Chapter Eight
Emmie
I drop the pillow, and he grabs my wrist, pulling me onto the bed beside him. It surprises me, and I yelp, causing him to laugh too.
I shuffle up until I’m right beside him; what else am I supposed to do?
Stand awkwardly by the door while he makes himself at home?
Nope. I’m not giving him that power. But now our shoulders are touching, and suddenly, I’m hyper-aware of everything .
The way the mattress dips slightly under his weight, the way he smells like soap and rain and something I can’t name but wouldn’t mind breathing in forever.
“This is a cool room,” he says, voice low, like he’s trying not to break something delicate.
I glance at him. “You thought I lived in a crypt, didn’t you?”
He smirks. “Maybe. I mean, I didn’t rule it out.”
I roll my eyes. “Typical.”
We’re quiet for a minute. Not awkward-silence quiet.
Just thick. Charged. Like the air’s full of static, and one wrong move might set off a spark.
I shift slightly, so I can see him better.
My knee brushes his. He doesn’t move away.
My throat feels suddenly tight. “You didn’t have to give me a ride. ”
“I know,” he says.
“So why did you?”
He looks at me, really looks at me, and says, “Because I wanted to.”
My heart trips over itself. His gaze drops to my mouth.
For a second, I forget how to breathe. And then he starts leaning in.
Just a little. Not rushing, not assuming.
Just there. It’s close enough that I can see the tiny scar above his eyebrow.
Close enough to feel the warmth of him, to taste the possibility. And I don’t move. I don’t want to move.
I think he’s going to kiss me. I want him to kiss me.
And then, “Emmie! Do you guys want tea or hot chocolate?”
I shoot off the bed like I’ve been caught stealing. “Uh, hot chocolate!” I call, heart hammering. My face is probably fifteen shades of red.
Kai stands slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. He doesn’t say anything, and neither do I. I can’t even look at him.
“You should probably go soon,” I mumble.
“Right,” he says.
I hate how awkward it suddenly feels. Like the moment we almost had is hanging between us, confused about whether it was even real.
He walks to the door and then pauses. “There’s a party Friday night. You and Ava should come.”
I force myself to look at him. He’s not teasing. He actually means it.
“We’ll see,” I say. Which is Emmie-speak for: I want to, but I’m scared out of my mind.
“I’ll look after you,” he adds, almost like he can feel my panic. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “See you tomorrow.”
He leaves, and I sit back down on my bed, my heart still beating way too fast.
What the hell just happened?
The rest of the week passes in a blur. But the same routine hits every morning and evening with Kai giving Ava and me a lift. And I don’t hate it. In fact, I look forward to those times sat beside him whilst we challenge each other’s music taste or laugh over something we saw on TikTok.
So when Friday arrives, and everyone is talking about the party, I let myself get swept up in it. Excited to be part of it. And right before I’m about to leave, Ava calls. “I can’t come,” she sniffles.
I freeze, “What?”
“My mum’s flipping out over life and basically grounded me for nothing.”
“Oh.” Disappointment creeps in.
“You still go though. Have a great time and tell me everything.” She disconnects, and I’m left staring at the phone.
I head downstairs, where Mum is chatting with Joel. They seem pretty close in such a short space of time, but she hasn’t been this happy in so long. Joel tops her glass with red wine as she looks my way. “Everything okay?”
I shrug. “Ava can’t come so I’m stuck here.”
Joel’s head snaps up. “Kai can come get you.”
I shake my head. He didn’t make plans to pick us up because he isn’t driving. He said he’d meet us there, but I’m not arriving alone.
“It’s fine. I’ll stay in my room out your way.” Joel is already pulling out his mobile and tapping a text message out. “Honestly, it’s fine,” I add.
A minute later, my mobile pings, and I pull it out to see a message from Kai. “Be ready in two, will swing by in the cab on the way.”
My anxiety levels are through the roof as I wait out front for Kai. It was bad enough when I thought Ava was coming, but now she isn’t, I’m petrified. And I can’t hang off Kai all night.
The cab pulls up, and Kai gets out, smiling. “Why’s Ava let us down?”
I shrug as I climb in. “Mum problems.”
He sits beside me, his knee touching mine. It’s the first time we’ve been alone since our near kiss, or whatever that was.
I exhale. “I think this might be a bad idea,” I mutter.
He turns to me, placing his hand on my knee and squeezes reassuringly. “It’s just a party.”
