Chapter 5 #2
I realize he's right. Elias's hand is on my knee, his thumb grazing my bare skin. The gesture seems so natural, I hadn't even noticed.
"We're just ... committed to being convincing," I say lamely.
James snorts. "Sure, Elise, and I'm a unicorn."
Elias grins, unrepentant. "What can I say? I'm good at this."
Throughout the next hour, I'm surprised to find I'm actually ... enjoying myself. Elias is a constant presence at my side, his hand rarely leaving my waist or lower back. When he steps away briefly to get us drinks, James leans over.
"You know he's not pretending, right?" he asks, voice serious for once. "I've known Elias for years. I've never seen him like this."
Before I can respond, Elias returns, handing me a glass of wine. "What are you two conspiring about?"
"Just telling Elise embarrassing stories about you," James says smoothly.
Elias narrows his eyes. "Don't believe a word he says."
"Oh, I believe all of it," I tease, sipping my wine.
Elias's hand finds the back of my neck, fingers playing with the short hair there. The casual intimacy and possessiveness of it sends a shiver down my spine. "You really should believe your boyfriend first."
Throughout the evening, classmates approach our table to say hello—mostly to Elias, though a few acknowledge me with varying degrees of sincerity. Each time, Elias pulls me closer, making it clear we're a package deal.
Later, when the music shifts to something slower, Elias pulls me to my feet. "Dance with me."
"I'm not much of a dancer," I protest weakly.
"Neither am I, but I need an excuse to hold you."
On the dance floor, his arms wrap around me, one hand splayed across my lower back, the other holding mine against his chest. I can feel his heartbeat under my palm, and it feels as fast as mine.
"You okay?" he asks softly. "This isn't too much, is it?"
I look up at him. "No. It's ... nice. Better than I expected, actually."
"Good." He presses a kiss to my forehead. His lips linger there. "You're amazing, you know that?"
The sincerity in his voice makes my chest tight. I rise on my toes and press a soft kiss to his lips, forgetting for a moment that we're surrounded by people, that this is supposed to be for show.
He responds immediately, one hand moving to cup my face as he kisses me back. It's gentle, sweet, nothing like the desperate kisses we shared on his couch, but it makes my heart race all the same.
When we break apart, his eyes are dark. "I need to use the restroom real quick," he says. "Be right back."
He walks away, and I decide to freshen up as well, heading toward the ladies' room near the back of the ballroom.
I've just rounded the corner into the quieter hallway when I hear them.
"Look who it is," Mia says. "The barista playing dress-up."
I freeze, turning slowly. Mia stands blocking my path, Dana and Kerry flanking her like henchmen in a bad movie.
"Hi, Mia," I say. "Nice to see you."
"Is it?" Mia steps closer. "Because last time I saw you, you looked like you wanted to crawl under a table and die."
Oh, boy. Here it comes.
"So, you and Elias?" Mia tilts her head in false curiosity. "How did you manage that? Did he lose a bet?"
Dana and Kerry giggle on cue. Like I said, henchmen in a bad movie.
"We reconnected after the game," I say. "Through James."
"Right. James." Mia sneers. "Your only friend in high school, if I recall correctly."
I say nothing. There's no right answer here.
Mia examines her manicure. "The coffee you made me was really awful. Maybe find another career?"
"I like it there."
"I feel bad for you, Elise. I really do. You always had that better-than-everyone-else aura in high school, and now you're serving us drinks. Does it drive you nuts?"
Kerry jumps in. "And that dress ... just hideous. Even my grandma wouldn't wear it."
Dana nods. "Yeah, like, girl. You're with Elias King. The least you can do is buy a decent dress."
Mia laughs. "On a barista's salary? I don't think so."
Their words hit exactly where they're aimed. Right at my deepest insecurities. I'm aware of people stopping to watch, and my face burns. I want to sink through the floor and disappear.
"What does Elias even see in you?" Mia's voice is louder now, clearly playing to the gathering audience. "I mean, he could have anyone. Literally anyone. And he picks the girl who couldn't even get a date to prom?"
"Maybe it's a charity case," Kerry says. "You know how these athletes are always looking for good PR."
They laugh, and I hear others join in. The room feels like it's spinning. I'm back in high school, small, insignificant, and so, so alone.
"That's enough."
That voice. Elias. He's suddenly beside me, his body radiating tension.
"Elias!" Mia's face transforms instantly. "We were just catching up with Elise here."
"No, you weren't." His voice is ice cold. "You were being cruel, as usual."
Mia's smile falters. "I was just joking around. Elise knows that."
"Does she?" Elias slides his fingers through mine. "Because from where I'm standing, it looked like three insecure women trying to tear down someone they've been jealous of since high school."
Mia scoffs. "Jealous? Of her? Please. Give me a fucking break."
"Yes, jealous. Because if you weren't, then why the hell would you go out of your way to be mean?
I can't blame you, though. Elise is beautiful and smart and genuinely kind.
