Just Friends
Theo
Ihold out my hand to her, and I’m a little too aware of how damn tiny it is. Look at her the way you normally do, man, not deeper. Don’t notice more than you should.
You clean up decent, she writes, looking anywhere but my face.
I smirk. “I always look good, Blondie, you just don’t see it. What about you, trying to impress someone?” I ask, knowing that wanker Holden is probably watching and seething with jealousy. Yeah, sure, he was a dickhead to her, but I’m sure he regrets that breakup.
She rolls her eyes, placing her hand on my shoulder.
There’s no one here worthy to dress up for. Her words appear before me as the next song begins. It’s not slow, but it ain’t damn fast either.
“Damn, that’s harsh,” I reply lightly, placing my hand on her waist. The fabric is thin, and I can feel her beneath my fingertips.
I hope I didn’t hurt your ego, she adds with a mocking smirk.
“Like I always say, Sweetcheeks, my ego is way too big to get hurt,” I answer in a soft, mocking tone as we start moving lightly, shifting steps and moving to the rhythm with ease. She’s light on her feet, graceful, not that there’s any surprise there.
I look down between us, my eyes falling on her cleavage, and I look away instantly.
I wonder where you get your cockiness from. Your parents aren’t like that. Her message pops up without her even having to move a finger.
“Well, I heard my grandad was quite cocky,” I smirk, glancing to see if he’s around, to see him dancing with Grandma.
They’re a beautiful couple, she writes, glancing their way.
I nod. “Yeah, guess they are.” I spin her out, her dress flares around her knees, but she’s smooth and confident, going with it with perfect precision. But when I spin her back into my arms, she misjudges the step by a fraction of an inch, enough for her back to press firmly against my chest.
My hand instinctively slides to her stomach, steadying her.
Everything stops.
Her breath.
Mine.
The music fades.
The whole damn room is muted out.
And then the pounding of her heart reaches my ears, loud and fast, like a galloping horse.
The heat of her body radiates against me. Her fingers close around my forearm, not pulling away, though, almost as if she’s keeping my hand there.
My head is racing with a thousand fucking thoughts. The sounds around me rush back, bringing me back to reality.
“You good?” I murmur near her ear. The aim was to sound playful, but it comes out lower, rougher.
She exhales slowly. The sound is somehow satisfying. I’m fine. You’re the one holding onto me so tight as if you’re afraid I’m about to run away.
“Please,” I whisper, even as I don’t move my hand. “You couldn’t outrun me in those shoes.”
She laughs silently, and it vibrates right into me.
Don’t underestimate a woman. Especially one who’s mastered running in heels. I can fight, dance, and do anything I want in them.
I grin. “Yeah? You really think you’d be faster? I want to test that.”
I should let go. I should put space between us. But I don’t.
“Including keeping up with me.”
Her mouth drops open in an offended gasp as she tilts her head up to look at me, as we keep dancing with her pressed up against me.
Please. I could outrun you, out dance you, and outfight you in these heels, she writes with complete confidence.
I spin her around, putting distance between us, unable to stop wondering why she didn’t pull away, though.
“Sure,” I scoff, leaning in just a little. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Heaven pokes my shoulder with a finger. Don’t make me remind you that I won our last match.
“I let you win,” I taunt, snickering as we continue to dance, my hand once again on her waist. I watch her, noticing how her eyes keep looking me over before she looks away quickly.
I don’t think we even had to try to make that jerk ex of hers jealous. Smirking, I pull her close for a second before we shift with the beat, spinning, stepping, moving around each other without missing a breath.
We’re close, maybe too close, but I don’t bother moving away, and neither does she.
I can feel eyes on us, several pairs, but it shouldn’t matter. There is nothing to hide; we’re just two friends dancing. So, why do I feel like we’re being caught doing something we shouldn’t?
Why does it feel like they’re seeing something I’m not ready to admit?
I shake it off.
I’m not an idiot, but right now I’m going to ignore everything my mind is fucking telling me.
The song is coming close to an end, the beat picking up, and Heaven moves away, removing her hand from my shoulder as she steps away, her hips rolling in a smooth, controlled shimmy, the motion running up her spine.
Then she catches the momentum, pivots, and spins again.
One turn, two, three, it’s a fluid move, her hand leaving mine, her dress sweeping around her legs in a tight, elegant flare.
With one final spin, her hand is back in mine, and she gives me a confident smirk with a flick of her head.
As if saying ‘top that’.
Damn.
“That’s all you’ve got?” I drawl.
Her eyebrows lift as if she’s waiting to be impressed.
Fine.
Challenge accepted.
I step closer, releasing her hand as I raise my hand in front of my face, lowering my head as I let the beat run through me.
A sharp body roll, grounded and confident in the same sensual moves I pulled on stage on Halloween.
Every muscle in my body flexes as I do a sharp spin, smirking when I see the heat in her cheeks.
Then I slide behind her, guide her back in with a firm tug, and we hit one clean, synchronised turn.
She barely has time to gasp before I take it further.
My hand settles at her waist before I lift her smoothly.
She doesn’t falter, arching her body in a long and elegant arch over mine, her bare back above me.
I notice the subtle glitter that covers her shoulder blades.
I spin us around as she holds her arch, and then I shift my hold and throw her up.
She doesn’t even flinch as she does a perfect flip in the sky, and we hear a few gasps from around us before she lets herself fall back perfectly, and I catch her.
She actually trusts me.
Our eyes meet the moment I catch her around the waist.
“Nice work,” I murmur, as I bend her back in a deep dip, her spine arching. One of her hands grips my shoulder, the other instinctively cupping the back of my neck. My hand finds her thigh, realising it’s wrapped around her bare thigh, but it’s too late to remove it.
The song ends.
