Before she can answer, Ifeelit. The change in the air is like static before a lightning strike. Like gravity, remembering who I belong to. Goosebumps break through my skin. I take a deep breath in, I turn slowly, and then there he is.
Isaac.
Standing near the edge of the bar, backlit by the neon red of the beer sign behind him. Wearing a black fitted t-shirt, navy blue jeans, and of course, his leather jacket. His eyes are already on me. I chuckle at that, a small hiccup escaping me, because of course they are. My heart clenches in my chest as I drink him. He looks tired. Beautiful. Andmine.
Maybe it’s the alcohol that loosens the tension, something twinges in my chest when he smiles, his gaze sweeps over me in one quick, and swift motion. Sledge appears at his side, whispering something in his ear, whatever it is does little to take his attention away from me. Not once.
I turn to Alexa, who’s pretending to be busy. “You….”
She smiles nervously, showing me a row of perfect white teeth. “I had no idea,” she lies horribly. I don’t know whether I should be mad at her or hug her. I would be lying if I said this isn’t a pleasant surprise. Actually just what the doctor prescribed.Enjoy the little things. The words play over and over in my head.Enjoy the little things. I feel every second of the past months in my bones. Longing. Love.
Before I overthink, I step off the dance floor without a word and head towards him. Isaac doesn’t move from where he stands. He just stares at me with an intensity that makes my skin prickle with heat. The closer I get, the more mystomach flips, and my body hums with anticipation. My lips twitch. “You’ve been watching me?”
“Since I walked in.” His jaw clenches. “You look happy. It suits you.”
From the corner of my eye, I watch Sledge walk towards Alexa, giving us privacy to speak. “Thank you.” I squint my eyes, pretending to be inspecting him. “You look tired.”
He leans into my ear, whispering,“That’s cuz I am.”
“Exhaustion looks good on you,” I quip nervously. My body is a bundle of wild nerves that I can’t contain. “This is your doing?”
He shakes his head,no, as he shoves his hands into his pockets. “Can’t say I’m the one to blame.” Iz cocks his head to the side. “I think we have two meddling friends trying to play Cupid.”
“I don’t mind,” I blurt out, shocked at how easy it feels. Maybe Isaac has been right all along. Maybe this could have been this easy. It could all have been this smooth right from the beginning. If I had just been honest with myself. But there’s no reason to linger in the past. Iz gives me a crooked smile. “You sure?”
I nod once, too quick to be anything but sure. “Can we…” I bite down on my lower lip. “Can we get out of here for a sec? I need air. And smoke.”
He doesn’t answer right away. He just breathes in through his nose before jerking his chin towards the exit. “C’mon.”
We slip out of the crowded bar, and the night air slaps cool against my heated skin. “Wanna go for a walk?”
Isaac tilts his head to the side. “Lead the way.”
And I do.
My heels click softly as we fall into step, heading wherever our feet take us. No destination. Just movements. Silence blooms between us, not awkward… but comfortable. We cross a narrow street and cut through the back alley behind the strip of bars. The concrete is cracked, and there's a faint smell of street food in the air. My body’s warm, but my fingertips tingle thanks to the tequila working through my system. The familiar click of a lighter pulls my attention to Iz, watching as he lights up a joint. The ember grows brighter as he inhales deeply, before passing it to me. “Thanks,” I murmur, placing the joint between my lips as we continue to walk.
One street turns into another, and before I know it, we’re near the ridge. The night is still, the city lights stretch around and beneath us in scattered gold specs. I pause right on the edge, exhaling the marijuana smoke, and look around. Pointing straight ahead, I whisper, “I know this area.”
Iz hums low. “Yeah.”
It’s not until we follow the sloped gravel path around the corner that it hits me—this is the other side. My ankles twist slightly when Isaac’s hands meet my waist and steady me as we make it further down the overlook. The one directly opposite the place where we were taken, from our spot. The same hill. The same city view. But a new angle. A full fucking circle.
I freeze beside Isaac. Our eyes scan the area. “Did you know?”
He shakes his head. “Didn’t even realize until just now.”
We both turn to face the city, and I pass him the rest of the joint. The air is quieter here. The kind of silence that makes you feel things. My hands tremble slightly as I bring them to my neck, feeling the smoke dance around me. “After it happened, I couldn’t stand the idea of going back. It used to be our spot, and now I don’t think I can go without getting sick to my stomach.”
“Me too.”
I smile softly. “And yet…” I look around, taking in the graffiti scattered railing, the single bench, and my smile deepens. “Here we are.”
“Alive,” he intervenes.
I nod. “Alive.”
Another pause.