She also genuinely enjoys what she's doing and is good at it, while you just .
.. what? Post pictures and pretend to be happy? "
The crowd around us has grown. I spot James pushing his way through, his face thunderous. In all the time I've known him, I have never seen him this angry.
"You want to say something about Elise, you say it to me," Elias continues. "Because insulting her insults me. And I don't think you want to do that."
James reaches us and positions himself on my other side. "And me. You insult my friend, we have a problem, Mia. After you begged me for a free room, I don't think you want to do that to me, either."
Mia looks at James, then Elias, clearly not expecting this united front. For a moment, she seems uncertain.
I stand straighter, raise my chin, and take a half step forward away from Elias. These people—these small, mean people—don't get to make me feel worthless anymore.
I am so sick and tired of them. Calling them mean girls is too kind.
"You know what, Mia?" I say. "I get why you're doing this."
Mia blinks, thrown off by my sudden confidence. "Excuse me?"
"You're terrified of irrelevance. You peaked at eighteen, and you've been desperately clinging to that version of yourself ever since. Your entire identity is built on people thinking you're special, but deep down, you know there's nothing special about you at all."
It's suddenly so silent you can hear a pin drop.
"That's why you need to tear others down. That's why you need followers and likes and constant validation. Because without them, who are you? Just a mean girl who never grew up, who never created anything of value, who's still trying to relive her glory days a decade later."
I take a step toward her, and she actually backs up.
"I may not be famous. My novel might never get published. But at least I'm never mean, never unkind, and I never bully people. What are you doing besides posting filtered photos and preying on other people's insecurities to make yourself feel important?"
I hear a few scattered claps from the crowd. Someone whispers, "Damn."
Mia's face is red, her perfect composure cracking. "You ... you can't..."
"Can't what? Tell the truth?" I smile, feeling strangely light. "You haven't changed a bit. We're already in our late twenties, and you still act like you're twelve."
Dana and Kerry exchange glances, subtly stepping aside from Mia as if her humiliation might be contagious. The absolute worst henchmen of all time. As it turns out.
Mia seems to realize she's losing, her eyes darting around for support and finding none. "Whatever. Have fun with your fifteen minutes, Elise. We all know it won't last."
She turns to leave, her heels clicking rapidly as she pushes through the crowd.
For a moment, I just stand there, heart racing, not quite believing what just happened.
Then Elias turns me to face him, his expression a mixture of pride and something else. Something deeper and more intense.
"That's my girl," he says, and then his mouth is on mine.
This isn't like our previous kisses. Not the careful ones from practice, not the heated ones from his couch, nor the sweet one from the dance floor.
This is him staking his claim. He wraps a hand around my jaw, holding me steady as he kisses me like he's trying to suck my soul.
Like he wants everyone to see, to know, that I'm his.
And I kiss him back just as fiercely, my hands clutching his lapels, pulling him closer. In this moment, I don't care who's watching. I don't care about the reunion, Mia, or any of it. All I care about is Elias, the way he makes me feel, the connection we have.
Someone wolf-whistles. Someone else calls out, "Get a room!"
We all stand frozen in our own little bubble …
until James clears his throat rather loudly.
"Normally, I'd say get a room too," he says, pulling something from his pocket.
"But I already reserved one for you." He holds out a keycard and grins.
"Go. Before I barf from all this pent-up sexual tension. "
Elias takes the keycard, never taking his eyes off me. "D'you want to get out of here?"
The question carries weight beyond the obvious. This is a turning point for us. No more pretending, no more excuses. If we leave together now, it's real.
"Yes."
Elias takes my hand, interlacing our fingers together. We walk through the ballroom toward the exit, past staring classmates and whispering onlookers. I catch glimpses of shocked faces, envious glances, and phones capturing the moment.
In the hallway, away from the noise of the ballroom, Elias pulls me close again. "I'm so proud of you," he whispers against my hair. "You were incredible in there."
"I can't believe I said all that." I shake my head, still riding my adrenaline high. "I've been wanting to say something like that to her for years."
"I promise to never make you angry." His hand traces up and down my spine. "Being on the receiving end of your ire is hella scary."
We reach the elevators, and Elias presses the call button. I'm suddenly very aware of what's about to happen, of the keycard in his pocket and what it represents.
The elevator arrives with a soft ding, and the doors slide open. We step inside, and Elias presses the button for the top floor. The doors begin to close, and he turns to me, backing me against the elevator wall.
His mouth captures mine, hot and demanding. One of his hands finds my thigh, the other braces against the wall beside my head.
I arch into him, desperate for more contact, more of him. His tongue coaxes my lips, and I open for him, a small sound escapes my throat as the kiss deepens.
The elevator dings again, announcing our arrival at the floor. We pull apart, staring at each other as the doors slide open.
Elias looks at me, a question in his eyes, giving me one last chance to back out.
I don't want to back out. I want him. I have wanted him for longer than I care to admit.
Tonight, I will be completely his.
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