The others were chatting, their laughter filling the room as they bickered over which movie to start with. Finally, Cahya picked the Stephen King horror movie, grinning mischievously as he loaded it into the player.
"Don't blame me if you can't sleep tonight," he said, smirking as he settled onto the floor with a pile of blankets. Sydney groaned, scooting closer to Jax, who put a casual arm around her as they snuggled into the couch.
As the lights dimmed, Wynter settled beside me, his arm resting on the couch so close that his sleeve brushed mine. I held my breath, hoping my racing heart wasn't as obvious as it felt. Every time he shifted, every time his knee bumped mine, I felt a quiet thrill, my mind too focused on his presence to care about the movie.
"Can I talk to you later tonight?" he asked me softly.
"Did I do something?" I wondered guiltily. "Because I swear I'm completely innocent. I didn't read—"
"What?" He furrowed his eyebrows. "No, you didn't do anything wrong. I just think we need to talk. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, that's okay," I agreed.
Oh, I was so screwed. He was going to pull me aside and tell me he knew I was insane, and then say he never wanted to see me again, file a restraining order, and I'd get sent to the loony bin.
When a jump scare made me flinch, I instinctively reached out, my hand landing on his. I tensed, expecting him to pull back, but when he didn't, I moved my hand in surprise.
Neither of us said anything, and I couldn't bring myself to speak. The room felt different—almost like the two of us were in a little bubble, close enough to feel the quiet, unspoken energy building between us. I glanced at him, catching him sneaking a look my way, and when our eyes met, he didn't look away.Oh?
As the movie ended and the lights came back on, I felt him slip away, and the absence was almost startling. He gave me a soft, lingering look that made my cheeks flush, and I couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same spark I did. Before I could say anything, Bae leaned over, grabbing my attention with her usual grin.
"So, another movie or are we raiding the kitchen?" she asked, oblivious to the tension that lingered between Wynter and me.
The night had taken a turn into chaos. We'd been having a great time—everyone was getting more comfortable, more demanding, and it seemed like all at once, Wynter had become the official host, trying to juggle a million things at once.
First, Bae had decided she was suddenly too cold, needing another blanket to drape over herself, but not just any blanket—no, it had to be the "extra fuzzy one" from the linen closet. She gave him the kind of look that only a younger sibling could give, the "you must know which one I mean" look.
"Wynter, can you grab the fuzzy blanket from the closet? The blue one? You know the one," Bae said, looking at him expectantly from the couch.
He looked at her, his eyes wide for a moment. "The blue one? There are, like, five blue blankets, Bae."
She waved him off like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You know the one, with the soft edges!"
Wynter sighed, dragging himself off the couch. As soon as his feet hit the floor, Jax piped up, grinning. "Oh, and while you're at it, man, could you bring me some more chips? I'm out."
Before Wynter could even open his mouth, Sydney chimed in. "And a soda. Don't forget the soda! I'm so thirsty."
He rubbed his face, looking like he might have aged five years in the last five minutes. "You guys realize I'm not staff here, right?"
Cahya, from the floor, leaned back and lazily raised a hand. "And I'm still waiting on that blanket fort idea. Just saying."
Wynter blinked, momentarily speechless. "A blanket fort?"
"Yeah," Cahya said, completely serious. "You know, for atmosphere. We could all pile in and, like, get comfy. What's a movie night without a blanket fort?"
Bae's face lit up. "Oh my god, that's perfect! I'll help you build it!"
Wynter just stood there for a moment, staring at his friends like he'd been handed a list of demands from a group of over-caffeinated toddlers. "Right. So I'm supposed to get you a blanket, chips, soda, and somehow also make a fort that's structurally sound enough to fit all of you in it?"
"Yes," Bae said, already halfway up, her excitement palpable. "And make it look cute."
Wynter didn't even reply, just turned toward the closet. He pulled out the first blanket he could find, throwing it over his shoulder. "Here's your fuzzy one," he said sarcastically, "and there better be chips and soda in the fridge, or this night is over."
Sydney had already put her empty soda can on the table, eyes wide and pleading. "Please, Wynter. I'll be forever grateful."
He sighed as he walked toward the kitchen. As he entered, he could hear Bae and Cahya start enthusiastically discussing the blanket fort's design, with Jax piping up about the potential for a secret trapdoor. Wynter could hear him smirk from across the room. "Dude, I'm just saying—trapdoors are essential to any fort."
Wynter muttered under his breath as he opened the fridge. "I swear to God, if this ends up being a five-star hotel at this rate…"