And the room erupts in noise as a few people clap, and I realise we just fucking owned the dance floor.
Damn, my image…
But the thought fades when my eyes lock with hers. Her chest rises against mine, her pulse hammering beneath my palm. Her scent fills my nose, and there’s a small smile of approval that graces her face.
We’re too close.
This was supposed to be innocent.
So why the hell does it feel like we just crossed a line neither of us wants to admit?
I plaster my trademark smirk on my face. “Alright, I’ll admit you can dance. So, how’d I do?” I ask as I bring her upright once more, looking away when she reaches for the top of her dress from the side and tugs it up slightly.
Not too shabby.
“From you, Blondie, that’s a compliment,” I reply mockingly. “So, am I forgiven?”
She looks at me and purses her lips as she casts a spell, granting us privacy. I’m not so sure, you stood me up. She crosses her arms, and I sigh.
“I know, but I lied. It wasn’t because I lost track of time… Ares, he remembers what happened that night, and I just… I was worried I’ll see something or someone that might be hard to accept,” I say quietly.
She looks at her hand, where a message appears. Then I have some good news. I checked all the footage. There was no one in them.
I frown, my stomach twisting with unease. “Wait, are you sure, not even anyone we know or any random student?” I ask.
She shakes her head. No one.
“What about my brothers? I know one of them is meeting a woman after hours,” I point out.
Not that night.
That can’t be true… I saw Renji…
I don’t push it further. I can’t here, anyway. Maybe she missed something, or the timing… or… I don’t know.
I feel someone’s glare burning into me and feel danger approaching. We both turn to see Uncle Al striding towards us.
“Alright… I think that’s enough fucking dancing. Rule number one, Heaven, never trust a Westwood,” Uncle Al grumbles, giving me a cold glare as he puts his arm around Heaven.
I notice the slight twirl of her finger as she breaks the privacy spell.
I smirk, glancing at the grumpy dude. “Damn, I hope Aunt Kiara doesn’t get upset when I tell her what you said. Oh, and maybe you should be a tad fucking careful. I mean, you don’t want to offend me, too, right? Cause then you’ll be apologising for an eternity,” I taunt.
He narrows his eyes, and I cross my arms, placing my hand under my chin. “Whoa… wait, do I hear what I think I hear?”
“I hear nothing,” Uncle Al growls.
I smirk. “Exactly, now be a good little lycan and behave, mate.” I slap his back, turning away as Heaven hides an amused smile, her cheeks still holding a touch of natural blush.
She looks up, our eyes meet, and I wink at her as I walk past her, my arm brushing her shoulder just to piss off the grumpy, old lycan.
“Mission accomplished,” I murmur to her, seeing Holden watching us from the corner of my eye.
Now, I think I need a drink. That was a lot of dancing.
What the hell was that? Carter’s voice enters my head. You were blocking me.
Was I? Damn, I didn’t even realise.
What was what? I ask.
You and Heaven, Ares adds. Even through the mind-link, his growl of annoyance is obvious.
My wolf stirs, and I chuckle internally. Just a dance, dudes, chill the fuck out. Renji’s the one who has a secret lady.
Oi! Don’t drag me into this. That dance was… intimate, Renji protests.
You all are just jealous of my dancing skills, I add cockily.
“Oi,” Allie hisses before I even reach the bar. I turn and look at the red-eyed Zombilesandra, who grabs my arm and yanks me away from the crowd and into a quiet corner of the hall behind a pillar.
I hate to admit it, but she is fucking strong – for a girl, anyway.
“What do you want? A dance?” I ask in a bored tone. She frowns before she narrows her eyes, focusing. What the hell was that between you and Heaven?
I cock a brow. This is the second time she’s ever done that, and yeah, I still hate it as much as the first time. As a lycan, she can mind-link any alpha, even though it ain’t exactly easy or as smooth as mind-linking a pack member.
“Nothing,” I reply.
“I’m not stupid,” she hisses. Past her annoyance, there’s concern there – for Heaven.
“Nothing, it was one dumb dance,” I repeat firmly this time.
She frowns before she yanks me down by the ear and leans in. “Then don’t play with her heart,” she whispers in my ear.
Something in my chest tightens as I look Allie dead in the eye. “No fucking clue what you mean,” I reply coldly.
Someone announces dinner is served, but Allie doesn’t move.
“Theo,” she says quietly.
“We’re friends, just friends. We only danced to piss Holden off.”
Allie stares at me, conflicted, and this time it’s an expression wiser than her years. Friends don’t look at each other like that. She’s taking a liking to you. I can see that. So don’t you dare hurt her, she mind-links.
I know… but there’s nothing, we just…
“Remember what I said,” she says quietly. “Don’t play.”
Her eyes hold mine for a second before she walks past me towards the double doors that lead to the dinner hall, where everyone is already making their way through.
I don’t move; my thoughts are in turmoil as I lean against the pillar behind me.
What does she even mean by that?
This is Heaven. She wouldn’t fall for me. I am not her type. She’s everything I’m not. We’re fucking so damn different. Allie is fucking delusional.
She’s good, she’s smart, she’s the damn light, and I’m the shadow waiting at the edge of it.
I know what happens to the things I touch. I destroy them, I break them, I fucking ruin them.
And if Allie’s somehow crazily right… If Heaven is starting to look at me differently, then I have to shut this down before she mistakes whatever this is for something safe.
Because it’s not.
I’m not.
I’m fucking ruin and destruction hidden behind this careless mask that will lead the world to damnation if it were left up to me.
I’m not right for anyone, and especially not for her.
“Fuck,” I whisper under my breath, clenching my jaw.
How the fuck did I even get here? And I refuse to believe that Heaven sees me like that.
We are more than just worlds apart.
And I don’t see her as anything more. I never have, and I never will.
That’s a fucking promise.