I watched as she made her way to the bar, where the group welcomed her with open arms, thrilled to have her join them. The sight of her trying to keep up with their jokes had me fighting back my grin.
Ethan looked up from the paper, a playful glint in his eyes. “I’ve already got a name for us,” he said, his knee brushing against mine again. “How about Artful Dodgers? A nod to your creative genius, and my dodging skills with Emily?”
“I love it,” I said, grinning. “Wait, is that the same Crazy Larry over there that you warned me about? The one who brought the karaoke machine last time?”
Ethan grinned, nodding. “Yep, that’s him. But this time, he said he’s planning to bust out his old-school breakdancing moves. Something about reliving his glory days.”
The quiz master, a tall man with a shock of gray hair and a jovial demeanor, stepped up to the small stage and tapped the microphone to get everyone’s attention. “Good evening, everyone! Welcome to quiz night! I’m Paul, your quizmaster for the evening. I hope you’re all ready to put those brains to work and have some fun. Let’s get started with the first round.”
The room buzzed with excitement as the teams settled in, everyone eager to prove their trivia prowess. Ethan and I exchanged a glance, the air between us crackling with anticipation.
Paul continued, “Alright, round one: general knowledge. Let’s see how sharp you all are tonight.”
The first few questions were relatively straightforward—geography, famous historical figures, a bit of pop culture. Ethan leaned in close, his voicewarm and low as he offered answers, and the closeness of his presence made the hairs on my arms stand up. Every so often, our heads would tilt toward each other, our shoulders brushing; a warm, easy intimacy between us.
“Are you sure about that one?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as I caught the subtle scent of his cologne. It was a warm, musky fragrance, that was quickly becoming one of my favorite smells.
“Pretty sure,” Ethan replied with a confident grin.
As the quiz moved to round two—music and movies—I felt a little more in my element, and it was fun watching Ethan’s eyes light up when I knew an answer that he didn’t. The questions ranged from classic films, to chart-topping hits, and we found our groove, working seamlessly together. When a question came up about a famous painting in a movie, I couldn’t help but grin as I scribbled down the answer.
“You’re a secret weapon,” he said, leaning in even closer, his voice filled with admiration. “I knew I picked the right partner.”
The compliment made my cheeks flush, and I ducked my head, trying to focus on the question at hand. “Well, you’re pretty good yourself,” I replied, glancing at him from under my lashes. Our faces were so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin.
As we continued, the air between us buzzed with unspoken tension, each correct answer feeling like a small, shared victory. We exchanged subtle, lingering glances, and every time he smiled at me, my heart skipped a beat.
Round three was a little trickier—science and nature. Ethan took the lead, confidently answering most of the questions, and I contributed where I could, but it was clear this was more his forte.
Yet, even as he tackled the questions, Ethan never let go of the easy rapport we’d built. Every now and then, he’d glance at me with a playful glint in his eye, sharing little inside jokes only we understood. His laughterwas infectious, and the way he leaned in close to whisper a witty comment, or share an answer, made me excited.
By the time we reached the final round—Hallow’s End trivia—I could feel the energy between us peak. The questions were all about local history and lore, and I marvelled at how much Ethan knew about the town’s quirky past. His enthusiasm was contagious, drawing me in, and making me want to know more about this place that had quickly started to feel like home.
When Paul announced the end of the quiz, a collective sigh of relief rippled through the bistro, mingling with the hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses. “We’ll tally up the scores and announce the winners in just a few minutes. Great job, everyone!”
I leaned back in my chair, letting out a breath. “That was intense,” I said, glancing at Ethan with a grin.
He nodded, wiping an imaginary bead of sweat from his brow. “No kidding. I didn’t expect trivia to get my heart racing like that.”
Nearby, Larry had gathered a small crowd around him as he demonstrated dance moves from back in the day, but I barely registered the scene because Ethan had shifted closer, his shoulder brushing against mine. The warmth of his presence was almost overwhelming, and his laughter sent little shivers down my spine.
As Larry tried to demonstrate a particularly ambitious move, Ethan leaned in, his breath warm against my ear as he chuckled. “I think Larry’s about to pull something.”
His words barely registered. My whole attention was on Ethan. How close he was. How the space between us had shrunk to just a few inches. I didn’t want the night to end; relishing in the easy connection we had built, and the nerves I’d felt before our date seemed like a distant memory, replaced by an excitement that bubbled up inside me. I couldn’t wait totell Ivy and Amelia how well it was going, how much fun I was having, and how glad I was that I’d pushed through the initial anxiety.
Ethan turned to me, his smile softening, his eyes catching mine. We were so close I could feel the gentle rise and fall of his breath. He licked his lips, a simple gesture that felt loaded with meaning, and I was acutely aware of the faint scent of wine on my breath. A wave of self-consciousness washed over me. What if I had food in my teeth? Or my lipstick had smudged? The possibility of a kiss hung in the air, but all I could think about was how unprepared I felt for it.
I found myself breaking eye contact, mumbling something about needing a quick bathroom break, and I slipped away, my heart pounding in my chest as I navigated through the crowded bistro.
In the bathroom, I took a moment to catch my breath, splashing cool water on my face. As I patted my cheeks dry, I pulled out my phone, opening a few unread messages. One was from Ivy, and the other from Amelia, in a newly formed group chat titled COVEN. Smiling, I opened the chat.
Almost instantly,Amelia replied.
I chuckled, feeling a little more confident as I touched up my lipstick and fluffed my hair. A small surge of excitement thrummed through me as I exited the bathroom, making my way back to Ethan. As I approached our table, his eyes immediately lit up, and I felt that familiar warmth spread through me. With a deep breath, I decided that tonight, I wouldn’t let my nerves get the better of me again.
Paul returned to the stage after tallying up the scores, the bistro buzzing with anticipation. Ethan and I exchanged a glance, both of us trying to play it cool. We had done pretty well, I thought, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up too much.
“And the winners of tonight’s Quiz Night Extravaganza,” Paul announced, drawing out the suspense, “are none other than . . . the Artful Dodgers!”
