and your iron discipline.” She grinned mischievously. “I don’t know how you do it sometimes.”
Evin sighed softly. “I wonder how much longer I can keep doing it.” She put on a strained smile, but her mind wandered. The pressure, the expectations—it all weighed on her like an invisible burden. Her thoughts drifted unintentionally back to Bas—and Cat.
“Wanna know?” Milka asked with an amused sparkle in her eyes, pointing toward Bas and Cat.
Evin rolled her eyes. “Please, spare me.”
“What? I’m just saying you’re way too good for that guy. Why waste your time?”
“Milka, I’m not wasting anything.” Evin’s tone was firm. "Seriously, can we not make this about him?"
“Sure, sure.” Milka took another sip of her beer.
“ I don’t mean to nag,” she started cautiously, “but why do you still let him take up so much space in your head?”
Evin shrugged. “It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose, you know? It just happens…without me wanting it to. But I’m not letting it ruin me. I’ve got too much on my plate—school, ballet…there’s no room for heartbreak.”
Milka slung an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, let’s just have fun tonight. You look stunning, and we’re at a party. This is our chance to let loose, and I won’t let you get stuck in Bas-thoughts again.”
Evin laughed, albeit a bit forced, and nodded.
“You’re right. Tonight isn’t about him.” But as she said it, her conviction wavered, and she felt the pull to glance back at Bas and Cat.
She resisted, forcing herself not to look.
Instead, she grabbed Milka’s hand and led her toward the dance floor. “Let’s just dance, okay?”
“That’s what I wanted to hear!”
The bass beats throbbed through the garden as the lights flickered to the rhythm.
Evin danced freely with Milka, trying to banish all thoughts of Bas and Cat from her mind.
The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and cigarettes, clinging to her skin.
For a fleeting moment, she felt light, as though the music could drown out everything else.
But after a while, as the music slowed down, she felt the fatigue in her legs. She nodded to Milka and slipped out of the crowd to catch her breath. On the edge of the dance floor, away from the chaos, she leaned against a tree and closed her eyes as the wind gently played with her hair.
“You okay?” Ben’s voice came unexpectedly.
She opened her eyes and saw him standing there, a slight smile on his lips.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just needed a moment to breathe. Training was tough today,” she said, smiling faintly, glad for the brief distraction, though she still felt uneasy.
Her eyes roamed over the crowd, instinctively searching for Bas. She knew it was a mistake and that it would only lead to trouble, but she couldn’t help herself.
Ben caught the way her attention drifted and followed her gaze, just for a seco nd, before turning back to her.
“I was actually going to ask earlier… I know you’re busy, but it seems like you could use some help with a few classes. The first exams are coming up…I could be your tutor?” he asked, grinning sheepishly.
She did need help, but the way he asked made her feel a sudden discomfort. Her thoughts immediately shifted to Bas.
Her gaze drifted toward the pool and landed on Bas. He was standing on the other side, a drink in his hand, and his eyes were locked directly on her. Deliberately. Provocatively. Her heart skipped a beat.
It was that kind of look she knew all too well. It was as if he was testing her, waiting to see if she’d step onto thin ice again.
“We could meet after school, and I could help you…” Ben continued.
Evin knew it was just a harmless offer, but Bas’s piercing gaze felt like it was prickling at her skin.
“Um…” she stammered, her eyes still drawn to Bas, who hadn’t looked away. His face was unreadable, but his eyes glittered. As if he was daring her to make a move.
Evin bit her lip, shaking her head. “Actually…” She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pressure building in her chest. “Actually, I think I’ll manage. But thanks for the offer.”
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Sebastian
H e shouldn’t care. He didn’t care.
And yet, there he was—standing by the pool, fingers curled too tightly around his drink—again. Watching her. Watching him.
Ben. That smug bastard. Always around her. Always fucking trying.
Bas clenched his jaw as he watched the guy lean in closer, too fucking eager, while Evin bit her lip in that way that made something raw and restless coil inside him.
He hated that. Hated the way his pulse kicked up, hated the heat creeping up his spine, hated that she still did this to him without even trying.
Fucking hell.
The dress hugged her curves, her skin glowing under the soft party lights, her hair falling just right. She wasn’t doing this for him—wasn’t even trying to get his attention. And yet, he felt hunted. Something dark curling behind his eyes as he exhaled slowly.
She wants this. She wants me to go insane. And fuck, maybe it was working.
He couldn't look away.
Then, she looked at him. Just for a second. A flicker of something—hesitation, awareness—before she turned back to Ben.
That hesitation—just a fraction of a moment, just a barely-there pause—was all he needed.
She was still his.
Maybe not in words. Maybe not in the way that mattered.
But in this? In the way her body betrayed her before she could school her expression?
Yeah. That was his. And he fucking liked it.
The corner of his lips quirked upward, betraying the thought. His hunting instinct had already kicked in, and just like that, Ben ceased to exist.
Evin, however, had just made herself his problem—again.
__________
Evi n
" N o pressure! I know things got a little… complicated between us, but I’d really like to help if you need it." Ben's brow furrowed slightly, surprise flickering across his face before he nodded in understanding. "If you ever change your mind, just let me know."
He gave her an encouraging smile before turning away.
Evin watched as Ben disappeared into the crowd, but the tight knot in her stomach wouldn’t refused to ease.
She knew Bas was still watching her. And though she had tried her best not to do anything that could be misinterpreted, Evin was certain Bas would twist Ben’s innocent offer into something else entirely.
She forced herself not to glance in his direction and took a deep breath.
“See you around,” she muttered under her breath as she walked away.
“Come on, loosen up,” she whispered to herself, but her legs moved before her mind could catch up, creating distance she wasn’t even sure she wanted.
She wove her way through the dancing crowd when suddenly Jonas appeared in front of her.
“Hey! Trying to sneak away? Not happening.” Jonas grinned mischievously, immediately picking up on her restlessness. “Not a chance. I need you. We’re playing beer pong.”