“Well, it’s okay for you, you’re used to this sort of thing. I’m not.”
“I’ll teach you,” he says, relaxing back in the seat.
I groan. “Please don’t leave me,” I mutter, hating that I sound pathetic.
“Never.”
I gasp at the size of the house. It’s just like Kai’s. There are people spilling out and music’s blaring. “Who’s house is it?” I ask as we climb from the cab.
“Bella’s.”
I freeze, turning to glare at him. “What?”
“Yeah, it’s her turn.” And he continues up the path, fist-bumping a few of the others.
I run after him, grabbing his arm until he stops. “I can’t go in there,” I say. “Call the cab back.”
He places his hands on my shoulders and stares deep into my eyes. “Em, relax.” I release a breath. “Now, take a deep breath and repeat after me. I am fine.”
I groan. “I’m not though. She hates me.”
He grins like I’m being dramatic, then takes me by the hand, lacing our fingers together before leading me up the path. I’m so shocked, all I can do is follow as I stare at my hand in his.
Inside, it’s heaving. Bodies forced together, swaying to the beats.
We push through to the kitchen, where there are fewer people, and Kai grabs us both a beer.
I take it reluctantly. I’ve never been a big drinker.
Maybe the odd glass of wine at Christmas.
But social drinking? Never. I don’t see the point.
He taps his beer against mine and takes a long pull. I do the same, hoping it’ll settle my nerves.
Austin and Henry barrel into the room, stopping when they see us. Kai discreetly releases my hand, grabbing a handful of nuts like that’s his reasoning.
“We missed you at practise,” Austin mutters.
“I had shit to do,” Kai replies.
“Your dad?” he asks, and I glance at Kai, whose expression changes to something I haven’t seen before, shame, maybe?
“Nah, just errands,” he says with a shrug.
“Look, maybe we should put all that stuff behind us?” Austin says, holding out a hand. Kai stares at it for a few minutes, then nods, shaking his hand. “Nice one.” His eyes fall to me, and he roams them up my body, making me shudder. “What’s this, charity work?”
“Shit, man. Don’t be a dick,” says Kai.
Austin waits for him to follow up with a laugh, and when he doesn’t, he shifts uncomfortably. “Sorry. You look great, Emmie.” And then he turns, and they head off.
“Sorry about that,” Kai mutters.
I glance down at my outfit, wondering if Austin was being a dick. I made an effort with skinny jeans and a cropped top. Not exactly Barbie, but a little more dressed up than I usually am. “Stop,” says Kai, placing a finger under my chin and lifting it to look at him. “You look great.”
Kai
I’m not drunk. Not drunk -drunk. Just loose. Warm . That floaty space where everything’s funny, and my limbs no longer belong to me.
We’re outside in the garden, half the group scattered across rattan furniture that Bella warned us not to break.
Emmie’s sitting on the edge of a wooden planter box, hands curled around a bottle of water she’s been nursing for half an hour.
No second drink. No shots. Just watching.
She’s not like the others. And the more I see it, the more I like it.
Bella’s in full social queen mode, laughing too loud at nothing.
Luna’s perched beside her like her sidekick.
Henry’s talking to Austin about some bet they made during the last football match, and honestly, I stopped following the conversation ten minutes ago.
I’m half-listening, half-watching Emmie out of the corner of my eye.
She’s tense. Not scared, just out of place. Her fingers keep fiddling with the label on her bottle like she wishes she could peel her way out of the night. I lean closer to her. “You okay?”
She glances up. “Yeah.”
I nod. “We can go whenever you’re ready.”
Bella swoops in like a hawk spotting prey. “Ooh, what’s this?” she coos, swirling her drink and plopping down too close beside me. “Kai checking in on Emmie? That’s cute .”
I shoot her a look. “Don’t start.”
Bella grins like I’ve proven her point. “Alright,” she says, clapping her hands. “This is getting boring. Truth or dare.”
Luna perks up. Henry groans. Austin’s already pulling out his phone to record something, just in case.
“I’m out,” Emmie says instantly, standing like she’s ready to bolt.
Bella smiles sweetly. “Oh, come on, just one round. Live a little.”
“Don’t,” I murmur, standing too. I’m right beside Emmie now. “You don’t have to.”
She looks at me. Really looks. Her eyes search mine like she’s trying to figure out whether I actually mean that. But Bella’s already grabbing a bottle off the table and spinning it, laughing. “Too late, you’re in!”
