Fuck everything I just said. I take it back. All of it.
I don't wanna be mature. I don't wanna be calm. I wanna kill him. Every seven goddamn seconds he touches Rava'sshoulder. Like Rava's gonna fly away if he doesn't keep a hand on him.
Fuck the music. Fuck this party. Fuck Jasper. I'm sitting under this tree while that asshole is over there playing beach therapist.
"You don't think he's hitting on him?" I ask, eyes still glued on them like a sniper. Daisy doesn't hesitate. "Oh, he's hitting on himhard." I whip my head toward her.
Lorenzo goes, "One hundred percent. That man definitely wants to climb Rava like a tree. It's almost funny."
"You should have seen the way he looked at him at the bar," I mutter. "Like he wanted to raise his kids or something."
Daisy blinks. "Wait—he was at the bar?"
"I saw him. Rava didn't see shit." I keep watching. I can'tnotwatch. I hate this. I hate how I feel. I hate how close that little shit is sitting. "Should I go say something? I don't know, just…grab him, pull him aside, whatever."
Lorenzo laughs.
"And say what, idiot? 'Hey, sorry, I'm insecure that my literal angel is talking to other humans'?Sit your jealous ass down."
Then Jasper laughs. Before Rava even says anything. He's laughing at things that don't exist yet. He's reading his lips like subtitles and reacting like it's a fucking comedy special.
Then the girl leaves. She fucking gets up and walks away.
She leaves them alone. I freeze. My brain twitches. What the fuck. What the fuck. She just left them. There. Together. Alone.
Like this is a rom-com and she's giving them space to bond. Daisy goes, "Maybe she went to get something, calm down, wild animal." I don't say anything. I can't.
I'm chewing the inside of my cheek hard. Then he does it. He touches Rava's knee. With his whole palm. Like it's his fucking right.
Nope. That's it. I'm done.
The guy who is keeping our stuff nudges me. He leans over. "If I were you, man? I'd go over there."
I don't even nod. I just stand the fuck up.
I'm already moving before my brain catches up. I'm not thinking and I'm definitely not planning. I'm going. I walk straight to them. Jasper's hand is still on Rava's knee. I don't stop walking.
I just let my body do what it wants. I shove Jasper, not hard, but not light either, and drop myself right between them.
Tight fit. Good. Let him feel me here. Let him choke on it.
Rava's eyes widen. He bites his lip like he's about to laugh. Good. Laugh. Watch me ruin the moment.
I turn to Jasper slowly. Meet his eyes. "Hey," I say, calm as ever. He doesn't even answer. Doesn't know what the hell just happened.
I tilt my head. Smile faintly. "Don't stop. Sounded like you were saying something fascinating."
Jasper laughs. "Bit tense, aren't you?"
"Bit fucking close, aren't you?"
He looks at me like I just slapped him. I tap his shoulder. "Hey," I say. "I'm kidding, I'm sorry."
He blinks, surprised. "Oh. Uh, it's okay—"
I cut in, grinning. "Nah, seriously. You seem like a good man. I was just messing around."
He laughs nervously. Rava looks confused now, flicking his eyes between us. I keep the smile up, all warm and casual.
