7. Chapter 2
The Games We Play
Evin
" O h my God! Do you think Ben will be there?" Hannah grinned mischievously at Evin while Milka scrolled through her playlist for the next song.
The bass of the music pulsed through the taxi, and they sang along loudly and off-key. Evin sank into the soft seats, watching the passing lights. Ben was the new golden boy of their class.
Hot, smart, and warm-hearted. He had managed to charm his way into the hearts of many classmates, especially the girls.
Hannah had already noticed his secret glances at Evin and wanted to tease a reaction out of her.
"Ugh," groaned Milka. She didn’t think Ben was serious about Evin, and Evin appreciated her friend for it.
She already had enough on her plate to worry about. School was weighing on her; the teachers seemed to ignore her more with each passing day, and it felt like she was being crushed from all sides. Evin struggled through her co ursework while trying not to lose herself under the pressure.
"Honestly, I don’t quite trust Ben’s intentions, Evin.
Besides, you need someone who can light a fire under you," Milka continued, scrolling through the playlist. The next song blasted through the speakers, and the whole taxi seemed to pulse to the beat.
Their favorite taxi driver, Rico, drove them across town to the location.
"Light a fire? I already feel like I’m on fire," Evin murmured, pulling her legs up. Her friends laughed, but there was a bitter undertone to her words. She let her head fall against the window, watching the passing lights. In the last few weeks, she had barely found a moment to catch her breath.
"Hello? Earth to Evin!" Hannah nudged her lightly in the side. "Don’t zone out again! Tonight, we’re going out to have fun! No stress, no guys bothering you. Just us three and a huge party."
Evin forced herself to smile. "I know, I know. I’m here. You’re right," she said, straightening up in her seat. But deep down, it felt different.
She had hoped the party would be a distraction, but somehow Bas still hovered in her thoughts.
No matter how hard she tried to get rid of him, he was like a shadow she couldn’t shake.
The uncertainty of school and the complexity of her feelings for Bas hit her at the same time like two waves crashing over her.
"Good thing you’re here," Milka said, grinning and wiggling her eyebrows. "Otherwise, I might have told Bas you’d rather stay home."
Evin raised her eyebrows skeptically, a hint of mockery in her voice. "Oh please, as if he’d care."
Hannah laughed out loud. "Come on, Evin! We’ve all seen how he’s been looking at you these last few weeks. The guy acts like he’s all cool, but we know he has no clue how to handle you."
Evin rolled her eyes, but something tightened inside her.
Bas was a constant presence in her mind, her refuge, even though she kept telling herself there was no point in thinking about him. In all the storms raging inside her, everything went still, windless, when she thought of him.
"Whatever, he’ll probably be talking to half the girls at the party tonight. Not my problem."
Even though he had talked about exclusivity yesterday and it had completely thrown her off, she didn’t trust it. He had disappointed and left her hanging too many times.
"Or he’ll just stand in the corner watching you," Milka winked at her, casting a quick glance out the window. "We’re almost there, girls! Ready?"
Evin couldn’t help but smile. Excitement rose, even though deep down she knew the night wouldn’t be that simple. Maybe that was exactly what she needed, a night of fun, at least for a few hours.
As the taxi pulled up, the music outside was almost as loud as inside. The mansion was glowing, people streaming in, and the air was filled with voices, laughter, and the deep beat of the music. A surge of uncertainty ran through Evin.
What exactly were the boundaries of their exclusivity ?
Since they hadn’t discussed anything, Evin didn’t know how to handle it. She’d just go with what felt right, but as for kissing and anything else, she’d hold back. Is that even possible? she wondered. Keeping her distance without it hurting?
Hannah jumped out first, followed closely by Milka. Evin lingered for a moment, taking a deep breath before stepping onto the gravel in front of the grand building. The lights reflected in the windows, and it felt as if the night still held countless possibilities.
The melody wrapped around Evin, drawing her in, and the closer she got to the crowd, the stronger its pull became.
Her friends took her by the hand, guiding her through the thickening crowd, their laughter swallowed up by the noise around them.
They pushed their way through when suddenly someone appeared in front of Evin, almost running into her.
"Hey! It’s pretty crowded in here!" Ben’s voice cut through the noise, a slight grin on his lips.
"Yeah," she replied, glancing around briefly before giving him a challenging look. "Where’s everyone else?"
"Who cares?" He took a step closer. "I thought I’d rather get my dance partner."
Evi n laughed, trying to ignore the warmth creeping up her neck. "And you thought I was the best choice?"
"Definitely," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, looking slightly embarrassed. Suddenly, Milka squeezed between them.
"Sorry, Ben, but I need to borrow my friend for a sec," and without further explanation, she grabbed Evin’s hand and pulled her away.
A drink was much needed.
"Where’s Hannah?" Evin asked, concerned.
Milka nodded toward a group gathered at the edge of the dance floor. There, she saw Hannah chatting with some classmates.
Right beside her stood Bas—casually in the crowd, hands buried in the pockets of his perfectly fitted pants. His light brown hair fell slightly over his face as he scanned the dance floor with a bored look. As if the whole world belonged to him…
The flickering party lights cast sharp shadows on his defined cheekbones, and his confident, almost indifferent smile was impossible to miss.
When his eyes landed on Evin, his eyebrows drew together slightly, and his jaw clenched for just a second.
A muscle twitched in his face before he tilted his head slightly, just enough to signal that he had seen her.
It wasn’t a smile, more like a challenge hanging in the air, as if he knew exactly how much his mere presence threw her off balance.
Evin felt the tension, the slight shift in his posture that only she seemed to notice. He said nothing, did nothing, and yet, that alone was enough to captivate her.