The bottle lands between me and Emmie. I want to roll my eyes at the obvious set-up.
Bella practically squeals. “Perfect! Emmie, truth or dare?”
I feel her stiffen next to me. Her jaw sets like she’s not going to say anything. “I’ll go,” I say, stepping in before Bella can make it worse. “Truth.”
Bella’s smile falters. “But it didn’t land on you.”
“Truth,” I repeat.
Her grin widens. “Okay then,” she says, all fake sweetness. “Kiss the girl you really like.”
Luna bursts out laughing. Austin makes some stupid oooooh sound.
Emmie freezes. I feel it, the tension rolling off her like a wave. She’s gone pale. Her hand tightens around her water bottle.
“Predictable,” I tell Bella, my hand dashing out and catching Emmie’s wrist before she can back away. Her eyes dart to mine, but I’m already advancing, slow, sure. And as I step into her space, I gently tuck her hair behind her ear. “It’s the truth,” I say, my voice low. Her breath hitches.
And then I kiss her. It’s soft, unsure, exactly how I imagined it.
And when I pull back, the garden’s gone completely silent.
I don’t look at Bella. I don’t need to. Emmie’s still staring at me, wide-eyed and blinking like she can’t believe any of that just happened.
I don’t give her time to overthink it. I slip an arm around her waist and gently tug her toward me.
“Sit,” I murmur, guiding her onto my lap.
She resists for half a second, because, of course she does, but then she settles, stiff at first, then a little softer as I rest my hand lightly on her thigh.
The air’s still thick with shock, but I feel her heartbeat, fast against my chest, and I know she felt it too.
That kiss wasn’t nothing. “We’ll talk later,” I say under my breath so only she can hear.
She doesn’t reply. But she doesn’t move away either.
To break the tension, and because I’m already in this far, I reach for the bottle and give it a spin. It twirls, slow and dizzy, before landing on Luna.
She shrieks. “No! Ugh. Fine. Dare.”
I smirk. “Kiss the guy you like.”
Luna flushes beet red. “Are you kidding me?”
“Nope.”
She groans and covers her face. “I hate this game.” But then she leans across the circle and plants a kiss square on Austin’s cheek.
The group erupts. “Whoa!” Henry shouts, laughing.
Austin’s mouth falls open in surprise. “Since when?”
Bella rolls her eyes, probably because the attention isn’t on her for once, and mutters, “Cute,” with a fake smile.
Austin spins next, and it lands on Bella. She smirks, “Dare.”
He grins, and I hold my breath because I know it’ll involve me. He lifts his drink to his lip before saying, “Kiss a guy in this circle you’ve slept with.”
The silence is instant; even Luna chokes on her drink.
Bella’s smile doesn’t even twitch. She stands, smooth as ever, and saunters over to me. She bends slowly as she slides her hand over my cheek, placing a lingering kiss on my lips. Emmie goes still in my arms.
Bella pulls back, “Too many times,” she whispers.
I stare at her, deadpan. “Grow up, Bella.”
She shrugs and saunters back to her seat, sipping her drink like she didn’t just light a match and toss it into a pool of petrol.
I glance at Emmie. She’s frozen. Her walls are going back up, brick by brick, and I feel her pulling away even though she hasn’t moved yet.
I grip her knee gently. “It was forever ago,” I say quietly, only for her. “Long before this. Before you.”
Her jaw clenches, but she remains quiet as Bella spins the bottle.
It lands on Emmie, and I’m about to protest; she made it clear she isn’t playing, but she says, “Truth.”
“Whoaaaaa,” Austin laughs. “Where are you gonna go with this, Bells?”
Bella tilts her head, voice all syrupy sweetness. “Do you actually think you’re Kai’s type?” And she adds a condescending laugh. Luna gasps, and Austin looks at Emmie in delight, probably waiting for her to crumble.
For a second, I think Emmie’s going to shrink. She goes still in my lap, but then she lifts her head slowly and locks eyes with Bella. And smiles. It’s not fake or nervous. But lethal.
“I didn’t think I was,” she says, calm and cool. “But then he kissed me in front of you. So . . .” She shrugs. “Guess he figured it out before you did.”
The silence is glorious.
Bella’s smile flickers, just barely, but I see it.
And Emmie leans back against me like she owns the place. I snigger, kissing her on the cheek like a proud boyfriend.