She squeezed my waist once.
“Come on, our song is playing?” The band just started the chords to ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ by Lit.
It wasn’t really a question.
Behind me, I heard Mark choke on his beer.
Chris muttered, “What the hell,” under his breath.
Dan didn’t say a word—he was shellshocked. Watching her like she was something from another realm entirely.
Beth just raised her eyebrows at me like:go.
My friends stepped back without saying a word, forming this weird little bubble around us like a pack giving space to the alpha.
And somehow that made my heart pound harder.
“Yeah,” I said, clearing my throat. “Yeah. Okay.”
She grabbed my hand like it belonged there.
Pulled me straight onto the floor.
Within seconds she had me belting out the lyrics with her… our hands in the air—eyes closed as the music vibrated through us. Beer sloshes on the floor as the people around us jumped.
Bodies moving close. Air thick with sweat and beer and summer.
It was perfect. The perfect summer night you hope for that rarely happens.
She danced like she trusted herself completely.
No checking the room.
No performing.
Just joy.
Every time she laughed, it felt like it landed somewhere under my ribs.
The song ended and we moved away from the crowded dance floor hand in hand—both of us sweaty, hearts beating fast. I was already hooked on the adrenalin hit I got from just being in the same space as this girl.
“What’s your name?” she asked, leaning close so I could hear her.
“Ethan.”
She nodded like she approved.
“I’m Sage.”
Of course she was.
She spun once, came back in, her hands sliding up my arms to my shoulders, light but deliberate.
“You work around here?” she asked.
“Marketing,” I replied.
She laughed. “You don’t look like a desk guy.”