The world around them pulsed on, but between them, time seemed to stand still.
Evin felt Bas’s gaze on her, a heat creeping along her spine.
She met his stare, letting a mysterious, almost playful smile curl on her lips before holding his gaze for just a second longer than necessary, daring him.
Her eyes gleamed, silent flirtation, before she casually turned back to Milka, as if nothing had happened.
But inside, she was burning. His look had ignited something in her that she couldn’t ignore—a spark crackling beneath her skin.
Milka sipped her drink and laughed. "One more shot, and then we hit the da nce floor. Tonight, we’re having fun!"
Evin nodded, unable to suppress her growing anticipation.
_________
The dance floor was behind them, but the euphoria still lingered in the air, like a high that refused to fade.
Evin could feel the heat from dancing still radiating off her skin, a lingering smile playing on her lips as she leaned against the bar with Milka. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and took a sip of her drink.
"This is exactly what we needed," Milka panted, laughing as she dropped onto the stool beside Evin. "God, I’ve missed this."
But before Evin could respond, she felt it.
A movement, a look that sent a shiver across her skin. Slowly, she lifted her head.
And there he was. Bas, moving through the crowd as if the party around him had faded into nothing.
"Shit," Evin whispered, her breath hitching, and Milka immediately followed her gaze.
Bas didn’t walk. He moved with the kind of confidence that made people part for him without question. Like he owned the space, the party, the moment. And the second his eyes locked onto her, she knew he thought he owned her too.
He pushed forward, the crowd parting around him as if by instinct, until he was standing right in front of her.
Milka rolled her eyes. "Dramatic as always."
His fingers grazed the side of her neck, slow, deliberate, barely a touch, but enough to tell her, to tell everyone watching, exactly who she belonged to.
"I thought you were going to ignore me tonight," Bas’s voice was quiet, but there was something sharp beneath it, something close to amusement, but not quite.
Evin let her lips curl slightly, letting her gaze wander over him for a brief second before locking onto his eyes.
"I tried," she replied smoothly, a playful edge in her voice as she toyed with her glass.
He stepped closer, just enough for her to feel his presence without touching her.
"And?"
"Clearly not very successfully," she teased, her lips curving into an ironic smile as she took another sip.
Bas let out a low, dangerous chuckle. "We both know you don’t actually want to ignore me."
Evin laughed, masking the sting of his words. She ran her tongue across her lips, set her drink down, and met his gaze, calm, yet gleaming with something unreadable.
"Maybe," was all she said.
From the corner of her eye, Milka smirked. "Wow. He’s really giving it his all tonight," she murmured, just loud enough for Evin to hear.
Milka still had no idea about their texts.
Evin hadn’t had the chance to tell her.
"Do you always have to analyze everything?" Evin muttered, her gaze still locked on Bas.
He was still smiling, that same knowing, almost challenging look. Then, he leaned in slightly, just enough to bring his face level with hers.
"I like analyzing," he murmured. "Especially you."
God, she loved the way he flirted so openly.
Evin didn’t break eye contact, feeling the tension crackle between them, tightening like a wire pulled taut.
Milka let out a small laugh, breaking the silence. "Okaaay, I think I’ll take off now."
Bas stepped even closer, his stare heavier than before. "This time, it’s not just for a day," he said softly, his voice carrying a weight that made Evin’s breath falter.
"You know it’s more."
Her whole body tensed as his words settled in her chest. She had expected the us ual playful Bas—but this wasn’t playful.
"I don’t know anything that you haven’t said out loud," she teased, but there was something unsure in her voice.
This wasn’t the first time they’d been this close, and it wasn’t the first time he had hinted at something deeper.
He moved in closer, the space between them dissolving almost entirely.
"I want you."
The words were simple, but so raw that she felt them more than she heard them.
"No more games. You know this doesn’t work with anyone else."
This time, he meant it. She felt it. And that made everything more complicated.
She wanted to believe him. Wanted to let him see her, let him in.
But Bas already knew.
His gaze was steady, expectant, challenging.
The energy between them shifted—suddenly, unbearably charged.
Evin’s pulse pounded as Bas leaned in. Mere inches separated them, the music humming dimly in the background, but all she felt was his closeness.
Her breath shallowed as his gaze held her in place—demanding, but not forcing. A slow shiver ran across her skin, the tension stretching to its breaking point.
Then, she closed her eyes.
And their lips met in a slow, burning kiss.
It was like a quiet spark, hesitant at first, because their lips hadn’t touched in months—since the end of the last school year, when everything between them had unraveled, leaving nothing but unspoken words and unsent messages in its wake.
But within seconds, Bas pulled her in, his grip firm against the nape of her neck, and the kiss deepened. His thumb traced lightly over her throat, sending sparks down her spine.
Evin felt the fire between them ignite, every touch sending electricity throug h her veins. Her heart hammered against her ribs, her fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt, pulling him in, feeling the heat of his body against hers.
Everything around them blurred. The lights, the music, the people.
For a moment, their lips parted, both of them breathless, foreheads nearly touching.
Evin’s fingers fidgeted against his shirt, but she could see the grin tugging at his lips—a quiet, knowing grin, one that told her he understood exactly what this kiss had meant. For both of them.
"You owe me a dance," Bas murmured.
Evin smirked, biting her lip. "Do I?"
He tilted his head slightly, studying her. "I saw you giving your all for Milka earlier. Where’s my moment?"
Evin let out a soft laugh, nudging him playfully with her shoulder.
"Maybe you just have to work for it."
"Oh, is that the plan now?" He stepped even closer, the tension between them lingering, but lighter now. "Make me earn it?"
"That would be fun," she whispered, stepping back again, but this time with a grin that made it clear—This game was far from over.